What pellet does your pistol like

[BigTinBoat]

I just put a crosman .22 cal 14" barrel in a Beeman P17. My original P17 in .177 shoots CPHP's very consistent. In fact that cheap Chinese barrel shoots everything pretty good. My only places to buy pellets locally is Walmart and in 22 all they carry is the CPHP's. (Everyone else just has pellets in .177) When I shoot them out of this crosman barrel I am not getting anywhere near as good of a group. It's about 1.5" at 10yds right now but I will have a flyer about 1 in 5 shots that goes at least another 1" off. I polished the leade and the crown to a high mirror shine so I'm pretty sure it's not causing my flyers.
Research that I've done so far tells me that since the rifling on the crosman barrels is not very deep that they like a bigger headed pellet. Since I will have to order them I'd like to see what everyone has had success with to save me some $$, and "wasted" pellets I won't be using. (Although I guess this is how guys wind up with tins of pellets to trade for other goodies.)

So far I've heard H&N FTT (5.53-5.55), H&N Barracuda Match and Air Arms Falcon 5.52.

What have you had luck with? I'm looking at getting a 2400KT so hopefully whatever I get will have a good chance of working in this gun too.

Thanks

[breakfastchef]

Pellet samplers can save you time and money.

http://www.straightshooters.com/straight-shooters-full-pellet-sampler-.22.html

[BigTinBoat]

Pellet samplers can save you time and money.

http://www.straightshooters.com/straight-shooters-full-pellet-sampler-.22.html

I had been searching around and seen some of those packs, but can you get a good idea on just 25 pellets?

I was hoping maybe I could get a list of the best 5 or 6 from everyone's suggestions.

[mudduck48]

I'm cheep, I shoot the cheapest pellet I can get, why? because I'm old and can't hit sh#$$/ So, I buy the cheap pellets. Get some Gamo match and shoot them to brake in your gun. Then buy the good stuff.
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/Gamo_Match_22_Cal_15_43_Grains_Wadcutter_250ct/164

[BigTinBoat]

I'm cheep, I shoot the cheapest pellet I can get, why? because I'm old and can't hit sh#$$/ So, I buy the cheap pellets. Get some Gamo match and shoot them to brake in your gun. Then buy the good stuff.
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/Gamo_Match_22_Cal_15_43_Grains_Wadcutter_250ct/164

Thanks for the link - I think I almost have it broken in now. I put a whole tin (500) of the CPHP thru it, and I am getting less flyers. I'm trying to find some steel bushings/bearings now to put on my heavy duty pipe cutter and try choking the barrel. I pushed a pellet thru and could not even see any rifling marks on it at all. In fact it seems to get looser in the barrel just prior to reaching the muzzle. From what I'm reading choking it just a bit should help, as I think a bit larger skirted pellet would too.

[Adam77K]

I just put a crosman .22 cal 14" barrel in a Beeman P17. My original P17 in .177 shoots CPHP's very consistent. In fact that cheap Chinese barrel shoots everything pretty good. My only places to buy pellets locally is Walmart and in 22 all they carry is the CPHP's. (Everyone else just has pellets in .177) When I shoot them out of this crosman barrel I am not getting anywhere near as good of a group. It's about 1.5" at 10yds right now but I will have a flyer about 1 in 5 shots that goes at least another 1" off. I polished the leade and the crown to a high mirror shine so I'm pretty sure it's not causing my flyers.
Research that I've done so far tells me that since the rifling on the crosman barrels is not very deep that they like a bigger headed pellet. Since I will have to order them I'd like to see what everyone has had success with to save me some $$, and "wasted" pellets I won't be using. (Although I guess this is how guys wind up with tins of pellets to trade for other goodies.)

So far I've heard H&N FTT (5.53-5.55), H&N Barracuda Match and Air Arms Falcon 5.52.

What have you had luck with? I'm looking at getting a 2400KT so hopefully whatever I get will have a good chance of working in this gun too.

Thanks

Like you, I have a 14.5" barrel that won't group on my 2250.  Well actually it's not on my 2250 as right now it is in pistol guise with a 7.5" barrel which groups ok.   It sounds very similar too; about 2.5" groups in total at 10m.  Sometimes 3 or 4 shots will cloverleaf and then the next will fly way off.  So far I have tried: RWS Hobby, H&N FTT and Crosman Match.  I can't remember if I have tried AA Field which are the only other .22s I have.  Most of my airguns are .177 so I don't have many .22 about.

Interesting to hear you have had no joy in polishing the lead-in.  I have tried a bodge home re-crown using a countersink bit.  Well, let's just say it didn't make it any worse. 

From your last post though it sounds like you have a tight spot just before the muzzle.  IMHO it will never group with this.   Choking it might help but I wouldn't know how to go about this properly.  Squeezing it in one plane doesn't seem like a nice solution, but failing the choke I would say your only options are to cut and recrown it at the tight spot, or try to lap out the tight spot.  I have no experience with this level of gunsmithing, I'm only going off what I've read.

[BigTinBoat]

From your last post though it sounds like you have a tight spot just before the muzzle.  IMHO it will never group with this.   Choking it might help but I wouldn't know how to go about this properly.  Squeezing it in one plane doesn't seem like a nice solution, but failing the choke I would say your only options are to cut and recrown it at the tight spot, or try to lap out the tight spot.  I have no experience with this level of gunsmithing, I'm only going off what I've read.

This is what I think also. I've read about choking barrels using a pipe cutter. Basically replace the "cutting" rollers with flat rollers and then slowly compress the cutter while rotating it around the barrel. I've got an old cutter that is for use on like 2" pipe so that should be enough force.
If I can't find the rollers I might just cut another 1/2" off the muzzle and re-crown.
I m going to try shooting it some more as I am slowly getting less and less flyers.

Thanks Again

[breakfastchef]

This is what I think also. I've read about choking barrels using a pipe cutter. Basically replace the "cutting" rollers with flat rollers and then slowly compress the cutter while rotating it around the barrel. I've got an old cutter that is for use on like 2" pipe so that should be enough force.
If I can't find the rollers I might just cut another 1/2" off the muzzle and re-crown.
I m going to try shooting it some more as I am slowly getting less and less flyers.

Thanks Again

Definitely get a sampler if you intend on changing the physical characteristics of the barrel. But, Crosman barrels are a lottery, and you can get one that just never shoots well. Some experienced airgunners have successfully massaged poor performing Crosman barrels into very good shooters employing different techniques like choking, lapping and other such procedures. I've not the tools or the patience for this.


If you seek stellar accuracy, consider moving up the food chain to an LW, CZ or HW barrel. I know forum member Wyoman and I agree that these barrels are superb performers with little to no additional work. The barrels are often not pellet picky and, with a consistent powerplant, can transform most any gun into a 'tack driver'.

[BigTinBoat]

If you seek stellar accuracy, consider moving up the food chain to an LW, CZ or HW barrel. I know forum member Wyoman and I agree that these barrels are superb performers with little to no additional work. The barrels are often not pellet picky and, with a consistent powerplant, can transform most any gun into a 'tack driver'.

From internet research I've heard about those barrels but couldn't justify using that much $$ on my first barrel. That's also why I want to try and do the choking. I've read that choked barrels also appear to be less "picky".

Thanks Again for the suggestions, love getting knowledge.

[T191032]

Ultimately, what may work best in our barrels, might not be as good in yours.  Gotta try different ones.  Those pellet samplers are a good way to at least get some ideas.

[BigTinBoat]

Well I did just find a Benjamin sampler of 4 different pellets, 100 each for $8.00. They are all Benjamin but different styles so it will be a starting point.

[Noah]

2540 gobbles up Beeman Field Target Trophy (20.06 gr) and Milbro Black Rhinos (19 gr) and spits them out very accurately.

1322 and 2240 shooters haven't found their favorites yet, although the H&N Field Target Trophy Power Copper Plated (14.66 gr) do fairly well.

The beloved 1377 shoots just about ANYTHING and is without a doubt the most accurate of them all. Go figure.

As we all know by now, the SSP250 is so picky it has yet to find ANYTHING that will shoot at all. 

[CO2Freak]

RWS Hobby, great price/performance !

Even at 25 yards I have noticed...

[Takis63]

My modded 1377 likes the Crosman Premier 7,9 grn domed ones. They're really accurate out to 25m that i usually shoot.

Also Gamo Pro Magnums and Hunters are quite good, but the Premiers rule!

[Jauvesst]

best pellet ive had so far in my 2240 is the Hammerli field target performance 5.5mm domed pellets