HW99S (.22) Accuracy Problems

[threelander]

I have a stock HW99S in .22 which has a lovely shooting cycle but I'm struggling to get it to group in a satisfactory manner (it's miles off my TX in .177). Thus far, I've tried H&N FTTs, AA Diabolo Fields (are these the same as JSB Exacts?)and RWS Superfields at 30 yards rested and I'm tending to get groups around the 3/4 inch-1 inch mark (some larger; others smaller) which I just don't think is at all satisfactory. Of the pellets I've tried, the RWS Superfields were rubbish and the FTTs and Diabolo Fields were about the same. I want to get some pellets to try as I'm sure this gun can shoot better than that, so which pellets should I get? I was thinking RWS Superdomes but have also heard good things about JSB Exact Express and Bisley Long Range Gold - are these worth a try? Alternatively (and I'm hoping I'm wrong here), am I naive to expect comparable accuracy to my .177 TX and 30 yards rested?

I absolutely love this gun's shot cycle and picked up a beautiful Hawke Airmax 2-7x32 which suits this rifle perfectly so I'm extremely keen to get this rig sorted and shooting as well as possible.

My .22 loves jsb express

[TonyL]

Have you checked your stock screws are tight? I've experienced poor grouping when mine worked lose, coincided with fitting a new scope so ended up chasing my tail for a good few hours.

Good call.

[oling]

You've already tried many of the usual top candidates and those others you mention are certainly worth a try. Maybe give the Webley Accupell and H&N Sniper Light a try, too. Not sure if QYS do .22? If so, looking at some of the results with the company's .177s, they'd certainly be worth trying out.

Hope you get there.

Thanks Tony - I haven't tried the Sniper Lights but their improved BCs among other things really appeal to me. Also, as it happens, the Sniper Magnums happen to be the most accurate pellet in my Benjamin EB22... grouping far better than any conventional domed pellet... Have you personally had any success with the Sniper Lights? I believe I recall you saying you had a 99 (could be mistaken) - what's the preferred pellet in yours?

P.S. I seem to remember that JSB do two versions of the lighter pellet, the Express and RS? Both worth a try as might be the JSB made Falcon Accuracy Plus. Not too sure if the AAF is exactly the same as the same weight Exact (sic!) or differs slightly?

Also not sure if choosing from different batches will make as much difference as with the .177s.

Also worth a try will be the Weihrauch branded FTT and Exacts.

Any idea if there's much of a difference between the Express and RS? And if there's much of a difference between the Falcons and the JSB equivalents (believe the JSB Exact RS)?

A few more thoughts on this.......

What "shape" are the groups? Round, but larger than hoped for, or vertical stringing? If vertical stringing it mighy just be worth changing the breech seal. Sometimes different clearances might lead to in consistent lock-up. And maybe also lube the barrel latch.

Also, and it's something that I've always shied away from and never had the need......does the barrel need a clean. Especially where some harder pellets with higher antimony content have been used, when using a softer pellet, these softer pellets may not be shifting any build-up and "conditioning" themselves to the barrel. In a brilliant recent article, Jim Tyler spoke of this very subject and extols the virtues of cleaning with a brass brush. If it's deemed okay by the guru Jim, then it must be fine. Not sure if you'd give it one pass from breech to muzzle or a few passes in both directions and I'd love to see more advice from Jim on this. Once cleaned, fire a good twenty or so pellets to recondition the barrel before testing continues.

Hope this may help a little if your testing with alternative pellets doesn't do the trick.

Thanks again Tony - to be honest, it seems somewhat random though probably a little more vertical stringing than side-to-side. Really appreciate the suggestion and I might need to find the equipment to do that if I'm unable to find the right pellet. Frustrating as the gun has had less than 500 shots through it and I bought it new a bit over a year ago, just didn't get round to shooting enough!

[oling]

Think he means three quarters of an inch to one inch.

That's right! Still not acceptable for bench rested shooting for me given what I have come to expect from my TX

[oling]

Have you checked your stock screws are tight? I've experienced poor grouping when mine worked lose, coincided with fitting a new scope so ended up chasing my tail for a good few hours.

Yup - tightened them recently but appreciate the suggestion. I must admit I was expecting a clear 'winner' pellet from people's own experiences from this forum and I personally found FTTs shot so well in my TX and seem to be a popular suggestion here for the 99 so am a little disappointed they don't shoot better. I think I'm going to shoot a few more groups fresh and then get a couple of pellet sample packs. Honestly didn't expect this gun to be so fussy!

Weird because I did get a couple of very good groups so perhaps it's just me and I struggle a lot more with this gun than the TX -we'll have to see.

Thanks all for the advice

[TonyL]

Yup - tightened them recently but appreciate the suggestion. I must admit I was expecting a clear 'winner' pellet from people's own experiences from this forum and I personally found FTTs shot so well in my TX and seem to be a popular suggestion here for the 99 so am a little disappointed they don't shoot better. I think I'm going to shoot a few more groups fresh and then get a couple of pellet sample packs. Honestly didn't expect this gun to be so fussy!

Weird because I did get a couple of very good groups so perhaps it's just me and I struggle a lot more with this gun than the TX -we'll have to see.

Thanks all for the advice

Lots to go at there, but your statement towards the end of this post is most interesting. It MIGHT just be down to technique, getting to know your gun inside out and exactly how it wants to be supported. In many ways it would be nice if it is simply down to this. The 99s are usually quite forgiving, though. Not sure of your exact experience but have a good look at technique first.

The JSB Exact Jumbo RS and Express weigh about 13.4 grains and 14.3 respectively, so similar, but slightly different. FAPs same stated weight as the RS, not sure if they're exactly the same or slightly different.

I've not had to try that many pellets at all in my 99s. Suppose I've been lucky, but I have a .177 and a .22, and they're both very accurate and forgiving with every pellet tried from the RWS, H&N and JSB stables that I've tried. I haven't tried the Sniper ones in .22 and just a quick test in .177.

In terms of potential hold sensitivty, it might also be worth checking the power. When I got my .22 (used, but unmolested) I chrono'd it once home to find it was doing 13.5ft.lbs. Accuracy did seem fine, however, although I didn't have that many shots pre chrono check. A de-tune helped make it even smoother and easier to shoot.

[TonyL]

Excellent advice, also a tx200 is a heavy rifle you will have to hold a 99s more securely with your fingers not just relying on wieght to hold it down.
Rest the gun on your hand then steady with the bag.

Just to build on this excellent advice (but deviate slightly). Oling, and I hope fine-tuning the technique has the desired result, as it's a nice, free fix and so very rewarding, too.

It's true that, generally, a heavier rifle will be less hold sensitive (all things being equal and there are so many other factors at play), but I've also always found the '99 to be surprisingly excellent in this department.

When bench testing for "ultimate" accuracy (I'm right handed), my left hand is tucked under my right armpit so has no contact with the gun. And what seems to work best for me is to place the forend on a nice, soft, forgiving medium (like my cheapy draft excluder), having experimented a little to find the most effective forend placement. Make sure the trigger's nicely adjusted to give a crisp, clean break and DO NOT FORGET THAT ALL-IMPORTANT FOLLOW THROUGH.

Really hope you achieve the results you're aiming (sic!) at.