does any use these type pellet sizers?
- Thread starter molder
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My experience was the same. You'd be sizing the head and skirt to the same size. You do the same thing (mostly) by inserting the pellet in the barrel but the skirt might still be a bit larger (as they are designed to be) unless the leed on the barrel is off. Slugs are a different story as there is no skirt. Sizing slugs to fit the barrel/riffling the best is good thing but folks don't seem to be doing that as a rule (or talking about it much) with the current market offerings. Casting your own may be different.
Also, the sizers like you pictured, that I've tried, have not been true to advertised sizes. They are not expensive so try one if you want. There were folks on the old yellow that swore by them in springers. That was a while ago.
Also, the sizers like you pictured, that I've tried, have not been true to advertised sizes. They are not expensive so try one if you want. There were folks on the old yellow that swore by them in springers. That was a while ago.
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I have them in .22 (5.52mm to be more precise 
) and in .25.
There is a noticeable difference in sized and unsized pellets:
My experience with sized JSB pellets is: Velocity with sized pellets is higher, (smaller and consistent headsize, therefore I think less friction...) and less (read: no more) flyers.
So yes they work fine, but only absolutely required for serious matches, for every day use straight out of the tin is good enough...
They are pretty awkward to manipulate, but I came up with a clever, simple solution to make the process more user friendly:
Get a narrow strip of double sided velcro (hooks on one side, loops on other side). Burn or centerpunch a small hole for the rod. Adjust to size for your thumb, use one hand to grab the pellet and insert into the sizer, use the other hand to punch the pellet through. (See the hold on the second picture) Now the process is nearly effortless!
) and in .25.There is a noticeable difference in sized and unsized pellets:
My experience with sized JSB pellets is: Velocity with sized pellets is higher, (smaller and consistent headsize, therefore I think less friction...) and less (read: no more) flyers.
So yes they work fine, but only absolutely required for serious matches, for every day use straight out of the tin is good enough...
They are pretty awkward to manipulate, but I came up with a clever, simple solution to make the process more user friendly:
Get a narrow strip of double sided velcro (hooks on one side, loops on other side). Burn or centerpunch a small hole for the rod. Adjust to size for your thumb, use one hand to grab the pellet and insert into the sizer, use the other hand to punch the pellet through. (See the hold on the second picture) Now the process is nearly effortless!
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Try to get hold of a TAPERED sizer, it's what pellets were designed for... Head smaller and somewhat bore riding and the larger skirt to seal the bore.
I did a lot of accuracy testing with 9 different air rifles (5 .22 and 4 .25) all mounted in a rifle vise, all on a regulated air supply trying different sizing and found that straight push through sizing usually hurts accuracy or does not help much. Tapered sizing, however, once you determine the head size your rifle likes DID appreciably tighten groups over unsized pellets. Some of that is that damaged pellets get sorted out or repaired/trued up also though.
I found that oversize pellets did not shoot as well so the philosophy that it "sizes as I chamber it" is not true either for the best accuracy.
Since the pellet has to go in to the selected depth in the tapered die, then be backed out it's slower to process a batch but when the gun was capable of utilizing the 'best fit' pellets the smaller group sizes (and the more surity in making that varmint shot) was worth the effort.
I'd also like to note that "you can't make a silk purse out of a does ear" is very true in 'cheap' air rifles too. Some of the "beginners" rifles I tested for some people so they had a goal to strive for just did not care... They shot mediocre with out of the tin AND with sorted, weighed and sized and relubed pellets.
I'm not shooting pellets much anymore, for longer ranges and better BC I've gone to slugs/bullets and mostly dropped the .177 and .22 to focus on the .25, ..284, .357 and .457 but I do have the NOE molds for .25 and they are great! Because the skirts are thicker I found they could be straight sized and did well anyway. In the NOE .357 pellet, another good cast pellet choice (if Ishoot it, because I generally am shooting something much heavier), I am shooting unchoked so always straight sized.
I did a lot of accuracy testing with 9 different air rifles (5 .22 and 4 .25) all mounted in a rifle vise, all on a regulated air supply trying different sizing and found that straight push through sizing usually hurts accuracy or does not help much. Tapered sizing, however, once you determine the head size your rifle likes DID appreciably tighten groups over unsized pellets. Some of that is that damaged pellets get sorted out or repaired/trued up also though.
I found that oversize pellets did not shoot as well so the philosophy that it "sizes as I chamber it" is not true either for the best accuracy.
Since the pellet has to go in to the selected depth in the tapered die, then be backed out it's slower to process a batch but when the gun was capable of utilizing the 'best fit' pellets the smaller group sizes (and the more surity in making that varmint shot) was worth the effort.
I'd also like to note that "you can't make a silk purse out of a does ear" is very true in 'cheap' air rifles too. Some of the "beginners" rifles I tested for some people so they had a goal to strive for just did not care... They shot mediocre with out of the tin AND with sorted, weighed and sized and relubed pellets.
I'm not shooting pellets much anymore, for longer ranges and better BC I've gone to slugs/bullets and mostly dropped the .177 and .22 to focus on the .25, ..284, .357 and .457 but I do have the NOE molds for .25 and they are great! Because the skirts are thicker I found they could be straight sized and did well anyway. In the NOE .357 pellet, another good cast pellet choice (if Ishoot it, because I generally am shooting something much heavier), I am shooting unchoked so always straight sized.
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Still using mine after all these years, wouldn't shoot a match without running them through the sizer
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I have the same type of sizers as @MartinT. I also have the pelletgage for checking the sized pellets. I was working with JSB 25.39 redesigned and sizing those large enough to 5.53 then confirmed with the pelletgage they won’t go through the 5.52 but is a nice fit in 5.53 as expected. But wait it’s a 5.53 sizer why won’t the pellet go all the way through the 5.53 pelletgage hole? It also resists being pulled through 5.53 hole, what about 5.54, won’t pull through that either…5.55? Yep but still a little resistance.
I don’t know enough about metals to make the proper scientific explanation but I think the tail of the pellet being thinner and a soft metal has some memory possible enhanced by the pressing process. Additionally I found that I can achieve a 5.55 tail with a 5.53 head with additional passes. So using the sizers at least on these pellets does leave me with a slightly larger tail.
I have not shot many sized pellets through my Red Wolf. I have found that larger pellet heads like JTS 22.07, 21.53 and hopefully the 25.39’s (4 tins on the way) which are 5.56 and 5.57 group much better than anything smaller.
I don’t know enough about metals to make the proper scientific explanation but I think the tail of the pellet being thinner and a soft metal has some memory possible enhanced by the pressing process. Additionally I found that I can achieve a 5.55 tail with a 5.53 head with additional passes. So using the sizers at least on these pellets does leave me with a slightly larger tail.
I have not shot many sized pellets through my Red Wolf. I have found that larger pellet heads like JTS 22.07, 21.53 and hopefully the 25.39’s (4 tins on the way) which are 5.56 and 5.57 group much better than anything smaller.
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I also have the same version as MartinT and oledawg (5.52 sizer).....it works to keep head/skirt sizes consistently the same , loading feels very consistent. The skirts do expand from the shot cycles air blast so sizing the skirts is not an issue.
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I made my own tools that expanded and sized the skirt but not the head. Worked far better in my guns than a total pellet sizing. My findings show the skirt being larger increases accuracy.
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