Nitro XL shooting.

[DougT]

WadeS's brother ordered a .22 Nitro Trail XL that arrived today and we shot it about 100 times.  Some things that really stuck out to me.

1.  The power!!!   We chrono'd it with 14g RWS Superdomes at an average of 950fps with the high of 958 and low of 932.  That's 29 fpe!!!!  It was getting too dark when we switched pellet types to get readings on other ones.  I'm sure a lightweight pellet, such as the 11.9g Hobby will be well into the 1000fps range.

2.  The barrel break is a BEAR!!!  I almost bruised my hand trying to get the barrel to break for the first few times.  The cocking action is smooth and pretty linear in force but is also very stiff.  Hopefully the action will smooth out and loosen up after a few hundred shots.  The shot cycle seems pretty smooth and is relatively quiet.

3.  The trigger isn't good.  It is very stiff with a TON of travel before it lets off.  There must be 1/4"-3/8" of second stage travel.  I would pull it back until it hit a lighter-pull spot, then pause knowing it was about to shoot.  You would then make sure your crosshairs were where you wanted them and finish pulling the trigger.  Either some serious trigger work or the CDT trigger will definitely be needed.  We tried turning in the second stage screw up to 5 turns but it didn't seem to help much.  

4.  The CenterPoint 3-9 scope and mount seem excellent.  Nice, thin mil-bar? reticle, clear, easy to use.   The rail is a Picatinney rail with rings that use those bars so a scope stop isn't needed.

5.  The stock is nice and fits me very well.  The thumbhole grip is very comfortable.

At 20 yards, off a bench, I was able to shoot a 1.25" 5-shot group with Superdomes.  With a better trigger, more break-in time, the correct hold and the correct pellet, this thing will be a bird/squirrel slaying machine.

Doug

[bcshooter]

Doug,.......I hate to tell you this...........but...................................

We like pics.......Bill

[airiscool]

Doug,

Congrats to Wade's brother. I think he's realy gonna like it.

My XL realy likes Predators and Jeff's likes the Jumbo heavies. Have you tried either of those pellets yet ?

Paul

[DougT]

No, only the Superdomes and a few Daisy wadcutters.  We don't want to start testing pellets until he has a tin through it and some trigger improvement done.  After that, I have 10 types that we'll test.  I'd like to get my hands on about 50-60 Hobby pellets.

[airiscool]

Why go with so light a pellet like the hobbies ?

Paul.

[longislandhunter]

I agree, hobbies are way to light for this gun, take advantage of the power and try some heavier pellets.  

Jeff

[DougT]

Just to see if it could hit the 1100fps claimed velocity.  I would also like some for my pellet sampler collection that I'll use for future guns.

[airiscool]

Doug,
I believe the 1100 fps claim is with PBA pellets that are even lighter than the  Hobbies. I tried one Raptor (9.9 gr) in mine and it only did 1071 fps, but, taking elevation differences into account,  my gun seems to be running a bit slower than others.

With mine, the lighter pellets sprayed all over, up to, and including the Superdomes, which I was surprised to see were the worst with  4 inch groups at 30 yards. Crossing the 15 grain point, the heavier pellets such as Jumbo's, Predators, and Jumbo heavies went into groups 1/3 the size. I noticed the over 15 grain pellets all fit snugly into the breach, and only the Jumbo RS fit snug of the under 15 grain. The Superdomes were the loosest fit.  And the velocity extreams of the heavier pellets is about half that of the under 15 grain pellets.

With the new seal installed the velocity extreams have been reduced by about half, plus the Tuna trigger reduced group sizes substantially. As the gun is wearing in and settling down, the Predators have shown to be the best so far in my gun - one ragged hole at 30.

Paul.

[DougT]

Glen's XL seems to have a tight bore, all the pellets fit very snuggly.  Velocity spread was about 36fps after only about 30 shots.   Not that it has about 120 shots through it, we'll have to check it again.  

I was getting about 1.3" groups at 20 yards with Superpoints off the bench.  With more break in time, a refined hold and a better trigger and I'm sure the groups will shrink.