H&N Baracudas- H&N Baracuda Match(es)- Kodiaks
Can anyone offer any information on what the difference is between “H&N Baracuda” ($6.99/200-tin) and “H&N Baracuda Match” ($7.99/200-tin) pellets? Both sell at Pyramydair. I’ve searched H&N’s website, airgun forums, and Pyramydair customer reviews (there’s only one for “H&N Baracuda” pellets), but found no information. Obviously the price is different, but comparing their images they look identical. I have 4 tins of the “H&N Baracuda Match” pellets, bought them thinking that they were better quality than the non-Match Baracudas because of the higher asking price and from reading various forums reviews. I also shoot Beeman Kodiaks (I’m running out of them and am ordering some more tins soon). But I’ve read that Beeman Kodiaks are rebranded “H&N Baracudas” (or “H&N Baracuda Match” pellets– it gets confusing because I don’t know if reviewers are using the names interchangeably or are actually talking about one or the other). As far as I can tell, with my Condor tuned to fire pin-point at 10 and 20 yards, I don’t discern any difference in accuracy or velocity. But the price for “H&N Baracuda Match” pellets is $2.00 less per tin than Kodiaks and the H&N Baracuda (non-Match) $3.00 less. That still leaves the question about the difference between “H&N Baracuda Match” and “H&N Baracuda (non-Match)” pellets themselves.
http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/show_necessities.pl?show=manuf&Manufacturer=7 (pyramydair H&N page)
As for the “rebranding” and “same pellet” claims for the “H&N Baracuda Match” and “Beeman Kodiak” pellets, the pellet chart at airgunarena.com lists a difference in their relative weight. It’s slight, I realize. But does that make them the “same” pellet anyway?
From pellet chart: at http://www.airgunarena.com/index.php/Pellet_Weights (airgunarena)
| 20.54 | H&N Baracuda Match 5.51
| 21.10 | Beeman Kodiak 200 tin @ $9.99 (Pyramydair)
| 21.26 | H&N Baracuda Match 5.52 200 tin @ $7.99 (Pyramydair)
One more issue: The pellet list gives two different head or skirt sizes (I don’t know how to tell which) for the “H&N Baracuda Match”. Whichever, head or skirt– what does that .01mm difference mean for my barrel or shooting? The airgunarena list doesn’t even mention “H&N Baracuda (non-Match)” pellets as sold by Pyramydair.
If the list isn’t to be relied upon for accuracy of information, it still would be useful to find out about “H&N Baracuda Match” and “H&N Baracuda (non-Match)” pellets.
I’d like to consider what the info above means when shooting 21gr pellets from my Condor.
All Replies
Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
What range Maw
I shoot my 25 at 2100 fill, 31 Kodiaks, and I just shoot and count to 27, or whatever no. till the pellet drops, that is when my poi starts to change, I will do the chrony the next fill and 27 shots.
There is not allot of difference between the two pellets, and far as getting the same velocity, but i like 18 jg. jsb in the 930’s to 950’s. and the 21 g. Kodiak right at 980 to 1000,
you could probably just turn the top hat up a little to gain fps that you wanted, but i like to get the relation between the top hat psi fill and power wheel tuned so that the power wheel does not have to be much over 4. with the heavier pellets you have to have it over 4, but when you get the three tuned together you get very consistent shots for a short string.
I know?????????? .
If you sit and tune enough , or long enough you will see the fps string really tighten up, like less than 10 fps for 15 shots and some times i can see as tight as 3 fps, for 15 to 20 shots.
you have to raise and lower the power wheel to tune to the top hat setting. at what ever psi is in the tank for the peak velocity of the pellet.
Any way dont get lost in the deep tuneing if your not ready for it. right now you are starting at 2600 psi, with power wheel 8, if you lowered the power wheel a little you would start at a lower fps , if you turned the power wheel up you would start at a higher fps. right.
so you want a little more fps with the heavier 21 grian pellet , so first off i would fill to the same psi or maybe 2700 because your wanting like 30 shots or so right. start with the power wheel at 8 , ok your fps will start lower then work it’s way up, so what you want to know is where is the peak right, well this will happen around 2100 ro so, when you get to the peak fps and the velocity starts to fall take your take off and check the psi, this is your peak vellcoity with that pellet.
NOw fill back to your peak psi or just above it to give you like 10 shots, to shoot into the peak again,
Now adjust your top hat to what fps you want at the peak of the curve, with the psi that gives you the highest velocity.
it’s a fine tuned dance to figure out your psi fill that you need for however many shots you want to use in a string. i like a short shot string for peak consistency, you may want 25 or 30 shots, with more variation in fps.
But all you have to do is fill to a closer psi to the maximum fps psi for a close fps variation, if you want more shots just fill higher for shot count.
Another words just take a real good measurement on your top hat so you can go back to the same place, then turn it up a little to gain fps for the heavier pellets. 🙄
The designation “Match” on H&N Match .22’s should have been the tip-off as to their higher quality over the non-Match. For some of you, though, Kodiaks still get the nod over the H&N Match for reasons of scarce defective pellets per tin and for their long range shooting accuracy. The $2/tin more for the Kodiaks is actually not a big a deal. But if they’re the same H&N Match .22s– well, common sense would say–.
I shoot the 18gr JSB Exacts 80% of the time. Just dispatched two more nutty varmints this morning, in fact, with 2 of those Exacts, “thwap!” in the kill zone and “thlup” to the ground. But I’ll most likely order 4 tins each of H&N and Kodiaks 21gr, and do a study of each at 10, 20, and 40 yds (available backyard paper target ranges)
I do have a question though: I’ve determined the power-wheel and tank-psi fill for optimum accuracy and velocity for firing 18gr JSBs on my particular Condor (940-880fps for 40 shots). Firing 21gr pellets the velocity decreases about 40fps at those 18gr settings, I think (haven’t yet really done a definitive Chrony study to do comparisons). Now, will I be doing some combination of both initial tank-psi fill and power-wheel settings to find out the 21gr settings? Presently, I fill to 2600psi at an 8 + 8/16 power-wheel setting and refill at 1900psi. So for shooting 21gr, in general, what would you have me adjust first? The top-hat setting might have something to say here, but I’m wondering if I should tamper with that since it was set, I believe, at 0.9 (I’m in the process of learning what the increase/decrease in that number means or represents in actionable terms of the valve, air release, affects on shooting, all other factors held constant) and told not to mess with it by my tuning smith.
The time your thinking and input saves me in doing the adjustments is going to be greatly appreciated.
I shoot the 177 Barracuda/Kodiak Match pellets. The match pellets are batch tested to fine tolerance. You can test shoot 10 pellets from an order of eight tins and be certain all 4000 rounds will perform exactly they same.
I’ve visually compared match/non match and the difference visually is significant. Also the breech fit of the Match pellets is far better in all my guns.
If I’m shooting Pistol then R10 7gn is my choice… for long range (60yard) then the Kodiaks are the only pellet for me.
Sorry bout that, got the skirt backwards, Duh!
I have shot thousands of the Kodiaks, and only “ONE” bad pellet ever. Even it could have been shot, having the very point, cut to one side, like a raised tiny commode lid. The skirt and head, both being Ok. I keep it framed, in a clear top, Gamo pellet tin of all things.
So I have never had one, that could not be shot!
Sam
😯
A year ago when I started in airguns everyone said the Kodiak “Match” pellets were the best. When I went to order some the “Match” was temporarily out of stock but they were available without the “Match” designation. It’s not being said but it appears to me that Beeman and H&N must have negotiated a price that would no longer be the “Match” grade of sorted pellets. The grade is also indicated by the weight tolerance. The non-match grade has only a 1 decimal point weight grading whereas the H&N Match graded pellets have a 10 times closer tolerance of 2 decimal places. Hey, other than the label designation H&N doesn’t want to piss off a good customer and loose the business. That joke about floor sweepings is just a stupid statement by a fool.
Personally, I think for most the Kodiak 21.1 grain and H&N 21.14 grain pellets are close enough but then there is the price.
To me it’s a no brainer. “MATCH” Grade For $2.00 LESS than NonMatch!
When everyone catches on and H&N get out of stock, I’d by Kodiaks if I couldn’t get H&N Baracudas.
I’ve shot the Standard and Match back to back. I have to say the Match were a little more consistant, but not so much so to warrant the price difference.
There is a joke at the H&N factory that Beeman gets the floor sweepings from their own production runs .Guns and Ammo did an article some time ago on air gun accuracy and both barracuda and kodiaks where weighed and measured ,little to say ,barracudas had far closer tolerances per tin .As Con said match grade has better tolerance continuity .H&N have been building pellets for over 100 years ,and are the most used in Europe
Pellets that are labeled 5.51mm or 5.52mm is the head size, that is what matters in accuracy. Not the skirt.
As soon as the pellet gets hit by trhe air jet, the skirt baloons out to make a nice seal in the barrel.
Dave
Basically the Beeman is a Rebranded H&N pellet. Both being made in the same factory. Actually somewhat being the same pellet, just packed in different boxes, Using different Logo’s. So BEEMAN can charge more, being a Known brand and H&N being New/unknown to the market.
Pyramydair charges more because they ‘GIVE YOU’ the fourth tin free. Which you pay for by the high prices to start with. You can get better deals at mac1 and free shipping.
Match grade pellets should hold closer tolerances ie weight and size should be more consistence than regular pellets.
HEAD/edit/ size is what makes the pellet match the barrel for the utmost best accuracy. You test both sizes in a gun, always one is more accurate. My gun likes this pellet (accurate), but does not like this pellet(less accurate). Is the common response on a thread?
Sam
🙂
Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
I won’t. But I am going to study the procedures you outlined for shooting 21gr. I should have mentioned that I’m using a low-flow tank on my Condor. I’ll translate your hi-flow numbers and set to tuning soon. Thanks.