Velocity for barn gun
- By JimD
- Projectiles
- 26 Replies
Too windy and too much boat traffic to shoot targets so I took off the 5 lb weight I had on the 177 for targets and hung up another piece of 22 gauge steel at 15 yards. I tested 10 grain knockouts first. The lowest velocity that went through was 627 fps. The highest velocity that did not go through was 564 or about 7.4 fpe. This gun prefers 12.5 grain Nielsens so I shot a few of those. The lowest velocity that went through was 594 fps. The highest velocity that didn't go through was 551 or about 8.4 fpe. I also shot some 10.65 grain H&N Match pellets. The lowest velocity that went through was 570 and the highest velocity that did not was 538 or about 6.85 fpe.
I expected 177 to penetrate the steel better than 22 but they did not. They stopped at 538-564 versus 466 for the 22. 525 in the 22 tore the sheet metal pretty good but did not go all the way through. So you might be OK at 500fps with a 177, maybe even 550 if you hit the steel at no less than 15 yards. I don't think my tests differentiated slugs from pellets. I did not shoot enough different velocities. But if there is a difference it must be 20 fps or less.
I expected 177 to penetrate the steel better than 22 but they did not. They stopped at 538-564 versus 466 for the 22. 525 in the 22 tore the sheet metal pretty good but did not go all the way through. So you might be OK at 500fps with a 177, maybe even 550 if you hit the steel at no less than 15 yards. I don't think my tests differentiated slugs from pellets. I did not shoot enough different velocities. But if there is a difference it must be 20 fps or less.
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