Crosman Air Pistol Owners Forum

Crosman air pistol - General => Crosman air pistol - General discussion => Topic started by: Colt25 on June 05, 2012, 04:14:04 AM

Title: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Colt25 on June 05, 2012, 04:14:04 AM
I will start with the first caliber .177, then the next person will post the pros and cons of .20, then .22, then .25. The four small bore calibers.

Small-bore
.177 pellet
Pros: Cheap, great target shooting caliber, wide selection of pellets even at wall*mart, shoots faster than the other small bore calibers.
Cons: Not a good hunting caliber on anything over the size of a small rabbit. Does not retain energy as much as you would like for long range shots beyond 90 or so yards.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: 1377x on June 05, 2012, 04:20:54 AM
.20 shoots flatter than .22 while having the same fpe
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Colt25 on June 06, 2012, 01:00:01 AM
Quote from: 1377x on June 05, 2012, 04:20:54 AM
.20 shoots flatter than .22 while having the same fpe

And has a better ballistic coefficient than .22.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: BassManNate on June 06, 2012, 01:26:10 AM
Quote from: Colt25 on June 06, 2012, 01:00:01 AM
And has a better ballistic coefficient than .22.
So, why isn't .20 more popular?   ???
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: 1377x on June 06, 2012, 01:52:48 AM
Quote from: BassManNate on June 06, 2012, 01:26:10 AM
So, why isn't .20 more popular?   ???
kind of like the 357sig to a 9mm or 40sw
even though its better it just doesnt catch on
i think ammo selection is another issue
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: D-R0CK on June 06, 2012, 01:56:43 AM
so much more product development would have to go on at a big company like crosman for something that would barely affect their sales... i wouldn't add 50% more products (with all of the costs to engineer, make, and advertise the new difference) for barely any additional sales. it's one thing for a small niche company to specialize in, and another thing entirely for a large corporation, it just wouldn't make sense business wise.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: eric on June 06, 2012, 02:21:59 AM
way more folks know .177 and .22 and nothing else .they know daisy,crosman,and gamo from all the hardware stores,box stores and anywhere else that sells BB guns  . some old timers ,due to sheridans ,will know about the .20 cal and those on the forums. .20 airguns and pellets aren't  sold locally for the most part and if so, they are expensive compared to the .177 and the .22 ---- kinda like the big bores --- ,25 cal and up. i look at it like the music scene --- more people know and like the main stream music(top 100 or what not) vs. underground (punk,oi!,ska,metals of all genres or what have you) . the pellets are like anything else --- there are atleast 15 different pellets, more if you include rebranded ones as well . test them and see what works best. most .20 barrels today will be a quality barrel so it should shoot one or more pretty well .
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: arkmaker † on June 06, 2012, 02:28:14 AM
.22 Easy to pick up and load for old crippled fingers like mine :-*

Also, make a better "thunk" sound on impact, than do .177's  ;)
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: 1377x on June 06, 2012, 02:31:41 AM
well said eric!
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: eric on June 06, 2012, 02:40:33 AM
Quote from: 1377x on June 06, 2012, 02:31:41 AM
well said eric!
thanks, can you tell i am a .20 cal nut
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: 1377x on June 06, 2012, 03:14:49 AM
Quote from: eric on June 06, 2012, 02:40:33 AM
thanks, can you tell i am a .20 cal nut
your posts speak for you!
yeah! i can tell you are a .20 nut ;D
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Colt25 on June 06, 2012, 03:43:28 AM
Quote from: BassManNate on June 06, 2012, 01:26:10 AM
So, why isn't .20 more popular?   ???

It really never caught on. Tough it is the overall "best" hunting caliber where you can not exactly estimate the range.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Alrauder on June 07, 2012, 01:50:38 AM
Quote from: arkmaker on June 06, 2012, 02:28:14 AM
.22 Easy to pick up and load for old crippled fingers like mine :-*

Ahh, now I know why I liked loading the .22's and .25's... So that's what it is - age...!!

Never looked at it from that angle. Guess I too am just plain getting old...!!
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Davio on August 23, 2012, 06:43:40 AM
Old thread, I know but somebody just might be looking for this Walter Lothar .20 cal barrel.  I know I wish I were...  ;)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walther-Lothar-20-cal-barrel-blank-in-the-white-Crosman-Sheridan-Daisy-Benjamin-/190717101287?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c67a004e7#ht_500wt_1201 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walther-Lothar-20-cal-barrel-blank-in-the-white-Crosman-Sheridan-Daisy-Benjamin-/190717101287?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c67a004e7#ht_500wt_1201)
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: 1772225 on August 23, 2012, 07:13:38 AM
In general, I thought .22 works a little better in CO2 than .177.  Incorrect?  Half-true...
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: 1377x on August 23, 2012, 08:20:49 AM
i saw a rhread the other day downing .20 cal
it was said it robs power something or another
if i find the link i'll post it
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: cmj21973 on August 23, 2012, 09:09:02 AM
Good info and food for thought.
http://www.pyramydair.com/article/Airgun_Calibers_June_2003/4 (http://www.pyramydair.com/article/Airgun_Calibers_June_2003/4)
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Plekto on August 23, 2012, 11:19:44 AM
The article appears to mostly be a reprint of an old article from Beeman as near as I can tell, with some changes here and there.

Times have changed recently.  Almost all PCPs are now .22.  Almost all Field Target competitions are now .22 as well. (power is still regulated close to older levels, as expected, to be fair to .177s)  Accuracy is identical for a .177 and a .22 match grade gun as you'd expect.  So it's really a PCP/non-PCP divide that's happening currently, with non-PCPs being mostly .177 and PCPs being mostly .22 and larger.   CO2 is a mixed bag. 

Larger calibers are sometimes more efficient in utilizing the power that is available.  This is due to the fact that the gas has more time to push against the pellet if it's going slower.   With a spring-piston gun, this is essentially nil as the mass of the piston and air chamber is almost always identical - just the barrel is changed.  With HPA, it's somewhat pronounced as a lot of the gas simply is wasted on each shot (1 or 2 ft-lb at most, IME).  With CO2, it's quite large as it's an expanding gas, not unlike a real firearm.  A .177 CO2 gun and a 9mm CO2 gun of the same design can have a 20% difference in energy at the muzzle.  As expected, CO2 also shows the largest change in velocity for a longer barrel.

So it's not just what caliber.  It also is that kind of power plant you're using. 
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Colt25 on September 28, 2012, 07:18:18 PM


QuoteSo it's not just what caliber.  It also is that kind of power plant you're using.


Yes.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: mudduck48 on September 29, 2012, 03:13:53 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the .20 is better, everyone on this forum could write and call Crosman to just make a barrel to fit our guns. This would be a done deal, maybe. Just a thought.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Cowray on September 29, 2012, 04:06:58 AM
If your going to shoot in 10 meter competition you will want .177. It's all that it's allowed on the rules. Of course probably wouldn't be shooting a Crosman in 10 meter competition.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: AZAG on September 29, 2012, 06:35:27 AM
So...no one has spoken up for .25 yet?  ???
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: jdub on September 29, 2012, 08:17:19 AM
Through a great deal of testing .20 caliber has been shown to have a higher coolness coefficient than the other calibers.

;)

Any true Sheridan fan will back me up on this one.   And now that I have a .20 cal Beeman R7 to go along with my two Sheridans I'm even more convinced. 

And finally .20" = exactly 5mm.  Not 4.5mm.  Not 5.5mm.  Just a perfectly straightforward, decimal-point-free, 5mm.  :)
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: cmj21973 on September 29, 2012, 08:26:53 AM
Quote from: jdub on September 29, 2012, 08:17:19 AM
Through a great deal of testing .20 caliber has been shown to have a higher coolness coefficient than the other calibers.

;)

Any true Sheridan fan will back me up on this one.   And now that I have a .20 cal Beeman R7 to go along with my two Sheridans I'm even more convinced. 

And finally .20" = exactly 5mm.  Not 4.5mm.  Not 5.5mm.  Just a perfectly straightforward, decimal-point-free, 5mm.  :)

Hate to burst you bubble, but 5mm = .19685  .20cal=5.08mm

Who's kidding who, I shot your bubble with a .22cal 5.588mm pellet! ;D
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: jdub on September 29, 2012, 09:05:20 AM
Quote from: cmj21973 on September 29, 2012, 08:26:53 AM
Hate to burst you bubble, but 5mm = .19685

Who's kidding who, I shot your bubble with a .22cal 5.588mm pellet! ;D

Seriously??  5 decimal places??   Us .20 cal owners would rather spend our time shooting our very cool .20 cal/5mm air guns than trying to memorize the value of Pi to 5 decimal places ;)

.22 is like a Ford F350 dually.  .177 is a hot little Suzuki Hayabusa.  .20 caliber like an Aston Martin DB9.   

You can't shoot my bubble because your dually can't catch it.   The Suzuki will just bounce off the bubble and leave you with nothing but bad helmet hair.   The Aston, like the .20, not only gets you there but does it with style.   ;D

This is all very scientific of course.   :)
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: cmj21973 on September 29, 2012, 09:52:53 AM
Quote from: jdub on September 29, 2012, 09:05:20 AM
Seriously??  5 decimal places??   Us .20 cal owners would rather spend our time shooting our very cool .20 cal/5mm air guns than trying to memorize the value of Pi to 5 decimal places ;)

.22 is like a Ford F350 dually.  .177 is a hot little Suzuki Hayabusa.  .20 caliber like an Aston Martin DB9.   

You can't shoot my bubble because your dually can't catch it.   The Suzuki will just bounce off the bubble and leave you with nothing but bad helmet hair.   The Aston, like the .20, not only gets you there but does it with style.   ;D

This is all very scientific of course.   :)

If I ever run out of .22cal pellets, I go to Walmart. it's 10 mile round trip; open 24/7; closed only on a couple of holidays. Resupplied and back shooting in 30 minutes or less. :-*

How about you?
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: jdub on September 29, 2012, 06:44:19 PM
Quote from: cmj21973 on September 29, 2012, 09:52:53 AM
If I ever run out of .22cal pellets, I go to Walmart. it's 10 mile round trip; open 24/7; closed only on a couple of holidays. Resupplied and back shooting in 30 minutes or less. :-*

How about you?
Ouch!   I uh... sit on the porch waiting for the FedEx guy?

Well played.   :)
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: mr007s on September 30, 2012, 12:31:39 AM
.177 pellets will shoot from a .20 barrel. Heck, I mistakenly shoot .177 in my .22 all the time ???
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: pirouge on October 01, 2012, 09:12:59 PM
   .177 for feathers, .22 for fur
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Colt25 on October 02, 2012, 10:34:49 PM
Quote from: Cowray on September 29, 2012, 04:06:58 AM
If your going to shoot in 10 meter competition you will want .177. It's all that it's allowed on the rules. Of course probably wouldn't be shooting a Crosman in 10 meter competition.

I shoot a 10m crosman target rifle.
crosman challenger 2009s.
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: RC1947 on October 02, 2012, 10:59:02 PM
Quote from: jdub on September 29, 2012, 06:44:19 PM
Ouch!   I uh... sit on the porch waiting for the FedEx guy?

Well played.   :)
or the mail lady... RC
Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: jdub on October 02, 2012, 11:14:52 PM
Quote from: RC1947 on October 02, 2012, 10:59:02 PM
or the mail lady... RC
Yeah, or her.  I get almost all my (non-local) pellets from Pyramyd though so it's usually FedEx.

I got $40 worth of H&N .20 cal pellets from Pyramyd from FedEx last week that arrived with dented lids despite their foam packing.   I talked to Pyramyd and they sent out replacement tins no charge and let me keep the dented ones.   This is the second time this has happened.  The time before they sent me $30 worth of Meisterkugelns no charge after the first shipment came poorly packaged.     

Title: Re: Choosing the right caliber
Post by: Cowray on October 04, 2012, 04:01:10 AM
Quote from: Colt25 on October 02, 2012, 10:34:49 PM
I shoot a 10m crosman target rifle.
crosman challenger 2009s.

I was referring to pistols.