Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 17

Thread: Can you reuse BBs?

  1. 21-10-2010, 09:03 PM #1
    Zippo
    Zippo is offline Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    72

    Can you reuse BBs?

    Hay guys, got my first air pistol today!

    And I know this is a really newbie questions but can you re-fire BBs that have already been fired or will it damage the gun?
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  2. 21-10-2010, 10:20 PM #2
    Hsing-ee's Avatar
    Hsing-ee
    Hsing-ee is offline may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Glasgow
    Posts
    18,314
    Generally not a good idea as barrel can be damaged by out-of-true BBs. However on a low-power gun where they have been shot into a soft backing like old shirts or similar, then maybe they will be OK.

    BBs are nasty richochetting things and I suggest using lead pellets or lead shot instead, neither of which can be reused.

    You can recycle your steel BBs though, collecting them with a magnet and putting them in the scrap steel bin.

    BBs are very cheap! why should you reuse?

    What pistol have you? If it is an airsoft which fires plastic 6mm ball shot then I think it is still good practice to use new ones.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  3. 22-10-2010, 12:33 AM #3
    Zippo
    Zippo is offline Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    72
    I have an Umarex Beretta px4 storm which set me back £180 so yeh I won't reuse them anymore - as you say BBs are so cheap. I also have some domed pellets but they are more pricey so for special occasions only I guess
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  4. 22-10-2010, 02:17 AM #4
    Jim McArthur
    Jim McArthur is offline Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    Posts
    5,887
    You can, and I sometimes do, but I usually find myself thinking I'm a cheap fool, with the accent on FOOL: as Hsing-ee says, a slight deformation of the BB can damage your gun.

    Certainly not worth it, just to save a fraction of a penny.

    Welcome to the world of air pistols! If you want some fast action BB shooting, get a Walther PPK.

    Jim
    UBC's Police Pistol Manager
    "Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  5. 22-10-2010, 09:38 AM #5
    magicniner
    magicniner is offline The Posh Knocking Shop Artist Formerly Known as Nocturnal Nick
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Rotherham
    Posts
    5,314
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippo View Post
    I have an Umarex Beretta px4 storm which set me back £180 so yeh I won't reuse them anymore - as you say BBs are so cheap. I also have some domed pellets but they are more pricey so for special occasions only I guess
    You can use steel bbs as the PX-4 magazines have magnets in them for this but it will eventually damage the rifled barrel,
    Regards,
    Nick
    Airgun Repairs, Bespoke Airgun Smithing and Precision Engineering Services
    http://www.magic9designltd.com
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  6. 22-10-2010, 09:51 AM #6
    Bigbill's Avatar
    Bigbill
    Bigbill is offline Collects wooden spoons
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Dundee .ex wearsider
    Posts
    615
    Hi Zippo get yourself some rws hobbys or geco's if you can find them, from our sponsor here nice and cheap and go well in my PX4.

    Bill
    AA S200T 10m , HW100T, Cometa 220, Diana 27, Original Mod 6, Gamo compact+center, Rohm twinmaster Top, S&W 586/4+6+8, Berretta 92 airsoft, Blinged crossman 2240, CP88 4", CO2 Uzi 6mm, Air arms Alfa proj .177, Drulov DU10 .177, HW 99s, Hammarelli AP20pro
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  7. 22-10-2010, 12:21 PM #7
    Zippo
    Zippo is offline Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    72
    Quote Originally Posted by magicniner View Post
    You can use steel bbs as the PX-4 magazines have magnets in them for this but it will eventually damage the rifled barrel,
    Regards,
    Nick
    I'm not sure mine has a rifled barrel - I thought that was illegal in the UK and I bought it locally rather than importing. I can try and take some pics down the barrel and you guys could confirm it?

    P.S. yeh its steel BBs that the dealer supplied to me
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  8. 22-10-2010, 03:24 PM #8
    Paul55
    Paul55 is offline I get by with a little help from my friends
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Peterborough
    Posts
    2,797
    Quote Originally Posted by magicniner View Post
    You can use steel bbs as the PX-4 magazines have magnets in them for this but it will eventually damage the rifled barrel,
    Regards,
    Nick
    Quote Originally Posted by Bigbill View Post
    Hi Zippo get yourself some rws hobbys or geco's if you can find them, from our sponsor here nice and cheap and go well in my PX4.

    Bill
    Got to agree with Nick & Bill, get yourself some Gecos. My PX4 loved them

    Much more accurate as well
    UBC Resident Cowboy
    St Paul of 55
    Been there, bought it, tried it, sold it
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  9. 23-10-2010, 12:55 AM #9
    Zippo
    Zippo is offline Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    72
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul55 View Post
    Got to agree with Nick & Bill, get yourself some Gecos. My PX4 loved them

    Much more accurate as well
    I don't want wad cutters though, i prefer domes - which of those should I get?
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  10. 23-10-2010, 04:29 PM #10
    magicniner
    magicniner is offline The Posh Knocking Shop Artist Formerly Known as Nocturnal Nick
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Rotherham
    Posts
    5,314
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippo View Post
    I don't want wad cutters though, i prefer domes - which of those should I get?
    My pair of PX-4s love Accupell, I use them for plinking & Gekos for targets,
    ATB,
    Nick
    Airgun Repairs, Bespoke Airgun Smithing and Precision Engineering Services
    http://www.magic9designltd.com
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  11. 24-10-2010, 12:07 AM #11
    Zippo
    Zippo is offline Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    72
    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    I dont think that it is illegal.

    The Baikal Makarov has a rifled barrel which is why lead shot is recommended as opposed to steel BB's
    I will post a picture of my barrel if I can get one, until then why is it not good for rifled barrels to shoot steel BBs?
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  12. 24-10-2010, 12:25 AM #12
    Jim McArthur
    Jim McArthur is offline Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    Posts
    5,887
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippo View Post
    I will post a picture of my barrel if I can get one, until then why is it not good for rifled barrels to shoot steel BBs?
    Because they are hard, and don't fit to the rifling, they can wear it out.

    Jim
    UBC's Police Pistol Manager
    "Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  13. 24-10-2010, 12:32 AM #13
    Zippo
    Zippo is offline Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    72
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim McArthur View Post
    Because they are hard, and don't fit to the rifling, they can wear it out.

    Jim
    Seems so odd to market the guns with ammunition that can damage them!

    Anyway its seemingly impossible to take a good pic of the barrel but I'm pretty sure its rifled - it defiantly has groves and it looks like they rotate 180 degrees (half of the barrel circumstance) from the breach to the muzzle. If you are looking down the guns sights normally they are rotating clockwise

    So.... I should shop using BBs then?
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  14. 24-10-2010, 09:55 AM #14
    Hsing-ee's Avatar
    Hsing-ee
    Hsing-ee is offline may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Glasgow
    Posts
    18,314
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippo View Post
    Seems so odd to market the guns with ammunition that can damage them!

    Anyway its seemingly impossible to take a good pic of the barrel but I'm pretty sure its rifled - it defiantly has groves and it looks like they rotate 180 degrees (half of the barrel circumstance) from the breach to the muzzle. If you are looking down the guns sights normally they are rotating clockwise

    So.... I should shop using BBs then?
    Yes. Lead pellets are more accurate, can't damage the rifling and are less likely to richochette and injure you. They aren't that expensive and have a look at Hobby wadcutters, cheap, accurate and lightweight for good high muzzle velocity.
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
  15. 24-10-2010, 11:56 AM #15
    Zippo
    Zippo is offline Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Edinburgh
    Posts
    72
    Quote Originally Posted by Hsing-ee View Post
    Yes. Lead pellets are more accurate, can't damage the rifling and are less likely to richochette and injure you. They aren't that expensive and have a look at Hobby wadcutters, cheap, accurate and lightweight for good high muzzle velocity.
    Should I be looking at lightweight pellets for my gun? and what is roughly lightweight (in grains)?
    Reply With Quote Reply With Quote
« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Forum Rules