Akela pellet testing results

[Toolmaker]

For those curious, my Akela so far seems to like the jsb 18.13 best, and the runner up surprisingly is the H&N Baracuda Match 21.14 gr. Is there anything I can do to tweak it a little better for the H&N? What would be the best velocity for the H&N 21.14? I currently have the power on the rifle set to fire the JSB at 925fps, and haven't clocked the H&N yet. Sorry for the rookie questions, but do different pellets have a optimum velocity that it is most accurate at? Basically, I want to know how to tweak the rifle for specific pellets, if that's even a thing..

The tope two rows are 30 yards, the rest at 50. Shooting prone with a bipod. 

 

[Odoyle]

Try maxing out the power when shooting heavy Baracudas. On the flip side Lessen the power for the JSB 18gr a little too. Crosman pellets maybe only a hair over half power.

Try not to ever shoot outside for groups when windy... 

 

[Ripper]

What a big difference 20 more yards makes. I’ve been shooting the 15 grain JSBs in mine.I have the 14 grn ones also but haven’t tried them.I’m cheap and hate to buy a tin of 500 if they don’t work good. I just got a notification from pyramid air that they’re back in stock. And eBay wants to much money for just a sample pack of them. I just ordered a case for it and got to watch my money until my next paycheck. You might try dialing it down just a tad to see if you get better accuracy. I’m definitely no expert but have seen what results other people have gotten. A lot of the people say that around 875 FPS is good With that size of a pellet.

 

[Toolmaker]

I thank you both and I'll give it a try when I'm able

 

[Ripper]

Oh and another thing. JSBs sometimes have quite a few deformed pellets in the tin. So I hope you are checking them before putting them in your magazine. So if you take out the wind And Visually inspect each pellet , Then it’s up to you to you get the best groups you can.

 

[Toolmaker]

So I maxed the power, clocked 12 of the 21.14gr H&N between 833fps to 849fps and here's a target at 25 yards. Keep in mind I wasn't as steady as I could have been. I'm going to try and test it long range now. If the light outside allows for it anyway 

 

[Ripper]

I’m curious what the longer range is going to look like. Mine seems to like the JSB better than the H&N.

 

[Toolmaker]

With the power turn down to suit the jsb the H&M didn't shoot very well at long-range like the jsb did. But I never tried the H&N at full power yet. I thought the recoil at full power was the reason to turn it down, but now I'm starting to think, it's cause the pellet prefers a specific speed. Keep in mind I'm new to this. 

 

[lorraine]

Pull the barrel and BUFF the crap out of the TP port ! Work with a taper hard buff bob and work on the floor of lead in over the TP port !!!!. Your groups will get stupid tight quick!. You should not be able to feel the pellet feed force until it seats into the the full seat of probe throw , These guns have a super DEEP lead in bore with a just shy bolt probe push. Take a pellet and jack it in and then remove the barrel and see where the pellet is seated..........You WILL SEE !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Toolmaker]

I want to learn more about what I'm doing before I start really "tuning" the rifle

 

[Toolmaker]

I think I know what you mean though. I can feel the HN pellets hanging up a bit as I work the bolt

 

[Ripper]

I have a couple other guns that the H&N Pellets are a little tight When I chamber them. All My H&N Pellets are At least a couple thousands bigger than the JSBs .And the skirts are much thinner on JSB.I have a Benjamin 397 that a JSB pellet Will almost drop through the barrel.

 

[lorraine]

Pull the barrel and buff the snot out the TP port on bore floor!!!!!..........I mean buff the crap out of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Toolmaker]

I will eventually get with you in this. Can you point me towards any literature or video turorials to give me an idea? I have various lapping compounds here at work. I hone alot of cylinders, but first time with something so small here. 

 

[Toolmaker]

Max power did not group well at all with the H&N 21.14 at 35 yards

 

[Ripper]

If you get a chance, try the JSB a little over half Power.

 

[Odoyle]

Looks like that H&N not meant to be.

My 22 Akela barrel shoots Crosman 14.3 Hollowpoints and 18.1 JSBs perfect and haven't even cleaned it. Just shoot the pellets the gun likes. Once I find an accurate pellet I just stick with it. No sense in wasting money trying others IMHO. You can't force it to like a pellet.

 

[DanCarey]

I kinda got lost on the lapping information, I guess I need it presented in a more scientific form. I have a vague idea of what he is talking about but need more detailed instruction. I bought a barrel blank from LW, machined it to Kral dimensions, installed it and have about a tin thru it with less than what I expected in accuracy. It will shoot 4 in a quarter inch then a flyer making the group around an inch at 50 yards. Thats not to say it won't shoot a real one hole group but its not consistent. I think it has internal problems the barrel can't over come. I have 2 Akela's.

 

[Odoyle]

I had a LW barrel machined that would do exactly the same thing group 8 or 9 in a ragged hole then a flier or 2. Had another LW barrel done and it shoots like a laser beam now with zero fliers. It was for a Marauder. Lapping and polishing and debur recrown even chopped the choke off and recrown again didnt help that first barrel at all in fact made it even worse so I just gave that first LW barrel away with disclaimer since I was so sick to my stomach after all that work making it worse. Usually chopping the barrel and recrown helps though with sad case barrels.

 

[Odoyle]

I kinda got lost on the lapping information, I guess I need it presented in a more scientific form. I have a vague idea of what he is talking about but need more detailed instruction. I bought a barrel blank from LW, machined it to Kral dimensions, installed it and have about a tin thru it with less than what I expected in accuracy. It will shoot 4 in a quarter inch then a flyer making the group around an inch at 50 yards. Thats not to say it won't shoot a real one hole group but its not consistent. I think it has internal problems the barrel can't over come. I have 2 Akela's.

If the factory Akela barrel was that bad I would have had Crosman send a free pickup shippers label to swap it out for a new one under warranty, thats what their 5 year warranty is for. I wouldn't do anything to make it obvious to void the warranty though. Mine straight out of the box gets 3/8 to 1/4 at 50 straight out of the tin all under half inch and probably even better if the pellets we're weighed and sorted and lubed with Lemon Pledge (TOM HOLLAND STYLE!).