Ghost My Ghost .25 Lothar Walther Out Shot My Sub-MOA Barrel

[Billm]

I was shooting the Sonoran with the replacement sub-MOA barrel today. Retuning it to 160 bar, I put 200 45gr AEA pellets through it. I tuned it to 96.4% at 851 fps. It was definitely quieter. It was getting dark and foggy and so I had to quit. I was shooting at 75 yards. To finish off I fired an 8 shot group. It was one of the better groups this barrel has produced. But, not as good as the first sub-MOA barrel. It produced a .779” or .992 MOA group. The first barrel produced a .28” 3 shot group at 75yds. Maybe it’s not fair comparing an 8 shot group vs a 3 shot group as the wind is devastating to the larger shot strings and I had some left to right wind. I’ve been really happy with the accuracy of my Ghost since I polished the barrel. I decided to see how it was doing in the same conditions as the Sonoran. I shot 4 sighters, as it’s sighted in at 35 or 40yds. I then fired a 5 shot group. I think one pellet had some wind drift. But this group was better than either sub-MOA barrel has produced so far : .245” or .313 MOA, beyond excellent for me at 75yds. I’m going to play with the Sonoran some more and hopefully tighten it up. Maybe try the 50.5gr as they had the smallest group with the first barrel. I’m not touching the Reg, power wheel or hammer on the lol. It’s really hard to say anything negative about the Lothar Walther barrel I’m taking a break from chasing slugs.

 

[Solo1]

Good shooting

 

[Billm]

Good shooting

Thanks again. I’m thinking my Sonoran really likes to be at around 160 bar. I’ve still got the first barrel right now and so I’m going to throw it back on and see what happens. I’m really enjoying shooting the ghost and I have the DNT TNC225r digital sight on it, which is not ideal for target shooting.

 

[Solo1]

Glad you’re feeling better about your guns!!

 

[Billm]

I couldn’t shoot yesterday as the winds were gusting at 20+ mph. Today they were down around 8-12mph. I decided to try AEA 50.5gr pellets. It took 2 .10 mil clicks in to correct for the drop from the 45gr. No drift correction necessary. Not too shabby. The wind was a pain, but at 75yds the drift was noticeable, but not devastating at one to two inches. This is still the new sub-MOA barrel. This is another barrel that improved after polishing. It seems to have alleviated the 4-5” flyers that I was getting. The velocity seems to be slightly more erratic with the 50.5gr. But, I didn’t change the tune either. It’s shooting them between 800 and 813 fps, which seems slow, but works. This barrel seems to be significantly slower than the first sub-MOA barrel. But at 75yds it is shooting consistently below sub-MOA. Not the tight groups as two days ago, but windier and not tuned to these pellets. I only have two tins of 50.5gr left and so it’s not worth changing the tune.

 

[Billm]

The wind is a little tricky. I will try some more and maybe swap the barrel.

 

[duchunter007]

I couldn’t shoot yesterday as the winds were gusting at 20+ mph. Today they were down around 8-12mph. I decided to try AEA 50.5gr pellets. It took 2 .10 mil clicks in to correct for the drop from the 45gr. No drift correction necessary. Not too shabby. The wind was a pain, but at 75yds the drift was noticeable, but not devastating at one to two inches. This is still the new sub-MOA barrel. This is another barrel that improved after polishing. It seems to have alleviated the 4-5” flyers that I was getting. The velocity seems to be slightly more erratic with the 50.5gr. But, I didn’t change the tune either. It’s shooting them between 800 and 813 fps, which seems slow, but works. This barrel seems to be significantly slower than the first sub-MOA barrel. But at 75yds it is shooting consistently below sub-MOA. Not the tight groups as two days ago, but windier and not tuned to these pellets. I only have two tins of 50.5gr left and so it’s not worth changing the tune.

That is a nice group!!

 

[Solo1]

Thats pretty good considering wind!

 

[Billm]

Decided to swage a few slugs. Ugly, but I’m sure the low velocity isn’t helping. Back to pellets, decent group except for a flyer - not sure why. 40 shots and it’s still on the reg..

 

[Billm]

I swapped the barrel and shot it with no shroud or moderator. The only real change besides noise was that the POI was1.6 higher.

 

[Solo1]

It’s surprising how much a mod bends a barrel down!

 

[Billm]

It’s surprising how much a mod bends a barrel down!

I need to edit that post, it was 1.6 mil higher lol.

 

[Billm]

Switched back to new Sub-MOA barrel. No other changes. Also changed back to AEA 45gr pellets. Moved target to 100yds. Had to adjust scope 2.4 mil up. Shot a 3 shot group on steel to adjust scope very good group. Shot some groups on paper, struggled with the wind. Then shot a really nice 1/2 MOA five shot group at 100yds. I did not correct for wind and it drifted right several inches, but was tight. Very happy with today’s shooting. I’m running out of pellets fast lol. I have shot several sub-MOA groups with pellets today at both 75 and 100yds. Maybe I’m back on track with the Sonoran.

 

[Solo1]

Nice groups! Good shooting!!

 

[Dogowski]

Thanks again. I’m thinking my Sonoran really likes to be at around 160 bar. I’ve still got the first barrel right now and so I’m going to throw it back on and see what happens. I’m really enjoying shooting the ghost and I have the DNT TNC225r digital sight on it, which is not ideal for target shooting.

Is the DNT digital too grainy or not high enough quality to target shoot with? I've just mounted my Pard DS35-70 night vision but have yet to try it for target shooting due to crappy weather. Also the battery only lasts 5 minutes and Pard has a new one on the way to replace it.

 

[Dogowski]

Switched back to new Sub-MOA barrel. No other changes. Also changed back to AEA 45gr pellets. Moved target to 100yds. Had to adjust scope 2.4 mil up. Shot a 3 shot group on steel to adjust scope very good group. Shot some groups on paper, struggled with the wind. Then shot a really nice 1/2 MOA five shot group at 100yds. I did not correct for wind and it drifted right several inches, but was tight. Very happy with today’s shooting. I’m running out of pellets fast lol. I have shot several sub-MOA groups with pellets today at both 75 and 100yds. Maybe I’m back on track with the Sonoran.

Nice groups indeed!

 

[Danman]

Switched back to new Sub-MOA barrel. No other changes. Also changed back to AEA 45gr pellets. Moved target to 100yds. Had to adjust scope 2.4 mil up. Shot a 3 shot group on steel to adjust scope very good group. Shot some groups on paper, struggled with the wind. Then shot a really nice 1/2 MOA five shot group at 100yds. I did not correct for wind and it drifted right several inches, but was tight. Very happy with today’s shooting. I’m running out of pellets fast lol. I have shot several sub-MOA groups with pellets today at both 75 and 100yds. Maybe I’m back on track with the Sonoran.

You'd probably get decent groups inside 50Y with the Sonoran and slugs as I do with my (.22) S510, but....why?! She's a pellet shooters through and through. Low 800fps is rarely enough to keep slugs flying well to 100Y and beyond. Haven't shot in FOREVER it feels like but my Ghost murdered its first attempt @100Y with Mrds last month and scored me a solid 1.5inch group (over 10 shots!) Was very happy!
The first attempt? 3 inch, which for the first time ever shooting 100Y and with a decent breeze coming from behind, its not bad! Hoping to get inside my inlaws greenhouses this winter and see what Zero wind can produce.
Personally im still blown away by your first barrels group @100Y where you stacked (iirc) an entire air supply of pellets in a mighty tiny group with zero fliers!

 

[Billm]

Is the DNT digital too grainy or not high enough quality to target shoot with? I've just mounted my Pard DS35-70 night vision but have yet to try it for target shooting due to crappy weather. Also the battery only lasts 5 minutes and Pard has a new one on the way to replace it.

I sit on my porch and shoot. My porch faced due east. So, the sun comes up directly behind my target and sets directly behind me spring through Fall (basically one season in Florida). Now it rises ESE and sets behind me to the right. In the late afternoon the DNT TNC225R struggles with exposure on the white or beige target background and sometimes you cannot even see the Benchrest targets on the target at all, they just disappear. It is a combination of the exposure and the fact that it is a digital zoom and not an optical zoom. The other issue is the resolution. Because it is a digital zoom at 20x the resolution is very poor. Deer etc. would be no problem at 100yds. a 2-4" target is a different story, you really have to play with the focus to make out the target rings (the big dark ones, forget the 5, 6 and 7 rings). I'ill try to post some photos. It's a compromise. It's not designed as a target scope. It does really well with night vision and pretty good with thermal. I actually really like it and use it on the Ghost a lot. But it is horrible for target shooting at longer ranges of 50 yds or more. The range finding, night vision and recording make it worth every penny. The daytime is only an issue with high contrast targets and the sun behind your

 

[Dogowski]

I sit on my porch and shoot. My porch faced due east. So, the sun comes up directly behind my target and sets directly behind me spring through Fall (basically one season in Florida). Now it rises ESE and sets behind me to the right. In the late afternoon the DNT TNC225R struggles with exposure on the white or beige target background and sometimes you cannot even see the Benchrest targets on the target at all, they just disappear. It is a combination of the exposure and the fact that it is a digital zoom and not an optical zoom. The other issue is the resolution. Because it is a digital zoom at 20x the resolution is very poor. Deer etc. would be no problem at 100yds. a 2-4" target is a different story, you really have to play with the focus to make out the target rings (the big dark ones, forget the 5, 6 and 7 rings). I'ill try to post some photos. It's a compromise. It's not designed as a target scope. It does really well with night vision and pretty good with thermal. I actually really like it and use it on the Ghost a lot. But it is horrible for target shooting at longer ranges of 50 yds or more. The range finding, night vision and recording make it worth every penny. The daytime is only an issue with high contrast targets and the sun behind your

Thanks for letting me know about your DNT. I'm a new owner of a night vision scope myself and I appreciate you letting me know how yours looks as well!

 

[Billm]

You'd probably get decent groups inside 50Y with the Sonoran and slugs as I do with my (.22) S510, but....why?! She's a pellet shooters through and through. Low 800fps is rarely enough to keep slugs flying well to 100Y and beyond. Haven't shot in FOREVER it feels like but my Ghost murdered its first attempt @100Y with Mrds last month and scored me a solid 1.5inch group (over 10 shots!) Was very happy!
The first attempt? 3 inch, which for the first time ever shooting 100Y and with a decent breeze coming from behind, its not bad! Hoping to get inside my inlaws greenhouses this winter and see what Zero wind can produce.
Personally im still blown away by your first barrels group @100Y where you stacked (iirc) an entire air supply of pellets in a mighty tiny group with zero fliers!

You'd probably get decent groups inside 50Y with the Sonoran and slugs as I do with my (.22) S510, but....why?! She's a pellet shooters through and through. Low 800fps is rarely enough to keep slugs flying well to 100Y and beyond. Haven't shot in FOREVER it feels like but my Ghost murdered its first attempt @100Y with Mrds last month and scored me a solid 1.5inch group (over 10 shots!) Was very happy!
The first attempt? 3 inch, which for the first time ever shooting 100Y and with a decent breeze coming from behind, its not bad! Hoping to get inside my inlaws greenhouses this winter and see what Zero wind can produce.
Personally im still blown away by your first barrels group @100Y where you stacked (iirc) an entire air supply of pellets in a mighty tiny group with zero fliers!

Yeah, the first barrel fouls really quickly and then gets really erratic. I’ve put over 400 pellets and slugs through this barrel since I polished it. I tried to do a 5% tune with the new barrel and got to about 3.6% below the peak. For the first time I actually heard the decrease in muzzle blast. I’m thinking some of the erratic behavior was from turbulence at the muzzle. Ever since I polished the Ghost and actually adjusted the hammer spring and not just the power wheel, the Ghost has been extremely accurate. I’d have to shoot the Sonoran at 180 bar to move slugs at a reasonable velocity and I prefer the shot count that I’m getting now. The barrel slugs at .29” and the slugs at .300, so I’m thinking it’s too tight for my barrel.