Hello there. I have an HW95 and I was wondering what pellet head size shoots the best out of your lothar walther barrels?
What pellet head size does your lothar walther barrel prefer?
- Thread starter Mufasa
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Unless I am mistaken.....all Weihrauch barrels are made in house by Weihrauch, not Lothar Walther.
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As mentioned, every barrel is a little different but the nice thing about a breakbarrel is that it’s super easy to check how the pellets you’re using are engaging the rifling. Just push one through and inspect the head to see if it is imprinted all around its circumference with rifling marks.
What I have come to realize is there isn’t so much a magic head size, as in “this barrel does best with 5.51mm always and forever”, but so long as the head is large enough to engage the rifling and not tip in the bore, it has an opportunity to group well. For example my very first PCP was one that was outstanding with some JSB 18.1gr I had on hand that measured 5.52mm. Around the time I needed to order some more, I was seeing some chatter on the forums about recent batches coming in undersized. When I got them, sure enough they measured 4.48mm nominally and only showed light burnish marks when pushed through. But to my amazement they grouped as well as the larger ones, sub-MoA at 43 yards with regularity.
I’ve since experienced the same thing multiple times where a barrel will do equally well with very disparate head sizes. However, unfortunately just because you receive a new batch whose heads match a previous one does not guarantee it will group well. There are other factors at play that we just don’t fully understand, so in the journey to find the most accurate pellet, the only strategy I’ve found that works is to sample different batches over time and when I find a good one, I order as many as I can justify. The only consistent feature I’ve found is that they always say something about JSB or Air Arms or H&N or RWS on the tin.
What I have come to realize is there isn’t so much a magic head size, as in “this barrel does best with 5.51mm always and forever”, but so long as the head is large enough to engage the rifling and not tip in the bore, it has an opportunity to group well. For example my very first PCP was one that was outstanding with some JSB 18.1gr I had on hand that measured 5.52mm. Around the time I needed to order some more, I was seeing some chatter on the forums about recent batches coming in undersized. When I got them, sure enough they measured 4.48mm nominally and only showed light burnish marks when pushed through. But to my amazement they grouped as well as the larger ones, sub-MoA at 43 yards with regularity.
I’ve since experienced the same thing multiple times where a barrel will do equally well with very disparate head sizes. However, unfortunately just because you receive a new batch whose heads match a previous one does not guarantee it will group well. There are other factors at play that we just don’t fully understand, so in the journey to find the most accurate pellet, the only strategy I’ve found that works is to sample different batches over time and when I find a good one, I order as many as I can justify. The only consistent feature I’ve found is that they always say something about JSB or Air Arms or H&N or RWS on the tin.
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the headsize written on the tin is ALWAYS WRONG
the headsize in a tin of pellets varies
its just marketing and from technical view just big bullpoop
the headsize in a tin of pellets varies
its just marketing and from technical view just big bullpoop
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I expect I'm in the minority, but after a lot of years of playing with air rifle, rimfire and centerfire benchrest shooting, here is my opinion, and it's worth your cost. I put measuring pellet head size in the same category as weighing pellets or rimfire cartridges, measuring rimfire cartridge rim thickness, or, in the case of CF, measuring bullet diameters or weights. These are all variables that affect performance, no doubt. But, keeping it in perspective, does it matter as much as simply choosing a good pellet for your rifle and practicing with it? In my opinion, it does not. My advice, practice as much as you can, sip a good Kentucky bourbon (not while shooting), and don't get too distracted by the tedium, until you reach the top tier of world class shooters .
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