Does anyone have any thoughts on pellet sizing, good, bad or indifferent? I just bought a set from airgun tuning. I haven't received them yet.
Pellet sizing
- Thread starter jamieinmd
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http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=104
They are very nice, I use mine by hand and it works great.
wll2506
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I use mine just to help with loading into the bore, I still have a firm push fit. but it is not a very hard snap in fit like the EJ Heavy pellets are when unsized in my tight bore.
wll2506
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I have been sizing for quite awhile for the long range benefits. I size to exact groove diameter which I establish by slugging the barrel.
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It all depends on how serious you are about accuracy
I shoot air gun benchrest, a 2mm x at 25yds, and the BIG BOYS shoot 25 x's in competition.
I size, weigh, and roll all of my pellets before I compete.
You would be amazed at the variation within a tin and the "VAST" variation from tin to tin.
There is a good You Tube on shooting sorted and shooting what I call fliers, variant pellets within the tin.
If you are shooting pigs it wouldn't matter, raccoons little matter, squirrels maybe a little. chipmunks could matter a lot, 2MM x's matters a WHOLE LOT.
Good Luck
TOM
I shoot air gun benchrest, a 2mm x at 25yds, and the BIG BOYS shoot 25 x's in competition.
I size, weigh, and roll all of my pellets before I compete.
You would be amazed at the variation within a tin and the "VAST" variation from tin to tin.
There is a good You Tube on shooting sorted and shooting what I call fliers, variant pellets within the tin.
If you are shooting pigs it wouldn't matter, raccoons little matter, squirrels maybe a little. chipmunks could matter a lot, 2MM x's matters a WHOLE LOT.
Good Luck
TOM
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TbT Pellet Sizers[/QUOTE]http://www.airrifletuning.com/products/tbt-pellet-sizers/embed/
Above is the site that I purchased my sizing dies from. I sized some off the shelf, CPHPs and they improved greatly. I then sized some out of the tin JSB and they shot as well as the select "black box" pellets I just bought at twice the price. It feels like I have stepped through the door to a new level in precision. The TBT dies are a great value and are well made. My only criticism is that one of the plungers was not tapered. I feel this interferes with the skirt as it is pushed through the die. I do plan to purchase a full set for .22 cal.
Steppenwulf, above is the site where I purchased my dies.
Tbuggerytom, I like your analogy of what accuracy means to different folks. You hit it right on the head.
Jamie
Above is the site that I purchased my sizing dies from. I sized some off the shelf, CPHPs and they improved greatly. I then sized some out of the tin JSB and they shot as well as the select "black box" pellets I just bought at twice the price. It feels like I have stepped through the door to a new level in precision. The TBT dies are a great value and are well made. My only criticism is that one of the plungers was not tapered. I feel this interferes with the skirt as it is pushed through the die. I do plan to purchase a full set for .22 cal.
Steppenwulf, above is the site where I purchased my dies.
Tbuggerytom, I like your analogy of what accuracy means to different folks. You hit it right on the head.
Jamie
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Glad to here you are having good results!! Sizing really opened up a whole new world for me and any time I want the smallest groups possible, I only shoot sized and even rolled pellets.
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I just looked at the site for NOE bullet molds. Really nice. May look into ordering some of those as well.
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The NOE's do look nice. I already have a number of Lee custom size dies and they have worked great for me so I doubt I will switch, but if I were just starting, the NOE's would be very tempting.
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Well, after sizing a few tins (500 pellets each) I have noticed a LOT of variances in individual pellets. It doesn't seem to matter if they are expensive or not expensive pellets, overall accuracy has improved. Some fall mostly through the die, some fall to about half of the die and others have to be pushed all the way through. There has been a decrease over all in fliers. The pellets I have sized are JSB 8 and 10 gr pellets and a tin of 8 gr. CPHPs. It takes a little time and work but so far I'm seeing a difference.
Jamie
Jamie
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feels like snake oil to me.
pellet has 2 diameters - skirt and head. Skirt has barrel bore diameter, head has groove diameter. For example for .22
skirt diameter is .222
head diameter is .216
if you squeeze pellet in to sizer above it will decrease skirt diameter and will result in air blow by and decrease pellet stability in barrel.
but I guess, if it feels like good snake oil people will swear by it
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If you want to Really differentiate pellets try weighting them after you size them.
There is MORE Variation in weight then in size
If you are tempted to do that dont buy the CHEEP electric scale. I own three of them and finally bit the pellet and bought
the FRANKFORD ARSENAL scale from Midway (about $80) I tested it using my balance scale and found it to be just as accurate
IF you don't want to be bothered try the TIN pellets they are twice as expensive but show considerably less variation in size and weight
Again it depends on how SERIOUS you are about accuracy and how FANATICAL you are.
There is MORE Variation in weight then in size
If you are tempted to do that dont buy the CHEEP electric scale. I own three of them and finally bit the pellet and bought
the FRANKFORD ARSENAL scale from Midway (about $80) I tested it using my balance scale and found it to be just as accurate
IF you don't want to be bothered try the TIN pellets they are twice as expensive but show considerably less variation in size and weight
Again it depends on how SERIOUS you are about accuracy and how FANATICAL you are.
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peolefeels like snake oil to me.
pellet has 2 diameters - skirt and head. Skirt has barrel bore diameter, head has groove diameter. For example for .22
skirt diameter is .222
head diameter is .216
if you squeeze pellet in to sizer above it will decrease skirt diameter and will result in air blow by and decrease pellet stability in barrel.
but I guess, if it feels like good snake oil people will swear by it
First, a few errors in your statement. The pellet heads typically ride the "lands" and the skirt seals to the "grooves". There is no "snake oil" to sizing when done properly.
This is why slugging a barrel is the only way to know where to start. I size my pellets head and skirt to exact "groove" diameter. Yes, if you size the skirt too much below "groove" diameter, you will not get a proper seal on the skirt. Sizing to actual "groove" diameter allows for a proper skirt seal.
Sizing might not be for everyone, but as Jamie is seeing, there is no voodoo magic when you find the size your barrel needs and sizing is done correctly.
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Peole,
Here are pellets shorted by head size from .446 to .453
Here are the same pellets fired through a Field Target rifle in a bench rest at a target (i think it was 40 yards) to see if head size matters. Look at fliers from the .446 group and watch how it tightens up around .450 and .451. The barracuda match (all .451s) cut one hole.
Sizing matters.
Here are pellets shorted by head size from .446 to .453
Here are the same pellets fired through a Field Target rifle in a bench rest at a target (i think it was 40 yards) to see if head size matters. Look at fliers from the .446 group and watch how it tightens up around .450 and .451. The barracuda match (all .451s) cut one hole.
Sizing matters.
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Just sized 300ea EJH's to .254. all I wanted to do was have all the pellets a consistent size and EJ's are anything but consistent. All pellets now fit a bit tight in the bore but don't have any that I need to pound in in with a hammer ! .. all are exactly the same fit.
My .253 sized were easier to insert in the barrel than the .254 .252 were easier to install than both but gave up 20+fps .254's were another 15fps faster than .253's and very close to an unsized pellet in velocity. Since I have a choked barrel accuracy in all these was good, so I'll take the extra speed. Like I said, the ONLY reason for me to size these EJ's is for pellet insertion in a tight AirForce Condor LW barrel !
wll2506
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Just sized 300ea EJH's to .254. all I wanted to do was have all the pellets a consistent size and EJ's are anything but consistent. All pellets now fit a bit tight in the bore but don't have any that I need to pound in in with a hammer ! .. all are exactly the same fit.
My .253 sized were easier to insert in the barrel than the .254 .252 were easier to install than both but gave up 20+fps .254's were another 15fps faster than .253's and very close to an unsized pellet in velocity. Since I have a choked barrel accuracy in all these was good, so I'll take the extra speed. Like I said, the ONLY reason for me to size these EJ's is for pellet insertion in a tight AirForce Condor LW barrel !
wll2506
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As far as "Snake Oil" goes, I feel better and my rifle groups better if ALL the pellets shot through it are at least sized to ONE diameter. Even if it's between the ears, it sure does seem to make a difference at least in my shooting so far. I haven't had time to try different sizes through my barrels yet but the 5,53 die at least uniforms them all. As for weighing them, I haven't even gotten into that can of worms yet. I'm happy just swatting flies at 25 yards consistently.
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