Author Topic: Pellets over 8 grains in the CFX  (Read 1746 times)

Offline PBJ

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Pellets over 8 grains in the CFX
« on: November 19, 2006, 01:14:45 PM »
I have read a number of references to Bob (CDT) saying that in .177, 8 grains of so is the top weight for spring guns. My CFX much prefers a heavier pellet. I am waiting on the Gamo 440 that I just bought from Gene and do not want to damage a good gun. Can we have another run down on why we should stay with the normal weight pellets. All my guns shoot RWS Super Domes well and they do fine with the Predators also, but they really like the heavies.
Bob Jarrard (PBJ)
2 .177 Gamo 440\'s, .177 Gamo CFX, 2 .22 Gamo CFX\'s .177 AR2078A .177 Mendoza/Crossman. CDT tune/trigger on the 440\'s/.177 CFX & CDT trigger on one .22 CFX.

Offline daved

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RE: Pellets over 8 grains in the CFX
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2006, 05:22:35 PM »
Hey, Bob,

Simple answer is that heavy pellets can (do?) shorten spring life, especially with stock springs.  And Bob's cut off is 9 gr. BTW.  Jim Maccarri agrees, as far as the stock springs are concerned.  He says heavy pellets require a spring wire diameter of at least .128".  Or to put it another way, if you want to shoot heavy pellets, you need one of his springs :-).  Not to be construed as a slam at JM, it's well known that he sets the standard for springer springs, and knows what he's talking about.  My CFX busted it's original stock mainspring after less than 3000 pellets, of which less than 100 were over 9 grains.  I had some Beeman Silver Arrows, 11.5 gr. that I tried.  Since they shot like crap, I didn't try too many.  As I recall, the stock spring wire is .117".  Superdomes weigh 8.3 gr. on average, and I know from some of his other posts that Gene shoots Superdomes in almost everything.  I guess the question has to be, does your CFX shoot the heavier pellets enough better to be worth breaking your main spring?  And do you have a chrony to test what's actually happening?  I've never shot Kodiaks in my CFX, but in my Diana 350 .22, the Kokiak is 21.1 gr., the Superdome is 14.5.  Kodiak did 673 fps and 21.2 fpe.  S'domes were 828 fps and 22+ fpe.  I'd expect similar comparisons to the .177 versions.  If you're hunting with your CFX, and Predators shoot well, what do you even need heavier pellets for?  If you need more power, get a .22, or a PCP.  Or both.  Anyway, that's the info I have, and the opinion to go with it :-).  HTH.

Dave

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RE: Pellets over 8 grains in the CFX
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2006, 08:14:02 PM »
Hi fellas, I hope u don't mind a foreign perspective here. I have an opinion that the use of heavier pellets does have a place in the spring gun arsenal, but usually to correct an unhappy situation in the first place. This could be any number of causations and I have found one when night shooting where the cold air creates a dieseling and piston slam condition not evident during the day. My solution is to swap to a heavier pellet at night.

If the Airgun shoots sweetly at 8grains, all should be well, and providing you don't have a transfer port design issue to correct not really a need to go heavier. Gamo as we have found here in NZ are reasonably consistent out of the box (could be marginally better) and have a good compromise powerplant for all the calibres. But use of heavier pellets can break springs and reduces pellet velocity and energy output, and can increases felt piston jerk. (a fine balancing act akin to setting the timing in an internal combustion engine)

I have no specific recommendations, but agree with Charlie for a standard rifle, perhaps it is best to stick with standard weight pellets 7.9 - 9 grain.


Regards
Adam