Tips For Better Airgun Slug Performance

Tips For Better Airgun Slug Performance
In this video Nick talks about performance tips for sizing and lubing slugs for your pellet gun. He also talks about how to polish the barrel of your pellet or airgun for better performance.
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[@surreallife777]

Please correct me if I am wrong. This is a summation. I own the KERVAN Airboss K-1, 25 caliber. Barrel length is 58 cm. Muzzle velocity. Max. 1100 FPS. 335m/s. I’m using the JSB exact King Heavy Diablo and JSB slug knockout. - If i am target shooting/marksmanship from 50 to 100 yards then standard pellets should be fine? - If I am going for long range target shooting/marksmanship, then I should be using slugs? For example, anything over a 100 yard distance you are going to get less of a trajectory curve fall off, thus in turn more accuracy at long distances? - If you’re hunting small game at say 50 yards to 75 yards you should use pellets? - If you are hunting larger game at say 50 to 100 yards, then use slugs because the impact of the slug will be greater than a pellet with more expansion?

[@kenfan5666]

Thanks for this video!!! This was exactly the information I was looking for. I immediately watched the other video you mentioned. I think you just saved me a ton of money on buying the wrong type of ammo, and at the same time probably are going to get me spending more money than I would have originally spent, on the right type of ammo. Thanks again. Stay Safe, Be Well, God Bless.

[@ormorphe]

You make excellent videos and my family really enjoys them. I apologize if I missed one you already did on this, but I’ve a question. Have you ever improved the sensitivity of a metal detector? Being so outdoorsy I was wondering if you do any detecting? Thank you

[@terryquiram3344]

Please provide your exact procedure for barrel polishing. Which grits did you use? Was the barrel lubricated before each grit? Did you clean the barrel between grits?

[@frederikmare9002]

Thanks I really appreciate and enjoy your videos! I got an idea, don't know whether it's good or bad! What about polishing a new barrel with steel wool?... Maybe you have tried it or knows someone that have tried it?... Just wondering

[@martinfrenandez7350]

I would really like to see a full demonstration of the polishing of the barrel, just like you did for the cleaning and lubing of the pellets with before and after groupings.

[@Wingman115]

👍🏻👊🏻

[@handygibby1]

great video love the content

[@surreallife777]

I purchased the Kervan Airboss K1 25 cal. I would like to shoot both slugs and pellets. In order for me to do this do I need to change to a different liner? Or do I just have to experiment? The ideal barrel from what I understand would be the FX smooth twist, superior X barrel I have not polished the barrel yet.

[@fredA1234]

What did you use for the lube? Great video

[@anthonyferguson1644]

I've noticed portion of the video that incorporates equipment that is used to resize or to size down slugs. I would like some information on the type of equipment needed or used to do this process. The reason is I have a bunch of slugs that are .303 diameter and need to have them in sized down to .30 or 7.62 mm I've researched and found a pellet sizer for 7.62 and have ordered one and now waiting for to arrive from the UK. Just though to ask you on what type of equipment needed as seen in the video to accomplish this task for myself. Thanks.

[@zsedcz]

Question, products to polish your barrel products to make the slug how much does all of this run you?

[@minigpracing3068]

For slugs, I'd suggest to wash, powder coat, then size and shoot. Before sizing really need to push a pellet through the barrel and then measure the lands and gloves to see what size you need to fit properly. On choked barrels I would push one about 1/3 from the breach, then push it back out the breach, and push another all the way through the muzzle. Gives you two sizes, and one of those, or between the two, might be your best size. Lots of experimenting to do.

[@nickmeinert6255]

Thanks for the info

[@severtpeterson5912]

excellent advice!

[@mikesbackyardeh]

Great tips John. Love the air gun stuff..🇨🇦🇺🇸😎✌️🍻

[@Wingman115]

Mikes Backyard Eh! Thanks for the support Mike.

[@kraftzion]

I think this is very interesting, especially since it is a brand new field. I am about to purchase my first pcp, pretty much settled on the Gauntlet 2, still debating .22 vs .25. This avenue of exploration is what finally pushed me into purchasing one.

[@Wingman115]

It’s really fun. Thanks for watching.

[@nickmeinert6255]

for the gauntlet 2 i would recommend the .25 more range and power and still good shot count, also alot of slugs you can cast yourself in the .25

[@bertbccfu9564]

@@nickmeinert6255 i agree with Nick, especially if you will be hunting I'll probably never buy another 22 I like my 25's , my next gun will be big bore completely decided yet but I'm looking at the aea 457

[@paulandrews3785]

Great video on this matter... 😉 do this with my pellets to lube them but don't wash them clean cloth then new cloth with lube have dun my stx barrel but only with compound polish to a point it shoots amazing now did before but lots better now 👍 as think fx do this enyway but in my opinion don't go to far did this process 3× perfect now and rotation of barrel can help great work 👍 😎

[@customcutter100]

Great information, but need more info on how to slug a barrel to start with. That way you know what size slugs to buy and also what size sizing die you need. Maybe it's in the original video. I'll try to find it.

[@nickmeinert6255]

The 2 different ways I try to slug a barrel is either take a slug and a wooden dowel n push it down slowly , or another way it is to try and use very low pressure just enough to kind of get the slug out of the barrel and catch it so it doesn't deform on impact those of the 2 methods I use I try to use the Dow rod a lot more than I use the low pressure hope this helps

[@jerrycrowe8448]

One question about polishing barrel with abrasive would that not harm the rifling of your barrel's

[@Wingman115]

Jerry Crowe No most high end firearms have a polished barrel. Huge advantages are better consistency, tighter groups and easier to clean. Remember you still have to find the right pellet or slug that your barrel likes to shoot.

[@ludwigmaxwell8861]

Thanks for the info, but does this wear down the rifling?

[@Wingman115]

No lead won’t wear down steel. You may have to clean the barrel more but no issues.

[@fredA1234]

When you do the sandpaper polishing doesn’t that harm in the barrel?

[@gharrettherres1874]

I’d love to have a chat with him about his gauntlet to see how or what he has done to achieve the power he does. I have a .25 gauntlet with stk and 18ci bottle with flex reg but I’m not getting that great of power

[@nickmeinert6255]

Need the hajimoto spring tension system and keep the original .25 spring, also the little spacer that holds the valve stem get the one that allows more travel, also available from haji, I had to modify mine

[@davidhagerman7165]

this was very informative.

[@nickmeinert6255]

Thank you glad you got something out of it

[@MountainSportAirguns]

Great video, thanks for the good information Nick ☺️👍

[@Wingman115]

Thanks for watching brother.

[@gumbystown]

If I had a topic I'd like to have discussed it would probably be about ballistic coefficient pellet shape from boattail to cup base and all the differences there and weight of projectile versus amount of air used and accuracy.

[@Wingman115]

DERRICK HAWKINS Noted. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@severtpeterson5912]

@@Wingman115 Bob Stearn of Bobs Boatails, is one smart cookie regarding what is needed for a bullet or slug to perform (hit the target) and the Corbin books (Dave Corbin) are certainly a great resource to learn more about ballistics and twist rates, sectional density and how it all works together. Slugs are the future of PCP airguns in my humble opinion.

[@randomidiot8142]

@@severtpeterson5912 I'm surprised that more people messing with slugs haven't heard of Bob. He had good results with small cast slugs before the factory swaged slugs came around.

[@severtpeterson5912]

@@randomidiot8142 I agree! Bob Stearns is very much an unsung hero and he never asked for 1 penny for any of his designs. I started a company called Slugfest Airgun Ammo and my first product is a 50 grain hollowpoint in .25 that is cast at .2545 and sized down to .253 and it shoots MOA all day long at 100 yards out of my Huben K1 .25 2021 version. The slugs are easy to push into the drum mag and i have killed 3 coyotes with that slug from 55 to 120 yards and each time all three coyoted dropped like struck by lightning. The Huben pushes them at 950 fps and so 100 ft pounds of energy. Coyotes were called in with electronic caller in my backyard here in Nebraska. I will soon be posting videos on youtube and first 2 videos are of NOE Bullet Molds factory tour with Al Nelson and as well as Factory Tour of Corbin Manufacturing with Dave Corbin! Calling in Coyotes with that Bobs Boattail bullet has been the most addictive thing in my life so far lol! I intend to shake the hand of Robert Stearns before the end of 2022! So glad that he is known by a few others!

[@jeansandmyshirt]

are boattail bullets more accurate than hollow point slugs? i can't find any information. i'm trying to cast my own .25cal ammo, but need to find the right mold. some say boattail bullets have much better trajectory compared to the popular dish type hollowpoint slugs sold everywhere.

[@nickmeinert6255]

boat tail bullets will tend to have a higher BC but that does not mean they will be more accurate necessarily

[@domparisi3913]

Would appreciate specific info on where to get the lead and molds to produce my own slugs. THANKS

[@Wingman115]

Link in the video description.

[@nickmeinert6255]

Lead you can buy online or check eith local tire shop, older wheel weights were made of lead, i use primarily noe, and arsenal molds

[@darienfoster5544]

The lead bandit out of Florida is cheap and you can get bulk ingots

[@MrPeterschmit]

Any plumbing supply house will have plenty of lead. They have torches and ladles to melt it too.

[@heithwatkins]

Excellent video. Excellent information. Most of all this tells me to use pellets. I saw a hunt with Utah Airguns shooting prairie dogs at 226 yards using 30cal. JSB pellets. It was with a little over 800fps, with the Dreamline. While I can appreciate the whole slug thing. It's simply too involved for me. Buying a size press. Buying the micrometer ( I think that's what its called) , cleaning slugs, slugging the bore, lubricate slugs, not to mention buying the slugs, is just not cost or time efficient for me. I tried slugs a couple of times in 177cal. I had to pound them out of the barrel because they got stuck. This was in a Umarex Gauntlet. I wouldn't dare have put them in my BSAR10 SE after that. Then I found out about all this. I now gladly shoot JSB monsters, beast and H&N sniper magnum. They are close enough to slugs for me without all the hassle. That's my 2cents. 👍🎯

[@nickmeinert6255]

Slugs and the work they can involve is not for everybody, that is for sure.

[@catherineharris4746]

💡You have to have a gun made to shoot slugs like the AEA airguns👍 Many overpriced airguns like FX airguns are only made to shoot pellets at paper at slow speeds😂unless you buy an additional barrel for $400 to shoot slugs😞 Slugs need lot's of power👍

[@bertbccfu9564]

I don't go through all the hassle of washing them and cleaning them sometimes if I'm bored I will sort them with the scale but that's about it

[@catherineharris4746]

@@bertbccfu9564 Yep and that's all that they need👍 All of that washing them and carrying on in just silly😂 People make up all these extra curricula activities to make it seem hard to some people and interesting for others😂 Iike you said, as long as the weight is consistent so they land in the same spot is what's important, along with the aerodynamics of the slug/pellet. Now if these were being used as primarily in a life and death situation then i would understand someone going over and beyond what's needed to make them function flawlessly😂👍👍👍

[@wildrangeringreen]

lead is $2.50/lb (7000 gr) (get 10lbs), that's a lot of little bullets. Some designs don't need lubed, You don't need to clean them. You don't need to slug the bore on a non-choked gun, just use your micrometers to measure the grooves, and you'll be very close. dies cost $14 (last a lifetime), and a mold can be had for $70-200 (and last a lifetime), a Hand press is $54 (if you don't have a bench vise) Digital calipers cost $10, a digital scale costs $10, a steel sauce ladle costs $8, and a cast iron sauce pot costs $12. So For $208, you can make 1,944 36gr .22 bullets, at $0.11/rd. Compare that to H&N slugs, which run .125/rd. After that, you only need to buy lead, since your equipment is paid off. You get 194, 36gr bullets/ lb, that's $0.012/rd. NOE makes pellet molds as well. You don't need to be able size them if the mold is made to your barrel, just like don't need to sort them by weight, unless utmost accuracy is the goal (certainly can't be any worse than most pellets on the market). Same thing for every caliber. Pellets are for toys and target guns... bullets and balls are for real stuff. Why didn't anyone use diabolo pellets in air guns before the late 1890's? Because they wanted to kill stuff lol. The way demonstrated here is NOT how you lapp (polish) a barrel... take a bullet, drive it through the bore, drill a hole for a threaded rod, put a brass washer and nut on each side, apply polishing compound to the lead, and slide it back and forth in the barrel, tightening the nuts to swell the lead out into the grooves every few passes... sandpaper, really? It's not like there's not a plethora of videos on YT on Lead Lapping...

[@rendiex201]

can it be used to clean Lead oxidation?

[@nickmeinert6255]

yes

[@stevenosgood3890]

What if you use valve lapping compound to clean and polish barrel?

[@Wingman115]

Polishing the rough rifling helps for more consistency in shooting.

[@motorgearhead]

Sizing is a good idea. I size 95% of what I cast. Mainly for my .308 & .457 Texans. I do resize .177 slugs for my Avenger. Why, to answer, let me tell you a short story. I tested the .177 with NSA 12.5 slugs. I had erratic results. I saw velocities drop before reaching Reg pressure settings. Probably the result of the avengers regulator having some seepage or creep. Groups were ok out to 50 yards. Next I tried the 15 grn NSA slugs. They hung in the barrel. Would not shoot. I pushed the slug back through the breech and observed it. I could see rifling marks with a slightly deformed nose. I mic’d the removed slug. It measured .172! Nick has a note on his website that recommends this slugs not be used in .172 barreled air guns as they are swagged at .178. The 15s were too tight and long to shoot. While on NOE website looking at bullet molds I checked out their sizing dies. They use a bushing design unlike Lee. They offered a .172 bushing! I purchased and sized the NSA slugs. The result? Increase velocity, better stndev and higher shot count. And best of all increase long range accuracy. Golfball sized groups at 100 yds and water bottle accuracy at 200 yds. Here are the links. 177 Avenger - 200 yard H2O bottles kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXnYq2eNg5ijndE 100 Yard .177 Avenger W/Slugs - 975 fps & 26 FPE kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoTQapSNbMxrrrc

[@redgum1340]

Hello which mold do you use for your .25 cal slugs? Cheers

[@nickmeinert6255]

it is a noe 53 grain rn .255 mold that i had Erik from hollow point molds turn 2 cavites into holow points

[@severtpeterson5912]

@@nickmeinert6255 I have a Huben in .25 .255 drive band on NOE mold designed by Bob Stearn of Bobs Boatails, is going to be a winner I think. 51 grain Phenom BC!

[@Supfools_Gaming]

Glad to see you post this video Sir.

[@Wingman115]

Thanks for watching.

[@danhenry8557]

Does this work for polygon barrels ?

[@nickmeinert6255]

I believe so, I dont have any polygonal barrels but I do believe it should help

[@Majorme2]

A little more directions on polishing. (ie) #strokes where to obtain the polishing materials.

[@nickmeinert6255]

find polishing paper online, or you can use mothers metal p[olish either way will yield great results.

[@josephlamoureux6539]

Can some ammo be a little longer like 177 22 be like half inch long

[@nickmeinert6255]

yes all depends on overall weight and cavity size on a hollow point,

[@motorgearhead]

I also lube big bore slugs. I use diy case lube since I reload powder burners. 1 part liquid lanolin to three parts 90% rubbing alcohol. It makes a good slug lube for the Texans. Just put the slugs into a container in spritz. Give a little shake and let dry overnight. I don’t lube pellets. I don’t shoot pellets a lot, main just my cast slugs.

[@Wingman115]

Thanks for sharing.

[@everythingsucks6086]

I can't seem to locate a .510 cal mold anywhere! Does anyone know where I could possibly find one?! Thanks!

[@nickmeinert6255]

try mp molds and noe molds availability is spotty these days

[@everythingsucks6086]

@@nickmeinert6255 I'll check'm out, thanks for the info!!

[@Optionsaregood]

Thanks.

[@Wingman115]

Thanks for watching.

[@stonetoolcompany3649]

Twist rate is my question... It has been documented that the rate of spin to optimally stabilize a slug is faster than a pellet... Other than FX, who sells slug optimized barrels. Even my powder burners have optimal grain and loading for good grouping. The classic case is the 25/06 that for a bad rap for accuracy due to too fast a twist rate for factory ammo. Bullet weight, velocity and rotation all play into accuracy. Disclaimer ;-) .. My rifles are all more accurate than I am.

[@nickmeinert6255]

Yes twist rate does play a big part, but on air guns we also must consider the chocking most these air gun barrels have for better accuracy for Pellts but can do. The opposite when it comes to slugs.

[@catherineharris4746]

100%FACTS!👍👍👍👍

[@jonnyboat2]

I used to shoot my air rifle all the time. Lately, I’ve gotten away from shooting any type of rifle or pistol. Air rifles are the most economical rifles to shoot.

[@Wingman115]

They are and their fun to shoot as well.

[@unchartedcazaypesca6254]

What’s the name of the lubricant. Please

[@nickmeinert6255]

100 % pure silicone oil you can get it at airguns of Arizona, pyramid air, airgun depot, lots of places

[@nickmeinert6255]

balistol

[@africantwin173]

I'm hoping that FX made a Supersonic PCP. I need 1200 fps for .22 heavy slugs. 30 - 40 grain. Most pcp's wont shoot over 950 FPS.

[@nickmeinert6255]

Be aware if it is supersonic when the slug drops below 1122 fps (supersonic speed give or take) they will tend destabilize or start wobbling, so you mightnot have the range. Now be aware this is all theory I have never tested it but I always have gotten best results and range with slugs 800 to 1000 fps

[@jackh.3772]

Just get a 22lr lol

[@africantwin173]

@@jackh.3772 In Nazi EU 4th Reich .22 LR are not allowed without special firearms license and illigal to use in the back garden. Thats why FX is asking 1500 euro more for a pcp then what a ruger 1022 rifle cost. And the FX hybrids cost more than a CCI stinger.

[@jackh.3772]

@@africantwin173 ooh those Germany gun laws. Everyone I know is from a America

[@randomidiot8142]

Why? It'll be loud and horribly inefficient. If you have the power to shoot supersonic use heavier slugs with higher BCs for more range.

[@Strengthandconditioning60]

Take it a step further after you polish the bore completely degrease the bore, let it dry the take patches with Johnsons paste wax and thoroughly wax the bore, let that completely dry at least 30 minutes or more and then just shoot a pellet out of the rifle to take out the excess wax. Don't put anything else in the bore just keep shooting and watch what happens to your groups. Your welcome.

[@MrCrazyhorse2]

Will you talk about slug liners ? Not everyone will want to sandpaper their barrels as such.

[@nickmeinert6255]

Slug liners are for the fx series air guns, we are only polishing the inside of the barrel for better consistency and it also makes them clean better. Most barrel manufacturers call it hand lapping not polishing.

[@covarrubias736]

I believe that on quality pcp airgun the only helpful thing is to clean your barrle if one slugs don't work try another its not your gun! To avoid all that Just Buy A RAW Hm1000x an call it good! 😉

[@Wingman115]

👍🏻👊🏻

[@nickmeinert6255]

RAW's are great guns

[@murffyslaw001]

And you just gutted your riflings. Superfine abrasives on a lead slug is how you smooth your bore.

[@nickmeinert6255]

It's polishing paper not the same as sandpaper this is what it's meant for. 8000 grit is pretty fine and I'm only doing a few passes. it makes a big difference doesn't hurt the steel rifling one bit

[@brucerogers3253]

Who push a wire brush through an air rifle bore

[@RomekRolnik]

😂

[@droneworks6340]

Stay away from AVS Slugs. They are very inaccurate. Waist of Money.

[@nickmeinert6255]

Haven't tried them but every gun likes something a little diffrent size or design