CHRONY TEST TRAIL NP

[Perry50]

Well the new .22 Trail NP arrived today and while there was still sunlight I decided to take it outside and shoot it over the chrony. It was about 80 degrees and muzzle was about 2 feet from chrony.

These are 5 shot averages:

CP 14.3 gr.....................732 FPS..........17.0 FPE
Benjamin HP 14.3...........779 FPS..........19.3 FPE
Polymag 16 gr................688 FPS..........16.8 FPE
Crow Magnum 18.2.........698 FPS..........19.7 FPE
JSB Exact 15.8 gr............691 FPS..........16.8 FPE
Kodiak Extra Heavy 21.1...636 FPS..........19.0 FPE
EUN JIN 28.4 gr..............518 FPS..........17.0 FPE

I am surprised at the differences in speed and energy with the various pellets. The numbers were consistant with each specific pellet but ranged with different types and sizes.

I found some pellets to be tight fitting and the tighter fitting pellets seemed to have more energy. The CP's were rather loose fitting compared to it's cousin the Benji (Crosman) 14.3 gr. hollow point.

I think it will improve after more pellets are shot but a max of 19.7 FPE isn't bad at all.

The firing cycle is very smooth with little recoil and the gun is quiet. The cocking effort is easy maybe 30 lbs? Tomorrow I will fit the scope and punch holes in paper.

The wood work is very nice and I am impressed with the gun after one day.

More to follow.

[longislandhunter]

Looks like you got yourself a shooter

Some very good numbers,,,, especially for the kodiaks and crow  mags...

Jeff

[daveshoot]

Thanks for taking the time to put those numbers up. In .22 I would not be unhappy with these velocities, and it will be interesting to see how they develop after a couple hundred pellets. Looking forward to accuracy testing next!

I kinda think this is the piston for me. I like the weight and ergonomics of this one. Any comments on safety and trigger are most welcome!

[djmyers]

Sounds like you have a good gun. Have fun and good luck with it.

[airiscool]

Perry,
Congrats on the New Trail. It sounds like some  good numbers for a gas ram with only about 30 lbs cocking force.

Just curious to compare, have you tried weighing the gun with the scope and sling on it yet?  Mine's about 1-1/2 pounds heavier than what Crosman lists. I doubt they are including the scope and rings in the weight, but without any iron sights, I think they should.

Got any pix ?

Paul.

[memo]

Perry, I believe you got what I was hoping to get. I was eagerly awaiting your post to compare your numbers and impressions of the Trail NP.  A follow-up 10 shot string of CHP (14.3) is below:
       1. 679.8                        Low: 668.2
       2. 678.0                        HIgh: 687.7
       3. 668.2                        AV:  678.1
       4. 672.0                        ES:  17.51
       5. 676.9                        SD: 6.00
       6. 679.9
       7. 686.2
       8. 672.1
       9. 680.1
      10. 687.7
    You are at 80 degrees, i am at 40, but I really don't think the temp accounts for the 100 fps avg difference since one of the advantages gas piston are touted to have is to be unaffected by temperatures. I have seen this from several different sources and will accept it as true. I am assuming (uh-oh) that Benjamin HP (14.3) and Crosman HP (14.3) are the same pellets.

    Your comment about  tighter fitting pellets seeming to have more energy is confirmed by the tighter fitting RWS Superdomes (14.5) doing lower 700's with mine. It's also backed up By Tom Gaylord writing that gas pistons are hard on pellets and prefer ones with thicker skirts like the RWS Superdomes or hardened ones like the Crosmans.

    A Trail NP XL owner commented on a blog that his gun twisted more like a regular springer, one shot twisted enough to the left to bruise his cheek. His intial firing cycle was very similar to mine minus the bruise. The firing cycle (smooth with little recoil) of your gun is an encouraging contrast.

    Although my China copy seems substantially "different" than yours, I too am impressed with and really do like the gun, ... but my velocities are so disappointing. Now I have a decision to make; exchange it or return it. Or ...... is there a third choice? How about a trade?

    I am looking forward to your paper punching ( which I am sure will K.O. my results ) before making a decision.

    Congratulations on the new purchase and have fun.
                               
                                                                                 Memo

[Gene_SC]

Something to remember....   If you have two brands of pellets the weigh out the same it does not mean that your chrony strings will match. I have even seen heavier pellets score a higher FPS average than some that are lighter... Go figuer..

[airiscool]

Along the same line of what Gene is saying, my gas Whisper shoots the heavier RWS Superdome (14.5gr / 686.6 fps) faster than the lighter RWS Super HP (14.3gr/668.3 fps). The reverse of what I'd expected.

Yesterday, the Trail did 886.7 fps with Superdomes,  and 894 fps with the Super HP, all from the same tins as I used for the Whisper's Chrony test.  That's more like what I would expect.

Always surprises and exceptions with these things !!!

[airiscool]

Not to argue with Tom's vast experiance, but I have another exception to a rule (?).

My gas Whisper does not like hard lead pellets like the Preds and Superdomes. But it sure loves the softer Jumbos, especially the Jumbo 15.8 gr that are so soft I can pinch the skirt compleatly flat using  just two finger tips.

The Trail is just the opposite, showing a preference for hard lead pellets. I wonder if it's a matter of degrees of power, not just  a broad statement that all gas rams are hard on pellets ??

Paul.

[airiscool]

"....A Trail NP XL owner commented on a blog that his gun twisted more like a regular springer, one shot twisted enough to the left to bruise his cheek. ....."


This Trail XL has plenty of power, but I have a hard time understanding how it could "twist' like a spring gun.

And the gun is HEAVY, what recoil it has isn't that much that I would believe it could bruse a cheek. Especially since the greatest part of the recoil is going  forward away from the face.

Even the first shot that cracked like a rimfire, had no more kick than a 22 long rifle fired through a very heavy gun. My 22 mag has more kick than this Trail XL.

I have two daughters who shoot trap with me. They both use 7-1/2 pound 20 ga pumps and after four rounds of trap (100 shots) they don't get brused cheeks. Yet somehow a 10 pound Trail XL leaves a bruse ??

I'd love to know how his gun could do all that.

Paul.

[Perry50]

Well, I weighed the gun on my digital scale and with the scope it is 8.3 lbs so I guess Crosman's 6.65 lb didn't include the scope. It is still lightweight though for a 20 FPE springer.

The trigger pull is too heavy. I may adjust the length until I get a GRT III to replace it with.

I shot paper targets today and the groupings are about 1/2 inch at 20 yards. I am hoping to get better results after I have put more pellets through the gun and replace the trigger. Right now I have shot around 100 so far.

I have not noticed a twist at all, just a little forward movement. Still impressed with the quietness of the gun and the build quality seems quite nice.

The Benj. HP 14.3 pellets seem to have the most velocity and have proven to be the most accurate at this stage.





How do you insert a picture?

[airiscool]

Perry,

8.3 pounds is pretty good. Not too heavy, but enough weight to help steady it.  A lot of hunting rifles and shotguns weight close to that with scope and sling.

1/2 inch groups at 20yrds,  I'd say that's darn good for a new gun still being broken in.... and possably hasn't find it's best pellet yet. Should be quite acurate when it's broken in.  What kind of hold are you using, and do you consider it "hold sensitive" ?  

Paul.

[Perry50]

Paul, good queation. The gun does seem to be hold sensitive. I have it on a bench rest and if i don't have a strong hold, the groups are not as tight. I am used to shooting my 2 multi pump pneumatic guns that are not hold senstivie at all.

[airiscool]

Still trying to figure mine out, but I think it's looking like it likes a firm hold also.

One thing I do know ..... at 10-1/2 pounds, and about 40 lbs cocking force .... I'm becoming hold sensitive- my arms are tired !!!

Paul.

[memo]

A modest disparity in velocity between pellets of similar weight would seem reasonable when used in guns of the the same model.  It just seemed to me that a 100 fps pointed to something out of order. A 14-18 fps difference would have been forgotten as not worthy of note.
    Yea, I noticed that heavier but faster pellet thing in the first chrony test and was surprised by it. "Go figure" is right on.