4 air rifles and 5 pellet brands compared

[bennedose]

OK folks I finally did it. Using a bench rest and 20 target sheets, firing 5 pellets of each type at 10 meters I compared the following air rifle brands that I have access to: (All are in 0.22)
1. Precihole Orion
2. IHP 35
3. SDB 50
4. SISCO Model 90

I tried out 5 different types of pellets
1. GSmith round head ("High Impact") - 1.1 grams
2. Mastershot wadcutter - 1 gram
3. Mastershot Export quality - 0.95 grams
4. AIMCO round head - 0.75 grams
5. Marshal shot flat head - 0.7 grams

I shot 5 pellets of each type from all the air rifles and then measured the area of spread on the target sheet by drawing a rectangle and calculating the area. The smaller the area, the closer the group and the more accurate the rifle or pellet.

I am surprised at the findings and I am sure you will be too. I will post the rifle comparison and pellet comparison and conclusions in separate posts. I have documented everything with photos and an Excel spreadsheet - but these are not posted.

[bennedose]

AIR RIFLE ACCURACY

I post the results according to rank.

1. The IHP 35 was by far the most accurate air rifle. No matter which brand of pellet I used the IHP gave consistent and close groups. The best grouping came with GSmigh High impact pellets with and area of 5.25 sq cm which is about the size of a 1 Rupee coin. Overall, no matter which pellet I used I got an average grouping area of 7.5 sq cm which is just over 1 inch by 1 inch

2 and 3: On average (considering all pellet brands) the SDB 50 was more accurate than the Precihole Orion. The SDB 50 gave an overall average groupng of 18 sq cm. which is about 1.5 inches by 1.5 inches. Overall the Orion gave a grouping of 23 sq cm which is about 2 x 2 inches. But this is because Mastershot Export quality performed very badly with the Orion and gave a huge 70 sq cm group. If I exclude Mastershot Export quality the Orion comes second rank with and average grouping area of about 11 sq cm, a wee bit worse than the IHP 35's grouping.

Last rank: I mention the SISCO Model 90 only for completion. This smoothbore air rifle performed poorly and in most cases one or two pellets (out of 5) missed the target sheet completely at 10 meters. Only the Marshal shot flat head got all 5 hits on the sheet with a spread of 45 sq cm or just under 3 inches square.

0.22 caliber cannot be used for competition, but if these results can be extrapolated to the IHP in 0.177 bore then the IHP is best for someone who is interested in practising for competitive shooting.

The Orion and SDB 50 are better for plinkers. However the Orion and IHP both fared well with heavier Mastershot Wadcuter pellets and GSmith so for longer range target shooting either the IHP or Orion would do well. I did not test power or longer ranges at this time.

The SISCO 90 Model is a rifle that should be given to someone if you want to discourage him and make him bored of shooting. Useless crap. the factory should be shut down if all the models are this bad.

[bennedose]

PELLET PERFORMANCE

This was a surprise to me.

I had to exclude the SISCO rifle from this comparison because 20 to 30% of the pellets did not even hit the target sheet

Overall the best performing pellet giving the best grouping with any brand of air rifle was the AIMCO round head. Considering that these pellets are the least expensive pellets when ordered online in bulk - this came as a pleasant surprise to me. Taking the grouping area of all air rifles the AIMCO produced and average of 7.3 sq cm - ie about a Rupee coin size

The next best overall performer was the Marshal shot flat head giving an average grouping area of 11.5 sq cm across all air rifles tested.

GSmith Round head came third with 12.7 sq cm

In fourth place was Mastershot Wadcutter with an average of 16 sq cm

In last place was Mastershot Export quality

Each and every brand of rifle gave fairly close groups with at least one brand of pellet. But all rifles performed well with AIMCO. Mastershot Export quality performed poorly with both Orion and the SDB 50

[bennedose]

If I extrapolate these results and have to make a judgement on the best air rifle that can be bought in India by aam aadmi who wants to take up shooting for fun or competition at affordable prices it would have to be the IHP 35. It performs consistently no matter which brand of pellet is fed into its breech, So a person can pick up the IHP 35 and pick up almost any locally available pellet brand and still get satisfying results

The Orion had the greates variation in accuracy. It performed well with AIMCO and Mastershot Wadcutter - producing a grouping area of 8.5 to 9 sq cm. The performance with GSmith was OK but worse than the above two. But Mastershot Expo pellets went all over the place. On the other hand the SDB 50 was less accurate than the IHP 35 but its performance was less variable than the Orion.

The Orion (in other tests I have done) is the most powerful of the four brands I tested. But it is also the most temperamental. It requires specific brands of pellets to perform really well. If you find the brand that suits the Orion, it is pure joy. Or else it will be frustrating. I suggest AIMCO or Wadcutter for Orion.

if you simply want to pick up a rifle with any brand of pellets then IHP and SBD are good. But the IHP is far more powerful and much more accurate

[brihacharan]

Hi Bennedose,
> Congrats on a 'dream project' that I've been wanting to do for a long time ...but did manage with my:
1. SAMURAI 3G (Super tuned IHP35 - 0.22cal)
2. ORION - 0.22 cal
3. TURBOSHOT - 0.22 cal
> However didn't document the way you have done it
> My experience runs a close parallel to your own findings...
> Somehow SAMURAI 3G was consistent in its grouping (avg-3/4") @ 10mtrs with Mastershot Wadcutters, Round Heads & GSmith - although there were minor variations in the weights of these pellets - GSmith being the heaviest (19grs) while the others were between 14.2grs & 14.3grs)
> ORION & TURBOSHOT- the former with Gas Ram gave 1"groups consistently.
> The most interesting part of the tests was that with Precihole's (Under development) 15.2gr round heads "All three ARs" consistently performed uniformly - the grouping aggregated to 7/8"!!!!!
> This has led me to wonder if the "Pellet" itself is a major component in determining "Accuracy"!!!!
> Mind you all my ARs are "Super Tuned"...
a) SAMURAI 3G by me
b) ORION by Dr. Shirsat
c) TURBOSHOT (Custom built)by TTI
> Some of the interesting features about these ARs are....
1. SAMURAI 3G has an original Diana 35 spring (from TW Chambers UK) + specially machined Rear guide & Top hat out of SS, The piston highly polished mounted with a synthetic seal & the sear diamond finished to produce a 2 1/2lbs pull.
2. ORION with Gas Ram filled to 72 bar + 2 stage trigger & 2 1/4lbs pull
3. TURBOSHOT with modified piston mounted with a polymer thrust bearing + Denil synthetic seal + spring kit from TT.
> All three ARs are fitted with "0" rings in their breeches.
> Finally thanks for sharing your extensive study of ARs prevailing in the market

Briha

[jatindra Singh Deo]

Thanks a lot Bennedose . Now I come to understand my frustration with master shot export and my orion ..Thanks a lot and your results do tally with my results with Orion ...please suggest a assortment of pellets which have the best chance to succeed with my orion ,so that I go back with them from kolkata and have a go once again??

[brihacharan]

Thanks a lot Bennedose . Now I come to understand my frustration with master shot export and my orion ..Thanks a lot and your results do tally with my results with Orion ...please suggest a assortment of pellets which have the best chance to succeed with my orion ,so that I go back with them from kolkata and have a go once again??

Hi Jatin,
Please suggest a assortment of pellets which have the best chance to succeed with my Orion!
> Try Mastershot Wadcutters & GSmith Roundheads....
> Am sure both will perform well in your Orion...
> Use MS Wadcutters for your target practice & GSmith for plinking.
Briha

[bennedose]

Thanks a lot Bennedose . Now I come to understand my frustration with master shot export and my orion ..Thanks a lot and your results do tally with my results with Orion ...please suggest a assortment of pellets which have the best chance to succeed with my orion ,so that I go back with them from kolkata and have a go once again??

Hi Jatin,
Please suggest a assortment of pellets which have the best chance to succeed with my Orion!
> Try Mastershot Wadcutters & GSmith Roundheads....
> Am sure both will perform well in your Orion...
> Use MS Wadcutters for your target practice & GSmith for plinking.
Briha

Absolutely.

Also - if you are in Kolkata - pick up a few thousand AIMCO round heads - which worked surprsingly well

[bennedose]

> The most interesting part of the tests was that with Precihole's (Under development) 15.2gr round heads "All three ARs" consistently performed uniformly - the grouping aggregated to 7/8"!!!!!
> This has led me to wonder if the "Pellet" itself is a major component in determining "Accuracy"!!!!

I am sure the pellet has everything to do with it. I suspect that with the Orion being by far the most powerful of my rifles - all pellets are performing at the limits of their tolerances in flight. Some just fail. I eagerly await Precihole's custom pellets.

[brihacharan]

> The most interesting part of the tests was that with Precihole's (Under development) 15.2gr round heads "All three ARs" consistently performed uniformly - the grouping aggregated to 7/8"!!!!!
> This has led me to wonder if the "Pellet" itself is a major component in determining "Accuracy"!!!!

I am sure the pellet has everything to do with it. I suspect that with the Orion being by far the most powerful of my rifles - all pellets are performing at the limits of their tolerances in flight. Some just fail. I eagerly await Precihole's custom pellets.

I suspect that with the Orion being by far the most powerful of my rifles - all pellets are performing at the limits of their tolerances in flight

> The reason why Orion manages 'minor tolerances' during pellet flight could be because, their rifling machines are '0' tolerance equipment... they have also made certain adjustments in the 'pitch & landings' of the rifling to ensure this.
> Add to this their 15.2gr pellets (Round Heads - under development) are designed with precision to provide perfect breech fit - thus getting the optimum benefit of the compressed air delivered through the transfer port.
Briha

[VishyB]

Hi Bennedose,

Thanks for a great piece of work
Appreciate it for the matter of fact and logical conclusion

Regards,
Vishwanath

[Basu]

Dear benne,
You have done a very nice study for aam aadmi .
My National 25 was believed to be most accurate gun till SDB 45 came in the picture.
Talking in terms of accuracy N 25 loves MSFH and it gives < 1" grouping but at times some shot goes far away. Yet it is very accurate.
SDB 45 on the other hand gives even tighter group than N 25 with AimcoRH 11.7 grns and it behaves more consistently than N 25.
My both these guns are perfectly tuned.
N 25 in .177 delivers 550-570 fps or 5.25 fpe.
SDB 45 in .22 delivers 610-625 fps or 9.5-10 fpe with AimcoRH.
All above datas are from cronoconnect mobile.
For aam aadmi both these guns are value for money.
SDB 45 needs serious tuning at first place.

Basu

[mercury]

good work Bennedose.....how on earth do you find the time / patience for these "tests".

imho , one can not equate any given pellet as ideal for any given rifle. the study you made would equate YOUR rifle to a particular brand of pellet. case in point....your results in comparison to Basu's results.

the often repeated...no two air rifles being the same. even top drawer air rifles from the same batch can favour different pellets.

yes , pellets definitely do make a difference but not the difference. imo , velocity also does have a role here. I would go out on a limb here to state that a higher fps with the right weight pellet can be helpful...not talking about magnum fps!! in the mid 700's should be better than around the high 500fps.

it is good to know that PH are also moving into the pellet market....what we do need here are quality pellets...but then again , can a particular brand of pellet be tailor made for particular brand of air rifle ?? Daystate have their own pellets for their range of products but many users prefer jsb. I guess one of the reasons for jsb being a pellet of choice is the different head sizes that they are available in.

I find g smith pellets ...esp. the split and round head to be pretty consistent. their new batch of pellets also do look different in colour...kind of shiny. I do not have calipers but the size , to the naked eye looked pretty even. It would be good if they would come out with a medium weight , round head pellet in .22.

[bennedose]

imho , one can not equate any given pellet as ideal for any given rifle. the study you made would equate YOUR rifle to a particular brand of pellet. case in point....your results in comparison to Basu's results.

the often repeated...no two air rifles being the same. even top drawer air rifles from the same batch can favour different pellets.
.

Too true.

In addition to that I somehow suspect that the behaviour at 15-18 meters is different from that at 10 meters. My IHP did very well with Gsmith in the tests and not so well with MS Wadcutter. But my usual range is 15-18 meters and here I find much more plinking accuracy with IHP 35 using MSFH (wadcutter) than Gsmith. Same with Orion. Although it did not perform as well as IHP in my tests- at >15 meters it is deadly and powerful with Gsmith round head. So there is no alternative to trying out a variety of pellets with one's own air rifle.

Basuda SDB is not available in Bangalore nowadays - which is sad. My old SDB was bought in Bangalore. If I had to get yet another air rifle I would probably go for an SDB

Heck I would have gone mad if I had to do the same tests with 10 shots per rifle with every pellet. But I forced myself to do at least 5. SISCO 90 is the most irritating rifle I have shot with - I am going to perform something drastic with its insides to see if I can make it a decent 10 meter plinker.

[jatindra Singh Deo]

Brihaji and Bennedose note taken ,its Gs smith round ,MS wad and Aimco round ...JoyBiswas eplalanade !!