Double Barrel Bands

2240 steel breech or double barrel bands? Which is better? The numbers say that double barrel bands are better than a steel breech for accuracy AND velocity, but do not make a very good scope mount.

Four different configurations (factory, factory w/barrel spacer, factory with 2 barrel bands & steel breech with one barrel band) were tested for both velocity and accuracy. Four different set-ups were tested for velocity and accuracy (giving 8 results) for each of the four configurations. I will address only the steel breech and double barrel band set-ups in this report.

The plastic breech using 2 barrel bands outperformed the steel breech in 6 of 8 test results. The averaged velocity was 42 fps faster than the steel breech and the averaged group size was .02” smaller.

The set-ups in which the double barrel bands had best velocity were: HPA 1Kpsi, 1.6 TP, 1.4cc valve, 10”, .177; CO2, 1.4 TP, 1.4cc valve, 7.5”, .22;, and; CO2, .07TP, 1.8cc valve, 24” .177.

The set-ups in which the double barrel bands had best accuracy were: HPA 1Kpsi, 1.6 TP, 1.4cc valve, 10”, .177; HPA 1.4Kpsi, .07TP, 1cc valve, 18”, .22, and; CO2, .07TP, 1.8cc valve, 24” .177

The steel breech outperformed the plastic breech with 2 barrel bands in only 2 of 8 test results. The averaged velocity was slower with the steel breech than all 3 of the plastic breech configurations in 5 of 13 results and was faster in only 4 of the 13 results.

The set-up in which the steel breech had best velocity was: HPA 1.4Kpsi, .07 TP, 1.0cc valve, 18”, .22. The set-up in which the steel breech had best accuracy was: CO2, 1.4TP, 1.4cc valve, 7.5” .22.

All tests were performed using extended bolt probes. Averaged speeds were calculated on a chronograph and target group extreme spreads were calculated by height x width after the shots were fired from a make-shift Ransom Rest. All the results were ranked from 1 to 4 and the 8 scores for each configuration were averaged.

The averaged result from the 4 configurations using the 4 set-ups was: Plastic breech w/ 2 barrel bands – 2.88; Steel breech w/ 1 barrel band – 2.25; Factory configuration – 2.0 and; barrel band with barrel spacer between the barrel and tube – 1.83.2240 steel breech or double barrel bands.