Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

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breadfan
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2023 11:01 am

Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by breadfan »

Good day,

To get my thoughts straight for the future I would like to know more about accuracy.
Pricing is very obvious a difference. Perhaps the fun factor for me in the future also depends on accuracy.

So what about accuracy at 10 and 25 meter (only looking at match pistols and calibers and not characteristics of the shooter)?

For 10 meter it's I think as follows (with 1 being most accurate):

1. 4.5 air pellet
2. .22 rimfire
3. .32 S&W long

If this is correct (or with another ranking), how big would the difference be?


For 25 meter the "depends on the shooter" thought comes more around the corner I think.
But assuming the shooter would be the same (with sufficient characteristics for handling recoil etc.)

1. ?
2. ?
3. ?

And also for this distance I would like to know how big would the difference be?
Maybe the (air) pellet is less stable at the end of this traject (with +/- 7.5 joule). This being more disadvantage than the recoil of .22 and .32.
If so, at what distance would this turning point (+/-) lay? And would this turning point also be there looking at .22 versus .32?

Hopefully you could share some insights.

Greetings
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j-team
Posts: 1372
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 2:48 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by j-team »

I once put my air postol (Steyr LP10) in a machine rest and tested it at 25m. Groups were every bit as good as .22lr and better than .32S&W Long.

But, this was on a very calm day. If the wind was blowing then the air pistol would be much more effected than the .22lr.

We used to shoot 25m sport pistol with our air pistols just for laughs. Usually shot higher scores than with the cartridge pistols as long as you didn't fumble the reload in the duelling. The lighter trigger, longer sight radius and no recoil helps!
breadfan
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2023 11:01 am

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by breadfan »

j-team wrote: Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:55 am I once put my air postol (Steyr LP10) in a machine rest and tested it at 25m. Groups were every bit as good as .22lr and better than .32S&W Long.

But, this was on a very calm day. If the wind was blowing then the air pistol would be much more effected than the .22lr.

We used to shoot 25m sport pistol with our air pistols just for laughs. Usually shot higher scores than with the cartridge pistols as long as you didn't fumble the reload in the duelling. The lighter trigger, longer sight radius and no recoil helps!
Ok, so it could be that the ranking for 25 meters is the same. Or that .22 is more accurate than the air pellet at 25 meter.
A tentative conclusion can be that .32 is not more accurate than the air pellet or the .22 caliber.

Spoken about accuracy for this caliber it's mainly while it's very accurate for center fire / big caliber.

For me it's nice to know, while I (with most likely many others) prefer the accuracy over the blast.
A focus on free pistol and air comes more in sight. While I don't like rapid shooting.

Thanks!
David M
Posts: 1632
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 6:43 pm

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by David M »

From many years of testing and shooting over both 25 and 50 mtrs I have found that the .38 special is more accurate than the .32 sw long.
The .22 about the same as the .38 and 9mm needs a big effort to match the .38 in a good revolver.
The .32 is close except for the well known flyer that spoils the group.
Air I have only ever tested at 10 mtrs.
breadfan
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2023 11:01 am

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by breadfan »

Great, David I'll keep it in mind.
Although I think the .38 is even more less an olympic caliber than the .32.
Probably causing that there are more real match guns with .32 than .38. Could be I am wrong.
David M
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Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 6:43 pm

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by David M »

Centrefire is only shot once ever 4 years at the World Champs (may or may not be shot at Commonwealth Champs and Games).
Neither .38 or .32 are shot at the Olympics.
The most competitive .38 is the Manurhin Match Revolver.
38-tens.jpg
Shot recently in a local competition with .38 wadcutters.
breadfan
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2023 11:01 am

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by breadfan »

David M wrote: Wed Apr 19, 2023 1:27 pm Centrefire is only shot once ever 4 years at the World Champs (may or may not be shot at Commonwealth Champs and Games).
Neither .38 or .32 are shot at the Olympics.
The most competitive .38 is the Manurhin Match Revolver.38-tens.jpg
Shot recently in a local competition with .38 wadcutters.

Aha, yes, looking great, I saw that revolver online in a webstore.
Sadly that there is not really much centerfire going on on YouTube.
Would be fun to see more about that sort of matches.
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Azmodan
Posts: 392
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 4:00 pm
Location: Romania

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by Azmodan »

CFP is shot in Romania, at every national championship stage + finals (so around 5 times per year). there are around 4-6 shooters each time
https://youtu.be/_5NZX9cdL9Q
Airpistol: Feinwerkbau 100 / Feinwerkbau P8X
STP: Walther GSP 22
CFP: Walther GSP 32
Freepistol: TOZ-35
PPC: CZ Shadow 2
PCC: Nova Modul CTS9
breadfan
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2023 11:01 am

Re: Accuracy 4.5 air pellet vs .22 (rimfire) vs .32 S&W Long Wadcutter

Post by breadfan »

Azmodan wrote: Thu Apr 20, 2023 1:59 am CFP is shot in Romania, at every national championship stage + finals (so around 5 times per year). there are around 4-6 shooters each time
https://youtu.be/_5NZX9cdL9Q
Nice and clear video. Thanks! I would love to participate in the competition. Sadly too far away for me. But the video is a great example.
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