The Ultimate Pellet Test!

[TimS 49]

Hi All,

 

I have been struggling with consistency of late and getting a bit miffed at the odd, but too frequent flyer. Like many of us I get more frustrated the better I get and anything less that a tight one-hole group at 30yds has me miffed. I shoot little 10mm circles on the range and want to put all my shots inside.

 

I normally shoot JSB Exacts in 4.52, but have recently tested out a couple of tins of 4.53's. I found that it took a good 50-60 shots before they started to settle down and tighten up and the results were better than the 4.52's at 40yds+ although still with irritating flyers that were way off for no apparent reason.

I can't figure out why, other than pellet weight or head inconsistency.

So, in the interests of science and my sanity, I have decided to undertake a pellet test in my Daystate MK4 .177.

 

Here is the plan of the test and I am keen to hear your thoughts / ideas / feedback before I begin so I can tweak the setup. I have posted this on a couple of forums to get a variety of views before I begin as I am sure everyone will be interested in the results!

If anyone has any other pellets they would like tested as part of this, please PM me. I have already purchased a tin of each of below so I'm already well in for a few quid!

 

1> The Pellets - These are the pellets I have selected to test

JSB Exact - 8.44gn - 4.53

JSB Exact - 8.44gn - 4.52

Air Arms Field - 8.44gn - 4.52

H&N Field Target Trophy - 8.5gn - 4.52

H&N Barracuda Hunter Extreme - 9.26gn - 4.52

JSB Exact Heavy - 10.34gn - 4.52

JSB Exact Monster - 13.43gn - 4.52

Daystate LI - 7.9gn - 4.52

 

2> Preparation - How I intend on preparing the pellets.

Weigh pellets in to three groups:

 

Under - to be used for leading / plinking

Accurate - To be used for test

Over - to be used for leading / plinking

 

Wash and lube all pellets with Napier Power Oil

 

3> Shooting - The Test

1> Clean barrel with 2x felt pellet

2> Shoot 50 pellets to re-lead

3> Fill rifle to 210bar

4> Shoot 20 pellets

5> Shoot 10 pellets - chrono test

6> Shoot 5 pellet group - 30yds

7> Shoot 5 pellet group - 30yds

8> Shoot 5 pellet group - 45yds

9> Shoot 5 pellet group - 45yds

Finish at 160 bar

 

This test should give me a good idea of weight variation in various pellets and also which pellets my rifle prefers. I should also be able to get BC data for all of the above which will allow me to generate trajectory profiles in Chairgun to see what works best for my needs.

Its gonna take a while to get prepared and a couple of good, wind free days to do the tests, so results won't be available for a month or so, but at least I will find out what is working and what not!

Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks!

Tim

[kruby01 114]

good luck with the test mate looks like you have your work cut out

[Mawders 595]

Keep us posted, sounds like a good way of testing!

[villaman 9,983]

Its a shame you are not nearer to me ,i have a 80m indoor old chicken block built shed to shoot in with lights and about 12 different make of pellets.

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

i heard them felt cleaning pellets are a pile of C R A P you might be better off with a good pullthrough and some patches. napier do a good one.

 

apart from that sounds good mate.

[TimS 49]

@ Mega Hunter

That would be brilliant, but blimey it's a long way away! I'm actually down your way from time to time with family but not anytime soon.

 

If anyone has an indoor range a bit closer please let me know!

[barrywhite 282]

i heard them felt cleaning pellets are a pile of C R A P you might be better off with a good pullthrough and some patches. napier do a good one.

 

apart from that sounds good mate.

once I was shooting different pellets just messing about nothing serious .I was shooting some dynamic lead free in with lead pellets .I felt that after shooting the lead free pellets and going back to lead pellets my groups with lead got tighter.I only feel this to be true I was shooting an old break barrel at the time and not that bothered.I was thinking the lead free pellets cleaned the barrel a bit ,by scrapping out the excess lead .leaving a little lead ,just the right amount ,in the barrel .The stupid cost of dynamic stop me from experimenting further .......has any one else suspected this to be true?

[sureshot.177 49]

I had the same problem on a Rws rapier and found it was a seal where the pellet enters the barrel replaced that and it was back to one hole groups might be worth looking at first