Sqeezing out maximum accuracy?

[stoti]

I just bought my second PCP, the Brocock Bantam Hi Lite. I am a noob to PCP's but I have been shooting my whole life. I've been testing a bunch of pellets and found a couple that shoot really well out of my gun, there does seem to be an awful lot of fliers though? Also a lot of POI variation between different pellets? My question is this...what are the steps you guys go through to find the maximum accuracy in any particular gun after you find the right pellets? I'm wanting to get every bit of accuracy out of this gun and I'm not sure if I should be filling it to 240bar or 200bar? If there is a certain pressure range that will shoot the best? Or probably more importantly a velocity range that will shoot the best? Is there a lot of difference between high, medium and low settings? Do silencers on PCP's alter shot placement? It shoots great but not like I've seen in a lot of videos. Basically I want to know what steps, in what order, you guys would go through to find maximum accuracy in a new PCP. Thanks, Kevin

 

[Dts327]

Most pellets shoot the best around 830-890 fps start in that velocity range. Both of my guns like the heavier jsb pellets

 

[Drumsnguns]

Kevin,
I've not had any experience with that particular rifle but when it comes to accuracy there are some universal things to try.
Assuming you have a pellet your gun likes, and you're getting fliers:

• Clean the barrel thoroughly if you haven't done, especially if it's new. Lots of factory gunk in there. Use Ballistol or whatever you normally use. 
• Check the crown, visually and with a q-tip. if there's a flaw, the q-tip will snag on it and leave cotton behind
• As DtsS327 suggested, find the speed the pellet likes. Fliers, (spiraling), can result from the wrong speed. Get a chronograph and shoot targets at least 50 yrds out, trying different speeds for tightest groups.
• Find the best regulator setting if possible. Harmonics play a role here. Might require disassembly and lots of tuning so try above step first and you might get lucky with a well set reg. out of the box.
• Very important: for best groups you are going to have to sort and weigh pellets. For BEST accuracy there's no getting around this. Damaged pellets will give fliers. I generally don't do it because I just like to shoot targets non-competitively. But if I was going for absolute best I'd weigh, sort and size those suckers.
• Get a good scope and rings. Mount carefully and align the reticle to be square with a plumb line or bubble levels.
• Practice trigger release technique off a sturdy table. There are some good videos on YouTube for this.

Hope this helps, 

KP

 

[Xbowsniper]

Stoti,

The single most thing you can do, is to wash, weigh, check headsize, roll (to verify the skirt/headsize relationship is consistent), inspect, and lube, in this order. I describe how to do all the above in my Field Target Tech Channel on U Tube.

Tom Holland 

 

[intenseaty22]

I owned a Compatto once. Don’t recall all the details, but: the power setting knob kinda sucks. For one thing, it doesn’t save any air/increase shot count. Try the medium setting with lighter pellets. High setting with heavier pellets. Should give you good results. Mine was very accurate. I once shot a fly at 30 yards. I think it fills to 200 or so, call AoA and ask. Then shoot at points along a straight horizontal line and see what pressure you start hitting the line and when it drops off. That should give you an idea. Finding the right pellet is also a given. 

 

[stoti]

Thanks guys! That's exactly the kinds of answers I was looking for. I forgot there was a test target with the gun. It's five shots and looks like a clover, maybe 1/4 @ 25yds. I know the gun is capable but am not seeing it consistently. I did some shooting this morning without the Donny FL Sumo...that explains the fliers. I'll do everything you guys recommended and hopefully be able to show you some great groups soon. What do you lube the pellets with and how do you sort pellets...meaning exact weigh or do you allow 1/4 grain, 1/2 grain of variation or what? I've never weighed pellets so I dont know if they will be mostly the same, mostly different or by how much. Thanks a bunch guys!!! This site and it's members are a great wealth of info! Kevin

 

[Xbowsniper]

Kevin, 

Take a look at some of the earlier installments of my Field Target Tech Channel on U Tube, they should answer most of your pellet sorting questions.

Tom Holland 

 

[stoti]

Tom I watched most of your videos today. I also liked and subscribed to them. Good stuff. So, I looked at the test target for my gun again, it was shot with JSB 15.9 grain pellets. The only thing that has changed since the test target was shot is that I added a DonnyFL Sumo silencer. I took it off and shot a bunch of awesome 10 shot groups from 30 yds. I took the Sumo out to the garage, bored it out and viola, problem solved and it's still quiet as ever! It was barely clipping but enough to throw off my groups with an occasional bad flier. The bad part is that I was advised to get a .25 silencer for my .22 and I didn't, I forgot, my bad! Problem solved though, feeling a lot better. I'll stretch it out this weekend and after weighing and lubing pellets,

I should have some super groups. Thanks for all the help everyone. 10 SHOT GROUP FROM 30YD. Didn't measure but about 1/2 inch! Kevin

 

[Xbowsniper]

Kevin,

Glad I could help, and you found the road to better accuracy.
I had a Steyr LG 110 for Field Target fitted with a custom moderator, separate air stripper. On both occasions in trying these devices, when new, and first installed, were tack drivers. As we all know much too well, particularly in Field Target, things can be bumped, and put out of alignment rather easily, and sometimes unnoticed until you go to shoot it again. This happened to me with my rig, and when I took them off, the gun went back to being a tack driver again, so those devices never made it onto the rifle again. This is also the reason that I removed the shroud from my Marauder. I don't care about noise, as long as the pellet goes where I want it to, it can sound like a cannon for all I care.
When I have a need to shoot indoors, and I need some kindkind of sound deadening, I'll machine a crude PVC moderator about 6 inches long, filled with stacked Scotch Pads, with an EXTRA large hole in the pads, as well as the PVC endcap. In a few I've made for my .177 guns, I've made the hole up to 1/2", for 100% pellet clearance. As quiet as anything else out there.

Glad you found your problem, looking forward to seeing you shoot some farther groups.

Tom Holland