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FX Crown100yd indoor accuracy

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Ghostranger169

Ghostranger169

Member
Jun 9, 2019
673
133
Lamont, FL, United States
I shot these groups from my Crown Continuum in .22 and .25 INDOORS in an un-airconditioned warehouse with NO discernible wind at exactly 100yds(range finder and measuring wheel). I locked the Crown down in a gun vise and carefully squeezed off each round, shooting 5 shot groups at the same aim point from 250 bar until the regulator pressure got down to 160 bar.

After much trial and error testing, I have settled in on a reg pressure of approx. 145 bar which allows most flexibility(for my shooting) with multiple barrels/pellets/slugs vs shot count. Preparation included cleaning barrels with patchworm then firing 50 pellets, then refilling to 250 bar. I didn't sort any of the pellets, except for looking out for bent skirts. I loaded 10 pellets in the magazines at a time, then shot 2 targets then reloaded the magazine.

JSB .22 18g set up:

Valve setting- 177/22, Power wheel- 4= ave. 940fps

1588544943_16050700355eaf45af47c301.43238744.jpg


JSB .25 25g set up:

Valve setting- 177/22, Power wheel-5= ave. 895fps

1588545140_19993876015eaf46749cee17.23339061.jpg


If I had shot these OUTDOORS, I would have thought I would have thought wind must have gotten to some of these groups, or I must have "pulled" some of them. But there was no wind and the Crown was locked down in a gun vise.

I have tried many other setups/combinations/pellets, but I'm sure I haven't tried them all. For now, this is as CONSISTENTLY accurate 100yd setup as I can make it and I am probably going to move on to the next phase of learning how they perform outdoors in the wind and how to "score" well. Any analysis, input, questions, or suggestions will be welcome.
 
We tend to think given the conditions you are shooting under that the pellets would all go thru the same hole. Not so apparently. I’d like to know why? Is it just the variability of the pellets. If you had identical pellets would they? Assuming as well that they are sent on their way at identical speeds. Be interesting to sort the pellets and watch the chronograph. Great that you have an indoor range to test 
 
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Yo,

They were straight out of the tin. I only tried to avoid any that looked damaged(bent skirts). I am REALLY trying to avoid going down the rabbit hole of sorting/washing/lubing pellets. One side note, in previous testing, I did have some amazingly tight groups at an insane 1100fps from some really old 15.89g JSBs that were dry and hard and felt like they "crutched" when going into the chamber. I have no idea how to turn new ones into that condition tho. I only have about 50 left in the tin so I'm saving them.
 
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Jking,

Thanks and yes some flyers off to the right and groups kinda shifted around the bull(aim point) a bit. I don't know why. Fresh patchworm cleaning then fired 50 pellets thru each barrel, then refilled to 250 bar. 25.4 Monster RDs? I can't seem to get them to hit the same target at 100yds. I've tried them all the way from 750 to 950 fps and I can't get them to pattern. I had such high hopes for them too. Steve AEAC had them grouping nicely at 100yds at 875fps. I've heard that there are at least 3 different "kinds" of Monster RDs tho.

I would like to have an indoor range to shoot at too. I went in too work early Sunday morning when nobody was there and used a forklift to move some pallets out of the way so I could shoot 100yds in a warehouse.

I loaded 10 in the magazine, shot 2 targets, then reloaded.
 
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I have this idea which May or may not be factually correct but I’ve experienced this it goes as follows 

I’ve shot a lot of 22lr groups and it’s easy to get extremely good groups at 75 yards with most any ammo. When you go to 100 yards only the best (mostly the most expensive ) ammo will do well at 100.

i shoot a lot if 223 out of bolt guns. Most ammo shoots great at 100 good at 200 it’s when you get to 3 and 400 yards that you start to see only the best hold tight at 400 

If you want to shoot tight groups beyond 500 yards it’s much easier to get good results with 308 and larger cartridges. 
Now I know there are exceptions and there are guys shooting and claiming to get good results with light cartridges but FOR THE MOST PART to get good results at long range you need bigger heavier projectiles

This is basic physics.


So what’s my point? My point is 100 yards is a long distance to shoot an air rifle. 


Thoughts??? 
 
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Bubblerboy64, 

I totally get your point about quality pb ammo being more consistent at longer ranges. When I was young, I went from trying to hit a coffee can at 100yds with a .22, to trying to hit a harrow disc at 500yds with my dad's .308, to hand loading .338 lapua mags($10 a piece) in order to consistently hit a 30 inch gong at 1000yds. I wish there was a way to take the ammo variable out of it a bit more.

And 100 yards is a long way to shoot an air rifle. Well... it is and it isn't. It is to us who aren't used to doing it. But at PBR last year, Rusbear Nicolay Boldav from Russia came over and made it look easy. In fact, in an interview, he said that most of his airgun shooting was at much longer ranges +200 meters(mainly with slugs) in much windier and colder conditions! So.... maybe some of us American shooters need to step up our game a bit and figger it out?
 
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Somebody else already noted this, but my Crowns both shoot better with SSTs than out of the mag. In fact certain bays in a given mag specifically seem to have a higher probability of being wild. If you've got a buddy with a 3d printer, I'm happy to give you designs for trays that will work with you rifle. 



Just a thought. I don't mean to criticize, the work you are doing is great, I am just looking for more variables to remove. 



Just my 2c. :)
 
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Interesting thread. Clearly lots of variables. The problem of course is it’s difficult or maybe impossible to test for just one. The Russian guy? Was he shooting “ normal” air guns at long range? My point was it’s hard to drive a spike with a tack hammer. It’s not the propulsion source it’s the bullet weight and velocity you start with. It seems groups open up towards the end of their practical range. There are ways around that . I’m thinking now if bullets designed specifically for long range but still most people shooting at 1000 yards are using LARGE stuff. Understand? Maybe the groups he’s showing are all you are going to get shooting those pellets at 900 ft per? May have to increase fpc or pellet weight ? Or shoot a 22 lr? 
 
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STO,

Thanks for the input and offer to help. That is a very valid point. Usually, ssts DO perform better than mags, but I had limited time and was hoping for tighter groups just removing the wind variable. I have a single shot tray on order and will use that in addition to hand shooting the next round of indoor 100yds groups. It will be interesting to compare.
 
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Bubblerboy64,

I'm pretty new to this sport. I had hoped to start travelling to competitions this year before the corona thing. Now I don't know. I do enjoy the airgun world and have an inquisitive mind.

I agree that it IS hard to get a badminton shuttlecock(pellet) to fly past it's limit, but what is that practical limit? Maybe that IS the best groups that gun will shoot with those pellets. Maybe not. If it is, is that good enough to be competive with in tournaments. I will definitely keep trying to find a way to get better accuracy from a heavier(better BC) projectile.

The Russian guy, Nicolay, shoots a custom airgun. From what I know, it started off life as a Jaeger, but had rebuilt/customized almost everything on it because he is friends with the guy who invented Kaliburgun(nice friend to have). He shot .22 Monster RDs at about 940fps to win EBR. He has a youtube channel as RusBear which shows some of their long distance shooting. He also invented the first scopecam.

I will continue to experiment with fps and heavier projectiles, but shooting a .22 lr would be taking the easy way out. Lol
 
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OP

As others have said, these are very good groups at 100 yards. And as you indicated and eventually Do test the same gun and pellets outdoors with wind, send us some pics and your observations. 

As BB stated, 100 yards is a long way with an air gun and especially shooting in outdoor vs. indoor conditions. Your Crown is shooting well!

Good luck!
 
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It WILL be interesting to see how it goes with you holding the rifle. In testing for the ART project, we spent a lot of time shooting indoors at 100. Want to know if your technique is good? You'll find out. One thing we DID find was that small groups come easier with a small amount of wind. It was theorized that the still air has layers that upset the projectile rising and dropping through them. We had to work VERY hard to equal our outdoor groups, but at least we had consistent conditions. I saw where Sierra Bullets created a 200 yd underground range for bullet development and had the same problem . They installed low speed fans at various points to break up the layering and were immediately rewarded with huge increases in accuracy.

Recently, I was setting up a couple of new rifles and wanted a setting for the 18.1s. What I found was 2" groups at 50 yds with one tin and sub 1/2" groups with another tin. Can't see a reason in examining the pellets, either. This was in LW barrels but I have seen fairly significant preferences in the small number of smooth twist and x barrels I have or have tested.

Regardless of any of that... it's fun and interesting to try to figure it out. 

Bob
 
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