Gauntlet .30 testing results [pellets, slugs, etc] review and discussion thread

[heavy-impact]

Follow up review on the Ebay slugs

"Bob's Slugs" Ebay 68 grain boat tails for Umarex Guantlet 30

I got 300 of these 68 grain boat tails in today and did a little testing at 50 yards. Satisfied enough with the results not to push it -- I will run this ammo in my G2 30. https://www.ebay.com/itm/334485262963 Somebody in another thread called them "Bob's Slugs" and said I should also check...

www.airgunnation.com

Designed by Bob Sterne the casting moulds are produced by NOE Bullet Moulds and are referred to as Bob's Boat tails. http://www.noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php?topic=1137.0

 

[silvershooter589]

Designed by Bob Sterne the casting moulds are produced by NOE Bullet Moulds and are referred to as Bob's Boat tails. http://www.noebulletmolds.com/smf/index.php?topic=1137.0

Thanks for clearing that up for me

 

[durbs75]

Glad to hear it. I have some of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/334485262963 on the way. 68 grain boat tail slugs that are supposedly designed to more easily go into the Gauntlet breech. Maybe magazine friendly, we'll see. I'll come back and let you know when they arrive in a day or two.

Good evening! That would be awesome and thank you for your info!! I look forward to seeing your results with the boat tails! I’m looking good and hard at this rifle!

 

[silvershooter589]

Good evening! That would be awesome and thank you for your info!! I look forward to seeing your results with the boat tails! I’m looking good and hard at this rifle!

Here is my quick review of the boat tails

"Bob's Slugs" Ebay 68 grain boat tails for Umarex Guantlet 30

I got 300 of these 68 grain boat tails in today and did a little testing at 50 yards. Satisfied enough with the results not to push it -- I will run this ammo in my G2 30. https://www.ebay.com/itm/334485262963 Somebody in another thread called them "Bob's Slugs" and said I should also check...

www.airgunnation.com

I think if you want to shoot a lot of slugs in the Guantlet 30 you might want to smooth out the breech. The Bob's Boat Tails go in without too much trouble, but good luck loading something like a 61 grain NSA slug in there. It can be done but you'll end up with a sore hand.

 

[durbs75]

Here is my quick review of the boat tails

"Bob's Slugs" Ebay 68 grain boat tails for Umarex Guantlet 30

I got 300 of these 68 grain boat tails in today and did a little testing at 50 yards. Satisfied enough with the results not to push it -- I will run this ammo in my G2 30. https://www.ebay.com/itm/334485262963 Somebody in another thread called them "Bob's Slugs" and said I should also check...

www.airgunnation.com

I think if you want to shoot a lot of slugs in the Guantlet 30 you might want to smooth out the breech. The Bob's Boat Tails go in without too much trouble, but good luck loading something like a 61 grain NSA slug in there. It can be done but you'll end up with a sore hand.

Maybe taper and polish the leads a little.

 

[radduci]

Tested the hammer spring adjustment today. It appears you can get a little more power turning clockwise. You can also tune it down quite a bit turning it counter clockwise.

FX 44.8 grain

Stock 998 fps

1 turn CW 1014 fps

2 turns CW 1015 fps

1 turn CCW 991 fps

2 turns CCW 945 fps

3 turns CCW (max) 873 fps



JSB 50.15 max turns CW 995 fps ... hit the 110 fpe mark


Also, the gun is much quieter when you turn it down, and has more bark when you turn it up (although for pretty small gains if really anything)

I'll have to see how frugal the gun is on air shooting it at minimum, because 873 fps is a nice speed for backyard plinking.

A great modification to this gun, that I'm sure somebody will create, would be to adjust this externally with fingers rather than using an allen key.

Tested the hammer spring adjustment today. It appears you can get a little more power turning clockwise. You can also tune it down quite a bit turning it counter clockwise.

FX 44.8 grain

Stock 998 fps

1 turn CW 1014 fps

2 turns CW 1015 fps

1 turn CCW 991 fps

2 turns CCW 945 fps

3 turns CCW (max) 873 fps



JSB 50.15 max turns CW 995 fps ... hit the 110 fpe mark


Also, the gun is much quieter when you turn it down, and has more bark when you turn it up (although for pretty small gains if really anything)

I'll have to see how frugal the gun is on air shooting it at minimum, because 873 fps is a nice speed for backyard plinking.

A great modification to this gun, that I'm sure somebody will create, would be to adjust this externally with fingers rather than using an allen key.

silvershooter589
Did you happen to take an fpe reading at the 873 velocity end of the low end of the hammer-spring setting?

 

[radduci]

Not sure exactly how to post a reply here but will try again.
silvershooter589. Did you happen to take an fpe reading at the 873 fps low end of the hammer-spring adjust?
Dick

 

[silvershooter589]

Not sure exactly how to post a reply here but will try again.
silvershooter589. Did you happen to take an fpe reading at the 873 fps low end of the hammer-spring adjust?
Dick

I can do the math... 44.8 grain @ 873 fps = 75.8 FPE
Actually I use this web page for FPE math

Muzzle Energy Calculator | FPE Calculator

Use our Muzzle Energy Calculator | FPE calculator to compare different velocities and grains... Obtain multiple velocities from different gun settings or any other combination you want to compare with our FPE calculator to calculate muzzle energy. Foot pounds of energy from a pellet or rifle is...

nielsenspecialtyammo.com

 

[radduci]

I can do the math... 44.8 grain @ 873 fps = 75.8 FPE
Actually I use this web page for FPE math

Muzzle Energy Calculator | FPE Calculator

Use our Muzzle Energy Calculator | FPE calculator to compare different velocities and grains... Obtain multiple velocities from different gun settings or any other combination you want to compare with our FPE calculator to calculate muzzle energy. Foot pounds of energy from a pellet or rifle is...

nielsenspecialtyammo.com

Wow. That was embarrassing. I have become so used to things that just read out fps and fpe to me that I totally forgot that you can actually calculate fpe manually using basic math. Thank you for the gentle reminders and thanks for the link to the calculator. That was a good wake-up call. Thanks again. Just considering whether I would be able to use a .30 cal on my home range if dialed down or would I be constrained to outdoor shooting, only.

 

[paydroni]

Good info thanks

 

[silvershooter589]

My favorite ammo for now are the Flanigan's 59 grain pellets.

For one, you can load them into the breech. Some of them take a little push, but you could run these in a magazine OK. I single loaded them today and usually single load shoot this gun anyway.

Photo below is results of between 20-25 shots at 75 yards. Lost count because I took a few breaks and shot some steel targets in between. I couldn't really be much more pleased!

59 grain is definitely a good weight to be shooting out of this gun at full power. These are zipping along at 905 fps for 107 FPE.

Just picked up another 400 of these pellets... now they have "Nano Lube"... maybe they'll shoot even better!

 

[Ranchibi]

Very very impressive .30 cal especially at it's price point and non choked barrel that shoots slugs as accurately as pellets! Enjoy that beast!

 

[silvershooter589]

Very very impressive .30 cal especially at it's price point and non choked barrel that shoots slugs as accurately as pellets! Enjoy that beast!

One thing that this gun does need, besides a breech job to load real slugs easier, is an extra barrel band further up on the barrel, connecting to the air tank.

I noticed at one point today my shots had drifted. This has been a minor point of frustration with this gun. Decided to just whack the barrel lightly (and it does move when you do), and then I was right back on my original POI.

Once that mod is achieved this should be a real reliable sharp shooter.

One thing I heard recently is some people have had air leak issues with this gun. That sucks! I got mine "early release" from a member here who reviews things on YouTube and then sells them on the market. My gun was already filled, everything on the tank was aligned perfectly, and I doubt there will be a leak any time soon. I also have a Guantlet 2 in .25 that hasn't leaked at all and has seen a lot more use.

Anyway I hope that issue gets resolved for obvious reasons. I have a feeling it's more of a QC issue in assembly, but it sucks to get the short straw.

 

[Ranchibi]

One thing that this gun does need, besides a breech job to load real slugs easier, is an extra barrel band further up on the barrel, connecting to the air tank.

I noticed at one point today my shots had drifted. This has been a minor point of frustration with this gun. Decided to just whack the barrel lightly (and it does move when you do), and then I was right back on my original POI.

Once that mod is achieved this should be a real reliable sharp shooter.

One thing I heard recently is some people have had air leak issues with this gun. That sucks! I got mine "early release" from a member here who reviews things on YouTube and then sells them on the market. My gun was already filled, everything on the tank was aligned perfectly, and I doubt there will be a leak any time soon. I also have a Guantlet 2 in .25 that hasn't leaked at all and has seen a lot more use.

Anyway I hope that issue gets resolved for obvious reasons. I have a feeling it's more of a QC issue in assembly, but it sucks to get the short straw.

Still an impressive .30 cal that needs just a couple inexpensive mods. It sure is a beast right out of the box! Because of you, I have been thinking about a G2 .22 slug shooter...I think your post is enabling me! LOL!

 

[durbs75]

One thing that this gun does need, besides a breech job to load real slugs easier, is an extra barrel band further up on the barrel, connecting to the air tank.

I noticed at one point today my shots had drifted. This has been a minor point of frustration with this gun. Decided to just whack the barrel lightly (and it does move when you do), and then I was right back on my original POI.

Once that mod is achieved this should be a real reliable sharp shooter.

One thing I heard recently is some people have had air leak issues with this gun. That sucks! I got mine "early release" from a member here who reviews things on YouTube and then sells them on the market. My gun was already filled, everything on the tank was aligned perfectly, and I doubt there will be a leak any time soon. I also have a Guantlet 2 in .25 that hasn't leaked at all and has seen a lot more use.

Anyway I hope that issue gets resolved for obvious reasons. I have a feeling it's more of a QC issue in assembly, but it sucks to get the short straw.

I talked to 2 different shooters about the leaks and both were at the degas screw and the threads on the bottle. Both have been addressed and are now holding air. The bottle threads had metal shavings in them from production and were cleaned, both male and female. The degas screw has a tendency to back out even after tightening. They each used blue loctite.

So far after a week to two weeks, each rifle is now holding air without leaking. This tells me that potential sloppy manufacturing assembly and a potential minor engineering issue with the D gas screw is the culprit. But on the flipside, seasoned PCP shooters would catch all of this during their out of the box inspection of their rifles.

 

[silvershooter589]

Time to follow up on this thread. The perfect slug has been found. Griffin HPDB 64s. Load easy and shoot hole in hole. Game changer for this gun.

edit: sorry dish base, not cup base. The HPDB 64s are the winners, but I haven't tried all the other ones either

Gauntlet.30

Stock gauntlet, which ammo…

www.airgunnation.com

 

[durbs75]

Time to follow up on this thread. The perfect slug has been found. Griffin HPCB 64s. Load easy and shoot hole in hole. Game changer for this gun.

Gauntlet.30

Stock gauntlet, which ammo…

www.airgunnation.com

Excellent!! Do you have some numbers for this Griffin 64? Which ones are they as I only see in the HPCB style a 63 and 65. Not a 64 grain slug.

I am getting this rifle from Hajimoto when it becomes available from him. He's going to do some breach and leade work to fix the problem of hard loading heavy ammo. It's his Silver Package on his website which offers the above and a few other items including a side lever cocking arm. No more bolt handle!

But thanks for following up with other ammo that shoots well. I will try some of those. I'm going to get some molds and cast as well because it's hard for me to buy commercial ammo!! I cast for all my other calibers I own.

 

[silvershooter589]

Excellent!! Do you have some numbers for this Griffin 64? Which ones are they as I only see in the HPCB style a 63 and 65. Not a 64 grain slug.

I am getting this rifle from Hajimoto when it becomes available from him. He's going to do some breach and leade work to fix the problem of hard loading heavy ammo. It's his Silver Package on his website which offers the above and a few other items including a side lever cocking arm. No more bolt handle!

But thanks for following up with other ammo that shoots well. I will try some of those. I'm going to get some molds and cast as well because it's hard for me to buy commercial ammo!! I cast for all my other calibers I own.

The one you posted in the other thread is the one I'm using with the Dish Base. I can't wait to get the Hajimoto side lever. If you use these Griffin slugs you won't have any issues with the breach or leade, but I suppose you'll be able to use other ammo more easily. The side lever should help too with the added leverage.

My Guantlet is shooting these 64 grain Griffins just over 900 fps. Very very happy with the performance.

 

[MickeyD]

Just wondering you ever got your barrel band. Hajimoto offers one that fits the 30. I just put mine on last weekend. We'll see how well it works. They sell two models, one with pic rail and one without. Good for tossing on a flashlight but I wouldn't want to hang anything very heavy from it. I got the pic rail model 'just in case'

 

[silvershooter589]

Just wondering you ever got your barrel band. Hajimoto offers one that fits the 30. I just put mine on last weekend. We'll see how well it works. They sell two models, one with pic rail and one without. Good for tossing on a flashlight but I wouldn't want to hang anything very heavy from it. I got the pic rail model 'just in case'

Yes I did and yes it's the Hajimoto one without the pic rail. Got one for my G2 25 also. It makes a huge difference. I'm not spending time readjusting my scope and scratching my head each time I take the gun out now.