Pellet Sizing and Weighing - Share Your Experience!

What's the first comment that comes up on a "what's the best pellet" thread?
Every barrel is different, and to me a pellet is the inconsistency you're adding to your own rifle with its own specific barrel dimensions.
So if sizing and weighing isn't a chore then the results can only get better.
 
Mark Palmer said:
I've weighed a few times, each time I've had good results,, then found a pellet that seemed to work from the tin and carried along with them, latest effort included weighing and sizing qys streamlined heavys 4.50
5 shot groups, diopter sights at 15yds rested out of the tin
View attachment 280375
Weighing produced 3 distinct weights, the majority being mid weighted, so used these going forwards, flyer on the left target was me, so six at this one
View attachment 280376
Then various die sizes
View attachment 280382View attachment 280379View attachment 280381
I've found that doing this has improved accuracy, mid 240s now rather than high 230s/low 240s and increases the number of Xs by at least double (4.52 die)
This is the sizer I use and it's pretty quick to use
View attachment 280384
Click to expand...
Does that sizer push the pellet through the die,sizing the skirt,or, just the head then eject?
 
Al Stevens said:
Does that sizer push the pellet through the die,sizing the skirt,or, just the head then eject?
Click to expand...
Pellet is pushed right through by a spring loaded probe, dies are changeable, 4.49 through to 4.54, I'm sure he would do other sizes if needed, 4.51 and 4.52 seem to be favourite for mine, I've seen improvement and intend doing further testing
 
Berber said:
Isn’t that called ‘Firing”?
Click to expand...
🙂 kind of but different. where most that size there pellets. press there pellet through a pellet sizer .
ie ..one of these .
Screenshot_20230804_113358_Samsung Internet.webp


me i use combination of these
20200509_130302_copy_1209x1612_3.webp

and these .
20230414_103128.webp

to map my barrel rifling. then machine the pellet sizer in to my barrel lead . this way the pellet is matched perfectly to my barrel dimensions. and not to just the set size of a pellet sizer .
View attachment 280698
I know its a bit OCD. but i look for those little things that add up .
 
1260engineer said:
🙂 kind of but different. where most that size there pellets. press there pellet through a pellet sizer .
ie ..one of these .
View attachment 280685

me i use combination of these
View attachment 280691
and these .
View attachment 280696
to map my barrel rifling. then machine the pellet sizer in to my barrel lead . this way the pellet is matched perfectly to my barrel dimensions. and not to just the set size of a pellet sizer .
View attachment 280698
I know its a bit OCD. but i look for those little things that add up .
Click to expand...
Tapered reamers?
 
Mark Palmer said:
Tapered reamers?
Click to expand...
Yes mate 🙂 you have the right pellet sizer . what you need though is a measurement of the inside of your barrel to get the perfect fit to big will add drag to small and it wont seal properly and cut in to the rifling right .
images.jpeg.jpg

20220202_081747.jpg

When you add the numbers up . they come to 5.2mm the odd 5 is the drag which gives the length of the grooves and also gives the excess for the seal in the corners of the grooves .
 
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Thanks for the information. I have just bought a Haighton Cadet to have a play, (after 55 years), and seeing this thread, thought that it would be a good project top start with. The tailstock is a centring tool only, so I am researching the parts to make it take a chuck. I have access to someone else’s proper workshop lathe, but don’t want to have a bash on that without a bit of exploration and practise first. But the Cadet will be fine for delrin and stuff like this. It came with all the cutting tools, and a Pratt/Mayford chuck that I am moving on to subsidise the cost. Happy days.
 
Never seen the point of sizing a lead pellet in that :
A) You can only size down.
B) Isn't that exactly what happens in a steel barrel?
C) I suspect weight, un-uniformity in casting/swaging and damage might be the major factors in pellet inaccuracy.

So I just inspect for damage and swarf.
But more often than not the real difference is me 🤣.
 
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I have a BSA Cobra Magnum which was the first post war .25 (6.35mm) production air rifle.
BSA used Winchester mandrels to make the barrels which were only .243 (6.17mm) and so pellets back in the day were a bit tight in these rifles.
I use Marksman pellets (18.82 grains) which are quite soft lead compared to most and a .243 pellet sizer and they work a treat. Currently doing 11.4 ft lbs.....which ain't bad for an old Mercury.
 
Mike555 said:
I have a BSA Cobra Magnum which was the first post war .25 (6.35mm) production air rifle.
BSA used Winchester mandrels to make the barrels which were only .243 (6.17mm) and so pellets back in the day were a bit tight in these rifles.
I use Marksman pellets (18.82 grains) which are quite soft lead compared to most and a .243 pellet sizer and they work a treat. Currently doing 11.4 ft lbs.....which ain't bad for an old Mercury.
Click to expand...
I use the same in my Cometa.
 
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