What difference does 50 feet per second really make in .177?.

[Gunfun]

Also ( and this can blow my above load of b0ll0x to bits ) ... a number of target shooters find that their best pellet is more accurate out of their rifle at a certain Muzzle Velocity. For instance, a lot of target shooters using Exacts prefer to run them at 770fps when 800fps is still legal. It's not because they want to be a bit safer re the limit and the law ... it's because they have found they seem to give tighter groups at that speed as opposed to 800fps.

Very interesting, all of it. The last bit is similar to my experience with better accuracy at 772 fps than 785 fps. Is that pellet stability or barrel harmonics ?

[bozzer]

In reality your not giving away anything to your competitors as you will have set up your equipment and plotted your drops for the relevant ranges, if you shoot at 750fps and your opponent shoots at 800 fps you will both be using drops for the velocity you are using, so if your setting is 45yds dot 2 at 9xmag, and your opponent is 45yds dot 2 at 10mag it won't make a blind bit of difference!

A batch of pellets or a different make can result in greater than a 10mm difference for the same weight, these tiny differences are irrelevant as you cannot hold steady enough to make a 3mm difference and neither will the wind!

I'm not sure?

It's fine if you are shooting on a range with measured distances.

If you are on a HFT course and you don't know if that target is bang on 45, or is it 43 or 41? If he's 7mm flatter from both 35 yards zero at 45 doesn't he have an advantage? If you've both got it slightly wrong he's up to 7mm better off? That can buy him a bit more sideways horizontally re wind.

Whatever your hold still capability the same will apply to all shooters ( of similar ability ). Same with the wind. So has the guy who has 10mm less loop to worry about not got an advantage?

I'm not saying the 800 guys will always beat the 750 guys. It's always down to best shooter, but over a season it could mean a couple of targets. That may mean Champ or runner up.

The 0.22 shooters will set their scope and aim points up for set distances just the same. Are they at no disadvantage from the 0.177 shooters? If they get the range exactly right ... no problem ... if they get it wrong ... there's a difference.

Like I say ... loads of rifles out there for a third or less of the price of top target stuff that will outperform the shooters ... but they still buy the top kit to try and pinch that extra few mm's of accuracy. Some will just want the best kit but the very top guys will want that extra accuracy ( from gun fit, trigger or reg/barrel performance ).

I did say it was probably b0ll0x.

Most decent HFT shooters shoot 8.4gr at about 770fps. Ask them if they don't mind running their guns at 50fps less as it makes no difference.

[Rickenbacker]

What difference does 50 feet per second really make in .177?

All of what Bozzer says.

Personally, one way or another, I'm having 770-780.

This is not negotiable - Unless/until something significant changes with ammo in the future.

I'm sure there are airguns out there that actually shoot better at 750, but I won't be having / keeping one of those either.