Anyone out there knowledgeable on air guns, specially .177 cal pellets. I have a decent mid-grade pellet rifle, nitro piston and it is pretty accurate. The issue I have is finding a good quality pellet. The latest I purchased were the Crossman Premium pellets. They seem to shoot ok, but while sighting in a friends gun, I noticed quite a few pellets that would go off mark. I thought some of it might be me, some the gun, but we got the same results with two different guns with 3 different shooters. We were using a bench rest and were putting 3-4 pellets straight dead center (1/2" group) at 50 feet and would get one that would be 3-7" either high or low to the left or right. I am thinking some of the pellets in the batch are not balanced causing them to go astray. Anyone have a recommendation of some good match grade or hunting grade pellets they use that get more consistent results? I have watched several youtube videos comparing different pellets, but for these tests, they are using $1200 pellet rifles, definitely much better than mine, so looking for someone with actual experience with a mid- grade pellet rifle.
I’ve heard that different guns like different ammo.I would a bunch of different types to see which fits the gun best. Might help to check reviews of the gun you’re shooting and see if anyone suggest a prefered round. Amazon has tons of searchable reviews that could make this easy.
I have taken a good many squirrels with them, but not at “long” distances. They group very well on my little range at 40 feet, about 7/16" or so consistently. I have NOT seen any fliers with any of the two lots I have used.
But my suggestion is to get a combo pack and decide what your rifle likes best.
Pellet guns have rifled barrels. BB guns do not, and BB/pellet guns do not.
Pellets are round with a “skirt” that comes down off of the head of it. That skirt is what contacts the rifling, conforms to it, and allows it to stabilize from the rifling.
Thanks for the input… I was looking at the Gamo pellets. A few things I noticed about the crossman pellets is the all have a visible seem, they are real dirty and some slide right into the gun, some don’t. I have hit squirrels 60-80 ft away using my privacy fence as support, so I’m more convinced it’s the pellets than the gun. I will try some variety and see what results I get.
Have a nitro piston, also. I have a glass top table on the back porch and will gently roll each Crossman pellet before loading to smooth rough edges a little. That seems to make them a good bit more consistent. And, I second the move to Gamo. More expensive, but, cleaner and more consistent.
17’ Henry O Hornet w/ Johnson 88 spl
26’ Palmer Scott project hull
14’ Bentz-Craft w/ Yamaha 25
You talking about the graphite they use to coat the pellets? The more the better.
First, Most, Biggest
Not sure what makes them dirty, its possibly graphite, but whatever it is, it turns my fingers grey. I know reading up on the more expensive pellets, they claim they are clean and polished so they don’t get your fingers dirty.
You talking about the graphite they use to coat the pellets? The more the better.
First, Most, Biggest
very soft lead with no kind of coating. the lead will foul the barrel after a good few rounds and shot pattern goes to heck. The purer the lead the softer it is. then add the very high velocity these Pellet rifles are producing. Those non-coated pure lead pellets are also a disaster if dinged just a little as it puts off the balance and you’ll only have luck shots at a distance.
Not sure what brand but, I use the pointy hunting pellets for my squirrel jihad. May have to switch to a hollow-point style as most of mine go clean through. I am in a neighborhood so I have to be careful even though I know after it passes through a squirrel there isn’t much energy left.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
All the pellet gun sources ive found in the past say lead deposits are minimal and cleaning is generally never needed. Also the graphite coating is to prevent oxidation so its probably best that they are dirty. You can clean your gun and 5 shots later it will appear dirty but just have harmless graphite coating (likely protecting) the barrel.
All the pellet gun sources ive found in the past say lead deposits are minimal and cleaning is generally never needed. Also the graphite coating is to prevent oxidation so its probably best that they are dirty. You can clean your gun and 5 shots later it will appear dirty but just have harmless graphite coating (likely protecting) the barrel.