Okay: How Bad is a Bad Pellet?

[Oz]

I've always joked with others about my occasional fliers as being bad pellets.

"Oh yeah, that 7 shouldn't count, it was just a bad pellet."

Of course I've never believed this. It was just a joke. But tonight, in training, I had two 10's in a row. Perfectly executed... it just felt good. Then my third shot, similar. Good sight alignment, saw the sight alignment the whole time, perfect trigger squeeze and no movement from the sights. I knew I had just shot another 10. However, when I looked down at the monitor, it was an ugly 8. At about 7 o'clock. Before I started shooting, I found an out of shape pellet on my table and threw it into my shaker box... not really concerned.

Can a slightly out of shape pellet skirt fly that much more poorly to land an inch differently than the others? I was always told that my pistol was reshaping the pellet in the barrel anyway and that a little deformity in the skirt wasn't a big deal.

BTW - I certainly wouldn't use that pellet in competition. I understand the need to eliminate any 2nd thoughts.

Oz

[yana]

Damaged pellets can CERTAINLY cause flyers!
The more damage, the worse it is.
I always check pellets before I load them.

[Guest]

"Oh yeah, that 7 shouldn't count, it was just a bad pellet."

Sometimes during training, at inserting a pellet, I realize I had just loaded the pellet with front to the rear.
Those shots usuallly stay well inside the 8-ring. But that's a different matter.

[RobStubbs]

I always throw the damaged ones away, it's not like the cost breaks the bank, and I'd rather shoot with ammo as good as I can get it.

Rob.

[ronpistolero]

Just my thoughts. I don't believe that a pellet that has its skirt squished a bit will affect its POI significantly. I tried it on my vised Steyr (and many years ago with my FWB C20). It deviated less than half a pellet's diameter. That's it. I figure that the pressure of the propellant is so great that "resizing" occurs once the gas expands behind the pellet. Of course it would be a different story if it were the head that was deformed.

Ron

[OzzieM]

Inserting a damaged pellet into the barrel possibly restores the shape of the pellet skirt if the skirt is dented outward, or make it worse if bent inward.

If the damaged skirt of a pellet is bent inward the pressure of the propellent will be the same outside the rim and as inside. In this case I don't believe the pellet skirt will be reformed into an aceptable shape during the shot process.

Either way, I recommend throwing damaged pellets away, they will spoil perfectly good shots - Murphy's Law! If you use good quality pellets, there will be few damaged ones anyway.

OzzieM

[rncruz]

It's simple enough to do the experiment and eliminate any uncertainty. Well worth the investment of time to eliminate the doubt.

[RobStubbs]

It's simple enough to do the experiment and eliminate any uncertainty. Well worth the investment of time to eliminate the doubt.

I don't understand why anyone would want to bother investigating how much difference a damaged pellet makes. Surely it's both more time and cost effective to just chuck away the odd pellet that is deformed in any way.

Rob.

[Guest]

It's simple enough to do the experiment and eliminate any uncertainty. Well worth the investment of time to eliminate the doubt.

I don't understand why anyone would want to bother investigating how much difference a damaged pellet makes. Surely it's both more time and cost effective to just chuck away the odd pellet that is deformed in any way.

Rob.

Once you find out that pellet shape has very little to do with 8s and 7s than you can concentrate on your shooting and if you get those than you can look in the mirror for the problem and stop blaming equipment.

[David Levene]

I don't understand why anyone would want to bother investigating how much difference a damaged pellet makes. Surely it's both more time and cost effective to just chuck away the odd pellet that is deformed in any way.

I couldn't agree more; and if you are getting too many deformed pellets then change to a different batch/brand.

It may well be that a pellet that isn't deformed too much will have the same POI as a perfect one through a particular barrel. The big question is though, how much is too much. That's something I wouldn't want to be bothered thinking about on the firing point. As far as I am concerned, if I can see any pellet deformity then that's too much.

[David Levene]

Once you find out that pellet shape has very little to do with 8s and 7s than you can concentrate on your shooting and if you get those than you can look in the mirror for the problem and stop blaming equipment.

So how much skirt eccentricity would you accept?

It's much easier to just remove the problem rather than convincing yourself that it isn't a problem.

[Rover]

Can't keep my "mouth" shut!

I normally just shoot right out of the tin and rarely find any "bad" pellets. I assume they are all slightly out of round and that my Pardini will square them up.

Once in a while I find a really bad one and shoot it just to see what happens.

The result?

They suck! Badly inaccurate, usually from gas/air blowby.

If in doubt, trash 'em.

[2650 Plus]

The best advice I have ever recieved was "If in doubt" Remove the doubt and throw the damaged pellet away. Many other posters have repeated that sage advice Even if the pellet will still hit the ten the doubt will increase the probability of an incorectly deivered shot . Dont shoot any pellet in which you can see imperfections before the loading of it. Not even in practice. Good Shooting Bill Horton

[sasco]

I have buildt a "silent" bullet trap, consisting og a 1,2 m long box. "Curtains" of tissue-strips hang from the roof inside the box every 8 - 12 inch. This arrangement retard the pellets gently. They are collected at the bottom of the box, and saved for future use in my old Steyr LP5.
I am not able to note any difference in accuracy.
No, I don't shoot the pellets a 3rd time...

[Rover]

Re-reading this thread, I got to thinking....

You can tell an out of round pellet much easier by rolling it between thumb and forefinger than by eyeballing. They are all a little bit out (check some with a magnifier).

When you find one you are dubious about (or just pinch one) load it in your gun. Poke the pellet back out from the muzzle and check it out.

Has it been reshaped satisfactorily? Does it go where you aim it?

Now you know a whole lot more.

[Thynt]

When you find one you are dubious about (or just pinch one) load it in your gun. Poke the pellet back out from the muzzle and check it out.

Poke with what? The crowning of an AP barrel is delicate...

[David Levene]

When you find one you are dubious about (or just pinch one) load it in your gun. Poke the pellet back out from the muzzle and check it out.

Poke with what? The crowning of an AP barrel is delicate...

3.75mm knitting needles are ideal.

[Rover]

It's steel, for God's sake! Use whatever you want. It's not like you're pounding something down the bore in a frenzy.

But, if you're concerned run out and buy a knitting needle or a long piece of Weed-Whacker line.

[Marcus]

or wooden dowel

[MDK]

Of course I've never believed this. It was just a joke. But tonight, in training, I had two 10's in a row. Perfectly executed... it just felt good. Then my third shot, similar. Good sight alignment, saw the sight alignment the whole time, perfect trigger squeeze and no movement from the sights. I knew I had just shot another 10. However, when I looked down at the monitor, it was an ugly 8. At about 7 o'clock.
Oz

For me, when it happens, I looked at the target instead the front sight. Two holes in the midle of the target are difficult to forget.