An inexpensive highly accurate pellet...

[mjfa]

...is the Crosman Copperhead Pointed, at 1250/$11.95 (.177 cal) it is 16% less costly than the Crosman Premier, 43% less costly than the JSB Exact and 55% less costly than the Beeman FTS.



Although the 'Pointed' name implies a sharp point head, it is more like a cross between a pointed and domed head, I would better described it as a semi-pointed pellet.
Crosman Pointed compared to JSB Exact .177 cal




Crosman Pointed .22 cal


In some of my airguns it has proved to be one of the most accurate pellets I have shoot from.  It has being capable of consistent sub-inch c-t-c 5-shot groups, at up to 50 yrd from my Logun Domin8or .22, BSA Hornet  .22 and Air Arms EV² .177

8 groups of 5 shots ea. from the EV² at 30 meter ~ 33 yrd


It weights 7.9 gr in .177 and 14.31 gr in .22, so it is a relatively lightweight pellet, nevertheless it attains excellents ballistics performance, being rated by Chairgun2 as BC=.028 in .177 and BC=.024, which is theorically better than Crosman Premiers (.177 cpl=.023,  .177 cph=.025, .22 cp=.019), JSB Exact .177 (.177 jsb=.022, .22 jsb=.032) and Beeman FTS (.177 fts=.014, .22 fts=.016)

I have chronographed the Crosman Pointed .177 along with the JSB Exact from my EV², and then calculated BC for both pellets with a little different results from what is published in Chairgun2.  From my chronographed data the Crosman Pointed .177 has yielded a BC=.025, while the JSB Exact .177 has yielded a BC=.026

Crosman Pointed .177


JSB Exact .177

[Charles/NM]

I have tested most of the pellets available and find Crosman wadcutters to be the most accurate in my 10 meter match pistols. I won gold and silver with them in this year's New Mexico Senior Olympics games in Albuquerque woth my IZH-46 and Crosman 1377 Match pistols.  I had tested various H&N, RWS and Champions's Choice pellets.  Crosman usually came out on top.  I also find Crosman Premier Hollow Point pellets to be the most accurate plinking pellets for my rifles and pistols out to 30 yards.  I was surprised to find that even my RWS 6M pistol liked Crosman pellest better than any RWS Meisterkugeln and GECO pellet that I tried, although it most preferred Champion's Choice Competition.

[mjfa]

Hi Charles/NM,

Congratulations sir, for your sucessful match shooting!  Would you tell me which of the Crosman wadcutters are you sucessfully shooting on your match pistols, is it the 'Crosman Premier Super Match ' or the 'Crosman Copperhead Wadcutter'?  Thanks for your advice.

[Charles/NM]

Crosman Copperhead Wadcutter in the 500 bulk pack from Wal Mart.

[Robert]

Now if only they would live up to the name 'Copperhead'....For the most part, I only buy plated bullets for 22 rf so as not to handle so much lead.  I think it is ironic that the pellets are made from un-coated soft lead and  are so widely used by children who are more susceptible to problems with lead exposure at a young age.

[Lawdog]

Accuracy is important but for me accuracy must also include terminal performance on game.  For me domed and pointed pellets may be accurate but perform like shooting solid bullets in centerfire rifles on deer.  In one side and out the other with very little shock imparted to the animal.  This is why I use Beeman Crow Magnum pellets in all my air guns(both pistol and rifles) no mater what the caliber.  Lawdog
 

[Charles/NM]

With pellets only accuracy is of any importance to me.  I don't hunt with airguns.  The only hunting I do is with my .50 caliber T/C Hawken.  Ironically the bullets and balls I cast for it are made from recycled pellet lead from my trap.  So far I've pulled 60 pounds of lead from my duct seal trap.

[ed1921]

I've found the Copperhead .22 pointed pellet accurate & they work well on game for me.
I will try the Crow Magnums to see what the difference is.
The Crossmans are available locally & I have always just picked them up when needed.

[Lawdog]

I've found the Copperhead .22 pointed pellet accurate & they work well on game for me.
I will try the Crow Magnums to see what the difference is.
The Crossmans are available locally & I have always just picked them up when needed.

Read the Terminal Pellet Test that was done at http://home.hiwaay.net/~ispellan/PelletTest02.html and see what it shows on the many different pellets that were tested.  Although it was only done with .177 and .22 caliber pellets it holds true through .20 and .25 calibers as well.  Lawdog
 

[Patriot_1776]

I've used both RWS Superdome, and Copperhead Pointed pellets on ground squirrels, and my conclusion goes to the pointed pellet over the dome.  I've had some strange occurrences happen with the Superdomes, the worst being the pellet bounced of the shoulder at about 30 yds.  I didn't like that, but I've never had any problems with the pointed pellets.  Another thing I noticed with the pointed pellets, sorry if this is gross, but the kills are more bloody than with the domed pellets.  That can warrant a quicker death for the critter one way or the other, and I feel more confident that pellet will get to the vitals of the specific area I aim.  

One thing I read on that web page Lawdog posted also caught my attention.  He said that his experience with the pointed pellets, is at higher velocities the point rolls after impact, and then on penetrates like a domed pellet, also assuming it would dump its energy just as efficiently.  I got a squirrel yesterday, using my RWS 350 along with a Copperhead pointed pellet, and it was pretty spectacular.  The squirrel was turned (or hammered) 180 degrees; also it was about 6 seconds before any reaction was noticed.  Heavy bleeding was noticeable around the hole (of the burrow), giving fact that some major blood track was severed.  It was a perfect head shot from 21yds., with no noticeable exit.  That would also lead me to believe that the point on the pellet had been crushed, therefore continuing on in the fashion of a domed pellet.  When I used my other pellet gun, a lot less powerful, I would almost always get an exit wound; I guess lending to the fact that at the lower velocities the point would not be deformed.  I used to shoot the pellets backwards, to prevent any exits, and it helped considerably.  Just throwing in my :money:.

Robert wrote:

Now if only they would live up to the name 'Copperhead'....

I think the name brand is supposed to take after the Copperhead snake species, which is venomous (notice the snake's eye on the tin).   I don't think it has anything to do with copper plating of the pellet.  :wink:


-Patriot

[Lawdog]

Domed pellets that I have had problems with are the Crosman Copperheads, RWS Superdome and Gamo Hunter brands.  Most problems are inconsistent grouping except in the case of RWS Superdome.  Many a time I would get a keyhole in the target due to the pellet tumbling.  Always in rifles of 800 fps. or more.  They seem to light in the tip.  And for any of you that want to see “bloody”, give the JSB Predator’s a try.  No they are not cheap but the effect they have on birds, Pack Rats, Ground Squirrels and such is something to see.  They are very accurate but not in higher powered rifles.  They are what I use now for getting rid of pest around the place when damage to one of the buildings can be done.  They don’t exit very often or at all.  Lawdog
 

[Lawdog]

Now if only they would live up to the name 'Copperhead'....For the most part, I only buy plated bullets for 22 rf so as not to handle so much lead.  I think it is ironic that the pellets are made from un-coated soft lead and  are so widely used by children who are more susceptible to problems with lead exposure at a young age.

A number of years ago Beeman imported coated pellets(made by Haendler Natermann if I remember right but I could be wrong on the maker0 in .177 caliber.  They came in target, domed, pointed and hollow point.  I too though that a coated pellet may be a good idea especially around kids.  Tried a tin of target(wad cutter), domed and hollow point and accuracy out of every .177 caliber air gun(both rifle and pistol) was lousy at best.  I have not seen them offered by Beeman in a few years now and I haven't been able to find them offered anywhere else.  Maybe others here know if they are still being made and where you can get some.  Lawdog
 

[TC Shooter]

mjfa - thanks for the review and the pics. That is an impressive string of targets you shot! I had never considered using the Crosman "pointed" pellets , but I am now. I'll see what they can do in my R7. Again - thanks!

[mjfa]

mjfa - thanks for the review and the pics.

You're welcomed!

Here are some other comments on these pellets that are worthy of being read...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message-79537-1121724436-One+%26quot%3Bcaveat-emptor%26quot%3B+factor+with+Copperhead+pointeds...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message-79537-1121723433-I+have+a+similar+experience

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message-79537-1121747261-Actually+it+is+the+new+%2C22+in+the+tin+that+I+am+talking+about

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=79537&messageid=1128661186

http://www.network54.com/Forum/message-79537-1128641921-That+BC+of+0.028+is+real+%28I+and+others+measured+it%29+but+only+applies...

As you may note from my pictures above, the ones I have tested were the old Crosman Copperhead Pointed in plastic packages.

[mjfa]

http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread-79537-1129075690-New+Crosman-Copperhead+Points+-+try+%27em%21