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clampdaddy

Member
Jul 14, 2025
6
12
Central California
Hi everyone. Cottontail season is here and since I cant find lead free 22lr ammo on any shelves anywhere in my area, but we can still use lead in airguns to hunt with (go figure) I decided that it was time that I got my first PCP rifle. I went with the Barra 250z in .22 caliber. I just took it out in the garage and did some chronograph testing with it the way it came from the factory, with the regulator at 2000 psi.

Crosman Premier hollowpoint 14.3gr 1040fps

H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66gr
1035fps

Predator Polymag 16gr
1000fps

JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.13gr
970fps

H&N Crow Magnum 18.21gr
965fps

JTS Dead Center 21.53gr
925fps

JTS Dead Center 25.39gr
875fps

I haven't been able to sight it in or shoot any groups with it yet, but I was curious. Of the pellets listed what seems to work best on cottontails and ground squirrels? Light and fast or the slower and heavier ones?
20250712_155845.jpg
 
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clampdaddy said:
Hi everyone. Cottontail season is here and since I cant find lead free 22lr ammo on any shelves anywhere in my area, but we can still use lead in airguns to hunt with (go figure) I decided that it was time that I got my first PCP rifle. I went with the Barra 250z in .22 caliber. I just took it out in the garage and did some chronograph testing with it the way it came from the factory, with the regulator at 2000 psi.

Crosman Premier hollowpoint 14.3gr 1040fps

H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66gr
1035fps

Predator Polymag 16gr
1000fps

JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.13gr
970fps

H&N Crow Magnum 18.21gr
965fps

JTS Dead Center 21.53gr
925fps

JTS Dead Center 25.39gr
875fps

I haven't been able to sight it in or shoot any groups with it yet, but I was curious. Of the pellets listed what seems to work best on cottontails and ground squirrels? Light and fast or the slower and heavier ones?
View attachment 578345
Click to expand...
First of all congrats broski! You got a great gun….. I got the same one in .25 about 4 months ago… tbh I only shoot slugs and I like to shoot them super fast for the expansion… my 32gr are doing about 980fps right now… I have a bunch of scope cam footage as to what that looks like on cottontails, jackrabbits and rock squirrels all the way out to 125y…

The best option you’re looking for is the one you shoot the best. I personally aim for huge expansion because if your ammo passes all the way through you’re leaving FPE on the table.

Looking at your table the 25.39gr are gonna be you best option as 870-890 is what I see the vast majority of pellet shooters going with… 1000fps is too fast for pellet and the barra has a 1:18 twist rate meant for slugs… super fast+fast twist=pellets spiraling.

I like predator polymags or any of those ballistic tip pellets because they really transfer energy well. But you bought an air rifle that’s quite powerful even with stock settings. Especially in this price bracket. It will do more than the 50fpe it says on the box quite easily. I’m doing almost 70fpe with my .25…. So my point is most of that ammo is too light. Unless you wanna degass the gun and lower the reg to like 1700-1800… those polymags going 880ish will definitely drop a cottontail and you’ll get like 60-70 shots a fill… that’s the joy of airguns bro. You really have control over a lot of different parameters.

Personally I’d go with the 25.39 gr slugs…. OR pick up some hybrid slugs. The fx ones are expensive but there are other companies that sell the same thing for cheaper. I just can’t remember off the top of my head. The hybrids won’t require much tuning. The barra will spit them out at 900+ fps easy. I’d shoot for 930-950… they will shoot real flat out to 100y and they expand like CRAZY. It’ll sound like a firecracker going off then they hit, because the expansion is crazy. Your powder burner friends are gonna start asking questions real quick like “what is that and can I shoot it?” Hahaha
 
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Cantona256 said:
First of all congrats broski! You got a great gun….. I got the same one in .25 about 4 months ago… tbh I only shoot slugs and I like to shoot them super fast for the expansion… my 32gr are doing about 980fps right now… I have a bunch of scope cam footage as to what that looks like on cottontails, jackrabbits and rock squirrels all the way out to 125y…

The best option you’re looking for is the one you shoot the best. I personally aim for huge expansion because if your ammo passes all the way through you’re leaving FPE on the table.

Looking at your table the 25.39gr are gonna be you best option as 870-890 is what I see the vast majority of pellet shooters going with… 1000fps is too fast for pellet and the barra has a 1:18 twist rate meant for slugs… super fast+fast twist=pellets spiraling.

I like predator polymags or any of those ballistic tip pellets because they really transfer energy well. But you bought an air rifle that’s quite powerful even with stock settings. Especially in this price bracket. It will do more than the 50fpe it says on the box quite easily. I’m doing almost 70fpe with my .25…. So my point is most of that ammo is too light. Unless you wanna degass the gun and lower the reg to like 1700-1800… those polymags going 880ish will definitely drop a cottontail and you’ll get like 60-70 shots a fill… that’s the joy of airguns bro. You really have control over a lot of different parameters.

Personally I’d go with the 25.39 gr slugs…. OR pick up some hybrid slugs. The fx ones are expensive but there are other companies that sell the same thing for cheaper. I just can’t remember off the top of my head. The hybrids won’t require much tuning. The barra will spit them out at 900+ fps easy. I’d shoot for 930-950… they will shoot real flat out to 100y and they expand like CRAZY. It’ll sound like a firecracker going off then they hit, because the expansion is crazy. Your powder burner friends are gonna start asking questions real quick like “what is that and can I shoot it?” Hahaha
Click to expand...
Thanks! I'll start doing some slug shopping.
 
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Hey there welcome. It looks like you have some fun ahead. For the most part pellets are about the same when hunting. None of them will really deform with few exceptions, so pick the one that is the most accurate at the distances you intend to use them. The heavier pellets will usually be a little better in the wind though. You might want to try a couple light weight slugs as well as many of us prefer them while pesting.
 
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Cantona256 said:
First of all congrats broski! You got a great gun….. I got the same one in .25 about 4 months ago… tbh I only shoot slugs and I like to shoot them super fast for the expansion… my 32gr are doing about 980fps right now… I have a bunch of scope cam footage as to what that looks like on cottontails, jackrabbits and rock squirrels all the way out to 125y…

The best option you’re looking for is the one you shoot the best. I personally aim for huge expansion because if your ammo passes all the way through you’re leaving FPE on the table.

Looking at your table the 25.39gr are gonna be you best option as 870-890 is what I see the vast majority of pellet shooters going with… 1000fps is too fast for pellet and the barra has a 1:18 twist rate meant for slugs… super fast+fast twist=pellets spiraling.

I like predator polymags or any of those ballistic tip pellets because they really transfer energy well. But you bought an air rifle that’s quite powerful even with stock settings. Especially in this price bracket. It will do more than the 50fpe it says on the box quite easily. I’m doing almost 70fpe with my .25…. So my point is most of that ammo is too light. Unless you wanna degass the gun and lower the reg to like 1700-1800… those polymags going 880ish will definitely drop a cottontail and you’ll get like 60-70 shots a fill… that’s the joy of airguns bro. You really have control over a lot of different parameters.

Personally I’d go with the 25.39 gr slugs…. OR pick up some hybrid slugs. The fx ones are expensive but there are other companies that sell the same thing for cheaper. I just can’t remember off the top of my head. The hybrids won’t require much tuning. The barra will spit them out at 900+ fps easy. I’d shoot for 930-950… they will shoot real flat out to 100y and they expand like CRAZY. It’ll sound like a firecracker going off then they hit, because the expansion is crazy. Your powder burner friends are gonna start asking questions real quick like “what is that and can I shoot it?” Hahaha
Click to expand...
Hybrid slugs are my go to for cotton tails because of how they expand and thump them. Polymags will work well too. I hunted cotton tail on a golf course with a high 600 fps benjamin 392 with crow magnums for 15 years and it worked awesome.

As for the lead issue here in ca.... No coppa no stoppa, but the airguns are still far better at this imo.
 
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clampdaddy said:
Hi everyone. Cottontail season is here and since I cant find lead free 22lr ammo on any shelves anywhere in my area, but we can still use lead in airguns to hunt with (go figure) I decided that it was time that I got my first PCP rifle. I went with the Barra 250z in .22 caliber. I just took it out in the garage and did some chronograph testing with it the way it came from the factory, with the regulator at 2000 psi.

Crosman Premier hollowpoint 14.3gr 1040fps

H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66gr
1035fps

Predator Polymag 16gr
1000fps

JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.13gr
970fps

H&N Crow Magnum 18.21gr
965fps

JTS Dead Center 21.53gr
925fps

JTS Dead Center 25.39gr
875fps

I haven't been able to sight it in or shoot any groups with it yet, but I was curious. Of the pellets listed what seems to work best on cottontails and ground squirrels? Light and fast or the slower and heavier ones?
View attachment 578345
Click to expand...
I do not understand having cottontail season during breeding season . Here in the peoples republic of Washington its a winter hunt and 18 gr at 890 fps kills very good !
 
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clampdaddy said:
Hi everyone. Cottontail season is here and since I cant find lead free 22lr ammo on any shelves anywhere in my area, but we can still use lead in airguns to hunt with (go figure) I decided that it was time that I got my first PCP rifle. I went with the Barra 250z in .22 caliber. I just took it out in the garage and did some chronograph testing with it the way it came from the factory, with the regulator at 2000 psi.

Crosman Premier hollowpoint 14.3gr 1040fps

H&N Field Target Trophy 14.66gr
1035fps

Predator Polymag 16gr
1000fps

JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.13gr
970fps

H&N Crow Magnum 18.21gr
965fps

JTS Dead Center 21.53gr
925fps

JTS Dead Center 25.39gr
875fps

I haven't been able to sight it in or shoot any groups with it yet, but I was curious. Of the pellets listed what seems to work best on cottontails and ground squirrels? Light and fast or the slower and heavier ones?
View attachment 578345
Click to expand...
25gr are going the right speed at that regulator setting.
 
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UDABEGGER said:
Here in the peoples republic of Washington its a winter hunt and 18 gr at 890 fps kills very good !
Click to expand...
From when I lived up there, I was told it was a winter hunt because they have ”worms” in the summer and people will not eat them. Personally I don’t know.
Agree, a heavier pellet if you get the accuracy.
 
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