Target Pellet Quality

[kbean]

Good morning. I am looking for information on pellet quality in general. I see Champion’s Choice sells H&N, Eley, and RWS. Is one of these considered better quality overall than the rest? Understandably, any given Gun may shoot any given batch better than others, but I’m trying to get an idea of overall consistency and accuracy.
Thanks!

[spektr]

There are measurable group size differences between the pellets. As an Engineer, I discount the very small differences published, because I don't feel enough pellets have been sampled in enough barrels to prove anything. What we do know is that quality pellets are very consistent and that is what you should be looking at. You can look in the can and tell the difference. Dull dirty pellets that arent always shaped correctly dont go in my gun. They may shoot, they may not, I just wont ever find out...... At the end of the day, I cant hold tight enough to make the very small insignificant measured differences between them matter. Rover very well may be spot on in saying to shoot RWS BASICS. I've shot them they are good. I shoot Vogels because for some reaaon Vogel practice pellets breathed new life into my Daisy777 years ago, and I see no reason to change...... Buy ANY QUALITY LEAD PELLET and shoot a lot of them.............

[Rover]

I have been extremely pleased with RWS Basic pellets, but if someone shows up with JSB Green, you may as well go home.

[kbean]

Any experience shooting air gun outdoors?
I’m thinking of trying some heavier pellets that are not was cutters for wind.

[Rover]

I have been extremely pleased with RWS Basic pellets, but if someone shows up with JSB Green, you may as well go home.

I was joking here, but there is only one tack to take on this subject. Pilk said it up front and out loud: Only different pellet lots (not brands) are significant. If you are not personally testing different lots of different brands, you will almost never get the best.

[jhmartin]

To add to the "IMHO" comments on the imperative of testing pellets....

While I may voice an "OK" so some that are shooting quality pellets of whatever manufacturer without testing in airgun events that score in integer (CMP, 4-H, NCAA, etc), I think it is folly not to batch test pellets if you or your shooter is shooting in an ISSF/USAS event that scores in decimal.

The difference in price is zero, all it takes is some time to find the best in your airgun.

[acorneau]

Any experience shooting air gun outdoors?
I’m thinking of trying some heavier pellets that are not was cutters for wind.

Yup, I shoot air rifle silhouette, all outdoors at distances from 20 yards to 45 yards. Everyone I know shoots round-nose pellets like JSB Diablos because they do much better at the farther distances than wadcutters. I choose heavier pellets when I can assuming they still give me the accuracy I need.

My Target rifle (Anschutz SuperAir 2002) does best with the JSB Diablo Exact 7.33's.
My Sporter rifle (Air Arms TX200) likes the Air Arms Field Heavy 10.34's.
My Open rifle (Air Arms HFT 500) also likes the AA Heavies.

[kbean]

Thank you for the information, I appreciate the help!

Another question, how does one go about testing lot numbers? If I order from a retailer, do I request different lot numbers? Not sure how to go about that.

[Rover]

Call a large dealer. Have him send you a tin from each unopened case he has with a different lot number. Tell him not to sell those cases until you get back to him.

Test your gun with 50 to 100 shot groups. Choose the smallest group, phone the dealer and tell him to send you the rest of the cases he has with that lot number, and that he can just keep the rest of those crap pellets.

OR you can just shoot RWS Basics 'cuz they're cheap and assume that you won't be able to tell the difference anyway.

[kbean]

Thanks, I didn’t know I could have a dealer do that.
It is quite possible that I won’t be able to tell the difference... but I do have a 36x scope that is parallax free at 5m to cheat with

[Rover]

" I do have a 36x scope that is parallax free at 5m to cheat with"

Sounds good to me, but I've been told it's not good enough. Some kind of vise or jig is used for the gun while testing. I consider it absolutely essential for testing pistols.

There used to be a dealer in Colorado Springs (Olympic Training Center) who would test your gun and sell you the pellets, but he's long gone. Maybe Pilk would be willing to do something like that.

But, I'm a pistol shooter, so what do I know. Maybe some rifle shooters will sign on for something more practical for you.


Much later in the day: I've rethought your plan to use a scope. Waayyy back in the day, I used to shoot Bench Rest. We would shoot at 100 yards or more using 36 power scopes and groups way under 1/4 inch were common. Bench technique was critical, but we did it. Good luck with your efforts!

[stephen_maly]

I think a quick way to get a grip on which pellets have the potential for good precision is simply to get a decent chronograph, set the barrel at the same point each time you fire, and measure the pellet velocity. The tightest group will not occur without the most uniform velocity; especially at longer ranges. For those longer ranges you need higher velocities, but they must be consistent for good accuracy. Once you have enough data, calculate the standard deviation of the velocity. Fifty pellets of each variety should be enough. The smallest standard deviation wins. Just bear in mind that and match quality lead pellets are FAR more uniform than .22 LR ammunition is. A match grade pellet needs the same amount of lead (well, the correct concentration of lead and antimony), and a uniform shape. That's pretty straight forward compared to .22 LR ammo. For .22 LR, each bullet needs to be identically shaped and have the same weight, the casings must have the same thickness (and length) and an identical amount of crimping (so as not to interfere with the balance point of the bullet or the skirt). They need the same amount of priming compound, and the same amount of propellant (and the same amount of burning space). Getting these just right is much harder than producing uniform pellets. You might first try the slightly different pellet diameter to decide which works most uniformly, then perhaps try different makes, although an earlier comment (words to the effect of "get lots of the same good quality pellets and just shoot") is what is the best rule of thumb.

[kbean]

So what method is recommended for testing?
Is there a vice or clamp system that can be used for multiple air rifles/pistols?

[spektr]

JHMARTIN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT

Im one of his IMHO guys
I do not believe in deep pellet testing for a shooter at my level. I shoot 540 ish on paper targets.
Here's how I do the analysis.
Its not a Crosman or Daisy pellet.
The pellet is lead, not lead free
it is a wadcutter
The pellet is uniform looking.
the pellets are clean.
Its a name brand
this gets me most of the way there.

After that I get gun specific.

My 777 family loves Vogel Orange Practice pellets, for now
My P44 and 800x shoot Vogel green match, for now
My CO2 guns shoot Hobby's, in the 500 cans
I haven't shot my new Skanaker enough to have an opinion yet other than it suffered from such
a wonderful case of weird ass mission creep so bad that an Engineer like me understood why it exists,
AND I needed to have one.......

IF I were shooting decimal targets in a for real world, Id feel differently, but I don't overthink it
because I am damn good and used to overthinking for a living.

Shooting for me is supposed to be liberating, and I will not jail myself on useless missions exploring tilting windmills.
Ill leave that to decimal shooters chasing gold. I'm not one of those guys. I'm one of the 80% of shooters who Pareto says
will probably never win but are the backbone of contests. I get that and since the ultimate perfect absolutely
golden pellet wont change any of that reality, I don't sweat it. I don't shoot shit, but I don't worry about the very small
differences in quality pellets.

Go back and ReRead JHMARTIN, he also gets it.