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pellet preparation?

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:54 am
by PedroS
Assuming that you have found the best pellet/rifle combination, how do you treat your pellets?
Do you wash and lube them?
Do nothing?
Protect your tins to prevent inside corrosion?

Thanks

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:50 am
by TWP
Nothing special.

For major matches we open a fresh tin.

Re: pellet preparation?

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 12:05 pm
by RobStubbs
PedroS wrote: Protect your tins to prevent inside corrosion?
That makes sense - I always leave my tins taped up (air tight) but I use the 'pellet sorters' to shoot from but they don't stay in there for more than a few days normally.

Rob.

Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:50 am
by n1heu
I examine every pellet and cartridge before I place it in the chamber, I look at the shape of the head and skirt to look for defects. I keep my tins taped as well.

Pellets

Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:11 am
by peepsight
Hi Pedro s

There was a fashion some years ago to lubricate pellets with a very thin silicone oil. Some of the pellet manufacturers sold this lube.

This idea has thank goodness now been discredited as dry pellet in a dry bore is the best combination for consistancy and tight groups.
Try asking all the air rifle manufacturers, they will all say the same.

Pellets are made of lead and if exposed to the air for long periods will start to oxydize. The first signs are a darkening of the lead and if left for many weeks a greyish coating starts to apear.

Another thing that occurs is that in the early stages of oxydisation the lead starts to harden. This will alter the pellets performance while in the barrel in as much that the skirt of the pellet will not bite into the rifling as deeply as a new 'soft' pellet. Dump old pellets, and always use a fresh tin for serious practice and comps.

Keep your pellets in an air tight tin and re wrap the sealing tape round it after use. You could buy the MEC 'Puck' pellet container which has been designed with an air tight lid.

Regards

Peepsight