H&N, Tell Me It's Not So!!!!!

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Xbowsniper

Xbowsniper

Member
Nov 19, 2017
1,238
139
New York, United States
Nation,

I've been scanning the websites, looking to see when common pellets will be in stock, as per a lot of people's concerns, that there is a shortage. All looks good, and all the larger distributors have gone from backorder, to now in stock.

In looking at numerous websites, it seems that there are no more listings for H&N .177 Sniper Lights, Sniper Mediums, or Sniper Magnums. In a visit to H&N's website, these pellets are no longer listed.

These worked well in a few Field Target rigs that I have, these pellets (particularly Sniper Mediums) had a decent BC, and half the wind drift of any popular FT pellet out there. H&N even tried to capitalize upon the success of their Barracuda line, renaming the newly created Barracuda FT, to the Barracuda Light. It still didn't have the BC comparable to the Sniper Medium, or even the Field Target Trophy. Why they would scrap one of the best medium weight pellets they have come up with in the last few years?

I'm at a loss.

Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech 


 
Nation,

I've been scanning the websites, looking to see when common pellets will be in stock, as per a lot of people's concerns, that there is a shortage. All looks good, and all the larger distributors have gone from backorder, to now in stock.

In looking at numerous websites, it seems that there are no more listings for H&N .177 Sniper Lights, Sniper Mediums, or Sniper Magnums. In a visit to H&N's website, these pellets are no longer listed.

These worked well in a few Field Target rigs that I have, these pellets (particularly Sniper Mediums) had a decent BC, and half the wind drift of any popular FT pellet out there. H&N even tried to capitalize upon the success of their Barracuda line, renaming the newly created Barracuda FT, to the Barracuda Light. It still didn't have the BC comparable to the Sniper Medium, or even the Field Target Trophy. Why they would scrap one of the best medium weight pellets they have come up with in the last few years?

I'm at a loss.

Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech 

Click to expand...

You should have cleaned PA out when they were clearing those H&N Sniper Medium 177s for $7.99. That came out to $5.99 a tin of 500 with 3+1 FREE and free shipping.

Have you tried the lead free alloy FTT Green and Baracuda Green and Predator GTOs yet?

https://youtu.be/_R5xIdXwNMk
 
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Yo,

I have both of the pellets that you mentioned above, and the GTO's. The lead free Barracudas, and FTT both shoot accurately, but their wind drift is a bit too much. Keep in mind, I primarily shoot WFTF Field Target, and am always on the prowl for the best pellet in the wind. The lighter alloy green offerings just don't cut it. 

Through testing, as well as using ballistic tables, I have discovered this......

With a 90 degree wind, left or right, at 15 mph, at 55 yards, here is the wind drift of the following pellets, all kept at 12 ft.lbs at the muzzle.

JSB Exact 8.44 grain. 11.26 inches

Field Target Trophy 8.64 grain. 10.16 inches

Barracuda 10.65 grains. 9.33 inches

Barracuda FT (Light) 9.57 grains 12.34 inches

Barracuda Green 6.64 grains 18.13 inches

Field Target Trophy Green 5.71 grains 12.76 inches

Sniper Medium 8.5 grains. 7.22 inches

So, you can see why I gravitate to the Sniper Mediums due to their superior wind bucking properties. My next step is probably to go to the JSB Heavies, which has roughly the same wind drift as the Sniper Mediums.

This is one of the reasons why I started my quest in making my own slugs, to find a superior wind bucking projectile for Field Target. This is why I investigated a heavy rebated boat tail. If I could duplicate, or at least come close to the high BC of the Piledriver (which seems to have been discontinued by H&N as well), which drifts less than 4 inches in the same wind as above, then I have achieved my goal.

To me, it's still a sad day.........

Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech 
 
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Yo,

It does, in theory, but I haven't tested that in real time. All I can tell you, through actually shooting all of the projectiles above, those were the wind drifts in real conditions. 

When the Sniper Mediums first came out, I shot them very well out of my mainly stock Marauder, it was my go to match pellet. In a Pyramyd Air Cup, I think it was 2017, not too sure, i took second highest score next to Greg Sauve, World Champion in his class. That weekend was windy as hell, and I didn't hold outside the kill zone at any distance but once or twice. Even at that, only left or right edge. At 55 yards, i was hardly holding, while the majority of the field was holding inches out. After that, I was sold on the Snipers design. The confidence that I had with that combination was beyond anything I have found since then. My general thick headed take on the whole thing, is, why should I settle for holding off 10+ inches in a wind, that maybe I don't have to with a better projectile?

So, at the end of the day, my quest for a wind destroying pellet goes onward. I'd like to think I'll find a slug in my box of tricks that will work, i have over 4000+ combinations of design and weights to test. 

The struggle is real, and continues tomorrow when I get to my range for more testing. 

Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech


 
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Tom,

I feel your pain! 😟

H&N had some great pellets with their Sniper line. They shoot better than any of the 6 differently weighted JSB's from my .22 PP700, and the Sniper Magnum was a great skull crusher.

Let's see what they will replace the Sniper line with in the future.

As innovative as I've seen H&N when it comes to new and improved designs, I trust we won't be disappointed. 😊

Matthias
 
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Matthias,

I'm hoping you are right. The original batch of Sniper Mediums were phenomenal in their accuracy. As time went on, i acquired different lots of them, and to be honest, i wasn't impressed. Something went south in the accuracy department of the Sniper Mediums.

I was able to talk to Florian Schwartz, of H&N, at the next Pyramyd Air Cup. He noted that the original "good" dies were damaged by a worker improperly installing them into one of their presses, and subsequently destroyed. Their attempts at recreating the originals didn't go too well, the round heads on future runs of the pellet, were scarred by flat spots, blemishes, and imperfections, that made it just an "OK" pellet, instead of a phenomenal one. I was given the first set of Barracuda FT's for testing, before they were released. From the time I first shot them, they shot ok, but I wasn't really impressed. They have more of a wind drift than the FTT's, and more wind drift than the Sniper Mediums. Why H&N has been pushing a FT "specialized" pellet, that is much poorer in the wind than the FTT, and the Sniper Mediums, I'll never know. At the moment, it's FTT'S, JSB'S, or Air Arms for my FT uses, until a more viable alternative is produced, or until I find one of my slug combinations that work to my standards and satisfaction. 

It shouldn't be this difficult......

Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech 
 
Upvote 0
...

I'm hoping you are right. The original batch of Sniper Mediums were phenomenal in their accuracy. As time went on, i acquired different lots of them, and to be honest, i wasn't impressed. Something went south in the accuracy department of the Sniper Mediums.

....

It shouldn't be this difficult......

Tom Holland
Click to expand...

I had the same experience. I used some of the early batches (the ones that varied in weight with most being closer to 8.6gr). They shot almost as good as the JSB/AA 8.44gr. They outdid the JSB/AA in the wind by a considerable margin. I was willing to give up the little bit of accuracy for their great wind performance, so i used them in a few FT matches and did well.

I ended up ordering a bunch after the initial favorable experience with them. The later versions were more consistent in weight than earlier Sniper Mediums, but they were not as accurate for some reason (at least in the spring/piston rifle that I had used them in). I sold the rifle that I had been using them in but still have 8 tins of the later Sniper Mediums. I try them in any .177 piston rifles that I get but so far have not been able to match what I got with my old rifle and early batches.
 
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Gary,

Whenever I get a new or used airgun, I always clean the barrel, regardless. This way, I'm starting off with a clean slate. Particularly if you don't know what kind of ammo they used. Crosman pellets in particular shoot well in some guns, but when accuracy falls off, you need to clean them. Crosman pellets are a harder alloy than most, and leave deposits behind on some barrels, that is HELL to get clean. Even if a gun i have, shoots them well, i try not to shoot them in Lothar Walther barrels, only Crosman barrels.

Tom Holland 

Field Target Tech 
 
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