Plastic pellets help

[Oldandshaky]

Hi,
This time of year isn't the best for outdoor backyard shooting so I decided to try some indoor plinking with darts on a cheap 9" dartboard, I tried using a proper full sized board but the darts bounce out of the bristles.
I'm using a Webley Junior pistol, its the only smooth bore pistol I own as I don't want to damage the rifling on my other pistols with the darts.

Shooting darts is ok for a while but it soon gets boring having to retrieve the darts all the time, also they soon get damaged, the points bend ect: I bought some darts with plastic flights thinking they would be an improvement but they slide out of the barrel and the flights snap off waste of money.

In my backyard range I have a magnetic knock down target with 4 knock down's and a reset target which I use at 15yds with my other pistols.
My question is are there any plastic pellets or BBs that would allow me to shoot indoors at this target safely? Also is there any plastic ammo that would be suitable to use in my other pistols both .22 and .177?
Thanks for looking...Dave...

[Iain K D]

Sportsmarketing used to make .177" plastic ammunition, in both ball and pellet, although they don't seem to still have them listed - only the 6mm size.

Bit difficult to say whether they'd be the answer to your problem anyway, though. Being so light they might not offer sufficient resistance in a springer to avoid the piston bottoming out, that is, not so different to simply dry firing it. And, if they don't crush or deform, firing them at a metal target (I know the one you mean - great fun!) probably isn't the best idea either.

Iain

[Anjow]

I don't know much about it, but wouldn't plastic be much more likely to ricochet since it will either stay intact or shatter upon impact, rather than deforming like lead would?

[ikarma70]

Sure my mates gun shop had plastic pellets in for indoor practice and I think they were made for SMK in yellow and red I think.

[fragsfof]

dont think you can get em any more but prometheus used to make a plastic pellets called zap, only ever saw them in .177 tho

[Oldandshaky]

Thanks for the replies, I did try searching for the Zaps but they don't make them now, and from what I found out they were pretty useless anyway

The Marksman Airgun Bolts look like they are the business but I found to my cost that they are pretty poor:
http://www.bb-guns.org/browseproduct...gun-Bolts.HTML

They drop right through the barrel on the Junior and the plastic vanes snap off when they hit the target

Looks as though I'll have to use normal pellets but only when the wife is out ...Dave...

[magicniner]

Dave,
PM me your address & I'll send you 50 or so ZAPs to try. If you shoot at a cardboard stuffed with rags you may be able to re-use them.
If they're any good to you I might be persuaded to part with that bit of my pellet collection - I think I have a few
ATB,
Nick

[Oldandshaky]

Hi Nick,
Thats very kind of you, much apreciated...Dave...

[barrie36]

Hi,is your knockdown the one with 4 buffallo type shapes and the round reset in the middle(egay special),i have one and i find it almost impossible to reset with any of my pistols, i have to use one of my rifles to do it,usually the benjamin with 5 pumps,if yours is anything like mine plastic pellets wont have the clout like lead ones do.

[Adam77K]

Dave,
PM me your address & I'll send you 50 or so ZAPs to try. If you shoot at a cardboard stuffed with rags you may be able to re-use them.

Yep and if you put the muzzle against the box you stand a chance of hitting it with the zaps!
I bought a packet of those in the early 80s, to fire out of my Manuarm pistol. I'm sure in some dictionary, next the word pointless, there's a picture of those pellets

[magicniner]

Yep and if you put the muzzle against the box you stand a chance of hitting it with the zaps!
I bought a packet of those in the early 80s, to fire out of my Manuarm pistol. I'm sure in some dictionary, next the word pointless, there's a picture of those pellets

That's a bit harsh,
I tested them in the garage in a Smith, they all hit an A4 box at 6 yards
Maybe they won't perform as well in a smoot bore but my Junior is in desperate need of a rebuild
Regards,
Nick

[Adam77K]

Well, ok I guess when I had them I was trying to push the accuracy envelope, trying to hit potatoes or apples at 10 feet

[Oldandshaky]

Hi,is your knockdown the one with 4 buffallo type shapes and the round reset in the middle(egay special),i have one and i find it almost impossible to reset with any of my pistols, i have to use one of my rifles to do it,usually the benjamin with 5 pumps,if yours is anything like mine plastic pellets wont have the clout like lead ones do.

Hi Barry,
Yes that's the one, at 15-16yds most of my pistols will reset it, that's if I can hit the reset although sometimes not all the targets swing up at once, takes two hits with some especially .177's apart from my Alecto, Crossman 2300T and the old faithful Webley MK1.
.22 pistols are much better, usually one hit will do the job and I have a Benjamin .20 Co2 that really whacks them over hard.
...Dave...

[Target Bunny]

Two UBC meets ago someone put out one of these things and the only pistol I personally used which could RELIABLY reset it was the Alecto on three pumps. A couple of other guys could do it with PCP pistols and one other I can not recall the name of. My trusty Hurricane often needed two hits to reset it.

Mind you it usually took me three or four attempts to hit the reset anyway.

Regards
Target Bunny