Pellet weighing and/or head size sorting?

[1BadDart]

First off I don't shoot competitions, just punch paper and shoot vermin. I haven't tried sorting pellets by head size yet, but have sorted by weight. What I've found is that (at the ranges I shoot) unless the weights are at extreme ends of the range I don't see any real change in group sizes. However I do still get fliers, even in the same weight ranges and if the shot went off well.
Yesterday I had the 34 out for some plinking and had two tins of H&N FTT 8.64 gr, 4.51 mm (advertised) head size, one washed, lubed and weighed the other just opened and shot. I saw no difference in the group sizes or the amount of fliers.

So..........at closer ranges,50 yards or less is pellet head size more important than weight variance?

BTW the rifle I was shooting is a RWS 34 in .177 with a full power Vortek kit installed, the FTT average 854 fps out of it.

Thanks, Justin

 

[Tominco]

Yes, I would think so. The weight of the pellet will have less effect over the shorter range. But, the head size still has the potential to effect a change from shot to shot. In particular, the way one head size reacts with your rifle barrel over another head size. 
I head sized down to 5.52 for a rifle once and then tried it out to see how it liked it. It hated them! My groups turned into shotgun patterns. Switched back to 5.53 straight out of the tin and those groups tightened right back up again. 
The benefit to sorting pellets can be most appreciated in the competition world where the slightest variance can cause a change and therefore a missed point. 
Tom

 

[jamieinmd]

I size mine even though modern barrels are choked. I just feel better knowing each pellet starts down the barrel the same way.

 

[1BadDart]

"Tominco"Yes, I would think so. The weight of the pellet will have less effect over the shorter range. But, the head size still has the potential to effect a change from shot to shot. In particular, the way one head size reacts with your rifle barrel over another head size. 
I head sized down to 5.52 for a rifle once and then tried it out to see how it liked it. It hated them! My groups turned into shotgun patterns. Switched back to 5.53 straight out of the tin and those groups tightened right back up again. 
The benefit to sorting pellets can be most appreciated in the competition world where the slightest variance can cause a change and therefore a missed point. 
Tom

Thanks Tom, it looks like I need to use the time weighing pellets to shoot them instead.