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'AMMO' Something Ive learned

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Lakobe1

Member
Feb 6, 2019
83
1
Louisiana
Over the last month Ive been experimenting with various ammo in different air rifles that I own. As we all know many guns like a certain ammo and just because we own two of the exact same rifles does not mean that they will both shoot the same ammo accurately. We have all found this out through trial and error, its part of what makes the hobby of airgunning so much fun.

Recently, I have also found some interesting Id like to share. Some of you may agree and others disagree, but I still want to share this. I have found that just because you find the perfect pellet for your Airgun, does not mean that every tin that you buy, will have the same results. Even though its the exact can that you bought preciously. I noticed in opening a new tin of pellets recently that the groups were still tight, but for some reason my impact point had mysteriously changed.. I was thinking it was the scope and all sorts of things, when infact after readjusting the impact point, all was perfect again.

I guess in conclusion Im thinking that just like air guns that prefers different ammo, so to can the pellets vary from tin to tin.



Anyone else ever come across this?


 
Seems a lot has been written about shifting POI with air guns that can't necessarily be attributed to the pellet. Could be the pellet, could be some other factor. Probably correct in that a new supply of pellets may not match a previous supply but if accuracy is "the same" then a re-zero is easy enough. Seems I read this exact issue with regards to some of the best pellets (JSB's) recently-change in performance from previous tins. Was it the pellet or the air gun or other? Might be hard to know for sure.
 
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This is not something that is unexpected. The rimfire guys have known for years that various lots of the same ammo shoot differently.

I think you have to be DARNED good shot to have it matter but if you are Olympic class then you probably need to get your undies bunched up about it.

What surprises me is how much the point of impact will change from pellet to pellet.

My guns almost always need a couple MOA’s of adjustment at 50 yards every time I shoot them. Powder burners too but not as much 
 
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Im also getting away from 'mixing tins'. Another words you may have a 1/2 tin of ammo left and you go out and buy the same exact tin of ammo, get home and mix it together in one can.

Then you go shooting and all of a sudden your POI is all over, even though your gun was shooting dime groups at 25 yards, before that point.
Click to expand...

Some time ago I insanely dumped a couple tins of left over pellets (different makes ) into one container. Figured for what I was planning to use the rifle for it wouldn't matter. I ended up throwing those pellets into the trash.. Pellets weighing just about the same from two different manufacturers..... not even close. Something I find surprising is it is often the windage with is off the most. A heavier pellet would be expected to drop a little more then a lighter pellet (depending on distance of course) but the windage is often off more then the vertical.

This is all interesting stuff for which there probably isn't much explanation other then "that's just the way it is". 
 
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I had my suspicions,then, I think it was 1 of Ted,s HoldOver videos where he talks about pellet sorting.And he commented that pellets are made in batches using the same die and those batches ,I believe are marked on the label on the bottom of tin.I don't know what to look for. And of course dies do wear out so when a new die is used there can be a subtle difference.I think another small factor could be the lead mixter itself. With varying amounts of impurities and miniscule fluctuations in the recipe from the foundries crucible to when the press was last greased. I can't afford to buy a dozen tins at a time so I never bothered with trying to buy all from same batch or day produced. I mark my tins.#1,#2,#3 and make note of how each tin performs. I use the best performing tins 1st.
 
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In my barrel testing, I opened up a new sleeve of JSB 25.4s in 25 cal. The interesting thing is that the first tin was truly garbage but the subsequent tins were normal. ... all from the same sleeve/lot #. This does not speak well of their "hand selected" labeling.

I hate pellet sorting but if you are shooting for best accuracy, not much choice. Haven't had that kind of consistency issues with H&N but the pellet weight and size range in a single tin can be a bit high. It would be nice if Crosman would really get back in the game . Their designs seem to have better bc's from my testing, just terrible qc.

Bob
 
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I agree about crossman, I have some older brown box 10.5’ that are excellent!, jsb lately is all over the place? I don’t know who’s contracted to machine their dies?(I hope not in house... or they have Zero QC!) just look @ the skirt inner cavity it varies so much in the .177 monsters it’s crazy! Sad really considering the price...
 
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