Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
This report covers:
- The test
- 11 pumps
- 12 pumps
- 13 pumps
- End of first day’s test
- 14 pumps
- 15 pumps
- Where are we?
- What now?
- Ten shots on 14 pumps
- Do I stop?
- Front sight
- Summary
Today we look at the accuracy of the .177-caliber Seneca Dragonfly Mark 2 on 11 through 15 pumps per shot. I will also summarize what has been learned across the entire pump stroke/accuracy test as well as reveal a welcome surprise.
This is the .177 Dragonfly Mark 2 that has a UTG 3-12X32 Bug Buster mounted. That scope was zeroed when it was mounted in Part 6, so I shot a single JSB Exact Heavy pellet on 11 pumps of air, just to “wake up” the rifle before starting the test. Actually you will see that there are a LOT of pumps in this test, and it was conducted over two days. The second day I woke up the valve with a dry-fire shot on three pumps. The object of waking the valve up is just to get the internal parts moving again
The test
Today’s test was shot from a bag-rested rifle at 25 yards. Most of the groups are 5 shots, but at the end of this report there are a couple 10-shot groups. Only the one JSB Exact Heavy pellet was used in both today’s report as well as all previous tests of pump strokes versus accuracy. That pellet was discovered earlier to be the most accurate in this rifle. Let’s begin.
11 pumps
On 11 pumps per shot the Dragonfly Mark 2 put five pellets into a group that measures 0.812-inches between centers. The group is a bit to the right, so after shooting it I adjusted the scope 2 clicks to the left. That was the last time I adjusted the scope in this test.
On 11 pumps the Dragonfly put 5 JSB Exact Heavy pellets into a 0.812-inch group at 25 yards.
12 pumps
Next it was 12 pumps per shot. The Dragonfly put 5 JSBs into a group that measures 0.907-inches between centers. And what we see are two groups — one with three pellet holes and the other with two.
Twelve pumps gave two groups that measure 0.907-inches between centers overall.
13 pumps
The next test was to shoot a group with 13 pump strokes per shot. This time the Dragonfly put five pellets into 0.856-inches at 25 yards.
On 13 pumps per shot the Dragonfly Mark 2 put five JSB Exact Heavy pellets into 0.856-inches at 25 yards.
End of first day’s test
I set the rifle aside at this point. These groups were all vertical and skewed from the top right to the bottom left. I was about to pontificate on why this was, but I waited until the test was finished the next day to say something. Good thing that I waited, as you will soon see.
14 pumps
On 14 pumps the first shot hit the bull at 7:30 inside the 7-ring. The following four shots went to a tight cluster at 6 o’clock. The overall group size is 0.462-inches between centers with the last four in 0.211-inches. Wow!
On 14 pumps per shot the Dragonfly put five JSBs into a 0.462-inch group at 25 yards.
It would have to happen on 14 pumps! You’ll find out why I’m so frustrated about that in a little bit.
15 pumps
The last test was five shots on 15 pump strokes per shot. This is the maximum recommended number of pumps for the Dragonfly. It’s a good thing this rifle is easy to pump!
Five shots went into 0.771-inches at 25 yards. It’s better than most of the other groups, but not as good as the one shot with 14 pumps.
On 15 pumps the Dragonfly Mark 2 put five JSB Heavys into a 0.771-inch group at 25 yards.
Where are we?
Now we will look at all the tests of accuracy versus pump strokes. Here’s a list of the group sizes for all groups shot in this test
Pumps…………..Group size
3…………………..0.69-inches
4…………………..1.195-inches
5…………………..0.977-inches
6…………………..0.69-inches
7…………………..0.882-inches
8…………………..1.221-inches
9…………………..1.096-inches
10…………………1.112-inches
11…………………0.812-inches
12…………………0.907-inches
13…………………0.856-inches
14…………………0.462-inches
15…………………0.771-inches
What now?
That five-shot group shot with 14 pumps was the smallest in the test. Theoretically that should be the most accurate number of pumps for this particular rifle. To prove (or disprove) that I decided to shoot a ten-shot group. That should tell you why I was so perturbed that 14 pumps was the most accurate.
Ten shots on 14 pumps
The Dragonfly Mark 2 put 10 JSB Exact Heavy pellets into a 1.179-inch group at 25 yards. Phooey! That test took 140 pump strokes, just to find out that 14 strokes is not the magic number for this rifle.
Well — there’s a fine conjecture ruined. Ten shots on 14 pumps went into a group that measures 1.158-inches at 25 yards. I expected to see a group around 0.65-inches.
Do I stop?
No stopping. I have one more thing to check. Looking at the list of group sizes with the pumps they took I settled on 6 pumps. It was the next-smallest group after the one shot with 14 pumps. True the three-pump group was the same size, but I’ll go with the more powerful of the two if there is a choice. Can six pump strokes still give a decent group?
Well I shot five pellets on six pumps each and it looked through the scope like the group might measure 0.40-inches between centers. Wow again! What the heck? I kept shooting and five more shots later the Dragonfly Mark 2 had put ten JSB Exact Heavys into a 0.618-inch group at 25 yards. Yes, this rifle likes JSB Heavys and 6 pump strokes. And this was the welcome surprise of the test.
On six pumps the Dragonfly put ten pellets into 0.618-inches at 25 yards.
Front sight
I said at the end of Part 8 that I planned to attach the front sight to stiffen the barrel, but given these results I decided to forego that test.
Summary
That’s it for this air rifle. I find the .177 Dragonfly to be somewhat picky about the pellets it prefers, but once the right one(s) is/are found the rifle does well. I do still prefer the .22 caliber over this one for the Dragonfly, but that’s more of a personal preference.
I hope the number of pumps versus accuracy test was interesting. I think it’s a test all owners need to conduct for themselves.
The Seneca Dragonfly Mark 2 is a huge value in today’s market. If you are a multi-pump fan don’t let this one get away!