Budget Pellets - Wasps Marksman SMK's

[venoman]

The new Wasp pellets are only in 5.5 and 177cal are now made by H&N in Germany , they are well made i took some to the club for members to try . Most had good results and there about half the price of JSB pellets.

[BC312]

I just tried the new H&N wasp types in my BSA model D and BSA Cadet Major, both worked very well. I then tried them in my scoped Feinworkbau 603 mote accurate than the H&N match hobbies.

[TonyL]

Decided to get a tin of Wasp pellets for the vintage BSA's i have, not what i expected more like JPS style pellets certainly not the old style wasp with straight lines around the middle body, just plain, made in Germany but in original Wasp red tin format and sealed with a tape around the screw lid just like H&N pellets. Not yet tried them but has any one used them.

The new Wasp pellets are only in 5.5 and 177cal are now made by H&N in Germany , they are well made i took some to the club for members to try . Most had good results and there about half the price of JSB pellets.

I just tried the new H&N wasp types in my BSA model D and BSA Cadet Major, both worked very well. I then tried them in my scoped Feinworkbau 603 mote accurate than the H&N match hobbies.

Ah, when did this change then, please? In recent times the modern Wasps didn't seem so well liked. It'd be nice to know when this changed and if they're indeed made by H&N now? Must try some.

[evert]

A google picture search of the new Wasps shows a pellet that looks similar to the H&N Hammer, but without ribs on the skirt.

[BC312]

Looking closely at the Tin the tin seal label mentiones Greman engineering not just a car. Although an original red wasp tin logo which was painted on this is a label that could be replaced with any other stick for world markets. The lid label has 500 bisley-uk.com. Although not original wasps they work very well, makes me wonder why not brand something they are clearly not. Its a bit like reproducing a Morris Minor that looks like a BMW but with a Morris badge, the worlds gone mad.

[evert]

Webley outsourced a lot of their pellet production too, with later quality pellets made by companies like Crosman and JSB.
Other companies like AA and Daystate do it too with JSBs.

No shame in putting a good name on a rebranded quality product, the problem arises when old respectable names are put on low quality products.

[Gamocfx]

I bought a pack of .177 Marksman pellets... cant remember how many little cardboard boxes there were but I use them for plinking and they are fine and in the 1000s of shots I have yet to find a misshaped pellet. Great for me...

[clipper]

I got a tin of the SMK Impact flat heads in .22 and found them to be wet with what looked like a very light oil - very clean moulding, not much dirt/swarf, but took several tumblings in kitchen towel to get rid of the oil!

Consistent fit in the breach, and as accurate as anything else in a pistol for rattling tin cans at garden distances

[BC312]

Just got some Marksman .177 pellets 500 in a tin, look much better than i can remember. Wondered if Marksman make their own in the UK or these are farmed out like the others to bigger overseas companies like H&N.

[ashf9999]

Just got some Marksman .177 pellets 500 in a tin, look much better than i can remember. Wondered if Marksman make their own in the UK or these are farmed out like the others to bigger overseas companies like H&N.

Made in Brum by Lincoln Jeffries

[Anothermiss]

Takes me back to. When wasps went wrong. I had my trusty (and missed, now) hw85k. Was going rabbiting and went to guns International at Barnsley. I don't know why because I don't think I'd ever done it in the shop before - I opened to the tin. I was stunned to see 500 dollops of misshapen lead. I showed Carl. He apologised and opened the next tin only to see the same. He repeated the process with the air in the shop being filled with his rant getting more and more foul mouthed. Eventually he said to one of the ladies in there "these are shit. Get them on the phone!"
I was sent on my way with some H and N FTT and that became my pellet for that rifle. I miss that shop, the staff and the dog that kept customers company.

[Geezer]

No shame in putting a good name on a rebranded quality product, the problem arises when old respectable names are put on low quality products.

☝️This.

[Anothermiss]

I'd love to give the new wasps a bash but how do I know I'm not getting the old shit stuff. Is there something to look for on the tins?

[andrewM]

Chaps, I think I can cast some light on the situation.

John Rothery appears to be the Agent. You can find the pellets on their website.

However, here is an article which tests the new pellets from Airgun magazine from March 2022:

https://www.airgunmagazine.co.uk/tes...h-mike-morton/

The price, then, was £7.95/tin of 400 - not as cheap as the predecessors but not bad and, it seems, they performed well out of the tester's HW100.

Clearly, the Wasp brand was ruined by the purchasers when Eley Wasp ceased and Heaven knows what became of the old pellet producing machinery - does anyone know about this? It takes years to build a brand but it can be ruined in 5 minutes. One only had to look inside a tin. Presumably, those who bought the brand from Eley Wasp thoroughly destroyed the reputation and had to sell it. I would be keen to test the new pellets, following the latest change of owner.

What baffles me is that no one appears to be producing the old 5.6/22 pellet (bar Marksman). There must be tens of thousands of 22s in the UK - probably hundreds of thousands - with old 22 barrels. Someone is missing a gap in the market.

Rgds
A

[BC312]

I am going to get a tin of 5.6 Marksman give then a go, got a webley mk3 thats a bit crap with 5.5 pellets.