There is simply no better material than a quality lead pellet. Alloys..tin...copper.....they just dont come close. Tins are fine...its the transportation and poor handling thats the issue
Crossman used to see in cartons with lots of foam and I wouldnt have said the defects were any more than a std tin of JSBs if shipped right.
ANY projectile HAS to like the barrel and that can be purity of the lead. Design and shape of the projectile.. length head size skirt shape weight ballistic coefficient head size to name but a few. Damaged skirts get 11.5 FPE shoved up so unless its mauled I dont think its a huge game changer. I try to avoid an oval skirt more the due to the fact the head may also be damaged rather than anything 180 BAR cant blow out a skirt to the lands.
Lead is king. Long live the king in this arze ole world we live in where everything is cotton wool and dictats that tell me what is good for me or what isnt. Well #$@€ that.