Others 16 grain JSB pellets

[Franklink]

Another revival thread, per moderator request...This one from 2023.

I was giving the .177/16.2grain JSB another chance today and had some musings as I was shooting.....

I find it interesting that we have 3 different 16 grain pellet options from JSB.

• .177/16.2grain (Exact Beast)
• .20/15.89grain (Exact Heavy .20)
• .22/15.89grain (Exact Jumbo) (there are Hades that weigh the same, so I guess 4 options)

Left = .177, middle = .20, right = .22.

From a shape perspective...

• The .177 Beast is the straight-waisted, elongated cousin of the .177/10.34, and it reminds me of a long, skinny dart.
• The .20 Heavy has a shape similar to the "Redesigned" versions of the .177/13.43 and the .22/25.4, I view it as a generally streamlined shape suggestive of good aerodynamics.
• The .22 Jumbo is kissing cousins with the .177/8.44 or the .22/18.13, a narrow waisted, wasp-like design. The skinny waist reminds me of a wadcutter.

I've shot multiple tins of all three of them, and from behind the trigger of the guns I've shot them through, I've arrived at the following conclusions....

• The .177 Beast is AMAZING up to about 60 yards, after that accuracy falls apart a bit. I seen the best accuracy from these at 940-950fps. VERY wind-resistant and very chill to shoot, even with the relatively high speed. A fun pellet to stack when shooting paper around 50-55 yards, they just keep sinking into the same hole, EVEN when the wind is rough. I've shot them at paper at 90-100 yards and they just don't do at 100 yards what they can do at 50. Wind gets ahold of them pretty good, and they also open up even without wind, wandering away from the intended impact point.
  • BC of 0.037-0.039 (as measured with a 10 shot average speed at muzzle and 10 shot average speed at 45-60 yards, multiple sessions)
• The .20 Heavy is best from 910-920fps. Best long-range performer of all three but will also stack them from 10-130 yards. Best I've seen it do was a really calm night earlier this year, 25 consecutive shots @ 95 yards, 5 groups of 5 each, largest was 1.08", the other 4 were under an inch, best was 0.61." Amazing long range accuracy for such a small caliber/low weight pellet. Shoots much better at long range than it has any business doing, being small bore. It can hold it's own against the best long range high BC pellets out there, and that includes .22, .25 and .30, and this has been demonstrated in more than one Xtreme Field Target match.
  • BC of 0.044-0.046 (as measured with a 10 shot average speed at muzzle and 10 shot average speed at 45-60 yards, multiple sessions)
• The .22 Jumbo is NOT a long range performer. It seems to be more tolerant of a broader range of speed than the other two, I've shot them from 700fps up to 915 with acceptable accuracy, but they seem to do the best around 850-880. It doesn't take much wind to take these for a ride when shooting. Through a scope they can be seen curve-balling with the gusts, and it's much more pronounced than the first two. I view these as good pesting pellets, when the range is limited, and there's not much wind, and a concern for carried energy exists.
  • I've never been impressed enough with these to measure the BC myself, but online sources report a range of 0.031 to 0.037, which seems to be about what I would expect, anecdotally.

They each have their uses. It's good to have options.

​

 

[Florida_Man]

Great info. From my experience the 16gr 22 cal is an awesome performer at 530-560 fps also. In a short range pistol carbine they excel. I have also found that the Air Arms 16gr version perform best in all the rifles I have that like this pellet, second being the FX 15.9, and third oddly is the JSB 15.89.

 

[Hoppalong Doc]

What rifles where you shooting? My springers indoubtedly shoot differently than a PCB airgun might. Could you let us know what rifles were used in your testing? I have used the JSB Diabolo 15.89 pellets for years out to 50 yds, shooting at 650 - 750 fps. Thanks for your excellent post on this. Orv.

 

[Danman]

Nice write up, i've only ever shot the .22 versions, the .20 definitely reminds me of an Mrd as well....sounds like a little more consistent though!

I'll add that the Hades 15.89gr .22 pellets are my go-to pellets for pesting on my property. I usually shoot them (900-ish fps) to 50Y as they become inaccurate and shed a ton of fpe past that, which is exactly what I want in a hunting pellet! Were i competing and HAD to use a hunting pellet these are what id use, beat out all H&N hunting pellets for accuracy (but not quite as much 'pop') in my S510. For regular Diabolo shooting i will stick with the 18.13 for 50Y and beyond, phasing out the 16gr most likely.

 

[Franklink]

Nice write up, i've only ever shot the .22 versions, the .20 definitely reminds me of an Mrd as well....sounds like a little more consistent though!

I'll add that the Hades 15.89gr .22 pellets are my go-to pellets for pesting on my property. I usually shoot them (900-ish fps) to 50Y as they become inaccurate and shed a ton of fpe past that, which is exactly what I want in a hunting pellet! Were i competing and HAD to use a hunting pellet these are what id use, beat out all H&N hunting pellets for accuracy (but not quite as much 'pop') in my S510. For regular Diabolo shooting i will stick with the 18.13 for 50Y and beyond, phasing out the 16gr most likely.

Ive found very similar with the .22/15.89 Hades. I shot a bunch on paper to 100 yards from a Red Wolf a few years back. They really lose their steam, and accuracy at 100, but make an excellent 50-70 yards and closer pesting pellet when downrange energy is a concern. Ive whacked a couple ground squirrels with them and they smack hard.

 

[Franklink]

What rifles where you shooting? My springers indoubtedly shoot differently than a PCB airgun might. Could you let us know what rifles were used in your testing? I have used the JSB Diabolo 15.89 pellets for years out to 50 yds, shooting at 650 - 750 fps. Thanks for your excellent post on this. Orv.

Various rifles with each. Red Wolfs X2, Veterans X3, three different models of Brococks (Concept Elite S6, Concept Lite, Ghost X2), Discovery, Prophet, Condors (x2). Likely others but those are the first that come to mind.

Most would have been LW barrels in the standard twist of 1:17.7. But there were a couple .177 polygonal LW barrels in the mix too, 1:36 and 1:17.7. The .177/16.2s seem better from a polygonal barrel than standard 12 land and groove.

Also some CZ barrels, in both .177 and .22, standard 12 land and groove and 1:17.7. For airgun barrels, i've not yet been able to tell a way to discern a standard CZ from standard LW.

Also some prototype SubMOA barrels in .22, first if which would have been 2+ years ago, but others SubMOAs since then.

Generally, PCPs were used with these three particular pellets.

 

[Hoppalong Doc]

Thank you sir. I suspected this. There's no problem, I just wanted to make sure I understood 'sall.

 

[JungleShooter]

• .22cal 15.89gr: I've never been impressed enough with these to measure the BC myself, but online sources report a range of 0.031 to 0.037, which seems to be about what I would expect, anecdotally.

​

So, if the 15.89gr is not your choice — what pellets do you use in .22cal for longer ranges?

Matthias

 

[Franklink]

So, if the 15.89gr is not your choice — what pellets do you use in .22cal for longer ranges?

Matthias

I'm a JSB fan so.....
18.1s are better than 15.89s for long range, but only slightly.Then there are 20.83s and 25.4s, and 28.55s, not necessarily in that order.

It's all BC related.
The 15.89s are probably in the 0.028-0.032 range.
The 18.1s are around 0.035-0.04.
The 20.83s come in around 0.046-0.048.
The 28.55s are 0.052-0.054
The 25.4s are typically in the same realm of BCs as the 28.55s, but can even push 0.056-0.058 in the right conditions and from a slow twist polygonal barrel.
Kicker with the 25.4s is that quality is spotty, bad batches are BAD.

Lots of guys are saying the best long range .22 pellet right now is the JTS 21? grain at pretty hot speeds, up into the high 900s. I've found the JTS lead to be really bad about leading up barrels, even in barrels that don't exhibit a tendency to lead up with other projectiles, so I've shied away from JTS.

 

[JungleShooter]

I'm a JSB fan so.....
18.1s are better than 15.89s for long range, but only slightly.Then there are 20.83s and 25.4s, and 28.55s, not necessarily in that order.

It's all BC related.
The 15.89s are probably in the 0.028-0.032 range.
The 18.1s are around 0.035-0.04.
The 20.83s come in around 0.046-0.048.
The 28.55s are 0.052-0.054
The 25.4s are typically in the same realm of BCs as the 28.55s, but can even push 0.056-0.058 in the right conditions and from a slow twist polygonal barrel.
Kicker with the 25.4s is that quality is spotty, bad batches are BAD.

Lots of guys are saying the best long range .22 pellet right now is the JTS 21? grain at pretty hot speeds, up into the high 900s. I've found the JTS lead to be really bad about leading up barrels, even in barrels that don't exhibit a tendency to lead up with other projectiles, so I've shied away from JTS.

As usually, an extremely helpful answer, Cole.
Thank you so much!

Matthias

 

[Franklink]

As usually, an extremely helpful answer, Cole.
Thank you so much!

Matthias

The BCs I'm quoting are for my home elevation of about 5600 feet above sea level. So, they're a bit higher than people closer to sea level would experience.

 

[JungleShooter]

The BCs I'm quoting are for my home elevation of about 5600 feet above sea level. So, they're a bit higher than people closer to sea level would experience.

Thanks, that's really important info!

 

[SpindleB]

I have specific pellets for my *serious* guns and keep a small tag taped to the breech with the info.

The rest of my guns get the open tin on the bench. Usually H&N Baracuda 21gr in .22, AEA,JTS,JSB 25.39GR in .25 and JSB or Vortex Strike 39gr in .30.

H&N Baracuda .25 30.86gr is a regular too.

My older British lovelies get H&N 18.

If I drag out some of my lighter or heavier pellets, like Zan BR100 or FX Hybrid, I just do a quick sight in and go from there.

I do have a junk box of various pellets like Harpex or head types that just dont work well.

I do have a couple rifles that can do slugs and I am working the process to define them.My .25 HM1000X and .25 Snowpeak Max 1 both like the H&N 34gr and 36gr slugs best. The 28gr, 30gr, 32gr, 42gr and 46gr are not quite as good. Still hit the targets fine just a tad bit looser groups. Have just started acquiring some other slugs like NSA and Apolo for testing.

 

[Dogowski]

I have specific pellets for my *serious* guns and keep a small tag taped to the breech with the info.

The rest of my guns get the open tin on the bench. Usually H&N Baracuda 21gr in .22, AEA,JTS,JSB 25.39GR in .25 and JSB or Vortex Strike 39gr in .30.

H&N Baracuda .25 30.86gr is a regular too.

My older British lovelies get H&N 18.

If I drag out some of my lighter or heavier pellets, like Zan BR100 or FX Hybrid, I just do a quick sight in and go from there.

I do have a junk box of various pellets like Harpex or head types that just dont work well.

I do have a couple rifles that can do slugs and I am working the process to define them.My .25 HM1000X and .25 Snowpeak Max 1 both like the H&N 34gr and 36gr slugs best. The 28gr, 30gr, 32gr, 42gr and 46gr are not quite as good. Still hit the targets fine just a tad bit looser groups. Have just started acquiring some other slugs like NSA and Apolo for testing.

The testing never stops. It's what we do brother!

 

[Scriv]

I use the .177 variety in my Red Wolf HP on the high setting.