Dowell Rod Pellets

Jump to latest Follow Reply
LMNOP

LMNOP

Member
Jul 7, 2021
409
291
Southern United States
Hello,

Is anyone else using a dowel rod as inexpensive biodegradable pellets for short range targets? I am picking up 1’ sections of dowel rod, chucking it up in a hand drill, and mildly sanding using 220 grit to .22 caliber. I have found that accuracy is very good to 25 yards and lethal at 35 yards. On the chrony I am seeing about 1050 FPS on low power versus 850 FPS for 14.3gr lead on high power.

I use a pair of a PVC cutters/snips and have built a jig to ensure they are the same length and diameter.

Curious if anyone else is doing it?
 
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: ThomasT, moodyblues and iAMzehTOASTY1
I'm sure you're going to get a bit of flak for this, but I admire the creativity.
After all, it's all about having fun and experimenting. I have use dowel sections as 'pellets' before, but it was many moons ago and I wasnt exactly precise with them. I even have taken bamboo skewers and rough up one end and twirl some cotton around it to make little darts to shoot out of airguns. As a kid, I ruined several inexpensive MSP's by putting sand down in the barrel and shooting it out at flies. ....ok, I'll admit I've done that one as an adult as well.

Not to hijack, but some other 'silly' but fun things I've done with airguns...

For years, my family thought that I liked Hickory Farms sausage packs. Yep... each year I would get congealed lips and assholes that tried to pass as food. I ended up using them for pellet tests on lower powered airguns to see what kind of carnage different pellets did, and even turned some pellets backwards for a mega wadcutter.

I've used paper wads and number 8 shot in various airguns to make a 'shotgun' that was useless for all except carpenter bees.

and like every other kid out there, I've fired multiple BB's at a time through a number of cheap MSP's.

So while it may be silly, it may not be practical... enjoy this hobby in your own way!
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: survivor45, Treefrog, ThomasT and 2 others
Upvote 0
My sincere apologies for the blasphemy.....
There was an article in Guns & Ammo magazine about wood bullets being fired from a .45 ACP pistol.
As far as I can remember the muzzle velocity was over 1100 f/s, but their light weight meant a low BC, so range was limited.
I recall they made a deep dent in pine at a few yards but bounced off a cardboard box at 50 yards.
Accuracy was measured in hours of angle, not minutes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iAMzehTOASTY1 and Treefrog
Upvote 0
Rob_in_NC said:
I'm sure you're going to get a bit of flak for this, but I admire the creativity.
After all, it's all about having fun and experimenting. I have use dowel sections as 'pellets' before, but it was many moons ago and I wasnt exactly precise with them. I even have taken bamboo skewers and rough up one end and twirl some cotton around it to make little darts to shoot out of airguns. As a kid, I ruined several inexpensive MSP's by putting sand down in the barrel and shooting it out at flies. ....ok, I'll admit I've done that one as an adult as well.

Not to hijack, but some other 'silly' but fun things I've done with airguns...

For years, my family thought that I liked Hickory Farms sausage packs. Yep... each year I would get congealed lips and assholes that tried to pass as food. I ended up using them for pellet tests on lower powered airguns to see what kind of carnage different pellets did, and even turned some pellets backwards for a mega wadcutter.

I've used paper wads and number 8 shot in various airguns to make a 'shotgun' that was useless for all except carpenter bees.

and like every other kid out there, I've fired multiple BB's at a time through a number of cheap MSP's.

So while it may be silly, it may not be practical... enjoy this hobby in your own way!
Click to expand...

Did anyone else use their BB-gun to shoot stick matches into a brick wall to watch the flash they would make as a kid? A piece of lighter-flint inserted into the front of a hollow-point will do the same thing at longer ranges.

One of the joys of pellet guns is the experiments you can do with projectiles. I'm surprised that people aren't 3d printing their own high-velocity pellets.

J~
 
  • Like
Reactions: beerthief, Raider03, iAMzehTOASTY1 and 1 other person
Upvote 0
Treefrog said:
Did anyone else use their BB-gun to shoot stick matches into a brick wall to watch the flash they would make as a kid? A piece of lighter-flint inserted into the front of a hollow-point will do the same thing at longer ranges.

One of the joys of pellet guns is the experiments you can do with projectiles. I'm surprised that people aren't 3d printing their own high-velocity pellets.

J~
Click to expand...
Well crap, sold my 3d printer Frida 🤬
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Treefrog
Upvote 0
Treefrog said:
Did anyone else use their BB-gun to shoot stick matches into a brick wall to watch the flash they would make as a kid? A piece of lighter-flint inserted into the front of a hollow-point will do the same thing at longer ranges.

One of the joys of pellet guns is the experiments you can do with projectiles. I'm surprised that people aren't 3d printing their own high-velocity pellets.

J~
Click to expand...
No, but now that you mention it, I would LOVE to have back all the small primers I've shot out of a BB gun at a brick wall... especially now since I'm reloading and have to bend and spread each time I buy powder or primers. .... 3D printing projectiles.... interesting thought. I know next to zero about 3D printing, but if nothing else, would imagine one could print little fletchettes to be used on a dart board at close range?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Treefrog and iAMzehTOASTY1
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu