I picked up my first 177 a few weeks back and got the Pulsar HP 177. I have gone out a few times for brief ammo testing based on what I guessed it would like, but today I finally sat down with almost all the 177 ammo I had and tried them all out. I planned to test them all on Low, Medium, and High power levels. Turned out that you don’t want to test some of them past low! I only tested out the JSBs that I had, nothing else. One thing I noticed was that firmness of grip mattered a lot! Higher powered setting seem to require a firm grip pulling the rifle into the shoulder. Some settings didn’t care as much. I shot around 20-40 shots and all shot at 50 yards.
8.44 gr
10.34 gr
13.43 Redesigned (only tried med and high before today)
13.43 gr
16.2 gr
Well there ya go. The 13.43 Redesigned and the 16.2 were by far the best. They were the two that you expected pellets to hit the same hole each time. Of course the wind could take them every now and then, but these were by far the most consistent. The 16.2 could have 3-4 hit dang near the exact same tiny hole and one would be off some to ruin amazing groups. The 13.43RDs may not have been quite be as perfect, but they were very, very close. Only more testing would confirm if they could stay in this order. So while the 16s were a bit better, the 13s didn’t require a death grip. So, I actually think I like the 13s better.
More to come later...
8.44 gr
- Low = 1002 FPS. No go. I couldn’t get them to group at all.
- Medium was too fast for the FX chrony to pick up and sounded like a 22lr! It actually grouped better than low. But I only shot 5 shots and quit.
10.34 gr
- Low = 935 FPS. No go. Couldn’t get them to group at all either. Had the second best ES and SD in single digits, but groups didn’t show it.
- Medium = 1050 FPS. No go.
13.43 Redesigned (only tried med and high before today)
- Low = 818 FPS. Loved them. Nice light hold and did great!! Pellets hitting the same spot with few fliers. I wish I had tried this setting before!
- Medium = 925 FPS. Very Firm hold only. Low was still better. Had some promise on a few shots, but not consistent enough to use regularly.
- High = 1014 FPS. No go. Very Firm only to get pellets to have any level of consistency, but not good. ES and SD was actually better than low and medium but worst performing of the 3.
13.43 gr
- Low = 820 FPS. Light hold better than firm, like the Redesigned. Not as good as the redesigned, but ok. Some good shots but little inconsistent.
- Medium = 928 FPS. Very similar to Low, but had some more promise. Light and Firm holds were about the same, but Light seemed a bit better. Ok, but not good enough.
- High = 1016 FPS. No go at all. Very Firm hold required and still bad. Best ES and SD of all in single digits, not good.
16.2 gr
- Low = 740 FPS. Maybe the worst of all.
- Medium = 849 FPS. Firm hold required agin, and still not good.
- High = 937 FPS. BEST OF ALL was saved for last! ES and SD do not show it though. Very Firm hold with rifle pulled into shoulder required or not as good.
Well there ya go. The 13.43 Redesigned and the 16.2 were by far the best. They were the two that you expected pellets to hit the same hole each time. Of course the wind could take them every now and then, but these were by far the most consistent. The 16.2 could have 3-4 hit dang near the exact same tiny hole and one would be off some to ruin amazing groups. The 13.43RDs may not have been quite be as perfect, but they were very, very close. Only more testing would confirm if they could stay in this order. So while the 16s were a bit better, the 13s didn’t require a death grip. So, I actually think I like the 13s better.
More to come later...
