i agree but i doubt they are as hard as some of the pb projectile end up?
i could be wrong but i know some are cooked up hard. hard hard. drop one on the ground and it will ring kind hard. : )
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Pellets vs. Slugs
- Thread starter GHairgunner
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 53
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i could be wrong but i know some are cooked up hard. hard hard. drop one on the ground and it will ring kind hard. : )
The "hard" I'm talking is probably much softer than what youre reference. It's all relative. When I'm saying NSA are "hard" they're MUCH harder than JSB pellets, but likely not nearly as hard as something with a bunch of tin in it. Even what I'm calling "hard" NSA slugs are not as hard as Crosman pellets, which supposedly have a fair amount of tin to get their hardness.
"Just proprietary alloys of lead for each manufacturer. " So true.
Unscientific tests are not reliable. Even fingernails vary in hardness, and so does pencil lead. The Lee tool does a creditable job, but it is a 6 step process. One-step Brinell Hardness tools are available, but cost several hundreds of dollars. If you're into making slugs and pellets, you should have a really good hardness tool. If your gig is shooting rats etc., and you're getting decent accuracy and kill rates, it doesn't matter. All this said, assuming some specific slug or pellet is harder than another, using fingernails or lead pencils, is nothing more than subjectivity.
Unscientific tests are not reliable. Even fingernails vary in hardness, and so does pencil lead. The Lee tool does a creditable job, but it is a 6 step process. One-step Brinell Hardness tools are available, but cost several hundreds of dollars. If you're into making slugs and pellets, you should have a really good hardness tool. If your gig is shooting rats etc., and you're getting decent accuracy and kill rates, it doesn't matter. All this said, assuming some specific slug or pellet is harder than another, using fingernails or lead pencils, is nothing more than subjectivity.
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Lol. Okay buddy. My fingernail doesn't change hardness from when I push it into a JSB and then I can't make a mark on an a NSA. Same fingernail. The word you're looking for in a direct comparison like this is objective.
I'm not quoting Brinells, I'm simply stating the fact that some slugs are harder than some pellets.
Broad-brushing it with an inaccurate statement like this doesn't help anybody.
There's a range of hardness across manufacturers of both pellets and slugs. Stating that alloys used for slugs are softer than the ones used for pellets is simply not true.
If you've got a "one step Brinell Hardness Tester" I will gladly mail you some NSA slugs and some JSB pellets so you can see this for yourself. I'd only ask that you post the results here.
jborden
New member
All of the pellet and slug coatings I've heard about, do require resizing afterward. However, taking a page out of the firearm books... One solution is to use Danzac, a form of Tungsten. No resizing necessary, but it is messy to deal with no matter how you do it. Yes, it slightly improves velocity, but my playing with it for a few months, didn't yield any significant increase in accuracy.
Digressing. The reason most cast bullets require coating for use in airguns, is simply the alloy used. Casting can be difficult even with the correct alloy in use. While lots of folks have been using wheel weight lead, it isn't the best alloy to cast with. An argument could be at hand here, if we stay on topic with respect to alloys used to make the various airgun projectiles. After all, each alloy has its unique properties.
Digressing. The reason most cast bullets require coating for use in airguns, is simply the alloy used. Casting can be difficult even with the correct alloy in use. While lots of folks have been using wheel weight lead, it isn't the best alloy to cast with. An argument could be at hand here, if we stay on topic with respect to alloys used to make the various airgun projectiles. After all, each alloy has its unique properties.
Mike Brown
HAM Marksman
The FX hybrid slugs in .25 have worked well for me but at 16 cents a pop, I'm not using many of them.
Hoppalong Doc
HAM Ranger
What! Has everyone forgotten that Benjamin has brought out a new domed pellet in .177 cal? They further intregue me with the promise of a .22 cal pellet to come. This new .177 cal pellet has been tested and found to be qui
now if they would just up their game and make the .22 and some of the others like maybe a .30 but i doubt it.
i would love to see crossman standing on top on the hill i like em but i think they are content with .17 & .22?
PasadenaMike
Grand HAMster
I think they’re selling their cphp pellets just fine they won’t improve anything
Danman
Grand HAMster
There definitely has been new pellets coming on the market here and there, the jsb hades aren't that old if I recall and are excellent! As for me I shoot both and love the plethora of choices we have avaliable to us. Biggest enjoyment I get out of slugs is the serious POP it makes when smashing a bird or even a pop can down range. Farthest I have shot is 75 yards so no real benefit there vs pellets. As far as having a dedicated slug shooting gun I mostly disagree, pcps are not cheap and many have different barrels that can swap out quick-ish (skout, impact, Ghost soon 
) for slugs. That is to me the alluring part that could make me part with my $$ for one of these guns.... Waiting for a slug barrel to be in stock is another thing! I say long live both types of Ammo!
) for slugs. That is to me the alluring part that could make me part with my $$ for one of these guns.... Waiting for a slug barrel to be in stock is another thing! I say long live both types of Ammo!Farmplinker2
HAM Wizard
Let's be too honest here; we're all outliers here. I own a .30 Hatsan springer, thinking about a .25. But virtually all my shooting is .177 and .22. And usually Crosman pellets. But I also use Benjamin .22 pellets, how many big box shoppers know they exist? The reality is most people want a cheap pumper or breakbarrel to shoot cans or pests. A .20, .25, or .30 just isn't in the cards for those folks. I have trouble convincing people to buy an Adult Red Rider for basic target practice before hunting season!
I've tried slugs in a large number of various air rifles that I've owned or own. They never duplicate the accuracy of pellets. I do shoot 100 yard EBR style matches where I'm kinda forced to use slugs in my Impact M3. To get reasonable accuracy at that distance, you have to push the power. I don't like doing that with the other guns and prefer to use them at normal airgun velocities of up to 920 fps. Many of my guns are super accurate at 12 or 20 fpe. I don't like screwing with the hammer springs and regulators because the end result is fewer shots per fill. I don't shoot beyond 100 yards and mostly at 50. Pellets work just fine thank you.
I read and research before I buy and I've wasted very little money on slugs. A little digging let me know NSA .2175 slugs were a good bet for my Cayden, and they were. A fellow owner told me to try JSB Knockouts in my Stoeger Bullshark and it was great advice. I also found out that my other Snowpeak built guns like them too. The ones my guns like are about the same price as quality pellets, so I'm a happy slug shooter.
I don't use HI-Tek, but I do powder coat my cast slugs and pellets. I resize the slugs after coating them, but I haven't found that to be necessary with pellets. I do all my airgun casting with pure lead.
Danman
Grand HAMster
EdinGa why do you paint the slugs.....less fouling?! I have definitely spent a few bucks on different slugs from 21 to 30 grain (many diff brands) for a gun that I want to buy, that miiiight shoot slugs well. LOL, but if it doesn't I can always save for a different gun that may shoot them better. I hate to say waste but there are some slugs that shoot Terrible out of most guns. (I shoot only .177 and .22) My .22 S510 shoots the 21 grainers very well (mid 800s) and took some doves and pop cans....But anything bigger in her shoots below 750fps and isn't consistent. 16-18gr pellets all day.
They were a little under size for my hatsan .25 barrel and the powder coat helped accuracy. I cast these slugs and I'm also a bullet caster so powder coating is just part of my process and they look pretty.
These are some 40 grain .25 wadcutters.Attachments
Danman
Grand HAMster
Interesting! Those look like they would shoot horrible at any distance!? 
Luis Leon
Master HAMster
Good post, not discounting slugs… The minority feel the need to replicate .22 rimfire energy levels for whatever reasons. The majority of airgun users get into the sport for the lower power opportunities. The lower power has always punched “outsize” to the numbers. Affording opportunities in formerly prohibited areas. If I ever feel the need for “slugs” I will simply head to the range with my CZ452I thought it would be interesting to start a pellets vs slugs discussion. This isn’t meant to determine a winner its meant to figure out why the big push for slugs, why no new pellets are being developed.
For starters I have bought many different slugs and pellets to find the magic one that always works. I’m still looking! Most of my shooting is targets and field target with a little hunting when opportunities arise.
The idea that the airgun was once a backyard plinking gun is gone. I shoot 100 yard comps and for reference since many of you only live on farms that is all the way across the yard of the 4th house down the street in my neighborhood (big lots), could be at least 5 houses in other neighborhoods. So the idea of needing slugs to reach out and hit the target way out there is a bit strange. Could you possibly walk further than 2 steps from your truck when hunting? If you get out of it all
Slugs, I have tried 3 different calibers .117, .22 and .25 I have only found one slug in one of those calibers to even come close at 50 yards to a pellet in terms of scoring accuracy. As an engineer I see the tooling for slugs is way easier and less costly to produce then tooling for pellets. Under the microscope the slugs still suck, in consistent shape and weight, The current airguns seem very inconsistent and not very accepting of the slugs. Yes I know some of you have found perfection and will send pictures of that perfect group, but how about doing a bunch groups then showing your work. So why does one need a slug? A 250 yard shot in the neighborhood is 2 and a half blocks away.
Pellets, I have tried even more weights and sizes and some things are just wicked tough as shooting pellets in the wind can make you cry shooting 100 yards. I must also say that the range of pellets is quite large as well. For I have hit target all the way out to 264, even if it was large.
Is there something better like a combo slug pellet? Should we pay more attention to our sport and stop making long distance shooting the thing to do? Should we go all out and find longer and longer ranges to practice at and have our comps on?
They do alright for plinking. I'm shooting them around 350 fps and they knock big holes in cans.Interesting! Those look like they would shoot horrible at any distance!?
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