Air Gun Home :: View topic - how far can a pellet travel? and what kind of pellet is it?

ryvac · New Member

Hi, I'm new to the arigun world and I would really like to know this question.
So what's the best gun/caliber(size) that will travel the farthest?
I did search and it looks like a 100 yards is the maximun distance) but are there any guns/pellets that can do better?

btw, I saw this video and they seem to be shooting 300 yards away...now how is that possible? is there something special they do? does a .50 caliber travel farther or something?
http://www.pyramydair.com/big-bore-shoot-2008.shtml

kanyon · Silver Status Member

ryvac · New Member

so in terms of caliber size is the .22 caliber the best choice for distance/target shooting ?

also when you mean higher power, would a 1000fps pcp rifle be considered a high end?
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Jaxom · Senior Member

There's alot of hype behind the FPS ratings. Best bet is to explain what type of shooting you are interested in doing (target vs hunting or target and hunting) where are you located (city or country), what country you live in..(there's fpe ((foot pounds of energy)) limitations in some countries), ect. The more details you can give on where, when, how...the better we can guide towards why kind of ag would best suit you.

jlwilliams · Veteran Member

A big bore pellet, like the 50cal in your post, has more kinetic energy than a smaller pellet. Big heavy projectiles will retain their energy further from the muzzle. That is a gross over simplification, but generaly true. Does that mean that a bigger pellet will always travel further than a smaller one? No, because there are more variables than that.

In general, if a given make and model of airgun is available in more than one caliber (lets say.177 and .22 for this example), the main difference is the caliber. The powerplant is often identical. So the same piston, or other blast of air, is propelling two different projectiles. Given that situation, the .177 will leave the barrel moving several fps faster than the .22 but the .22 will deliver more energy to a target 25 yards away. Now the big bore airrifles like a .50 will have a much more powerful powerplant than you will see on a .177 gun. All bets and comparisons are off. The big .50 will shoot further and with more power than anythink on the shelves at Dick's.

If you want to know how far away a pellet can travel as a means of putting together a safe shooting area, that's a whole diferent matter. They can travel much further than ou can practicaly shoot at something.

fritz · Silver Status Member

As a gross over simplification, everything you need to know has been said.

For more detailed (and correct) answers, we do need more criteria for your questions.

BTW: Welcome to AG home, have a great time and learn much.

rsterne · Moderator

Pellets with identical muzzle velocities and identical ballistics coefficients will travel exactly the same distance.... Having said that, similarly shaped pellets in larger calibers tend to have slightly better BCs.... and heavier pellets in any caliber also tend to have better BCs....

On the other hand, it's easier to reach higher muzzle velocities in the smaller calibers, especially with similar power-plants....

Here are some theoretical maximum ranges (on level ground) with various .22 cal pellets at 30 FPE (optimum angle given):

Beeman Laser 13.3 gr. at 1006 fps: 246 yards at 16 degrees
Crosman Premier 14.3 gr. at 972 fps: 434 yards at 20 degrees
JSB Exact 15.9 gr. at 919 fps: 621 yards at 23 degrees
JSB Exact Heavy 18 gr. at 866 fps: 613 yards at 24 degrees
Beeman Crow Magnum 18.1 gr. at 862 fps: 456 yards at 22 degrees
Beeman Kodiak 21.1 gr. at 800 fps: 620 yards at 25 degrees

That covers a range of BCs from 0.009 (Laser) to 0.037 (Kodiak).... and in the database in ChairGun3 there are no pellets listed outside that range (in any caliber).... It shows how drastic the difference is between how far a properly designed round-nose pellet can travel (over 600 yards) compared to a wadcutter (under 250 yards).... At lower velocities all pellets would travel shorter distances, of course.... once you get into the transonic region BCs fall again.... It's unlikely even a very well designed pellet pushed nearly transonic would exceed 1000 yards unless you were shooting into a valley.... with the possible exception of large caliber slugs (shaped like a pistol bullet).... Rolling Eyes

Please note, these are the MAXIMUM distances the pellets will travel, not the EFFECTIVE distance.... Wink

HTHs....

Bob

fritz · Silver Status Member

Roger, how about if you increased the twist rate of the barrel from like 1:16 to maybe 1:12. Then you could effectively spin the pellet so much its centripetal force could counteract the tendency to tumble during transonic flight. *assume pellet is diabolo shaped*.

I would think you could get 1000 yards from a .308. The last picture in the original post appears to be a .308. Imagine if a boattail shape could be cast... The spritzers went through 13" of wet phonebook at 100 yards.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/414006/thread/1257923663/For+Butcher+and+others+interested+in+HP+slug+expansion+at+distance

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot31.htm

The above link the TBOT is to give comparison.

ryvac · New Member

Thank you everyone for your reply.
this is really good information and I'm learning a lot. Smile

yes, I'm interested in target shooting. specially far targets. so I just wanted to know how far an airgun can shoot.
I'm thinking about the Marauder (.22) and I just wanted to make sure that was a good choice for target shooting.
or are there other guns that shoot farther ? (that's under $1k tho)
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ryvac · New Member

jlwilliams · Veteran Member

I have a Marauder, and it's an excellent rifle. I have only had it a little while, and I primarily use it for small critter controll. Raising poultry, I have plenty of little things tha want to eat the feed I pay for. Not to mention those that want to eat the birds. Anyway, Ihaven't shot it at more than 30 yards or so, and I only put it on paper once. Great gun for my use.

As far as a 1000 yard shooter, you may get a pellet to go that far but if you want to shoot that far with any effect you will need a good powder burning rifle. For some things there just is no substitution.

Air guns are more apropriate for some shooting situations. For what they are good for they are the best. For high power long range shooting, there are better options.

rsterne · Moderator

There is NO comparison between a .308 (7.62 NATO) and an Airgun....

The best example I gave in my previous post was the JSB Exact 15.9 gr. at 919 fps.... sighted at 43 yards, it is 1/2" high at 29 yards about 15" low at 100 yards.... Rolling Eyes

A typical load for a .308, sighted in at 140 yards, is 1/2" high at 95 yards and is only about 10" low at 300 yards.... Shocked

Probably your best bet for long range airgunning is an AirForce Condor.... certainly for the price.... Pellets are easily available (.22 and/or .25 cal) and it's about 60 FPE.... You can put together a pretty nice setup for about $1000 including scope and SCUBA tank for filling....

Bob

fritz · Silver Status Member

We are talking about hitting objects the size of a house, not a human, let alone small game. Just trying to get the pellet or bullet down there.

AFAIK all .308 airguns are custom made to order. No one in particular is the sole manufacturer, but there are names that stand out like Jack Haley and Dennis Quackenbush (DAQ). Usually they are listed as .32, but shoot .308-.310 projectiles.

Plenty of large and medium size game has been taken with airguns, of course at airgun (read: archery) distances. The simple fact is, in the real world deer don't act like phone books. DAQ's most powerful airgun had a top end of roughly 600fpe, the low end of a .357 magnum. Sure a .357 magnum bullet will go 1,000 yards, but are you going target shoot at that distance with it? Hell no.

Save the long range shooting for centerfire rifles.

As far as the Marauder goes, it will put a pellet on a barn door at distance. If you actually intend to hit realistic sized targets... Maximum effective range would probably be 125 yards. In normal small game hunting, don't expect to shoot over 50 yards in the woods or 75 yards in the field. So do you need that much power? No.

Ryvac, what do you plan on doing? You probably don't need more than 25fpe for whatever it is.

rsterne · Moderator

Good advice, fritz.... Cool

Bob

fritz · Silver Status Member

Woah Bob, I didn't mean a 7.62x51. I was talking about a .308 airgun LOL Rolling Eyes

Anything on twist rates?

I'm surprised that Slavia hasn't chimed in yet.