Pellet Testing - Do you bother?

[Treeman]

I'm off pellet testing in a few weeks with a mate for my new HW100KS - I know it is accurate with AA Fields but want to see if there is 'better'.

I only hunt and never shoot tin chickens or pieces of paper (you can't eat them) and one mate says its a waste of time while the other says no its a very good idea.

I'm doing it anyways as I've never properly done it with a gun before but do the hunters out there do a full pellet test to find the most accurate well grouping pellet or just go with one that they know is okay?

I'm talking to the hunters here as I know you target boys, lube, wash, size and fuss over yours.

[look no hands]

I normaly ask the old owner of the rifle first (unless it's a new rifle, then I ask the gunsmith for recommendations) but I do have a few tins of the most used and recommended, I do normaly try different types but start with AA,s first as they seem to go through most barrels accuratly, if I get cloverleaf (or even better one hole groups) then I normaly stick with that pellet brand, I'm not worried about trying to tighten my groups up even more for hunting, as long as they don't string out then I'm happy.

Pete

[50BMG]

I usually just buy good quality brands and wash them only. I've never noticed any measurable improvement in groups by lubing them.
So long as you can put all your shots inside 3/4 - 1 inch at whatever ranges you hunt at with them that should be all you need to worry about.

[bullbarrel]

Definately do it and if someone I know has a pellet that is new and has potential then I'll give it a go.

I started with RWS superdome in boht .22 and .177 then moved onto H&N FTT for .22 and BM (either bis mags or barracuda match ) in .177

I hope you are testing the pellets on a decent range

[Gold]

I usually just buy good quality brands and wash them only. I've never noticed any measurable improvement in groups by lubing them.
So long as you can put all your shots inside 3/4 - 1 inch at whatever ranges you hunt at with them that should be all you need to worry about.

I would personally say having the most accurate pellets for the rifle is paramount, even more so with hunting than target, a poor group or flier with target = a lower score, with hunting it equals wounded quarry, pellet testing may seem boring but is of the utmost importance,the tightest grouping pellets being the ones to use, just my opinion mind
At
Cliff

[christy]

I tend to treat it as a slow process. Always bought good quality and have a change usually governed by availability if I have to. Frankly, it's hard to see much diff between the most popular top 5.
Guess it's different for the target boys. But, they should know best.
H and N work for me.
I have used them for donkeys and if it goes wrong-I do not blame the pellet.

[Photosbykev]

I started with H& FTT 0.177 because they were recommended by the shop that sold me the 100KT I never had a problem with them but recently switched to Daystate FT select 4.52s which seem to group just a fraction better. But it will depend what your 100KS likes.

[Charlts]

Always with a new gun, whether I've got it second hand or brand spanking new it gets the same treatment. I'll ask the owners recomendations but 9 times out of 10 my idea of deadly accurate and theirs differ. I do it for my old mans guns as well as we both know the guns are spot on then it's just us. Once I've found a batch the guns like I tend to buy loads of that batch to save me having to do it again with another one.

At the end of the day it's one variable reduced, which means one less thing to go wrong and more mental capacity to take the shot. Hunting or competition gun if I get a bigger group than a penny at 55/60 yards then I'll keep trying pellets until I get them, as I'm yet to see a rabbit/rat/corvid with a 1 inch circular head!

It's an easy way to get to know a new gun as well, spending a weekend on the range punching paper and shooting targets. But most guns will do ok groups with most pellets, it all depends on the standards you set of yourself!

Ryan

[dave rh1]

If you don't have time to test every pellet on the market... and the expense that would cost.
Then take the one tin of each of the top 3 rated pellets and just give them a go...

Or alternatively you can buy sample packs of all pellets.

http://www.pellpax.co.uk/acatalog/Pe...ple_Packs.html

[Treeman]

Definately do it and if someone I know has a pellet that is new and has potential then I'll give it a go.

I started with RWS superdome in boht .22 and .177 then moved onto H&N FTT for .22 and BM (either bis mags or barracuda match ) in .177

I hope you are testing the pellets on a decent range

I've got a full tin of H&N FTT .22 you can have - I'll bring them with me and no I'm testing the pellets at some shoddy 25 yard shed