I recently tested a few different pellets in different guns for velocity at the muzzle and velocity at ~30 yards. I think that the results are interesting.
I tested a few .22 pellets using a CS 2400 (2250), shooting between 11 and 12 fpe. Velocity readings were taken at 1 foot from the muzzle over the chrony and over the chrony at 27 yards.
Crosman Copperhead Pointed pellets, 14.3 grains - MV: 600 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 539 fps ... BC = .031
Crosman Copperhead Wadcutter pellets, 14.3 grains - MV: 600 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 498 fps ... BC = .018
Beeman Crow Magnum pellets, 14.3 grains - MV: 550 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 446 fps ... BC = .016
Eun Jin domed pellets, 27.7 grains - MV: 436fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 400 fps ... BC = .037
Beeman Kodiak pellets, 21.1 grains - MV: 499 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 457 fps ... BC = .038
I also tested a few .25 pellets using my 22xx .25 caliber co2 pistol:
Webley Mosquito pellets, 19.3 grains - MV: 666 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 600 fps ... BC = .032
Hornady # 3 Buckshot, 24 grains - MV: 588 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 518 fps ... BC = .026
Beeman Crow Magnum pellets, 26.2 grains - MV: 578 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 478 fps ... BC = .018
Beeman Laser pellets, 17.7 grains - MV: 693 fps ... Vel at 27 yards: 513 fps ... BC = .011
The .25 pellet testing I did brought a few things to my attention. I can't believe how horribly the Lasers do. The Mosquitoes are actually moving faster about 6 yards from the muzzle, even though they start 30 fps slower. The Crow Mags suck, too. The surprise for me was the # 3 buckshot - I have heard that roundballs have a horrible BC. From my testing, the # 3 buck has a pretty good BC compared to some .25 caliber diabolo pellets.
The .22 caliber pellets didn't show too many surprises, other than the Crow Magnum pellets. I’ve read in a few places that the BCM pellets have a good BC; my testing shows otherwise.
The testing that I did was at an elevation of ~ 900 feet and a temeperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Using an online calculator, the corrected BCs of all pellets should be between 9 to 10 percent lower. Even still, the comparisons above definitely show that different pellets perform differently.
Let's lot forget that much more important than BC is accuracy. An accurate pellet that hits the target carrying 10 fpe will work much better than a pellet that carries 20 fpe, but misses. Accuracy is king in air guns.
My .25 pistol shoots accurately with all 4 of the pellets I tested. The Webley Mosquito pellets are the most accurate of the 4 for me in that gun, so I will use them. It's a bonus that they carry energy well
. The # 3 buck shoots well, too, and it's so cheap. The CS 2400 shoots the CHPPs, CHWCs, and Kodiaks accurately. I like the initial velocity and retained energy of the CHPPs, so that’s the pellet I will shoot when hunting. I also have much more testing to do, as there are many more pellets available for these two air guns (and others).
I hope this info is helpful.
Tim Miller
