Weihrauch HW100 & Pellets

[DrGreg]

When I started shooting again with the air rifles I read all the advice I could find, and realised that I needed to find out what kind of pellet the rifle liked. The first rifle I bought was a Weihrauch HW 100 in 0.177 calibre, and though I shoot left handed the stock was ambidextrous enough for it not to matter too much.
When I had mastered the difficulties of the air filling bottle and the magazine; I got on very well with it. So I bought a selection of pellet types to try. They were:
Weihrauch F&T Special
RWS Superfield
Napier Power Hunter
Bisley Superfield
Daystate Select F&T
H&N Field Target
Air Arms Diabolo(sic).
Not perhaps the most representative selection but it was all the local dealer had in stock
I also bought a CB 625 chronograph which fits on the muzzle..
The easy part was the chronograph; I took readings for a string of 40 shots for each of the pellets and worked out an average velocity and standard deviation; though for any statisticians reading this I suspect my mathematics here may be a bit shaky.
The results are as follows in foot pounds followed by the SD:
Weihrauch F&T Special      11.61      15
RWS Superfield         11.72      13
Napier Power Hunter      11.03      14
Bisley Superfield         11.96      10
Daystate Select F&T      11.80      16
H&N Field Target         11.54        8
Air Arms Diabolo         11.45      12
The first question I have is: is power output at the muzzle an indication of the efficiency of the rifle/pellet combination; which would make, say, the Bisley Superfield a better pellet choice than the Napier Power Hunter.
I then started to try the grouping.
I shot 4, 7 shot groups (half a magazine) off a rest for each pellet type at 30 meters (measured) and worked out an average group area.
The results were in sq. mm.
Weihrauch F&T Special         1386         
RWS Superfield              221
Napier Power Hunter         1739
Bisley Superfield            1023
Daystate Select F&T           396
H&N Field Target              999
Air Arms Diabolo              763
As you can see there is not much correlation between the power output and the group size. Hence as I want the best group size rather than the maximum power, it would seem that RWS Superfield has the cigar. This is doubly good news as they are not the most expensive. Though I now have to find a use for 6 half full tins of pellets.
I would welcome some comments. I have been doing the same thing with the other rifles I bought, namely a Daystate Huntsman, Air Arms TX200 Mark III and a Theoben SLR 98 all in 0.22 calibre. So if anyone is interested I will post the results of those.

[young dan]

i hve a hw 100 in .177 and i use jsb exact diabolos in 4.52 size. the gun does 11.74ft/lb and knocking on for 800fps

[clubshot]

Mine Runs on Exterminators 9.50 for Hunting
Defiant 4.52's for Target

Both will give you Power and Accuracy

Might take a bit to clear Barrel

As Both Bullet Design - that needs to find Rifling 

BOB/R

[john2]

When I tested my HW100KT .177  I used:


4.51  4.52  4.53

AA

JSB

Daystate select

I shot 50 of each make and size at 30 yard 10p size targets

Best results for accuracy Daystates   770 - 780 fps

[Bombhead]

Looking at the two sets of results, I'd say the cigar has been given to the best pellet.  I am using RWS Superfield in my slightly modded Scorpion and groupings wise, they are great.  I have shot one hole groups at 35yds and can squeeze five into about 1/4" at 50yds on a good day.

Like so many other things related to shooting, pellet choice is strongly influenced by personal preference and confidence.  This is why you see so many contradictory posts on the subject.

People often forget that when they sit down with their chrony and tin of pellets that there are many unseen factors which can determine the outcome of a particular days testing; the single biggest factor is the shooter.  Are you having a good, bad or indifferent day? have you just rushed in from work? have you been testing pellets for three hours?...you get the picture.

Facts and figures do give us useful information but so does instinct