Air Gun Home :: View topic - Can't find a clear-cut answer to my question....anywhere...

NZ Shooter · Suspended

I would like to know whether 22 grain pellets are too heavy for my Webley Patriot .22cal springer? In terms of spring fatigue etc. I have not been able to find a definite answer for my specific rifle. Are 22 grain pellets only suitable in PCP's , or can magnum rifles handle that weight? I have read many a time pellets can be too heavy for springers,but how heavy can I go?? cheers

mod90 · Veteran Member

Not only weight is important. Pellet fit & shape play an equal role. You don't want so tight a fit as to cause a pellet to jam in the barrel.
But 22gr sounds kinda a bit on the heavy side, even for a magnum springer. I'd with 17-19gr first.

SMP · Silver Status Member

The only real problem with using a pellet that is too heavy is that the velocity will be too low to have a usable trajectory.

In an ideal world you would test a variety of weights with a chronograph and then calculate the FPE. Whichever pellet weight produces the highest fpe is the most efficient for your gun.

With a monster springer like the webley it's fairly important to use a pellet heavy enough to stay below the magical barrier of 950 fps. This is the point where the pellet begins to be affected by transonic forces.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

The Patriot outputs what, about 18fpe? The pellets might be a bit "heavy" but no more so that using a 7fpe rifle with 14.3gr pellets (quite common in places like Canada). What's all this talk of "spring fatigue? Unless the pellet jams in the barrel- I don't think spring fatigue should be much of a consideration- all springs will go bad eventually.

domer_pyle · Senior Member

If it's too heavy it will cause your piston to bounce on the air that hasn't passed through the transfer port, increasing hold sensitivity. If it's too light the piston will slam forward harder since the air won't slow the piston down as it finishes it's travel, which will cause a snarly firing cycle, also increasing hold sensitivity. I'm fairly well versed in springers and that is all I keep in mind when selecting weights.

And according to Jim Chapman the .25 Patriot does around 28-29 fp/e, so the .22 has to be doing the same or just under

NZ Shooter · Suspended

Thanks guys.AirGunEric , I have read alot on other forums that using too heavy a pellet can accelerate spring fatigue to the piont of complete faliure or breakage in a matter of a few hundred shots. Something I find hard to believe. And as pyle rightly quoted around 29fpe,My .22 spits out 15.43gn pellets at a 10 shot average of 901 fps !!! A shade under 28fpe !!! totally awesome shooter is my baby. Very Happy

as for pellet fit, I agree totally, I find Gamo Pro Magnums work wonders all round...alot of people dog Gamo,but hey,if the pellet works.....use it Mr. Green

p.s. alot of ammo you guys mention, we cant get in New Zealand Evil or Very Mad