Daisy 880 Accuracy Expectations?

[Paroxsym]

Just wondering what sort of accuracy I can expect from this particular air rifle? I own one but it seems to just shoot wherever it wants after about 20 yards, 15 yards it groups decently at about 3/4" or so, but as stated it just goes berserk if I try to go much further. Is this normal behavior?

By the way, hello to the GBO Community! First time to the forums as a member, browsed the forums a few times with my soon-to-be father-in-law... don't remember his username but hes running around here somewhere.

[cwlongshot]

Good morning and WELCOME!!
 
I had a 881 22cal some years ago and as I remember it was a good shooter. BUT I also had a Sheridan that would do exactly as your describing. I could hit a dime easily every-time but step out past 25-30 yards and I was luck to hit a silver dollar...
 
ALLOT of air gun inaccuracies come form operator error... follow thru is especially important as that pellet spends more time in the barrel.
 
CW

[Paroxsym]

I would say that my trigger squeeze would have something to do with it, I always had more trouble with that than anything else, but the patterns I see on the targets don't show any sort of consistent pattern that would point me in that direction. The pellets will strike high, low, left, right, wherever it wants to at the moment. Kinda why I was wondering if I'm the only one that has this problem with this particular model, anything to get me pointed in the right direction.

[keith44]

Hello Paroxsym, welcome to the boards, and thank you for your service to our country.
 
I have little experience with multi pump guns, but I'll offer this opinion.  It is only the opinion of one, and worth exactly what you've paid for it.
 
The 880 series from Daisy is a budget rifle designed and built to a price point, with the intended use of plinking for fun.  "60 foot plinker" if you will.  To build an air gun to the price of $60.00 MSRP or less, that shoots both pellets and BB's there have to be certain compromises.  One of these is the barrel.  It has to be loose enough to pass a steel BB without damage.  Something a higher grade rifle is just not built to do, a BB will destroy a "springer" and will damage a pcp rifle to the point of hopeless inaccuracy.  So to fire a pellet accurately the skirt has to flare more than normally needed, but the head of the pellet is not able to ride atop the lands of the rifling squarely along the bore.  As a result the pellet leaves the bore at a slightly different angle each time it is fired, and therefore sprays a pattern instead of a tight group. 
 
Now for a solution, there are two different size .177 pellets manufactured these days.  European sized, and German sized.  I forget now which is the larger, but you are using one try the other.  Also try to add a slight bit of light grease or heavy oil to the head of a few pellets.  Just a very slight coating at the bearing surfaces to see if this improves things for you. If this fails having the barrel re-crowned may also help. The 880 will likely never be a 50 yard gun, but 30 yards should certainly be within reach.
 
Best of luck in your search
 
Keith
 

[scout4]

Welcome to this forum Paroxsym. My 880 shoots best with crosman premier hollow point and 8 pumps. Its taken more small game than any other airgun I own. Here's a tip! Don't buy one from walmart, or any other store like that. Purchase an 880 from a place that deals with airguns only. Good shooting! scout4<><

[Paroxsym]

Keith, thanks for the info, and the recognition. Now that I know there is two different sized .177 pellets I'll go do my research and figure that out, and have a chat with the local smithy.

Scout, how effective are those hollow points at longer ranges? I've been shooting normal Crosman pointed pellets and when going for something bigger than a bird, the Destroyer EXs. The pointed ones have proved slightly more accurate than the destroyers, but the latter tends to take a bird and turn it into a squishy mess. 

P.S. Thanks for the welcome everyone 

[scout4]

I do not know. Long range for my shooting ability with open sights is about 18 or 20 paces with this pumper. Good luck! scout4<><

[keith44]

you may want to try domed or round nosed pellets they tend to have better ballistic coefficients, and if that pointed tip is off center by as much as half of one thousands of an inch that will also cause inaccuracies

[Paroxsym]

Any outstanding qualities of one brand versus another? Or are they all pretty much the same?

[keith44]

Wow, now that's a loaded question.   
 
Crossman Premier are the favorites of the "Field" shooters.  My Beeman prefers RWS, but will shoot Gamo acceptably well.  Each gun will like something different, and a pump gun will likely shoot differently at different power levels.  Pyramid air used to (and may still) sell pellets at a buy 3 get one free.  As in buy three tins and the fourth (least expensive) was free.  Stay away from bulk packs if you want the best accuracy.  I have also had the least amount of success with Daisy and Crossman brands.  Your experience may be different.  Beeman pellets tend to run on the heavy side and are probably not the best choice for your gun, but they are also a High quality pellet.
 
Best of luck this is where the search gets interesting.