Put to the test

FX has become synonymous with producing some of the most accurate standard and FAC-rated air rifles in the world, using their unique Smooth Twist X technology. Of course, you need to feed these guns, and the new Hybrid slug pellets have really hit the mark—literally—but there is still a place for the more conventional shaped, waisted pellets, such as the FX Airguns pellets, as they are called. These are your traditional domed-shaped, waisted, and hollow-base design with a skirt larger than the head. They can be used for both standard and FAC guns alike, although their weight may favour the FAC. Let’s see.
Available in tins of 500 for .22 or 350 for .25 pellets, prices range from £15.49 to £16.49 per tin. Oh, and .177 and .30 calibres are also available.

Weights and measures
For the test, I took a look at the .22 and .25 versions, which weighed 18.1 and 25.4gr respectively. However, when I weighed ten pellets to get an average, these figures changed to 18.4 and 25.8gr. This may seem like nitpicking, but when it comes to working out the energy figures and ballistic coefficients (BC) for accurate downrange ballistics and sight corrections, it is best to be spot on.
I also measured the head and skirt diameters of the pellets, as this is another crucial area of interest. Some pellets, especially .25 calibre ones, have a large diameter and won’t fit a tight barrel like the one found on the Eliminator on test. FX quotes 5.52mm for the .22 pellet and 6.35mm for the larger .25. The .22 pellet’s head diameter measured exactly 5.52mm, as stated, and the .25 came in at 6.34mm, which is handy, as it meant these larger pellets fitted the test barrel perfectly.
The FAC test rifles were both Theoben Eliminators, with the .22 coming from CH Westons in Brighton and the .25 from DB Guns in Oxfordshire. For the 12 ft/lbs rifles, I used a .25 HW80 and a custom Venom HW80 in .22.

Time for some testing
I worked out the BC for each pellet using different chronograph readings taken at three different ranges. The BC for the .22 pellet was 0.0312, and the BC for the .25 was 0.0223.
Shooting from a bench and using a loose grip for consistent groups, you can see in the Airgun Performance table that both the Eliminators shot very nicely with the FX pellets. Fliers occurred when using a tight grip or when the recoil pulse was interrupted. Even at 50 yards, the groups were well under an inch, which is very good for a springer. These vintage Eliminators can shoot like this all day without needing an air refill, though cocking them can be strenuous!
I prefer running these Eliminators below their maximum power levels, as they become more consistent, nicer to use, and less pellet-fussy. This also results in a flatter trajectory, making them far more enjoyable to shoot.

Power and performance
The .22 FX pellets started off at a very healthy 794.3fps for 25.8ft/lbs (Theoben quotes 30 ft/lbs when new), but at these velocities, the setup was smooth to shoot and easier to cock. Even at 70 yards, the FX and Eliminator combo delivered more energy than a standard 12 ft/lbs gun does at the muzzle! Wind drift to 30 yards was negligible, and even at 50 yards, it remained predictable.
The bigger .25 FX pellet was a bit more sluggish, likely because these Eliminators in this calibre should run at 32 ft/lbs. However, here, at 24ft/lbs and 646.6fps, the rifle was more enjoyable to shoot, and the performance was still twice that of a 12ft/lbs rifle. At 60 yards, the pellet still generated more power than a 12 ft/lbs rifle at the muzzle, making it a potent short-range vermin tool—rats and ferals beware.
I did try the FX pellets in standard-power rifles with mixed results, especially the .25 versions. However, the Venom .22 shot really good groups at 30 yards, achieving a 0.55” group and a velocity of 531.1fps. At 30 yards, the velocity dropped to 465.5fps, and at 50 yards, it reduced further to 426.5fps. The trajectory, when zeroed at 30 yards, was +0.85” at 20 yards, then -2.45” at 40 and -6.65” at 50 yards. The .25 HW80, however, was sluggish at 407.5fps, so it wasn’t particularly suitable. At 30 yards, the velocity fell to 339.4fps.

Conclusion
I really like these FX pellets, as they are very consistent in their form, weight, and dimensions, and the accuracy, regardless of power rating, was impressive. The .22 FAC Eliminator performed exceptionally well, and the standard 12 ft/lbs Venom shot these pellets very well too. The Eliminator simply increased the range of lethality, not accuracy. I would stick to an FAC-rated rifle for the .25 calibres, but overall, these pellets are well worth a try.

Contacts
Sportsman Gun Centre -
www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk
Uttings - www.uttings.co.uk
Bagnall and Kirkwood –
www.bagnallandkirkwood.co.uk
CH Westons - www.airgunexpress.co.uk
DB Guns - www.dbguns.co.uk