over size .25 pellets. (6.35mm?)

[Geoff555]

Hello I have a slight problem and wondered if anyone would kindly provide an answer please. A 1890 heavy Gem .25. Got some pellets and loaded and fired one, where the h*ll did that go? Answer straight down the barrel and on the floor.
Barrel at muzzle end 6.48mm. At breach end 6.58 ish. slightly oval.
Are there any oversize pellets? Or a pellet spreader?
I do have darts but don't wish to use/lose them.
Thank you.
Geoff.

[ashf9999]

Have you searched this site for previous posts, ie in 2016? Seems you're not the only one. The sort of resolution has been to flare the skirts with a home-made device (I guess based around a ball bearing), but it appears to be debatable how much it helps. I assume tracking down a Lanes patent bullet expander is pretty well impossible. It seemed to be a stud nailed into the gun stock, for such a purpose. Similar issues raised on other forums.

[Mr. Gen]

you can have a pellet sizer made up with an over length prod and a squared off end so the pellet sits in it while you give it a few 'widening' taps, this will resolve your problem but accuracy may be left a tad wanting - but with .25 that probably isn't an issue...

[ptdunk]

I had a similar issue with a .25 side lever Gallery gun.

What i did was stand the pellet up on a smooth flat surface, like a plate of glass.
Then push down and rub the flat bottom of the skirt on the glass while keeping it flat. I think 5 rotations like this flared the skirt out to the correct diameter for my gun, you'd just have to see how many it would take for you.

then I just did this to a small batch and kept them with the gun.

Hope this helps,
Matt

[Geoff555]

Hello thank you all for your help, that has given me something to think about.
Mr Gen would you kindly expand on your statement that a pellet expander may be available, may I ask from whom?
All the best.
Geoff.

[micky2]

Try looking on *bay, they do sometimes have old over sized pellets 6.1/3 mm that should fit you rifle.

[greenwayjames]

BSA used to sell a 6.3 and 6.5 version of their Pylarm made for them by El Gamo. They weropope also sold under the Gamo label. You might be lucky in finding some old stock in a dealer's shop. Good pellet BTWand weighing around 19 or 20 grains. My old giant model Gem has a tighter smooth bore and shoots 25g JSB King with surprising accuracy up to 15 yards and then you start to get fliers. Great fun and when it hits it does with a wallop out to 4 yards or so. Take no notice of the "steel toecap warning" brigade they have probably never used a sub 12 .25" on a regular basis

[angrybear]

Your title confuses me,
are you asking for 6.35mm ? or are you saying the 6.35mm was what fell through ?

So what brand fell through the barrel ?
if it was an old version it might have been one designed for the BSA .243" barrels.

All European made .25 pellets should be 6.35mm nominal, I've just measured some;
H&N FTT 20gn - head 6.34mm, skirt 6.48mm
JSB Kings 25gn - head 6.35mm, skirt 6.52mm,
the FX badged version I have, the skirt is a fraction wider at 6.54mm.
JSB lead free 16gn - head 6.35mm, skirt 6.56mm.

[Black Beard]

Marksman are the largest easily available ones. Also are probably the cheapest.

[Geoff555]

Hello Angrybear sorry if I confused you, I get myself confused most of the time now. .25 pellets are a very loose fit and simply fall straight through. Cant remember the pellet make but they are .new' and fit a new .25 barrel nicely.
Cheers.
Geoff.

[Black Beard]

Where in Bristol do you live? If North Bristol I could pop around with a selection of .25 pellets to try.

[angrybear]

Marksman are the largest easily available ones. Also are probably the cheapest.

I don't know how you can say that,
Marksman were 6.2mm when I measured them about 18 months ago & were a good fit in my BSA Supersport .243" barrel, when FTT's & JSB made pellets were almost impossible to load.

[Black Beard]

I don't know how you can say that,
Marksman were 6.2mm when I measured them about 18 months ago & were a good fit in my BSA Supersport .243" barrel, when FTT's & JSB made pellets were almost impossible to load.

I measured them then fired them in a oversize barrel. Marksman are .250 head and 260 skirt, FTT are .250/.259, JSB are .250/259, JSB Green are .251/261, pest control are .248/256, super-H-points are .246/.253.

BB

[Geoff555]

Hello all, well a tin of Marksman dropped through the letterbox just now so I tried a couple, they fitted into the barrel fine!! Super domes just didn't touch the sides and fell straight through, I did check to see if I wasnt making a mistake and they were not.22's, no marked 6.35mm. Strange.
Thank you.
Geoff.

[Black Beard]

Excellent. They are pretty soft so work well in low powered airguns.