What'cha doing air gun related today?

[Cantona256]

Yeah its a beauty and it must be an older one as it still designated a 'Rapid Air Weapons' model. Very little out there about the .357 Raws.....AEAC did a nice review waaay back but this ones got about twice the power....if it was a .25 or .30 I would have long snatched it up. I don't like those HUGE moderators either....

I was looking at a 9mm until I saw the price of ammo. I’m too much of a high volume shooter for that hahaha

 

[Dogowski]

I’m really excited too! Kinda scary getting another gun that just came out again… but I couldn’t stay away from a solid steel barrel and a 70cc plenum

I know what you mean! Sometimes you just gotta take the plunge and purchase. I hope you like it and we will look for pics soon. Enjoy!

 

[Florida_Man]

I put the dream Notos reg on my newer Notos. The barrel on this one is a little better than my old Notos. It’s averaging 765 fps with 15.9 gr. I haven’t ran a full string yet to see my shot count.
This is #1 plinker right now. Tomorrow I’m going to work on the trigger and mount my Athlon 10x. After that probably tuning the regulator/HS some time this week.

I also topped off my great white from 3200 psi to 4500. It was my first tank top off since getting the new GX filter. It did a great job with my CS4. I did two 20 min timers to purge. It was done before the 2nd timer went off.

 

[Cantona256]

I put the dream Notos reg on my newer Notos. The barrel on this one is a little better than my old Notos. It’s averaging 765 fps with 15.9 gr. I haven’t ran a full string yet to see my shot count.
This is #1 plinker right now. Tomorrow I’m going to work on the trigger and mount my Athlon 10x. After that probably tuning the regulator/HS some time this week.

I also topped off my great white from 3200 psi to 4500. It was my first tank top off since getting the new GX filter. It did a great job with my CS4. I did two 20 min timers to purge. It was done before the 2nd timer went off.

Those notos builds are so sweet. Honestly Umarex is killing it lately or at least picking the right ones to borrow from SPA. I’ve shot a really nice G2 .30, the Komplete is crazy for how accurate and easy to use it is, the Zelos is incredibly popular and finally the notos which is wildly popular for a lot of reasons too. Interesting to see if they’ll be able to keep the hits coming.

 

[SpindleB]

I was looking at a 9mm until I saw the price of ammo. I’m too much of a high volume shooter for that hahaha

I go through a few hundred .22, .25 and .30 during the week and probably 300-400 on the weekend. More when I have company.

I doubt I really have much real use for the .30 rifles but they do make a satisfying whack when they hit

Anything bigger is just crazy for a backyard plinker like me.

 

[Luis Leon]

Plinked with my sweet Pathfinder XR from 25 to 50 yards, the wind was still and it seemed I couldn’t miss. Powdering chalk is so satisfying and give good wind indication. Connecting solidly with Black Walnut husks? Replicates nicely the sound of a “brained” squirrel… Am sitting here simply ogling the little beast…

 

[Cantona256]

Plinked with my sweet Pathfinder XR from 25 to 50 yards, the wind was still and it seemed I couldn’t miss. Powdering chalk is so satisfying and give good wind indication. Connecting solidly with Black Walnut husks? Replicates nicely the sound of a “brained” squirrel… Am sitting here simply ogling the little beast…

Does the chalk just serve for wind direction or can you use it to estimate speed too?

 

[Luis Leon]

Does the chalk just serve for wind direction or can you use it to estimate speed too?

Its sidewalk chalk I cut into four pieces. I simply shoot them for the spectacular effect you get with a solid hit. A cloud of whatever color the chalk is, drifting in the wind. They are fun, inexpensive, biodegradable targets…

 

[Cantona256]

I go through a few hundred .22, .25 and .30 during the week and probably 300-400 on the weekend. More when I have company.

I doubt I really have much real use for the .30 rifles but they do make a satisfying whack when they hit

Anything bigger is just crazy for a backyard plinker like me.

Haha yeah I’m down to about 150-200 a week and maybe another 100-150 on a weekend. I don’t do much target shooting but I do a fair amount of plinking while looking for critters haha… but yeah I’m down because my 250z is just awaiting the plenum mod (next week!) and my gf got a puppy that I’m obsessed with. She goes squirrelling with me but she’s too little for most adventures haha and I think my gf is a little jealous that the puppy does a better job of keeping me home than she does .

 

[Dogowski]

I go through a few hundred .22, .25 and .30 during the week and probably 300-400 on the weekend. More when I have company.

I doubt I really have much real use for the .30 rifles but they do make a satisfying whack when they hit

Anything bigger is just crazy for a backyard plinker like me.

I know what you mean! I've got three 30 caliber pcp rifles and they hardly get any use as they are too high powered and just rip through my wooden backstop! I only use them a few times per year when I'm out hunting.

 

[Billm]

I got my first airgun in 1972 and it was a .177. Every air rifle and pistol that I purchased between then and November 2024 has been a .177. I’ve been perfectly happy with ,177. Then in November I purchased a 250z .22 and I liked it, but it was more the rifle than the caliber. Then I purchased the .25 Ghost, followed by the.25 TalonP. The change from hearing a dink when I hit the steel back plate to hearing a thwack changed everything. Thank goodness the BRK Sonoran only comes in .30. The thirty is my favorite caliber now. Everything about the .30 is better: wind bucking, down range ballistics, easier to handle the pellets, pellets never seem to have deformed skirts. If you approach it like I do, the cost of shooting .30 is very close to the cost of shooting .22/.25. When I purchase ammo I pay attention to the cost per tin. If I purchase a tin of JSB .22, .25 or .30, the price per tin are all within $1 of each other at DonnyFL. That makes them all roughly $18 a tin. I ignore any other info on the tin other than weight and caliber. I ignore the quantity per tin, too much math takes the fun out of it. In all seriousness, I don’t shoot my .177s much anymore, but that’s more to do with the guns. It’s hard to beat 500 .177 pellets per tin.

 

[SpindleB]

I got my first airgun in 1972 and it was a .177. Every air rifle and pistol that I purchased between then and November 2024 has been a .177. I’ve been perfectly happy with ,177. Then in November I purchased a 250z .22 and I liked it, but it was more the rifle than the caliber. Then I purchased the .25 Ghost, followed by the.25 TalonP. The change from hearing a dink when I hit the steel back plate to hearing a thwack changed everything. Thank goodness the BRK Sonoran only comes in .30. The thirty is my favorite caliber now. Everything about the .30 is better: wind bucking, down range ballistics, easier to handle the pellets, pellets never seem to have deformed skirts. If you approach it like I do, the cost of shooting .30 is very close to the cost of shooting .22/.25. When I purchase ammo I pay attention to the cost per tin. If I purchase a tin of JSB .22, .25 or .30, the price per tin are all within $1 of each other at DonnyFL. That makes them all roughly $18 a tin. I ignore any other info on the tin other than weight and caliber. I ignore the quantity per tin, too much math takes the fun out of it. In all seriousness, I don’t shoot my .177s much anymore, but that’s more to do with the guns. It’s hard to beat 500 .177 pellets per tin.

Handling pellets is rarely mentioned, I do, but not a lot of others. I have some nerve damage and my dexterity suffers. I gave my last 2 break barrel away because they were .177 and loading them was just too difficult.

.22 is still okay but I do drop a lot more of them than .25 or .30. I mostly shoot .25 because I have a LOT of .25 pellets. The .30 are a bit loud hitting my aluminum plate backer in my 25 yard box. The foam panels are pretty much a ring with a hole in the middle.

 

[Billm]

Handling pellets is rarely mentioned, I do, but not a lot of others. I have some nerve damage and my dexterity suffers. I gave my last 2 break barrel away because they were .177 and loading them was just too difficult.

.22 is still okay but I do drop a lot more of them than .25 or .30. I mostly shoot .25 because I have a LOT of .25 pellets. The .30 are a bit loud hitting my aluminum plate backer in my 25 yard box. The foam panels are pretty much a ring with a hole in the middle.

Where you shoot is a big factor in how much fun a caliber is. I’ve shot my steel back stop at 25yds and it is too noisy for my liking with the thirty. But now I mostly shoot at 50-100yds and at those ranges it’s fine. I woke up partially paralyzed almost 6 years ago and was originally told by a Navy Dr that it was neuropathy. Eventually I ended up in a civilian ER and was admitted for emergency cervical surgery. It has pretty much healed, but sometimes I have difficulty with little things like .177 pellets with my left hand. With the PCP mag feed, I usually load with my right hand. But, like you I have difficulty with my Diana 48 .177. I’m right handed so I usually break the barrel and load with my left hand. I definitely fumble less with the bigger pellets.

 

[SpindleB]

Where you shoot is a big factor in how much fun a caliber is. I’ve shot my steel back stop at 25yds and it is too noisy for my liking with the thirty. But now I mostly shoot at 50-100yds and at those ranges it’s fine. I woke up partially paralyzed almost 6 years ago and was originally told by a Navy Dr that it was neuropathy. Eventually I ended up in a civilian ER and was admitted for emergency cervical surgery. It has pretty much healed, but sometimes I have difficulty with little things like .177 pellets with my left hand. With the PCP mag feed, I usually load with my right hand. But, like you I have difficulty with my Diana 48 .177. I’m right handed so I usually break the barrel and load with my left hand. I definitely fumble less with the bigger pellets.

Mine is mostly multiple broken wrists (3). Getting my legs cut out from under me playing basketball and dropping 220lbs (or more) on one wrist. Never got the hang of using my hard head to absorb the energy. 36" of vertical is a ways down when you rotate after your arm hits the backboard.

 

[hameditor]

Mine is mostly multiple broken wrists (3). Getting my legs cut out from under me playing basketball and dropping 220lbs (or more) on one wrist. Never got the hang of using my hard head to absorb the energy. 36" of vertical is a ways down when you rotate after your arm hits the backboard.

Ouch!!!

 

[SpindleB]

Tuning my HM1000x .25.
After my modifications
35cc RAW plenum
25cc Huben Power Dream Universal Regulator
60cc total plenum
I started testing with my Caldwell Chrony
I did it backwards thinking I knew what I was doing. Drained the bottle reset the regulator for 2000psi from ~2300psi.
1015FPS with Barracuda 30.86gr
Oops
Drained it all again
Reset the regulator to 1400psi.
915FPS with the same Barracuda.

Did the math and the volume for a .25 barrel 24" long is 19.31cc.
Given my previous experiments with AirForce guns i found 3x-4x plenum to barrel volume was optimal.
I'm not sure that applies directly to poppet valve guns (poppet dwell controls most of the volume of air) but 60cc is a VERY nice plenum volume if 30.86gr pellet is flying at 915FPS with only 1400psi pushing.

The groups were a bit looser than at 1000FPS. So I will probably go up to ~1750psi.

I will also try out the JSB King Heavy 33.95gr, H&N 42gr and 46gr slugs.

Then I will compare it to my FX Royale .25, Reximex Throne 2 .25, Snowpeak Max 1 .25 and Niksan Ozark-TW .25. Not apples to apples since they all have different length barrels and plenums.

 

[Florida_Man]

mounted my Athlon 10x42, zeroed , and shot a string. One pellet didn’t register.

 

[Cantona256]

Where you shoot is a big factor in how much fun a caliber is. I’ve shot my steel back stop at 25yds and it is too noisy for my liking with the thirty. But now I mostly shoot at 50-100yds and at those ranges it’s fine. I woke up partially paralyzed almost 6 years ago and was originally told by a Navy Dr that it was neuropathy. Eventually I ended up in a civilian ER and was admitted for emergency cervical surgery. It has pretty much healed, but sometimes I have difficulty with little things like .177 pellets with my left hand. With the PCP mag feed, I usually load with my right hand. But, like you I have difficulty with my Diana 48 .177. I’m right handed so I usually break the barrel and load with my left hand. I definitely fumble less with the bigger pellets.

That sounds terrible I’m so sorry that happened to you.

 

[Cantona256]

Eric over at Nightplinkers sent me these slug holders to test out. He sized them to slug of my choice as well. I’ll be putting them through their paces but I’ll keep y’all posted on what I think. He’s got some glow-in-the dark versions coming my way too.

So far I’m already extremely impressed. The silicone mold is really clean and they hold my slugs really well.

 

[SpindleB]

Tuning my HM1000x .25.
After my modifications
35cc RAW plenum
25cc Huben Power Dream Universal Regulator
60cc total plenum
I started testing with my Caldwell Chrony
I did it backwards thinking I knew what I was doing. Drained the bottle reset the regulator for 2000psi from ~2300psi.
1015FPS with Barracuda 30.86gr
Oops
Drained it all again
Reset the regulator to 1400psi.
915FPS with the same Barracuda.

Did the math and the volume for a .25 barrel 24" long is 19.31cc.
Given my previous experiments with AirForce guns i found 3x-4x plenum to barrel volume was optimal.
I'm not sure that applies directly to poppet valve guns (poppet dwell controls most of the volume of air) but 60cc is a VERY nice plenum volume if 30.86gr pellet is flying at 915FPS with only 1400psi pushing.

The groups were a bit looser than at 1000FPS. So I will probably go up to ~1750psi.

I will also try out the JSB King Heavy 33.95gr, H&N 42gr and 46gr slugs.

Then I will compare it to my FX Royale .25, Reximex Throne 2 .25, Snowpeak Max 1 .25 and Niksan Ozark-TW .25. Not apples to apples since they all have different length barrels and plenums.

1750psi with the 60cc combined plenum seems the wheelhouse.
13 round magazine.
H&N Barracuda 30.86gr
Even with my shakes a nickel size group at 45 yards. I can live with that.

Created: 07-22-2025 11:09:54 AM
Description: Hm1000x FX Barracuda 30.86gr
Notes 1: 1750psi Regulator Setting
Notes 2:
Distance to Chrono (FT): 132.00
Ballistic Coefficient: 1.000
Bullet Weight (gr): 30.860
Altitude (FT): 52.0
Temp: N/A
BP: N/A
Shots
# FPS FT-LBS PF
13 978 65.55 30.18
12 978 65.55 30.18
11 979 65.69 30.21
10 977 65.42 30.15
9 978 65.55 30.18
8 976 65.28 30.12
7 978 65.55 30.18
6 977 65.42 30.15
5 973 64.88 30.03
4 976 65.28 30.12
3 977 65.42 30.15
2 973 64.88 30.03
1 976 65.28 30.12
Average: 976.62
StdDev: 1.85
Min: 973
Max: 979
Spread: 6
True MV: 991.35
Shots/sec: 0.06
Group Size (IN): 0.00