16.5g Varmint Knockers performance on Jackrabbit

[ZekeZX10]

Pulsar .177
Jackrabbit @ 38 yards
16.5g Varmint Knockers @ 894 fps / 29fpe

I've been testing different slugs on small game and this is the 2nd I've taken with the Knockers. In both cases there was good penetration but not much expansion compared to the JSB Knockouts in 13.43g
Instead of expanding they fragment, breaking apart early even though I am shooting them about 80 fps slower than the JSB Knockouts, and leaving the core to penetrate. If the fragments were bigger and carried further that might be different, but majority of them I find almost immediately on impact, I think I'm gonna stick with the JSB Knockouts. I think I'd rather have the expansion, maybe not as much penetration but definitely more tissue damage imo.

This Jack was facing me and head was low so I was aiming at the top of his head and just as I shot his head went lower and so the slug entered by his shoulder, continued then broke his ribs, tore up some vitals, broke through his last 2 ribs and rested just under the skin.

The performance of this slug and results with the fragmenting were almost identical to a squirrel I shot.



You can see a little mushroom effect on the slug but most fragments broke off, the walls of the hollow point are very thin. Below is an image of the JSB 13.43g Knockout, you can see the difference, also an image of the Varmint Knocker...both shot into 5 gallon pail of water, The flattened out slug to the left of the Varmint knocker was a 10.03g Knockout, the majority of those fragments are actually from the Varmint Knockers although I had them laying next to the other slugs


Well, another Jack for the stew

Stay tuned for some info on JSB 13.43g Knockout performance on small game

 

[JaceSpace1369]

Pulsar .177
Jackrabbit @ 38 yards
16.5g Varmint Knockers @ 894 fps / 29fpe

I've been testing different slugs on small game and this is the 2nd I've taken with the Knockers. In both cases there was good penetration but not much expansion compared to the JSB Knockouts in 13.43g
Instead of expanding they fragment, breaking apart early even though I am shooting them about 80 fps slower than the JSB Knockouts, and leaving the core to penetrate. If the fragments were bigger and carried further that might be different, but majority of them I find almost immediately on impact, I think I'm gonna stick with the JSB Knockouts. I think I'd rather have the expansion, maybe not as much penetration but definitely more tissue damage imo.

This Jack was facing me and head was low so I was aiming at the top of his head and just as I shot his head went lower and so the slug entered by his shoulder, continued then broke his ribs, tore up some vitals, broke through his last 2 ribs and rested just under the skin.

The performance of this slug and results with the fragmenting were almost identical to a squirrel I shot.

View attachment 574429View attachment 574430View attachment 574431View attachment 574432View attachment 574433View attachment 574434View attachment 574435

You can see a little mushroom effect on the slug but most fragments broke off, the walls of the hollow point are very thin. Below is an image of the JSB 13.43g Knockout, you can see the difference, also an image of the Varmint Knocker...both shot into 5 gallon pail of water, The flattened out slug to the left of the Varmint knocker was a 10.03g Knockout, the majority of those fragments are actually from the Varmint Knockers although I had them laying next to the other slugs
View attachment 574437View attachment 574438

Well, another Jack for the stew

Stay tuned for some info on JSB 13.43g Knockout performance on small game

I want to know how you're getting these 13.43gr to expand. I've shot them as fast as 1070fps and as slow as 820fps and when testing with 1, 2 and 3 iguana carcasses, they either stop in the third and remain under the skin or go through all three and have zero expansion whatsoever.

Now the VK slugs HP is about 3.8mm deep, so the HP cavity runs about 3/4 down the length of the slug so they are working as they should! For headshots I always prefer the VK as they are designed to fragment within a small area.

 

[SciueraPlumbea]

I want to know how you're getting these 13.43gr to expand. I've shot them as fast as 1070fps and as slow as 820fps and when testing with 1, 2 and 3 iguana carcasses, they either stop in the third and remain under the skin or go through all three and have zero expansion whatsoever.

Now the VK slugs HP is about 3.8mm deep, so the HP cavity runs about 3/4 down the length of the slug so they are working as they should! For headshots I always prefer the VK as they are designed to fragment within a small area.

I've shot them into gel, into a Fat/Wax Mixture/ into Fat based soap, 1" gap sometimes @ 960. The best results were essentially it opening up to looking like an open tin can with thick walls, just a caliber width cylinder. If they've changed I want what he's got.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

I've shot them into gel, into a Fat/Wax Mixture/ into Fat based soap, 1" gap sometimes @ 960. The best results were essentially it opening up to looking like an open tin can with thick walls, just a caliber width cylinder. If they've changed I want what he's got.

I'm with you on that!

 

[ZekeZX10]

I want to know how you're getting these 13.43gr to expand. I've shot them as fast as 1070fps and as slow as 820fps and when testing with 1, 2 and 3 iguana carcasses, they either stop in the third and remain under the skin or go through all three and have zero expansion whatsoever.

Now the VK slugs HP is about 3.8mm deep, so the HP cavity runs about 3/4 down the length of the slug so they are working as they should! For headshots I always prefer the VK as they are designed to fragment within a small area.

I'm shooting the 13.43g Knockouts at 978 fps / 28 fpe so don't know what to tell ya, not sure if they're redesigned or not but I love'em. As far as the VK 16.5g I think on small stuff like birds or chipmunks they'd be great since they fragment so quickly but then at the same time you don't need a 16.5g slug for stuff so small because that core keeps on going, I think a lighter slug with rapid expansion like the JSB Mk3's would rock smaller critters.
I took a small rabbit with the JSB 10.03 Mk3's this morning @ 53 yards and they would be perfect for smaller critters, I won't use them again for rabbits, almost no penetration. Shot him right in the eye and didn't penetrate much further after that, like a quarter inch. I dug it out of his head because I knew there wasn't an exit and I wanted to see how far it did penetrate. If this was a vital shot I don't think it would have penetrated deep enough.
I'll put a vid up shortly but here's the slug.

 

[SciueraPlumbea]

I'm shooting the 13.43g Knockouts at 978 fps / 28 fpe so don't know what to tell ya, not sure if they're redesigned or not but I love'em. As far as the VK 16.5g I think on small stuff like birds or chipmunks they'd be great since they fragment so quickly but then at the same time you don't need a 16.5g slug for stuff so small because that core keeps on going, I think a lighter slug with rapid expansion like the JSB Mk3's would rock smaller critters.
I took a small rabbit with the JSB 10.03 Mk3's this morning @ 53 yards and they would be perfect for smaller critters, I won't use them again for rabbits, almost no penetration. Shot him right in the eye and didn't penetrate much further after that, like a quarter inch. I dug it out of his head because I knew there wasn't an exit and I wanted to see how far it did penetrate. If this was a vital shot I don't think it would have penetrated deep enough.
I'll put a vid up shortly but here's the slug.
View attachment 574557View attachment 574554View attachment 574558View attachment 574555

I use the Mk3 to fantastic effect. I use the Take Aim 13dish and 15 BT for anything more significant than Birds and chipmunks. They Mushroom and retain most of their mass. I love the Mk3. I've had the same exact outcome with a VK on a squirrel Flank on heart shot. The Cavity fracturing off in the impact shoulder and the core barely poking out of the other side.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

I'm shooting the 13.43g Knockouts at 978 fps / 28 fpe so don't know what to tell ya, not sure if they're redesigned or not but I love'em. As far as the VK 16.5g I think on small stuff like birds or chipmunks they'd be great since they fragment so quickly but then at the same time you don't need a 16.5g slug for stuff so small because that core keeps on going, I think a lighter slug with rapid expansion like the JSB Mk3's would rock smaller critters.
I took a small rabbit with the JSB 10.03 Mk3's this morning @ 53 yards and they would be perfect for smaller critters, I won't use them again for rabbits, almost no penetration. Shot him right in the eye and didn't penetrate much further after that, like a quarter inch. I dug it out of his head because I knew there wasn't an exit and I wanted to see how far it did penetrate. If this was a vital shot I don't think it would have penetrated deep enough.
I'll put a vid up shortly but here's the slug.
View attachment 574557View attachment 574554View attachment 574558View attachment 574555

I agree with your sentiment, These slugs, I love using strictly for pesting, which is why I always take headshots with these on iguanas. As even when I do sell the iguanas, the head gets discarted.

 

[SciueraPlumbea]

Take aim expansion

VK explosive fragmentation. Used the jewelers Phillips head “x” trick on this slug. Nailed a flank shot on a squirrel

 

[ZekeZX10]

I agree with your sentiment, These slugs, I love using strictly for pesting, which is why I always take headshots with these on iguanas. As even when I do sell the iguanas, the head gets discarted.

53yd Headshot w/ Pulsar HP 177 slo-mo

Rabbit @ 53 yards Daystate Pulsar HP .177 JSB Knockout 10.03g @ 1018 fps / 23 fpe Normally I wouldn't use the 10.03g slugs on a rabbit, a little light and not enough penetration imo but I grabbed the wrong tin (meant to grab the 13.43g knockouts) Anyway, saw this guy at 53yds and was hoping...

www.airgunnation.com

 

[ZekeZX10]

I use the Mk3 to fantastic effect. I use the Take Aim 13dish and 15 BT for anything more significant than Birds and chipmunks. They Mushroom and retain most of their mass. I love the Mk3. I've had the same exact outcome with a VK on a squirrel Flank on heart shot. The Cavity fracturing off in the impact shoulder and the core barely poking out of the other side.

53yd Headshot w/ Pulsar HP 177 slo-mo

Rabbit @ 53 yards Daystate Pulsar HP .177 JSB Knockout 10.03g @ 1018 fps / 23 fpe Normally I wouldn't use the 10.03g slugs on a rabbit, a little light and not enough penetration imo but I grabbed the wrong tin (meant to grab the 13.43g knockouts) Anyway, saw this guy at 53yds and was hoping...

www.airgunnation.com

 

[SciueraPlumbea]

53yd Headshot w/ Pulsar HP 177 slo-mo

Rabbit @ 53 yards Daystate Pulsar HP .177 JSB Knockout 10.03g @ 1018 fps / 23 fpe Normally I wouldn't use the 10.03g slugs on a rabbit, a little light and not enough penetration imo but I grabbed the wrong tin (meant to grab the 13.43g knockouts) Anyway, saw this guy at 53yds and was hoping...

www.airgunnation.com

About right. I've used the MK3 above 1000 and yes, they just explode on contact. Not that I recommend for jackrabbits or experimenting on animals, but I've shot Cottontails with the KO M3 tuned down to 915-921 with much more reasonable results. Lead donut stuck in the opposite ribs. The eyeball is just bad luck, essentially hitting water and totally dumping 110% like impacting a brick wall.

 

[OC_]

I have some of those varmint knockers in 16.5 and also a lighter weight, i think 13gr. The 13gr seems to be magic for accuracy in my gun but thats beside the point here. I noticed these slugs have a massive HP, I think this is great for BC but i also think they are opening too quickly for large game like this. Have you tried the 16gr zans? These shoot well in my gun but im wondering if they expand at all.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

I have some of those varmint knockers in 16.5 and also a lighter weight, i think 13gr. The 13gr seems to be magic for accuracy in my gun but thats beside the point here. I noticed these slugs have a massive HP, I think this is great for BC but i also think they are opening too quickly for large game like this. Have you tried the 16gr zans? These shoot well in my gun but im wondering if they expand at all.

The sixteen grain Zans are supposed to expand very well, but I have a buddy that told me that they changed the formula and that they hardly expand now.

 

[OC_]

The sixteen grain Zans are supposed to expand very well, but I have a buddy that told me that they changed the formula and that they hardly expand now.

i shot a pop can full of water @1000fps and i noticed a very small hole where the slug passed through. Not a good sign for expansion.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

i shot a pop can full of water @1000fps and i noticed a very small hole where the slug passed through. Not a good sign for expansion.

Try, doing it with a a gallon jug of water, for filling a 5 gallon bucket, then putting some rags on the bottom. So that the slug doesn't smash into the bottom of it.

 

[ZekeZX10]

I have some of those varmint knockers in 16.5 and also a lighter weight, i think 13gr. The 13gr seems to be magic for accuracy in my gun but thats beside the point here. I noticed these slugs have a massive HP, I think this is great for BC but i also think they are opening too quickly for large game like this. Have you tried the 16gr zans? These shoot well in my gun but im wondering if they expand at all.

Haven't tried the Zans, I did try H&N HP's in 20g, they were very accurate but I was shooting them at 781fps and at that velocity had no expansion. Couldn't shoot any faster than that, The Pulsar and 3 settings, low, medium and high and I was on high setting. I need to get the daystate programmer to tune it higher.