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testing NSA slugs out of RAW HM1000x .22cal

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glr59

Member
Sep 23, 2019
126
25
NY, United States
I have a fairly new RAW HM1000x in .22cal that I wanted to see if it would shoot slugs with any accuracy. It's set up by Martin to shoot JSB 25.39gr pellets at 950fps.
I bought a bunch of NSA slugs and started testing. The card I have pictured is at 15 yards. If anything shot halfway decent at this range I'll bring it all outside when the weather warms up. The RAW has a polygon LW barrel with little to no choke detected after pushing a few pellets thru by hand.
I didn't change any settings from the pellet tune. The 23gr NSA are averaging 965fps, the 24.8gr at 920fps, the 27.5gr at about 865fps. I had some FX hybrid22 gr on hand and it pushes them at 985fps.
Results as you can see: None were as accurate as the JSB pellets. It looks like the barrel slightly favors the .2175 and .218 24.8gr and 27.5gr slugs. Not sure if its worth going outside with any of them if they can't print a 1 hole group like the pellets. What do you think??

Jerry

Slug test.jpg
 
I agree with rsfrid. You will most likely find that pellets will out perform slugs at all ranges inside of 70 yards. Once the wind picks up and the shots get longer those slugs will close that gap and slowly overtake the pellets. My experience is with a Crown MK2 and an Impact but also using the same slugs that you are. Both my rifles preferred the NSA 24.8 grain .218" slug at 945-950 fps. I see a few groups on your target that I would definitely want to experiment with at longer range. Worst case, you stick with the pellets but at least you will know.
Kenny
 
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rsfrid said:
I think it's worth pursuing. Mine also shoots pellets more accurately but when you get to longer distances you may find slugs better. If you don't already, find yourself a sampling of different weight slugs. You might find one acceptable to you. View attachment 337895
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Are you also starting off with about a 50ftlb tune with the pellets? Have you noticed a difference in accuracy adjusting up or down on velocity with the slugs?
jerry
 
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Kgphotos said:
I'll follow your post closely as a RAW HM1000X is on my radar for a future purchase. I think those are beautiful rifles. Depending what FX does as far as a Crown MK3, the RAW my well be my next rifle.
Kenny
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I also have a TM1000 .177cal that I use for field target. I'd put that up against anything in the class as far as accuracy goes. I'm a fan of RAW.
 
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glr59 said:
Are you also starting off with about a 50ftlb tune with the pellets? Have you noticed a difference in accuracy adjusting up or down on velocity with the slugs?
jerry
Click to expand...
I have not adjusted anything on my 22. It shoots between 940-950 with 25 redesigns and I left it where Martin set it. I have only tried slugs for kicks on my 22. My 25 cal, I adjusted the hammer way up to get 900 fps with the 34 grain JSBs. I only tried a couple slugs before winter set in. At 100 yards the slugs do better. But with power level change, that should change pellet performance. I'll know more when I get out for summer shooting.
 
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When I had my RAW HM100X a few years back and shooting slugs was not impressive. I never did experiment and now no longer have the gun, but I do have an FX Crown now and find that even this gun produces so-so results. However, with this gun, I have experimented more with it and find that 1. It is sensitive to slug diameter. Shoots JSB .216 KOs much better than .217. 2. It is sensitive to slug weight. Everyone is going to the heavy stuff, but I tried some NSA 20.2 gr .2165 dia and these work great. 3. Slugs with flat bases don't work well either. Look for those with hollow bases like FX Hybrids (these are .218 dia). IMO, unless you are shooting long range competition like 100 yd EBR, why waste your time with slugs when pellets are more forgiving. Your results will vary.
 
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One of my friends make slugs and give me for my feedback. His .22 slugs shoot 1" at 100 yards as I have tested out of my RAW HM1000X .22 with BSA hammer forged barrel.

Below is pic of just 24 yards being my indoor range.
Screenshot_20230306_204402.jpg


He also gave me some .25 slugs 31 grain.

These didn't shoot well out of my BSA .25 barrel nor FX Superior liner but when I shot them at same 24 yards in my other RAW HM1000X .25 with Martin's prepared LW polygonal barrel before takeover by Airforce the result of 10 shots at 24 yards is here under.

Now I shall also test .25 slugs at longer range to see how these work there.

20230305_173309.jpg
 
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I think we're at the point in slug/barrel development that the "pellets are more accurate out to 70 yards" is no longer true. When I test slugs, if they don't group at 50 yards as well as the pellets, I don't continue testing at further distances. I think that at ALL distances, slugs can be as accurate as pellets, and at distances further out than 75 or 80 yards, can exceed the pellet performance. Is it easy to get to that point? Nope, but it can be true...
 
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glr59 said:
I have a fairly new RAW HM1000x in .22cal that I wanted to see if it would shoot slugs with any accuracy. It's set up by Martin to shoot JSB 25.39gr pellets at 950fps.
...........................Results as you can see: None were as accurate as the JSB pellets........................ What do you think??

Jerry
Click to expand...

It isn't popular to say, but the following has been my experience....

I've played with slugs (JSB KOs, NSAs, Griffin, AVS) in a decent handful of .22 barrels from quite a few high end guns, various rifling profiles, choked, unchoked, CZ, Lothar, TJs, Korean, lubed with various snake oils, different speed, diameters, weights, etc. And all of that in the same general power output that you're talking. And I've always seen the same, "none were as accurate as the JSB pellets." And the same pellet in my case as yours, has always beaten out .22 slugs in the 40-50fpe range: the JSB .22 MRD. This is at all distances from 10-130 yards. A handful of combinations have been close to the MRDs, but not one has been better than the .22/MRD.

I'm not saying it's impossible for a .22 slug in the 40-50fpe range to outshoot a .22/MRD, but I've yet to see it, and with pretty extensive ($$$) efforts.
 
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Franklink said:
It isn't popular to say, but the following has been my experience....

I've played with slugs (JSB KOs, NSAs, Griffin, AVS) in a decent handful of .22 barrels from quite a few high end guns, various rifling profiles, choked, unchoked, CZ, Lothar, TJs, Korean, lubed with various snake oils, different speed, diameters, weights, etc. And all of that in the same general power output that you're talking. And I've always seen the same, "none were as accurate as the JSB pellets." And the same pellet in my case as yours, has always beaten out .22 slugs in the 40-50fpe range: the JSB .22 MRD. This is at all distances from 10-130 yards. A handful of combinations have been close to the MRDs, but not one has been better than the .22/MRD.

I'm not saying it's impossible for a .22 slug in the 40-50fpe range to outshoot a .22/MRD, but I've yet to see it, and with pretty extensive ($$$) efforts.
Click to expand...
Trouble with slugs is to find the right one (I haven't yet) takes a lot of time and money. First you have all the different manufacturers, then you have all the various weights to choose from, Then you have the 5 or more diameters per caliber to choose from. I'm no mathematician but the odds of finding the right one right off the bat is slim to none. LOL
 
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Tomiboy said:
Trouble with slugs is to find the right one (I haven't yet) takes a lot of time and money. First you have all the different manufacturers, then you have all the various weights to choose from, Then you have the 5 or more diameters per caliber to choose from. I'm no mathematician but the odds of finding the right one right off the bat is slim to none. LOL
Click to expand...
That concept is oft-repeated in the slug discussion. With just about every .22 barrel that comes through I'll go to the slug shelf and try everything I've got. Always the same story, no dice. So I'm either the most unlucky airgunner, have a higher standard of accuracy than most, or am one of the few that is willing to say the emperor is butt-ass naked!
 
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