Second Trip to the Range

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I highlighted the airgun targets. All groups are 10 shots at 25 yds off sandbags with an RWS 54 Air King/4-12x40 Bushnell Trophy scope. This gun is at least 20 years old and no mods whatsoever, never been serviced or repaired. The JSB Exacts rocked! The first shot(JSB) was absolute dead center, kept waiting for that flier to ruin the group, but nope!!! The Kodiak’s got booed off the stage. Hope I can get more of the JSB’s- next time out, I’ll try them at 50yds. I have 4 tins of Air Arms 16gr diabolo’s on order. Are the Air Arms pellets re-packaged JSB’s?
 
I highlighted the airgun targets. All groups are 10 shots at 25 yds off sandbags with an RWS 54 Air King/4-12x40 Bushnell Trophy scope. This gun is at least 20 years old and no mods whatsoever, never been serviced or repaired. The JSB Exacts rocked! The first shot(JSB) was absolute dead center, kept waiting for that flier to ruin the group, but nope!!! The Kodiak’s got booed off the stage. Hope I can get more of the JSB’s- next time out, I’ll try them at 50yds. I have 4 tins of Air Arms 16gr diabolo’s on order. Are the Air Arms pellets re-packaged JSB’s?

nice shooting!
the diabolo field pellets are made by jsb for air arms, but i read they have a thinner skirt that is supposed to expand for better engagement with the lands...

"Air Arms have their own dies (purchased by yours truly) which are totally exclusive to us..."
 
LBC

I watched several factory tour videos produced by Steve, from AEAC, over the weekend, and found some interesting facts on the November 2019 tour of the JSB factory. At minute 38:00, Steve has a "Mythbusting" discussion with one of the owner/operators in regards to whether, or not, JSB has dies for pellets specifically for each of the many vendors they produce pellets for. I'd encourage anyone interested in the answer to check out the video on YouTube.

WM
 
LBC

I watched several factory tour videos produced by Steve, from AEAC, over the weekend, and found some interesting facts on the November 2019 tour of the JSB factory. At minute 38:00, Steve has a "Mythbusting" discussion with one of the owner/operators in regards to whether, or not, JSB has dies for pellets specifically for each of the many vendors they produce pellets for. I'd encourage anyone interested in the answer to check out the video on YouTube.

WM


so folks don't have to search...but he said "not entirely true" and of course, the AA pellets are 16gr so it isn't exactly clear here, unless you just think the air arms guy is straight up lying.



https://youtu.be/-AAQzSkRZVg?t=2286


 
Just got through watching the video. It's a much more involved and laborious process than I envisioned. The making of quality pellets is heavy on the manpower, especially with quality control. I get the idea that their workforce was/is significantly impacted by Covid-19. Not just them, but their lead suppliers, truck drivers, and on and on. I wonder what their production numbers look like now? They stated in the video that JSB produced 65,000,000 pellets per month. Wow, that's a lot of pellets! To make that many per month, and maintain their high standards of quality is simply amazing. Are other pellet manufacturers paying attention? It doesn't seem like a huge secret. With today's technology, other companies should be able to match or even eclipse JSB. The Asian manufacturers, North Americans and Europeans must not have the financial incentive to put their hat into the ring here. Whatever happened to the good old Crosman Premiers(I still have half a box left), where were they made? Were they ever on par with JSB and H&N?
 
John

If you get a chance, check out AEAC Steve's tour of the German H&N factory. More focus on technology, in lieu of the many employees JSB uses, and possibly, that's the reason they seem to have weathered the pandemic better. I was wondering why the USA seems to be lagging behind in pellet manufacturing until I realized how OSHA and the EPA would feel about lead furnace exhaust and lead exposure to employees. Not to mention who would want one of these smelters in their backyard? Expensive smoke stack scrubbers, HEPA air filter systems and employee PPEs might price the final product too high to compete. Anyway, it's interesting to think about.

WM


 
John

If you get a chance, check out AEAC Steve's tour of the German H&N factory. More focus on technology, in lieu of the many employees JSB uses, and possibly, that's the reason they seem to have weathered the pandemic better. I was wondering why the USA seems to be lagging behind in pellet manufacturing until I realized how OSHA and the EPA would feel about lead furnace exhaust and lead exposure to employees. Not to mention who would want one of these smelters in their backyard? Expensive smoke stack scrubbers, HEPA air filter systems and employee PPEs might price the final product too high to compete. Anyway, it's interesting to think about.

WM



without watching that h&n tour yet, i was wondering why they aren't using computers and cameras to qc and reject imperfect pellets, but i personally like that they might prefer to employ people rather than buying machines to replace them, even it is means an occasional pellet that slips by (i don't compete).
 
You should give H&N pellets a try too. Barracuda Match 21grain, Barracuda Hunter Extreme 18.5grain, Barracuda 18, The Field Target Trophy { FTT } 14.6grain in all three head sizes. 5.53/5.54/5.55mm. I'm waiting on some 22cal wadcutters (H&N and RWS) to try and some Barracuda 18. I've had sporadic luck with the H&N Spitzkugel 16gr plain skirt. A well formed pointed pellet for pest control. Oh, I did try some Gamo stuff. The Red Fire or whatever are trash so are the Destroyers,but the Rockets (pellet with a BB on the tip) grouped well at 25yds from my R-9. The search continues for that tin of pellets that has had a little pixie dust sprinkled over them.