Hunter Gas Piston VS Big Cat Spring

[djmyers]

Got my new F-1 chrono today and dam is it nice. I tested alot of pellets in my Gamo Hunter sport nitro piston with grt-3 and Big Cat (bone stock). Here are the numbers of the best and what I shot the best.
 
PBA 5.4gr  Avg Vel Hunter 1214 ft lbs 17.67 ft lbs , Big cat 1075 vel 13.86 ft lbs accuracy was horrible! If you want a loud crack by them, if you want to hit small targets avoid!
RWS Superdome 8.3 gr  Hunter 917.86 fps , 15.59 ft lbs Big cat 826.86 vel 12.6 ft lbs. Great accuracy and penetration! I like these pellets and recommend trying them.
H&N Barracuda 10.65 gr Hunter 807.82 fps 15.43 ft lbs. Big cat 714.84 fps 12.08 ft lbs. Great groups out of both guns. Deepest penetration.
Gamo Match  7.71 gr Hunter 926.26 vel 14.691 ftlbs. Big cat 873.06 vel 13.05 ft lbs. Good groups, good all around ammo.
JSB diablo 7.33 gr Hunter 932.64 vel 14.16 ft lbs big cat 926.12 vel 13.96  ftlbs Very good groups and penetration. Big cats favorite ammo by far! Shoots hight right out of hunter. but great groups.
Gamo Hunter 7.56 gr 966.12 vel 15.67 ft lbs Big cat 891.52 vel 13.34 ft lbs. This will be nmy go to ammo in the hunter with RWS super domes 2nd.  Excellent groups and penetration.

Also tested RWS Hollow point 6.9 gr, Gamo Armor 6.8 gr, red fire 8.0 g and Gamo Master point 7.87 gr.

After velocity and grouping I shot each into a 5 lb tub of plumbers putty to check penetration. That is a cool test and its cheap. For the Hunter I will go with the Gamo hunter ammo. I shot the best groups and did not over penetrate the putty. For the Big cat it was the JSB diablo  7.33 gr. HIgh vel was 926.7 and low was 924.5. Very consistant and outstasnding group.

I hope this info helps with any decisions about the gas piston over the spring guns or any actual velocity questions. The F-1 CHrono really opened my eyes. I love that thing! Recommend you pick one up not to expensive and helps pick the best ammo for your gun. If you shoot indoors you have to get the lights for it! ANd buy extra bulbs they are 3 bucks apeice.

Have fun all.

[djmyers]

Just spent about 3 hours shooting and found that the Goma Hunter and Rws Suoerdome lose accuracy very quickly. To the point I came home and checked all the stock screws to see if they were loose or not. The gamo hunters were the worst. They shot 4 in groups average at 30 yds! Many hit the dirt or went over the trap. I was seriously starting to question my abilities and getting aggrevated.

The RWS were not as bad but still 2-3 in groups at 20-3- yards is not accaptable. Thats not that far.

The 2nd round I took my #3 and #4 choice of pellets after all the testing and holy cow what a difference! They were the JSB diablo and H&N Barracuda. WIth the JSB being my now go to pellet. They shot very consistant as far as velocity adn very tight groups. Once dialed in I put them to the test at 25 yards. Shooting from a folding chair with no rest, just me holding it and aiming I was knocking the center out of the Birchwood casey 4 in shoot n c targets! Thats about the size of a plastic thumb take! I was also useing the NRA 25ft qual target and hitting all black. The bulls eye is about the size of a nickle with on that. 100 times better than the RWS or Gamo pellets.

The HN pellets shot just as tight groups but about 1/2 mil lower. So the mil dots realy came in handy for switching back and forth and still keeping me on target.

I finally tested it out to 50yds on beer cans curtosy of somebody else that likes to frequent the swamp. Filled them with water and went 10 for 10 at 50 yds.

I learned a good lesson today. Anything can ferform well at 35 ft. but past that you will be surprised. I was shooting 5 shot groups with several in the same hole with most pellets. Then when I backed up they told a very differnt story.

The HN and JSB were 1 and 2 respective in the plummers putty penetration test, 3 and 4 over all. But after feild testing they are without a doubt 1 and 2. Both my Hunter and Big Cat are zeroed in for JSB Diablos.  I can confidantly hit kill zones out to 30 yds. After that I dont think it would be powerful enough to kill most small critters anyway.

Hope all the info helps.  Have a great day.

[RedFeather]

They are trash and will turn your guns into same.

While you're at it, weight the Gamo pellets, if you have a scale that will do so. They can vary widely, within the same tin. Someone once tested a batch and NONE were the advertised weight. Almost all being lighter.

[North Pack]

Ahhh, - the advantages of a mil-dot scope.

[LongIslandArcher]

Could also be that person's scale was out of true.  I have a grain scale and it's is always shows 0.3 grains less than the advertised weight of my pellets.  As long as the pellets are all coming back at the same weight, +/- 0.1 grain or so, they should be fine.

[gamo2hammerli]

Great stats.....for sure it's going to benefit someone.  Normallly the heavier pellets will go into the putty more....even at a slower speed.  It's all about foot pounds in hunting.  And I second what Redfeather said, "Get rid of the Gamo PBA's"....they're going to ruin your "1000"fps airguns.  They're only good for lower powered airguns and PCP's or multi pumpers.

[djmyers]

I gave the PBA to my daughter for my old Daisy 120. When I tested them through the chrono they shot from 232 to 407! Thats horrible! Worst thing is their not lead so I can even melt them into fishing weight. They are worthless.