Brocock/BRK JSB Hades 15g vs. Jumbo 18g

I'm shooting a BRK Pathfinder .22mm (loving it so far). This question pertains to hunting Iguana more than target practice/plinking.
I would like to establish which pellet is best suited for these extremely tough skinned creatures. I’ve had great results with the Jumbo 18.13g pellets But got started thinking that the lighter Hades with the hollow point type quality may do more damage or better stated, cleaner kill than possible straight through shot from the Jumbo. Taking an average of say … 25 yards & no wind to speak of , I tested both however, my results were inconclusive. Im probbly testing on the wrong targets. Here is what I did: @ 25 yards I set up a metal basin. Pretty sturdy, a little thicker than a coffee can. Five shots on the right with the Jumbo 18.13g & five shots on the left with Hades 15.89g. I knew all of the pellets would go through & make an entry hole, it was the result of the exit hole that I thought would help me see the benefit of either. As I guessed the entry holes were impressive. The exit hole were non-existant. I can say the entry holes from the Jumbo, inspecting from behind seemed just a hair more aggressive but the exits were nothing more than divits that were almost identical. Still the Jumbo seemed to be a hair heavier. Next the only thing I could think of was to shoot some coconuts that were laying around the yard, same results. Entry but no extit ( bad choice of target). Lastly, the only fruit I could get ahold of quickly was a large apple. I thought I could at least get a good view of the exit. As you may have guessed both pellets just passed through. I’m not suggesting that the 18g doesn’t make a more impressive thump on entry. It certainly hits with more authority than the 15g. I’m trying to find which makes more damage. I plan on continuing this experiment. In between time I’d like to hear from anyone that can tell me definitively can the Atomic like head of the lighter Hades do more damage than the Jumbo heavier pellet.
Any feedback is appreciated.
 
Wow, that brings me back when I was young. I’ve a 50-50 five years ago we used to go in hunting all the time and hunting and whatever else moved. It was legal to hunt back in that day. We used to use 177 and 22 brake barrels Most 12 foot pound but what time we start getting into mag rifles with 22 and 25 being in the north, but then we used to think our point was so much better but after hunting for years one time, it was hard to get a hole of the hollow point so we start using regular pallets and it was at that point that I realize that there was nothing wrong with good old fashion dome pallets it’s a lot more important that they’re very accurate. We even hunted bunnies rabbits increase increase including the small wild hogs if they’re accurate and you can get good speed album that’s gonna work for you. It’s a sample have you ever handed with 177 versus 22 long rifle bullets that 177 because of higher speed tends to be a little bit more accurate at distance in a heat, your prey a lot hard of course this is just my experience. You might wanna wait to see what else other shooters say.
 
Just a couple of ideas if you decide to continue your terminal ballistics testing. Giles from Airgun101.com would tape several bars of bath soap (3 I believe) together for seeing how a particular pellet preformed. There are others that will use a small block of modeling clay for testing. I believe the soap would need to be cut with something like a sharp bread knife and the modeling clay can be split with a monofilament fishing line or fine wire.

In my opinion the most important aspect is accuracy and being able to hit where you are aiming. Not having hunted anything like Iguanas, I wonder if head shots or heart/ lung shots are the best way to go. I will be following this thread to learn more of what you discover.
 
I'm shooting a BRK Pathfinder .22mm (loving it so far). This question pertains to hunting Iguana more than target practice/plinking.
I would like to establish which pellet is best suited for these extremely tough skinned creatures. I’ve had great results with the Jumbo 18.13g pellets But got started thinking that the lighter Hades with the hollow point type quality may do more damage or better stated, cleaner kill than possible straight through shot from the Jumbo. Taking an average of say … 25 yards & no wind to speak of , I tested both however, my results were inconclusive. Im probbly testing on the wrong targets. Here is what I did: @ 25 yards I set up a metal basin. Pretty sturdy, a little thicker than a coffee can. Five shots on the right with the Jumbo 18.13g & five shots on the left with Hades 15.89g. I knew all of the pellets would go through & make an entry hole, it was the result of the exit hole that I thought would help me see the benefit of either. As I guessed the entry holes were impressive. The exit hole were non-existant. I can say the entry holes from the Jumbo, inspecting from behind seemed just a hair more aggressive but the exits were nothing more than divits that were almost identical. Still the Jumbo seemed to be a hair heavier. Next the only thing I could think of was to shoot some coconuts that were laying around the yard, same results. Entry but no extit ( bad choice of target). Lastly, the only fruit I could get ahold of quickly was a large apple. I thought I could at least get a good view of the exit. As you may have guessed both pellets just passed through. I’m not suggesting that the 18g doesn’t make a more impressive thump on entry. It certainly hits with more authority than the 15g. I’m trying to find which makes more damage. I plan on continuing this experiment. In between time I’d like to hear from anyone that can tell me definitively can the Atomic like head of the lighter Hades do more damage than the Jumbo heavier pellet.
Any feedback is appreciated.
For big lizards don't overlook the hades that is the sister to the 15 dome. The 18 will do it really well if you have the steam to send them close to 900. Then there's the heavy hades/monster redesigns. The hades format is a nice middle ground of energy deposition, tissue damage and energy retention imo. If it's just energy dump I like polymags or hybrid slugs. The little 17grain nsa slugs aren't bad if your gun likes them.

If you can send a dome pellet fast enough and accurately they'll expand. My slug gun in 22 happens to like monster hades even if it's a bit fast. At 960 they really do things.

I use all those words to get here : pellet speed (within reasonable energy to kill your quarry) and pellet type don't matter if it's not THE most accurate and repeatable pellet your gun can shoot. If you can put a shot exactly where you want it every time, the rest is irrelevant imo. Happy hunting!
 
Many are slugs but they're all 22 and there pellets in there. Only those gimmick gold pellets didn't expand and the gto lead free. The one with a hole thru it is a hybrid slug. All shot in a garage into a coffee can full of plumbers putty

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@DarkMatterZ, my Pathfinder chrono numbers with the 18s. As you can see plenty of energy to DRT iguanas with proper shot placement… I also love my little Pathfinder, simply a sweet, rugged and capable PCP…🙏 I bet either pellet choice would suffice sub 50 yards. Just go and test them on some iguanas…🙈

JSB Exact Jumbo 18s/ TP High

Hi: 794
Low: 782
Avg: 788
Std: 4.94
ES: 12
FPE: 24.8

My beastie…
IMG_1803.jpeg
 
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