FX M3 Superior Liner...Is it weight or design?

[Keith2324]

I want to go up in the weight of the slugs I shoot in my M3. Currently it's a .22 in stock form with the Superior liner. As far as slugs are concerned, from everything I have read and watched, you should stay with lightweight slugs at 23gr and below. But in pellets it seems like there really isn't a limit. Now I know that the superior liner is designed for pellets, but why can't you go to heavier slugs especially if the rifle is able to push them at the right speed? Is it the twist rate? Is it the design of the pellet and/or the slug? I'm just curious and would like to be better educated.

Thanks.

 

[douger]

twist rate for heavy slugs from what i understad plus i think some diam- is different possibly thickness of linner 

 

[Glem.Chally]

Twist rate isn't fast enough to stabilize the heavier/longer slugs. 

 

[Keith2324]

Twist rate isn't fast enough to stabilize the heavier/longer slugs.

So this is where I get a bit confused. A JSB Redesigned Monster pellet is 25.39gr and 8.80mm in length. A Nielsen 24.8gr slug is 7.82mm in length. So in my not quite functioning brain pan, the weight and the length shouldn't be a problem. So it had to be design and twist rate.

 

[cmatera]

Yes, and don't forget skirted vs non-skirted or profile of the projectile. Pellet vs slug-totally different.

 

[ChRiSiS]

As stated in different ways above, its not simply the weight. The biggest difference, In MY Opinion, is the shape of the projectile. The Diablo pellets are generally drag stabilized. The aerodynamic drag on the pellet skirt is what does most of the stabilization. Thus they will stay stable at speeds and spin rates much lower than that required to stabilize a bullet shaped projectile. A bullet shaped projectile (which we tend to call a slug) on the other hand is primarily spin stabilized. Thus the spin rate is what is most critical to stabilization. Heavier, longer projectiles tend to require a higher spin rate, all other factors being equal (and yes, I know that all other factors are rarely equal), for stabilization.

And before a whole host of people descend with detailed math and even more detailed descriptions, this is just a generalized set of statements. Of course there are other factors. I just don’t see them as relevant to this level of question or answer.

 

[Keith2324]

Thanks for the explanation guys. I'm just trying to get a little bit more edumacated.  

 

[CyberDyneSystems]

As stated in different ways above, its not simply the weight. The biggest difference, In MY Opinion, is the shape of the projectile. The Diablo pellets are generally drag stabilized. The aerodynamic drag on the pellet skirt is what does most of the stabilization. Thus they will stay stable at speeds and spin rates much lower than that required to stabilize a bullet shaped projectile. A bullet shaped projectile (which we tend to call a slug) on the other hand is primarily spin stabilized. Thus the spin rate is what is most critical to stabilization. Heavier, longer projectiles tend to require a higher spin rate, all other factors being equal (and yes, I know that all other factors are rarely equal), for stabilization.

And before a whole host of people descend with detailed math and even more detailed descriptions, this is just a generalized set of statements. Of course there are other factors. I just don’t see them as relevant to this level of question or answer.

And what a great generalization it is! I've been reading these forums for some time now and understood that pellets and slugs behave differently, and the shape differences are self evident, but I've never read it explained how the shape and speed are so related. Thanks for that.

 

[Solo1]

my 22 stx regular barrel shoots 27.5 gr nsa fine my 25 shoots 34.9 nsa fine ?!