Recommended or Regulation power on a 10m Air Rifle?

[John C]

I'm looking at purchasing a PCP 10m air rifle that's been modified for field target use. The seller still has all the original 10m parts. My question is, what velocity or fpe should I dial the rifle back down to for 10m use?

Is there an ISSF regulation for the max power for a 10m rifle?

Thanks,

-John

[johanp]

The recommended setting is around 600 fps. It is not specified in any rules as far as I can tell.

[mtncwru]

viewtopic.php?t=36885

The ISSF does not specify any maximum FPS for 10m AR. People seem to find the best performance around 550-600 fps. Depending on where you are located there may be legal issues surrounding an air rifle with a higher velocity (and thus higher energy delivered by the pellet), but that does not apply anywhere in the United States to my knowledge.

[jhmartin]

Is there an ISSF regulation for the max power for a 10m rifle?

John, as stated above, the ISSF rulebook has no entry regarding the velocity of a 10m airgun.

However, if this gun is to be used in a CMP 3-P air rifle competition, the limit is 600fps by rule.

[yana]

I'd check the manual for the recommended factory setting.
Only problems with FT setting may be: the pellet traps not strong enough, more noise,more recoil, and far less shots.

[gstarik]

The velocity for Olympic air rifle should be 170-176m/sec. It depends on the weight of the pellet and the recoil the shooter prefers. In higher velocities you loose accuracy.
Guy.

[John C]

Thanks, everyone, for the thoughtful replies.

I'm in the US, so there are no legal restrictions. I'm pretty sure the current owner cranked this rifle up the max Field Target level, and I want to return it to the 10m power level. I don't need the extra noise, or lower shot count, or any backstop hassle.

I'll have him put it down to the 550-600 fps level with H&N rifle pellets, and take it from there.

Thanks again,

-John

[Bowman26]

Did the seller do the mods himself or did a known airgun smith do the work? Depending on the parts replaced and the work done it might be as simple as pulling out the Field Target Valving/Regulator/Hammer and putting back in the original internals to get it back down to 10M speeds.

What model of rifle is it and who did the work if you know? If a smith did it perhaps you could call them to inquire about what it will take to revert it back to 10m speed.

Good luck..

Bo

[robf]

The velocity for Olympic air rifle should be 170-176m/sec. It depends on the weight of the pellet and the recoil the shooter prefers. In higher velocities you loose accuracy.
Guy.

You don't. Unless you count single figure mm CTC groups at 50m as less accurate?

Normally it's a pellet problem.

But there's no advantage in going to higher energies, more recoil, more air used etc.

[gstarik]

Rob,
Over 180m/sec you loose accuracy!
I have tried it many times in a bench.
Guy.

[justadude]

Hmmm

I think I will go with Guy's number, no more than 180m/s

Now for our English system using participants:

170 m/s = 557.74 ft/s
175 m/s = 574.15 ft/s
180 m/s = 590.55 ft/s

So the folks that say, 560 to 570 ft/s have it pretty will nailed.

'Dude

[robf]

Rob,
Over 180m/sec you loose accuracy!
I have tried it many times in a bench.
Guy.

We all run around 230-240 m/s. Still getting single digit millimeter groups at 50m with 10 shots below.



this is at 25m with a springer



Neither were benched, just held.

You need the pellets to do it... normal flat paper pellets have trouble past 20m...

[justadude]

robf

For long distance, or field target those groups might be fine, if those were from a 10m precision airgun being used for that purpose it would be time for an new rifle or a major league tune up.

Dude

[John C]

If I understand dispersion correctly, a 5mm group at 25m is a 2mm group at 10m. By that measure, robf's groups look pretty good, to me. However, I'm just a tyro at this sport.

Thanks,

-John

[John C]

What weight of pellet would you guys recommend for testing, to make sure my rifle was shooting at spec?

I'm thinking of using an 8.2gr H&N or RWS rifle pellet.

Thanks,

-John

[JSBmatch]

The manufacturers of 10m air rifles have designed barrel length and number of rifling twists with a velocity of around 170/175 MPS so every thing is optimised for the tightest group. Deviate to far away from these parameters and the group will open up.

Steyr found that the Anschutz barrels used on their 10m LG110 were not giving as good a group at higher velocities when used in their field target rifles. They had to source a different barrel for the higher velocity models.

[Hemmers]

I believe Germany has a Muzzle Energy limit on air guns of 5.5ft/lb (7.5Joules), which is why the main German makes (Anschutz/Feinwerkbau) tend to be shipped around that mark.

In the UK, although the Air Rifle ME limit is 12ft/lb (16.2Joules), the AP limit is 6ft/lb (8.1Joules). Most target-oriented air rifles will therefore also sit around the 6ft/lb mark, with people only using the full 12ft/lb allowance for airguns intended for hunting, FT/HFT, or other outdoor, longer range use.

You don't need more than about 6ft/lb for 10metre shooting. Winding it up just uses more air and shoots out your pellet catcher quicker.

[robf]

The manufacturers of 10m air rifles have designed barrel length and number of rifling twists with a velocity of around 170/175 MPS so every thing is optimised for the tightest group. Deviate to far away from these parameters and the group will open up.

Steyr found that the Anschutz barrels used on their 10m LG110 were not giving as good a group at higher velocities when used in their field target rifles. They had to source a different barrel for the higher velocity models.

True although rifles like the 2002 have been updated to 12 ft-lb and produce similar groups at 50m using 10m barrels. Walther lg400s have also been wound up but I haven't seen their groups.
At 50m one of the biggest factors in group size is the pellet.

[robf]

What weight of pellet would you guys recommend for testing, to make sure my rifle was shooting at spec?

I'm thinking of using an 8.2gr H&N or RWS rifle pellet.

Thanks,

-John

Weight doesn't always make much difference. Just use whatever is most accurate and don't concern yourself with the optimum speed. Although there's probably a sweet spot being near it and in it won't offer much improvement over basic shooting skills.

[robf]

robf

For long distance, or field target those groups might be fine, if those were from a 10m precision airgun being used for that purpose it would be time for an new rifle or a major league tune up.

Dude

2mm sitting at 25m is less than 0.8mm and those groups werent shot benched. The 25m one was shot using a springer. It's not the ideal but it shows shots on par with 10m accuracy. The 50m is about 4mm showing that even at higher energies and at further ranges the accuracy is still there.

Whilst there will be better groups I'm not sure many are shooting sub 1mm groups at 10m for 10 shot groups especially not benched.