Thoughts on Fx Royale

[Chriswillis696]

Hey guys, I'm new to the air rifle picture always been a rim fire shooter I'm not moving sides but I'm after advice on a good hunting air rifle.
I'm thinking along the lines of a FX Royale 400 walnut. I really on want the rifle for hunting but will but it on the bench from time to time.
Thoughts on the rifle and any other rifles you think would suit also what pellets should I be using?
Cheers

[uncakikki]

Hi Chris,
The Royale is a superb rifle IMHO (I own one so am a bit biased). If you are wanting one for hunting then .22 is the way to go or even .25. Mine is in .177 but that is because I use it for competition and 10metre is limited to .177, also I shoot Field target so at 12fpe the muzzle velocity is higher and trajectory is flatter. For general use I run it at around 21 fpe (about 960fps) at this power level it will shoot well under 1 inch groups at 50m in good conditions. Fit and finish of gun is nothing short of superb (hence the higher price tag when compared to others), the trigger is is fully adjustable and a brilliantly simple design (IMHO). My only gripes with the gun is its weight ,or lack of it. I like a gun that is a little heavier but for a walk about hunter it's perfect! The other problem is the length of pull for me was a little too short, I'm 6'4" and built like a spider (or orangutan, you pick ), not a big deal a couple of spacers and all good

I know another fellow in Melbourne who owns one (synthetic .22) and loves it as much as I do mine, it is his only rifle and he hunts on small plots so it is ideal for what he does. He gets 60 useable shots from it at full power whereas I get about 50 from mine at full power, at 12fpe the most I fired from it, without refilling, is 262 all were fired across the chronograph and velocity was actually rising at that point. The only reason I didn't fire more was I ran out of pellets (and i was getting bored so I'm glad I did), I was also getting sick of loading the magazine .

On the bench you will get bored with its ability to put pellet on pellet.....a nice way to be bored though

[Chriswillis696]

What pellets are you using? They seem like a top gun.

[uncakikki]

JSB Exact heavy (10.3grn)
H&N Barracuda (10.3grn)
Crosman Premier Hollow point (7.9gr)
Crosman premier 10.5gr
H&N Field Target Trophy 8.4gr

It likes them all On the higher power I shoot the heavier pellets, on the lower power the heavy one don't do so well so i go back to the lighter ones like the Premier HP's and the FTT

Phils .22 likes Barracudas and JSB jumbo heavy 18.13 grn closely followed by Crosman premier 14.3grn

Fellow member Yarrah also has a Royale in .25 (one of the first in Aus) and boy does it shoot!

[Chriswillis696]

That was my next question would I be better off goin for the .25 are they a better gun

[fenring]

Before you choose .25 go to your nearest gun shop and see what .25 ammo they have. Most will have bugger all while they will carry a dozen or more types of .22

There are some quite heavy .22 pellets around if you want heavier ammo.

[stinkitup]

Isn't Harry's Fx basically a special Royale?

I think it is a single shot and he has a couple of different barrels I think. Look for posts by Yrrah lot's and lots of good reading.

Ryan

[Yrrah]

Hey guys, I'm new to the air rifle picture always been a rim fire shooter I'm not moving sides but I'm after advice on a good hunting air rifle.
I'm thinking along the lines of a FX Royale 400 walnut. I really on want the rifle for hunting but will but it on the bench from time to time.
Thoughts on the rifle and any other rifles you think would suit also what pellets should I be using?
Cheers

In .22 cal that would be an excellent choice, light to carry, powerful, plenty of shots per fill and accurate with the right pellets - 18.1 gr JSB Exacts from Potter Firearms in Shepperton Vic, or Qld.

My FX Elite is a single shot version of the FX 500 in .25 cal. It is a little different in that the air charge comes up through the bolt and enters the back of the pellet which is finger loaded directly into the barrel.

The Royale 400 is a great favourite in USA for hunting. If you get one I suggest you don't waste money on lots of different pellets as you will put most of them in your safe (no one else will want them) and finish up using JSB 18.1 gr anyway. The Baracuda Match H&N from Acme Firearms in Melbourne will be worth a try.

I think you will find the .22 cal will do all you want and the pellets are cheaper/ each. The .22 is also a little shorter for carrying in the bush.

Kind regards, Harry Fuller (Yrrah)

[Chriswillis696]

Ive gone with the .22 main reason is because of ammo. Gun shops dont seem to stock a big choice of .25 ammo.
Hope ive made the right choice. I think the fx royale should suit me for what i want to do.

[uncakikki]

I think .22 is a good choice mate, and you won't regret getting the Royale in the least.

[Chriswillis696]

What would be the best target slugs and what would be the best hunting slugs.

[Yrrah]

What would be the best target slugs and what would be the best hunting slugs.

JSB Exact 18.1 gr for both. That is the pellet that that rifle was designed around. If the rifle shoots above 900 fps adjust it back to around 880 fps. Finest accuracy, and wind drift, tend to suffer when velocity exceeds 950 fps or even 900 fps in many cases depending on the wind's direction.
If you must experiment with other pellets then get a tin of JSB 15.9 gr and perhaps a tin of H&N Baracuda Match 21 gr, all in 5.52 mm head size.
The above pellets will kill anything you should shoot with an air rifle if you are shooting well enough to keep your shots inside a 4 cm circle at the range you shoot at and in the conditions prevailing. ... Crosman pellets are generally good but vary in quality and have a lower ballistic coefficient than the above-mentioned pellets, hence they lose energy and momentum faster at longer ranges. ....

I suggest you don't fall into the trap of chasing higher velocities with light pellets, 1000 fps and up, ie., if accurate shooting and longer range killing power are objectives. ....... Kind regards, Harry.

[Chriswillis696]

Thanx Harry I will get the jsp exact 18.1 they seem te go.
Always great when someone does all the hard work for you
Now i gota wait until it turns up.
Will post pics of the targets.

[Chriswillis696]

When you say JSB exact 18.1 you are talking "JSB Exact jumbo heavy 18.1" is the real name. Air rifle pellets are all new to me sorry if it seems like a dumb question.
What are the Predator polymer tip 16gr like as a hunting pellet? They look pretty kewl

[Yrrah]

When you say JSB exact 18.1 you are talking "JSB Exact jumbo heavy 18.1" is the real name. Air rifle pellets are all new to me sorry if it seems like a dumb question.
What are the Predator polymer tip 16gr like as a hunting pellet? They look pretty kewl

The Predator Polymag (red and black tin) in .22 cal are the best hunting pellet to 45 or 50 yards there is ... BUT ... only if your rifle will group them to an inch or better to that range.
They are far and away the biggest THWAKKER of any pellet today. They have a lower ballistic coefficient and drift more in wind than the JSB round head Exacts. ... My BSAs, Excalibre and FX Elite with spare .22 barrel, all shoot them well. They are expensive and so not generally for target practice.
I use them for pests. They dump most of their energy and momentum in about 3 inches in a pest due to their expansion if sent at relatively high velocity:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/me ... ies+please

Just a little of what I have done researching the Predator pellets in .22 cal:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/th ... ely+moreso

The .25 cal Polymag is DEVASTATING and accurate from my BSA .25 and FX Elite.
My best 52 yd groups with these:


But for your FX Royale 400 I suggest you start with the 18.1 gr JSB ...
Kind regards, Harry.