Dirty Pellets

[Lenny]

I bought a brick of RWS Diabolo Basics to save some money on practice this year. Previously I was using R10's and Meisterkugln. Is it just me or did anyone notice Basics are much dirtier. They look shiny, but leave lead dust all around loading gate and seals on my Izh46M. I didn't see this with R10's and Meisterkugln. I have to wonder what this does to the bore and is it worth the savings.

[TenMetrePeter]

Its what drops down the transfer port that worries me more than the bore. Dont know if that's a problem in Izzy.

[Rover]

It's just you.

[Gwhite]

I bought a brick of RWS Diabolo Basics to save some money on practice this year. Previously I was using R10's and Meisterkugln. Is it just me or did anyone notice Basics are much dirtier. They look shiny, but leave lead dust all around loading gate and seals on my Izh46M. I didn't see this with R10's and Meisterkugln. I have to wonder what this does to the bore and is it worth the savings.

I think they may just put a little graphite on them. In any event, the collegiate team I help coach shoots 60 thousand of them a year. No issues, good price, and fine accuracy.

[Chia]

GWhite, how often do you recommend cleaning the barrel? I am aware that there is significant varience on cleaning airguns, but I wanted to hear what you did with your team.

[Lenny]

I think they may just put a little graphite on them. In any event, the collegiate team I help coach shoots 60 thousand of them a year. No issues, good price, and fine accuracy.

It's not really like a dust. The particles are coarser and shiny silver color, just like the pellets. R10's and Meisterkugln pellets are noticeably darker, perhaps they have graphite on them.

[Gwhite]

GWhite, how often do you recommend cleaning the barrel? I am aware that there is significant varience on cleaning airguns, but I wanted to hear what you did with your team.

Pretty much never. The pistols that sit in racks in safes over the summer get a felt pellet with air tool oil fired down the barrel to avoid rust, but the higher end pistols (Steyr's, Morini's, etc.) that are in cases never get any special treatment. We have about 80 air pistols, and there are only so many hours in a day.

My personal Morini is about 15 years old, and has > 10,000 pellets through it, and I've never cleaned it. It still shoots nothing but 10's if I do my part. I've been thinking that I might send it off for an overhaul next summer.

[Gwhite]

I think they may just put a little graphite on them. In any event, the collegiate team I help coach shoots 60 thousand of them a year. No issues, good price, and fine accuracy.

It's not really like a dust. The particles are coarser and shiny silver color, just like the pellets. R10's and Meisterkugln pellets are noticeably darker, perhaps they have graphite on them.

That doesn't sound like anything we've ever seen. You may have gotten a bad batch.

I had a slightly similar issue recently with Eley Target .22 ammo. One case would leave little bits of brass in the action. The next case (with a nearly identical lot number) appears to be fine.

[PFribley]

I have been using the same. Ran a patch with Butches cleaner. Came out looking like I was cleaning my 22. Was surprised.

[mikeyj]

After taking note of Rover's recommendation I put a Basic and a Meisterkugeln under my stereo microscope for a comparison. They appear to be almost identical, the sole difference being that the Basics have a comparatively rough exterior surface and the Meisterkugelns are extremely smooth. I suspect that roughness makes them look "dirtier."

I also suspect that Basics might be manufactured using recycled Meisterkugeln dies that are too worn for use after a certain number of cycles, but I have no real evidence for that. Whatever the case, they shoot identically for me.

[TenMetrePeter]

We get through about 20,000 RWS Hobby pellets and 10,000 Geco a year which are in the same ball park as Basics. They don't shoot any different at club level but the lead swarf used to stick to the black anodising on my FWB pistol loading channel, so I used R10 and the problem stopped. I would not describe it as dust, but pieces of lead you can pick out with tweezers.
I clean my barrel with a nylon cord pullthru and a couple of Napier patches with a spot of thin oil every 2 tins as recommended by Walther and I have done it ever since.