Reply With QuoteMassive differences at 55 yards. You can go from .5" groups at 55 yards to 2"+ groups just by changing to a different Die#.
Moody Git.........Apparently?
Do different batches of the same brand of pellets make that much difference? Or is it a myth.
why is it there are more horses arses in the world than there are horses?
Banned
Massive differences at 55 yards. You can go from .5" groups at 55 yards to 2"+ groups just by changing to a different Die#.
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^^^^ This ^^^^
In my experience this applies to JSB's, Air Arms and H&N's.
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If you look at the skirt different batches can be quite different in profile, depth & skirt thickness all of which can effect the balance, velocity, flight stability & accuracy.
Equally some that appear quite different are as accurate as any other.
Dunkingdonuts
It makes so much difference that my last pellet purchase was 25 boxes of JSB's(50 tins per box) of 2 tested batches...and a few years before 30 boxes.
Last year a group of HFT shooters tested the 2018 batches of JSB's (12 in total) to see what we could get as a bulk buy. 8 different shooters (including Uk and world champs) kept their preferred batch secret until everyone had tried the 12 batches. All the shooters said that either batch 54xxxx18 or 46xxxx18 were the best so we bought loads of those.
Most wouldn't bother but some barrels can be pellet fussy and a certain batch can give good groups and predictable movement in the wind. The vast majority of my shooting is Hunter Field target, with some field target and the occasional hunting trip. Accuracy and predictability are paramount for target shooting as i've twice missed out on being HFT world champ by a pellet 'splitting' the edge of the kill, sometimes it's something as close as that....2.25mm of lead. Finding that certain batch can be the difference.
Chairman Emley Moor F.T.C. 2023 - Misfits champ, HFT extreme champ, NEFTA hunter champ, Midlands Hunter champ, UKAHFT champ.
https://sites.google.com/site/emleymoorftc/contact-us
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How do you store your pellets long term so they do not oxidise?
Moody Git.........Apparently?
That’s alright then I thought I’d suddenly become a sh@t shot.
why is it there are more horses arses in the world than there are horses?
Dunkingdonuts
I tend to keep random pellets and opened a tin of JSB's from 2010 (batch 12).....no oxidisation but the tin hadn't been opened at all? I think the oldest batch i have is 2008 on the tin so can check those at the weekend.Originally Posted by aris
Chairman Emley Moor F.T.C. 2023 - Misfits champ, HFT extreme champ, NEFTA hunter champ, Midlands Hunter champ, UKAHFT champ.
https://sites.google.com/site/emleymoorftc/contact-us
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It would be nice to know of pellets they old still group well too. While lead is a metal it is still fairly soft and I would think that the skirts could deform slightly over time due to gravity? I'm guessing here - but would be interesting to test on 10 year old pellets.
There's nothing cushy about life in the Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps!
Put the tins or pellets in a metal-top jam jar or similar.
It's not much use putting them in bags (which tend to breathe) or taping around the edges because the atmosphere breathes. Some days we have low pressure some days high. So over a year or so, more oxygen will be pushed into the tin when high pressure, low pressure days some (oxygen depleted) air comes out, to be replaced with fresh air/oxygen next time round. So oxygen will always be supplied to the lead over time.
If you "put 'em in a cannon jar and seal 'em up tight"*, once the oxygen is used that's it. So as small a jar as possible for least oxygen to start with.
But who keeps pellets that long? Only manufacturers and dealers. Example being 'Marksman' pellets.
[*from "Strawbery Jam" by Michelle Shocked]
Edit: Actually, you'd probably be OK putting the tins in sealed plastic bags unless you want to store them over archeological time...
Last edited by Antoni; 10-09-2020 at 04:45 PM.
P1V1overT1=P2V2overT2
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Yeah, i'm thinking for a SHTF situation - or you come across a good bulk deal or something and want to stock up. From what you said - it sounds like an ammo-can willwork too. Assuming the rubber seal is still OK. If it good enough for Ammo - should be good enough for pellets.
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I used to think that sorting through die numbers and selecting pellets this way was a myth; until I saw the results with my own eyes. I prefer .177 pellets for FT with the majority of the lead inside the head.
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Buying another barrel could be cheaper
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