"Thanks for your help. As far as hunting pellets go, are the above suitable or should I consider some pointed pellets?"
I've got twenty-seven DIFFERENT .177 pellets to choose from here. You name it, I've got it with few expections. I'll give you the guidelines I use.
Pointed-type pellets generally aren't good for anything. They are generally at the bottom of the heap where accuracy is concerned. When is accuracy NOT a concern? Of the twenty-six .177 rifles I now own and and many more I HAVE owned not ONE was sufficiently accurate with any pointed-type pellet. ALSO, pointed-type pellets zip thru game, not doing a lot of damage.
Wadcutters are generally the most accurate. They also do a lot of damage on game. Their problem is ballistic coefficient. Wind will really blow them around and trajectory suffers as well. Also, energy on target can often be half as much as with a good dome pellet. They DO have their place when targets are close or you have over-penetration concerns.
Hollow points also do a lot of damage to game. Issues with hollow points include accuracy, trajectory, and wind drift. Even with the best shooting hollow point pellet, I can always seem to find a good dome pellet that is more accurate. Also, even the BEST .177 hollow point pellet retains less energy than a good dome. For the longest shots, I rule out hollow points.
I prefer dome-shaped pellets for most every application outside of serious target work. The better domes are almost the wadcutters equal in the accuracy department up close. As the range increases the dome pellets attributes begin to shine. Hitting the vitals is the name of the game and if you do your part the dome pellet will do its' part. The better dome pellets generally offer substantially flatter trajectory, more energy downrange, and less wind drift than other pellet types. I shoot more of the JSB Exacts, Crosman Premiers, and Beeman FTS than all my other pellets COMBINED.
