HAM pellet review..huh?

[harrympope]

I was scouting the net looking for feedback on some newer pellets.
I ran into Hard Air Magazine website.
it was full of data but they didn't shoot them to evaluate accuracy...

this is their reasoning--

"HAM pellet test reviews to not cover accuracy testing. This is because accuracy is a “systems” outcome. It’s a combination of pellet, air rifle, scope, weather conditions and shooter"

 

[harrympope]

if you don't shoot a pellet it's not a test IMHO.
seems odd to me but I'm a guy who thinks the proof is in the target

 

[AlanMcD]

In the end, all accuracy tests of pellets only tell you how that specific tin sample of pellets worked in that specific gun - the emphasis being on that specific tin.

Here is how I know - I bought a used Sidewinder in .22, and a few months after I got it I found that this very gun was the one used in HAM's test of the rifle, as reported in this link (as in I have that serial number gun). https://hardairmagazine.com/reviews/western-airguns-sidewinder-air-rifle-test-review-22-caliber/

I was thrilled to see that the Daystate Howlers shot so well in it as I have a few tins so I tried them out. Well, my Howlers don't shoot well in the gun - not even close in accuracy to the JSB Monster Redesigned, with groups about 2-3 times larger. Same is true for a few others HAM liked in it in their test. I suppose Western Airguns might have changed the barrel before they sold the gun as new, but I doubt it.

I've also experienced in the past cases where a gun shot lights out on one pellet only to have it fall way off when a new batch comes in - this happened with one LW barrel I have when JSB changed the 18.1s from the old gray tin to the new red one (and the pellets along with the tin).

As a result, my new way of ordering pellets is to order one or two tins from someplace, test them, and if I like them I immediately order another dozen or more to have the best chance of getting them from the same shipment . . .

 

[Hateful McNasty]

The ol' what shoots great in your gun may suk in mine.

You just got to shoot a variety and self determination what's best for any gun of yours . Any tune changes can then throw that away on what was best before or after.

 

[dgeesaman]

I was scouting the net looking for feedback on some newer pellets.
I ran into Hard Air Magazine website.
it was full of data but they didn't shoot them to evaluate accuracy...

this is their reasoning--

"HAM pellet test reviews to not cover accuracy testing. This is because accuracy is a “systems” outcome. It’s a combination of pellet, air rifle, scope, weather conditions and shooter"

Well I don’t exactly agree with the reasoning because that’s saying they don’t have a good scope, they can’t shoot, and don’t have an indoor or nighttime range.

But that said, some pellets like certain barrels and not others. I’ve never had a gun shoot H&N FTTs and my guns have always liked JSBs. A guy I shoot with has had the opposite experience.

So that makes pellet accuracy testing a bit of a trap - how many guns do you need to test in? How much tuning should you do for the pellet in each gun?