A possible game changer - Slugs for sub12 rifles - short review

[Born Again]

JSB are launching a 10.03 grain slug in 4.51 . It appears to have a deep base cavity, like a normal diabolo, the cynic in me wonders if it's drag stabilised too.

https://www.facebook.com/17173571620...4084401971812/

[nuggs]

That’s good news ,the more different designs/types then the more chances one will suit your barrel .

[Shed tuner]

JSB are launching a 10.03 grain slug in 4.51 . It appears to have a deep base cavity, like a normal diabolo, the cynic in me wonders if it's drag stabilised too.

https://www.facebook.com/17173571620...4084401971812/

and a BC of 0.047 for the 10 grainer is awesome... (I appreciate there will be velocity and barrel variation, but that's roughtly twice as good as a decent 8.5 grain dome)

[Rob Edge]

I think I will stick to either JSB or H&N FTT. I tend to be closer than 30 metres because I practice good fieldcraft. Just saying like

[Shed tuner]

did a prelim test with my walther rm8 @ 22 yards in good conditions / very light breeze, 5 shot groups

JSB Heavy 10.3 grain - 5mm groups - 9.7 FP downrange
JSB Hades 10.3 grain - 8mm groups - 9.5 FP downrange
PB slugs 10.5 grain - 12mm groups - 8.9 FP downrange

More guns to test as and when...

[Shed tuner]

and to prove what you already know, barrels do make a big difference...

Theoben Rapid

PB Slugs 3mm
Hades 6mm
JSB Heavies 10mm

Going to take this one to the range and test at a more useful distance.

[Shed tuner]

one interesting and annoying thing... the BC of the PB slugs seems to be identical to the 10.34 grain JSB heavies at around 0.032... which in itself is OK.

However, the slugs leave the muzzle on average around 33 fps slower than the heavies, so are never going to catch up from being just over a foot pound down.
So from a purely ballistic perspective, I'd just go with heavies, provided they suit your barrel.

One thing that did impress me on this test is the Hades - only a fraction behind in the accuracy stakes, and a decent BC for a HP. I'm thinking if they expand well at 8-9 fp impact energy, they could make a great .177 ratting / closer range pellet.

The PB slugs are very accurate (at 22 yards) in my rapid though, so that's a positive... just no big ballistic advantage for the cost due to the lower ME. However if they hold that accuracy at longer ranges....

[TonyL]

As ever, excellent information, JB.. Keep playing.

[robs5230]

one interesting and annoying thing... the BC of the PB slugs seems to be identical to the 10.34 grain JSB heavies at around 0.032... which in itself is OK.

However, the slugs leave the muzzle on average around 33 fps slower than the heavies, so are never going to catch up from being just over a foot pound down.
So from a purely ballistic perspective, I'd just go with heavies, provided they suit your barrel.

One thing that did impress me on this test is the Hades - only a fraction behind in the accuracy stakes, and a decent BC for a HP. I'm thinking if they expand well at 8-9 fp impact energy, they could make a great .177 ratting / closer range pellet.

The PB slugs are very accurate (at 22 yards) in my rapid though, so that's a positive... just no big ballistic advantage for the cost due to the lower ME. However if they hold that accuracy at longer ranges....

Interesting Jon, but these have been ballistically modelled and have an estimated BC of around 0.049 which is significantly better than the suggested BC of heavys.
They also impact quite a way higher at 55 yards, than heavys.

Energy retention is also much greater. And I can assure you they do expand

[Shed tuner]

Interesting Jon, but these have been ballistically modelled and have an estimated BC of around 0.049 which is significantly better than the suggested BC of heavys.
They also impact quite a way higher at 55 yards, than heavys.

Energy retention is also much greater. And I can assure you they do expand

yup.... I just measuring over the downrange chrono here, and comparing with the heavies and others.. However as you know, the poorer BC may be a factor of not suiting the barrels, whether it's deforming the surface slightly (e.g. tight choke), or they are not flying true.

I have a phoenix as well - will try that next.

[robs5230]

yup.... I just measuring over the downrange chrono here, and comparing with the heavies and others.. However as you know, the poorer BC may be a factor of not suiting the barrels, whether it's deforming the surface slightly (e.g. tight choke), or they are not flying true.

I have a phoenix as well - will try that next.

Yes the BC certainly has a relationship to velocity.

I'm certainly seeing that shorter barrels are proving better for accuracy and also making better power.
Whether thats down to less drag in the barrel or not, I'm not quite sure at this point. They're just too new as yet.

Certain barrel twists could also be preferable, though I'm running the standard 1 in 17 3/4 Lothar Walther barrel on my rifle that I'm using them with. A quicker twist could be more suitable, but the feeling is that slower twist will be less good.

Choke may also affect power. As far as I'm aware, no one's tried these through an unchoked barrel yet.
This is on my to do list, though I'd have to aquire a suitable barrel to confirm. I may get a HW, 12mm unchoked blank at some point and have it machined for mine. The HW blanks are a 1 in 16 twist.

What I can say with certainty, is that if they weren't performing for me, I simply wouldn't be using them. What I'll also say, is that I've built a rifle specifically to shoot them.
They're consistently putting rabbits in the freezer. I've taken rabbits with these, with conclusive kills at the normal distances I'd shoot at for rabbits.

Not sure whether I posted about this, but I removed a slug from a rabbit's skull. THe shot was taken with the rabbit looking towards 11 o clock away from me.
This slug shows complete expansion, with the expanded head, mostly wrapping itself around the remaining slug body. Parts of the nose had also completely separated / fragmented.
The remnants were weighed at 9.5g, so there were still other fragments that I hadn't found, still remaining within the skull.
THe internal damage, starting about 5mm or so into the skull was quite extra ordinary, with fragmented bone and organs everywhere.

I have pics of the removal, the close up deformation and retrieved fragment and the remains of the slug on a scale confirming the weight.

[Shed tuner]

the expansion certainly sounds impressive... will try them in a few more rifles yet...

[Born Again]

I have a phoenix as well - will try that next.

Do you know what barrel you have on your Phoenix ? Around the time I bought mine there were supply issues at Pax, some industry people were kicking up a fuss about their pellets and it appeared that pressure was being put on some barrel manufacturers to withold barrels. Mine is a BSA barrel, others were German.

[robs5230]

Do you know what barrel you have on your Phoenix ? Around the time I bought mine there were supply issues at Pax, some industry people were kicking up a fuss about their pellets and it appeared that pressure was being put on some barrel manufacturers to withold barrels. Mine is a BSA barrel, others were German.

Mine has a BSA barrel

I also know of 2 other very recent .177 MK2's with BSA barrels

[Shed tuner]

interesting... I'll have a look at my barrel.