35ft Accuracy Results for Standard 0.20g BBs
Introduction
With the testing methodologies used in the Mega-BB Review Part I , we were able to determine the BBs with the best physical attributes, and these should theoretically translate to real world performance. Some of the performance correlations can be observed in the muzzle velocity consistency results , but they do not answer the question of accuracy. In this update to the Mega-BB Review Part I, we retest the 12 candidates for their accuracy at 35ft in a windless environment, allowing more comparisons to be drawn among the different brands.
Test Setup
It was important to test these BBs indoors as any wind would easily skew the results unpredictably. Unfortunately, this limited the maximum testing range distance to 35ft. 20 randomly selected BBs are fired at a Midway USA paper target from our test platform TM G3SAS with a stock mechbox and stock barrel. The AEG is secured using a MTM Case-Guard gun sighting/cleaning stand and sighted to the target via the stock iron sights. Since it is grouping size we are concerned with, it wasn't necessary to perfectly sight the gun as long as the firing position doesn't change for each batch. Marushin MaxiBBs were selected for sighting as they are expected to be the most consistent. The hop-up is adjusted until level flight is achieved for the 35ft range, and a regular bubble level is used so as to verify that the apparatus remains horizontal during the testing process. After the 20 BBs have been fired, the magazine is removed and reloaded with the next batch. A gun with a short barrel was chosen so as to minimize the effects of a lengthened barrel in increasing accuracy, placing the onus of a predictable flight path on the physical characteristics of the BB.
Tokyo Marui 0.20g
Average numbers in the physical consistency tests for the Tokyo Marui BBs resulted in an equally average shot grouping at 7.8cm. The grouping shows a tight cluster with a few stray.
Excel 0.20g
Excel achieved a below average 8.8cm grouping, reflecting its average numbers in the physical consistency tests. The grouping is relatively tight with one significant stray in the upper left.
Airsoft Elite White 0.20g
The Airsoft Elite White BBs turned in a very good 6.4cm grouping, reflective of it's good physical characteristics. The grouping is relatively tight and evenly dispersed.
Airsoft Elite Black 0.20g
The Airsoft Elite Black BBs turned in a good 7.3cm grouping, despite better physical attributes than the AE white BBs. Nevertheless, the grouping is tight with good distribution.
Viper 0.20g
The Viper BBs showed a terrible grouping at 12.3cm, as was expected from its correspondingly poor physical consistency results.
Cybergun Fusion 0.20g
Cybergun displayed a poor 10.0cm grouping, although the grouping size would have been significantly reduced had it not been for one very deviant BB in the lower right quadrant. The rest of the shots were tightly clustered and well distributed.
Tsunami 0.20g
The Tsunami BBs resulted in a terrible 9.7cm* grouping, with a relatively loose cluster. These results are indicative of the inconsistent nature of the Tsunami BBs. One of the 20 BBs was so deviant that it did not strike the target. Had this BB been recorded, the grouping would've been significantly larger.
Marushin MaxiBB 0.20g
The Marushin MaxiBBs, having easily bested the competition in the physical consistency measurements, also bested the competition in this accuracy test, displaying an excellent 5.9cm grouping. The grouping is very tightly clustered, indicative of the excellent physical consistency of the BBs.
Straight 0.20g
The Straight BBs showed an average 7.6cm grouping, despite its bad roundness consistency numbers. The grouping is relatively tight without significant strays.
Toy-Tec 0.20g
Toy-Tec BBs resulted in an average grouping at 7.9cm, with a relatively tight grouping.
G&G P.S.B.B 0.20g
The G&G P.S.B.B turned in an average 7.8cm grouping, very similar in performance to the Tokyo Marui BBs.
Marui Tracer 0.20g
The Marui Tracer BBs, displayed a very good grouping at 6.8cm, reflective of its above average numbers in the physical consistency tests.
Analysis
As expected from the results of the physical consistency tests, the Marushin MaxiBB easily out-performed the other candidates, with the Airsoft Elite white BBs a close 2nd. Suprisingly, the AE black BBs did not perform any better than average, despite excellent physical consistency results. Although Tsunami managed a 9.7cm grouping, one of the 20 BBs fired at the target did not hit the target, and could not be factored into the grouping measurement.
Conclusion
The range accuracy tests clearly show separation between the different BB brands, even though the testing distance was relatively short. It's safe to say that at this range, any of these BBs would be "accurate enough", but if the grouping results are extrapolated over longer distances, it's easy to see that they can soon become too inaccurate for certain uses. It's important to note that the sample size for these results was limited to just 20 BBs, and the nature of the test allows just 1 bad BB in the 20 to skew the results significantly. Some BBs, such as Excel, would've finished higher in the final results had it not been for one such deviant projectile. Nevertheless, the results are still a valid indication of the shot to shot consistency of the test candidate, especially those that exhibit excellent groupings such as the Marushin MaxiBB.