TOTALLY IMPRESSED WITH .25 PREDATORS!!
Sorry for the all caps but it wasn’t anger…….it was EXCITEMENT!
Gun: Theoben Rapid .25
Power: 50 FPE
Shooter: Me
Distance: 55 yards
Went out for a quick shoot and wanted to see just how tight of a group i could shoot with the .25 cal predators. Wanted to see if they were worthy of replacing the JSB KINGS in my gun. Also, i wanted to see if there was a Point of Impact difference between my main staple pellet…the Kings…and the Predators. My reasoning for this test was because when i first received the new Predators, and i went to sight them in, the gun was previously sighted in with the Kings and i noticed that the Predators shot DEAD ON. When you shoot a new pellet and you don’t have to sight your gun in AT ALL….your LUCKY..lol.
So 1st up, i thoroughly cleaned my .25 cal Theoben Rapid barrel the night before the shoot. Now, when i arrived at my shooting location, i pulled out and set up all my normal gear including my homemade target stand. I grabbed the Rapid and what i wanted to do 1st was to see if there was an impact difference between the Kings and the Predators. So what i did was load a SINGLE magazine with 1 Predator then 1 King then 1 Predator then 1 King..etc..etc..etc until i had 6 of each pellet. REMINDER: Predators do not fit in my Rapid magazines so i had to single load/shoot each pellet. I also needed to do a proper sight in eventually as the last time i shot it, i was shooting in windy conditions. Upon taking the 1st 2 shots, i noticed that there was about a 1/2-5/8″ spread diagonally and i had to remember that i was 1st of all using two different pellets and that the barrel was freshly cleaned so the barrel was not seasoned yet. The 3rd shot went right another half inch or so making for an upside down right isoceles triangle (you get the point…lol). So now, all i could do was to stop thinking about the group and just concentrate on keeping the rifle still and my trigger pull smooth to make the test FAIR. After finishing the entire 12 shot group, saying i was pleasantly surprised was an understatement. With a freshly cleaned and unseasoned barrel, 11 out of 12 shoots went into a 3/4″ cluster. The one solitude hole (1st shot-Predator pellet) was just 3/8″+- to the bottom right of the 11 shot cluster. I could not believe that all the pellets went to the same POI considering they were 2 totally different pellets. Enough of me talking, here is the target:
As i knew the barrel was still not thoroughly seasoned yet, i loaded 2 magazines full of Kings and commenced to plink away at various targets in the surroundings all the while sighted the gun in dead center. I decided that 36 shots was enough to season the barrel and i wanted to bear down and shoot a really good group with the Predators. As i shot the group, my heart was thumping good cause i was on shot 5 and i did not have a flyer yet and the wind was about 3 MPH. Upon shot 6, i could not see an impact hole and i knew what that meant…the 6th pellet went right through the middle of the existing cluster. YEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! I done it!…lol. 6 .25 Predators into a neat and tight lil cluster. Here is the group at 55 yards:
So now feeling lucky, i put up the R25 and grabbed my .308 Corsair and pulled out some freshly casted 135 gr Spitzers. This gun is also very accurate and fun as heck to shoot. Here is a 3 shot group at 55 yrds with the Corsair and the Spitzers:
I also brought out my Logun Solo .20 and she needed to be shot. Its been a while since i shot the gun cause of all the windy weather here. I had been detuning the gun DOWN to around 20-21 FPE to conserve on air and i had not had a chance to sight it in at that power level. She is currently shooting 13.5 gr JSB pellets at around 845-850 FPS and i like the gun more at this setting compared to the higher 27 FPE lever. As i started shooting her the wind had already begun to pick up and my 3 shot 1/2″ group turned into a 5 shot 1″ group. So i’m not posting a pic of that target…lol. But that lil 20 cal is such a fun gun to hunt and target shoot with.
Here is a group photo of the air guns i brought:
Found this little guy at 60.5 yards and a single shot with the .25 Predators through both shoulders made short work of him. I don’t make very many body shots on game but i wanted to see how the pellets would perform with a solid body/vital hit. In the video, he dropped like a sack of potatoes with not a flinch. This guy did not make it back down his hole:
Stay tuned!
Tofazfou
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I have an AAA Condor set up by the wizard to shoot heavies. The local PD have a bug up their ass about airguns because my neighbor across the street got complaints about unsafe shooting and drug me into their mess. Now they tell me zoning prohibits me to shoot even a red ryder on my property. I tried to explain their problem is with the neighbor and they understand,but if they receive a complaint about me, I will receive a felony charge of an unsafe discharge of a firearm.
Needless to say, paper punching at the range will be my shooting of choice until the dust settles around hear. Those predators would be nice for sneaky tree rat erratication if the poi is the same as the kings.
I have 9 nut shedding tree’s on my 1 acre lot with dozens more in the woods behind me. You can imagine the squirrel pop hear. Coyote’s have been showing up now and then too.
Kings are going to be the pellet of choice right now for paper.
I talked to Tony about putting a reg on the gun, but he thinks a standard flow tank and valve set up would work out better for me. I got the feeling he doesn’t like regs.
You can always count on Tofazfou for some dialed-in, tack driving air rifles.
Very Nice Cedric! Those new Predators look sweet.
Thanx Jerry.
Noid. Give me some details on your gun. Current settings.
My gun is shooting them right around 920 FPS. It shoots the JSB Kings at 940 FPS for 50 FPE. When switching between these pellets i make no power adjustments at all. So far from 10 sources, these pellets are all that then some. My gun is modified on the inside. It has some internal work. But to help you out a little, here is some info on what i have.
Stock Hammer but massaged over by SWIFT cause the hammer was banging around on the inside of the gun.
Swift high flow valve stem
Swift high flow valve body
Some barrel porting
500 CC bottle
Swift made bolt handle
All Orings in the entire gun replaced with better ones
Mainspring and valve return spring swapped out for using the JSB Kings. Gun was originally set up for Kodiaks. But i have since then switched to the ligher projectiles.
Tofazfou
What fps is that rapid shooting those pellets at?
I’ve been thinking of getting a standard flow tank to shoot the kings slower. Currently I have to run my tank down to 1800 psi to shoot high 900’s.
Nice shooting Ced!
Thanx guys.
Slayer 5. I’ve seen some 3 GREAT GROUPS from the Marauder rifles and the predators and kings. Pretty much comparable to what i did. Don’t know if you’ve done anything to your gun but, i would try some velocity adjustments. Most guys with the Marauder that shot Predators seem to be pushing them at 880 FPS and producing half inch groups. A few of those guns have been massaged over by Tim at Mac1 also and the other one was worked on by Greg Davis so………….?
Nice shoot’n bro! And of course beautiful rifles!!!
I found the same results with my AAA condor and the Preds. No change in POI. Groups averaged 1/2 to 1″ @50 yards. Just lik my kings, only the preds are so much cleaner when they punch that paper! I don’t do much hunting, but I will go to them when I do. Much too pricey to punch paper with.
Next I want to do a long range test with them to see how they compare to the kings.
I would say that Rapid .25 and those pellets are keepers.
I have been itching for a nicer .25 than my marauder.
I was thinking daystate air ranger but that rapid would do nicely! lol
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B, Thanx a ton man. I appreciate your comments for sure. The R25 is just such a well built gun that it makes these groups easier than they should be. My R25 is not only very accurate but, its the only airgun i have that time and time again, when i put the crosshairs on and object, it always hits EXACTLY were the crosshairs meet. it really boost confidence.
Noid…….ARRRGGGGHHHHH! that sucks man. That is exactly why i hate running into people when i’m shooting or people being anywhere near me. ARRRRGHHHHH! I can definitely see Tony’s point on the reg. Standard flow tank with all the standard trimmings SHOULD give you regulated velocities (in a figure of speech) and reduced muzzle blast. The same as a reg or there abouts. I’ve seen plenty of velocities from standard guns that you would swear had a regulator on them. Your problem though is that fucking neighbor and the Sheriff’s have you marked. they are waiting on a call about you. THAT FUCKING SUCKS. But the Predators are very nice pellets to say the least. Like JSB’s domes, the predators are consistent from caliber to caliber.