When I was testing various batches of AA 0.177 to try and find a replacement for my original good batch, you could have randomly given me 10 pellets from different tins and not told me which tin they were from and, just by shooting groups at 35 yards and not looking at the pellets, I could have told you which tins/batches they were from.
Many others will be able to do the same.
The difference can be quite dramatic.
You're probably right and it depends on how accurate you want to be. For Bench Rest where you're trying to hit a 2mm centre every time, it might be important. Resting on a bench with a PCP tends to put more demands on your kit than it does on the shooter, but I guess that's part of the fun of it?
For FT/HFT I don't think you need to do any more than finding a batch that groups well and just shoot those straight from the tin. If you're hunting and keep your ranges to a sensible limit it probably matters even less - and besides no one's recording your score when you're hunting - it's all down to your own conscience at the end of the day.
I usually find it's better to have the information and then take the decision whether you're going to use it or not than not to have the information in the first place.
The link I posted above of the review of the PelletGage - saw the group size improve from 20mm to just 6mm for a 10 shot group at 25 yards with pellets from the same tin. That could easily be the difference between a kill and a wound on a rabbit or a hit or split on a knockdown target. But I guess if you don't have the ability to group to 6mm at 25 yards in the first place, you probably wouldn't notice.
Most of the Remington pellets are made by H&N.
.22 Venom Mach 1 (FAC) 6-25x56 Millett.
.22 Venom Mach 2 Thumbhole 6.5-20x40 Leupold EFR.
.22 Venom Mach 2 Sporter 4-12x40 Leupold.
.177 Venom Vantage 4-16x50.
.177 Venom Daystate 8-32x56 AGS.
.22 Venom Datstate 4-16x56 AGS.
.22 Webley Venom FX2000 6-18x40 Busnel Legend.
.177 Titan MPT by Steve Pope 6-24x40 Tasco.
.177 Pro-Sport 4-16x50.
.22 Webley FX2000 3-9x33 Leupold EFR.
.177 Logan Solo 4-16x50.
.22 HW90 (spring powered) 4-16x50
.22 Gamo Stutzen.
.177 Walther lever action.
I've tested Jsb against AA 4.52 in my Prosport. The Jsb gave slightly lower power than the AA but variation from one shot to another was similar,
did it with a couple of batches from different tins but couldn't say if it'll be the same for every PS.
The guy at AA who I asked told me that they had their own set of dies for their pellets
I've stuck with AA pellets for it ever since.
Rust never sleeps !
I've got possibly the worlds most pellet fussy Rapid .25 cal the only pellets not to give "groups" the size of a bucket are JSB/AA,
I've had them with various insert shapes at the back & the difference is so negligible as to not be worth worrying about.
Tried some Tyrant 177s and never again. So much oil I used tweezers to load and every 5/6th pellet was mis-shaped. Apart from that : lovely
Apparently Whierauch FFT are rebadged H&N FTT.
In the subject of batches, I'm currently having a right chew finding a pellet my 97kt likes (I blame the stupid nickel plating process getting in the barrel) I've managed to find ONE batch number of AAfield it groups with and absolutely nothing else works, even other batches of the same brand/type of pellet. As has been said earlier by posters a lot wiser than me, if you find that magically suited pellet for your gun than buy that particular batch while you can.
H&N Baracuda are Bisley Mags but the Baracuda 'Match' is a slightly different weight I think having come from specific die rather than multiple dies. The H&N match seem to be marketed as a premium brand Bisley Mag, have to admit that the tins of H&N match that I've purchased are a better finished pellet than the Bisleys. Not that much in it but having made a direct comparison I'd go for the H&N Match every time.H and N Baracuda Match are re branded as Bisley mags ]
I have found that some pellets supposedly rebadged perform very differently.
H&N FTT are the best pellets for my rifle and are said to be the same pellet as Accupell FT. But comparing the two side by side, there is a big difference in performance.
Does anybody know what pellets are made by Gammo ? found them being sold cheap and looking into it apparently gammo make the most pellets in the world (according to the ever reliable wikki).
Since you don't see or here much about gammo branded pellets my guess is they make them for other brands but which? or is that the usual spin and they don't make any pellets themselves.
Strange but my very old 1980 hw80 .22 seemed to like accupel over falcons and gave much higher fpds though the falcons are a very soft lead and the accupels are hard and don't squish into the barrel.
It's the first gun I have had that prefers accupels over jsb/falcons.
I only started buying falcons as jsb rs are hard to come by especially in .22 and according to a few sources falcons are jsb rs, sometimes cheaper too .My tin of .22 falcons was much better than the .22 jsb rs I got from a bay seller I think they must of been factory sweepings one in every 4 dented and a few other size pellets in there put me off getting jsb from the bay.
Last edited by dayglowfroggy; 16-04-2016 at 06:58 AM.