QYS .22 Domed pellets review: heavyweights for pest control

I reviewed the first .177 QYS pellets to hit UK shores almost five years ago, and to be honest I haven’t looked back since. My go-to hunting rifle, the trusty .177 BSA R10se Super Carbine, absolutely loves the 9.56gr Streamlined Heavies, as well as the regular domed and also the pointed variants. So, I was super keen to see what these new .22 versions were going to perform like.

We’ve been waiting for these .22 pellets for years, and it was towards the back end of 2025 that QYS launched the new range elsewhere in the world. It was only a matter of time before they arrived in the UK. That time is now, and although there were only two tins in the UK at the time of testing, I managed to persuade the chaps at Hawke Optics, the new QYS UK distributors, to part with half a tin of each for me to play with.

Two weights: 17gr and 20gr

There are two different weights of these new .22 Domed pellets available, those being 17gr and 20gr. Yeah, that’s what I thought too; I can hear all of your sharp intakes of breath at those weights. They are quite heavy as far as sub-12ft/lb .22 pellets go, but trust me when I tell you they are every bit as accurate as you would expect them to be.

Closer inspection of the skirts tells me everything I need to know. QYS has devoted as much time and effort to producing these new .22 pellets as it does with the rest of its extensive .177 ranges. The quality and consistency of manufacture really is second to none in my opinion, and that’s what you get from a manufacturer dedicated to producing Olympic-quality pellets.

How consistent are QYS pellets?

I must make one thing clear. My digital scales are calibrated to 50g and then the unit is switched to grains (gn on these scales). They are very accurate and they were just sitting on my living room table, hardly laboratory conditions, but we are talking about a one-hundredth of a grain differential here, which is remarkable.

The consistency is what always blows me away with QYS pellets. Pellet after pellet weighed the same as the one before it, with just a tiny amount of deviation. You may well get slightly different weights on your own scales, but I would be very surprised if you also get much difference in the consistency of the weight differentials themselves. In fact, between the 17gr and 20gr weights there was just a 0.05gr differential between the 272 pellets I had at my disposal to test. Now that’s what I call consistency. It doesn’t surprise me though, having spent the past five years shooting the .177 pellets regularly.

Where and how they were tested

As far as the actual testing is concerned, I headed off to Range & Country in Sleaford. Conditions on the day were hot and humid, with a reasonable right-to-left breeze.

The test rifle for the day was the Reximex Pretensis-K carbine from last month’s main review. I still had the rifle at my disposal, so what better one to use, given its insanely consistent performance?

QYS .22 Domed 17gr

These are the ones I was really interested in trying. The 17gr weight is towards the higher end of traditional .22 pellet weights, with most on the market weighing between 14gr and 18gr. I set my target up at 30 metres and quickly set about zeroing the scope. That really didn’t take long, with the combined consistency of both pellet and rifle.

Sure enough, I laid five pellets pretty much on top of each other at that distance, even with the slight crosswind. And, with an average 11.5ft/lb, the 17gr QYS Domed proved their worth for some serious pest control duties. I’d have absolutely no problem using this combo for long-range rabbits as well as short-range rats; they’re perfect for the job.

Chronograph data: QYS 17gr

QYS .22 Domed 20gr

These big boys really did surprise me. I mean, come on, 20gr! That’s entering FAC slug territory. I stuck with the 30-metre range expecting a reasonable amount of drop, but to my surprise it was relatively minimal, just 6mm to 7mm. A few clicks on the elevation turret and I was back to zero. Again, they didn’t disappoint, punching a clean hole in the bullseye of the reactive target downrange with five shots.

I then decided to push my luck and punch out to 40 metres. As expected, there was a substantial drop with the extra 10 metres, but the accuracy was still on point.

Why the 20gr needs watching over the chronograph

One thing I did notice though, that everyone reading this must take into account, is that over the chronograph these 20gr pellets very nearly pushed the test rifle over the legal limit at an average of 11.9ft/lb. If they weren’t so consistent in weight, there would most definitely have been one or two that would have broken the 12ft/lb legal threshold.

This matters. In England and Wales an air rifle producing more than 12ft/lb of muzzle energy is a Section 1 firearm and requires a firearms certificate; in Scotland an air weapon above that limit likewise falls outside the air weapon certificate regime. Muzzle energy is a function of the rifle as well as the pellet, so an average of 11.9ft/lb from one gun is no guarantee of the figure your own rifle will produce. If you intend to run the 20gr QYS Domed in a sub-12ft/lb rifle, chronograph them in your own gun before you shoot them in the field, and be prepared to have the rifle re-regulated or to drop to the 17gr if the figures come out too close for comfort.

As far as pest control is concerned, you rat-busters out there are going to love these heavy hitters. I can hear the “thwack” as I type it!

Chronograph data: QYS 20gr

Which weight should you buy?

Prices are RRP at time of publication and may have changed since.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Weight consistency is exceptional: a 0.05gr differential across the whole test batch.
• Both weights grouped five shots into one ragged hole at 30 metres.
• The 20gr dropped only 6mm to 7mm at 30 metres, far less than expected.
• Accuracy held up at 40 metres with the 20gr, despite the substantial drop.
• Made by a manufacturer with genuine Olympic pedigree in .177.

Weaknesses

• The 20gr averaged 11.9ft/lb in the test rifle, uncomfortably close to the 12ft/lb legal limit. Chronograph them in your own gun first.
• Availability was extremely limited at the time of testing, with only two tins in the country.
• The 17gr sits at the top of the 14gr to 18gr range most .22 shooters use and the 20gr goes beyond it, so expect to re-zero and to allow for more drop at distance.

Verdict

The consistency is what always blows me away with QYS pellets, and the new .22 Domed range does nothing to change that. Pellet after pellet weighed the same as the one before it, and both weights put five shots into one hole at 30 metres from the Reximex Pretensis-K. If you shoot .22 and you want the tightest weight tolerances you can buy, these deserve a place in your kit bag.

Which weight you choose comes down to your rifle. The 17gr is the easier recommendation: it produced 11.5ft/lb on test, leaving sensible headroom under the legal limit, and it will do everything from long-range rabbits to short-range rats. The 20gr hits harder and will delight rat shooters, but at 11.9ft/lb it leaves very little margin, so it is only an option once you have put it over a chronograph in your own gun.

About QYS

Qiang Yuan Sports Goods (QYS) was first established back in 1994 when it developed its own technology and processes to produce some of the most accurate pellets ever manufactured.

To date, its pellets have helped to produce outstanding medal tallies in every Olympic Games since Sydney in 2000, a staggering total of 13 gold, six silver and four bronze, as well as scores of medals in World Cup events for both rifles and pistols (official ISSF data).

QYS pellets are now distributed in over 50 countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, America, Canada, Russia, India, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Australia, South Africa and the UK. For more information on dealers, visit uk.hawkeoptics.com.