pellet testing results

[IPshooter]

Some time ago, I mentioned the possibility of using lower cost pellets in a Steyr LP5. Some of you ridiculed the suggestion. I still think it is a valid thing to do with a high volume user like the LP5.

Anyway, I finally got around to doing some testing yesterday. I used three pellets: my Vogel yellow (light weight) in 4.49 that I normally use in my 162EI, some Daisy Precision Max wadcutters, and some Crosman Competition wadcutters.

A couple of notes on the pellets. The Vogels are made in Germany, the Daisy pellets are made in China, and the Crosman pellets are made in the USA. However, the Daisy and Crosman pellets appear to be made using the same or very similar equipment. They both have an odd, flat base recessed a short distance inside the skirt. Comparatively speaking, the Vogels are hollow almost up to the inside of the head.

The point of my test was to see how these pellets would do in my nearly new (less than 500 pellets through it) Steyr LP5. However, I started things off by testing them in my Morini 162EI. Here are the 10-shot groups, fired right to left.

You can see why I'm very happy with that Vogel pellet and why I have no intention of going away from it. But, I was a little surprised at how well the Crosman performed.

Then, I fired the test groups through the LP5, again right to left. Shockingly enough, the Crosman pellet performed best in my LP5.

A couple of notes. The Morini groups have the normal 10m AP 10 ring and center ten ring graphically shown over the groups. The LP5 groups have the 25m RF target 10 ring and 9 ring, appropriately reduced for 10 meters, shown over those groups.

In terms of cost, the Vogel pellets (via our host) currently sell for $8.50 per 500 or .017 cents each. I got the Daisy pellets locally from Bass Pro Shops for about $4.00 or .008 cents each. I got the Crosman pellets locally from Sports Authority for $1.99 for 250 or .008 cents each.

What did I learn from this small amount of time, energy and money?

1. I love the Vogel pellet in my Morini AP and will make no change there.

2. I'm very happy to find a low cost alternative for the LP5, the Crosman.

3. There would be nothing wrong with using the Crosman in the Morini, for practice, as it still easily holds the 10 ring. The Vogel is better though as it groups just about the center 10 ring.

Stan

[TargetTerror]

Interesting test. I would be curious to see the same thing done with a bunch of high quality pellets, like RWS R10, Meisterkugeln, and Vogels. I would be curious to see what the differences, if any, are at 10M.

[Spencer]

And the 60 shot groups revealed?

Spencer

[Steve Swartz]

TargetTerror:

I think what the tests you suggest would reveal is what has been discussed frequently in this forum:

There is NO DIFFERENCE between and among the variety of high-quality pellets.

There is more of a difference between and among lots of the same brand and sizes of the same brand than there are between different brands.

When you perform statistically valid tests, what you find is the amount of variation (error) introduced between pellet brands is a trivial factor when compared tot he amount of variation (error) introduced by different pellet sizes; or even between different lots of the same size and brand.

So find a size, lot number/brand that works "best" in your gun . . . or simply find a "good size" that works "pretty well" and then buy a sleeve or two in that size and

TRAIN

(when you need more pellets just go out and buy the same size of whatever is on sale and then TRAIN SOME MORE)

Steve Swartz

[Nano]

IPshooter:

Thank you for your post!!

Cheap pellets are important in many cases, like youth programs, many boys (12 to 15 years) come to the club to shot with our "public" air arms and we have a lot of pellets going not only to the white side of the target, many times to the wall.
We buy RWS basic, very good cheap pellets, also some experienced shooters use to train, because the pellets are available at any moment in the club, the pellets are "Made in Germany", and I like to see (if possible of course) your test with these brand in Basic and Hobby model.
With the apologies to the forum for use comercial data, you can see the pellets in DNRsports.com
Thank You again,

Nano

[Tom Amlie]

I usually use "cheap" (i.e., Daisy, Crosman) pellets. One thing I've noted is that the Crosman's have been much less consistent in their size. Usually they take a little nudge to get into the breech, while others fall in with no resistance. Occasionally there's a strange little mutant nub which probably measures 3.5 mm instead of 4.5 mm.

When I shoot 93% or better consistently I'll start to worry about going to a "higher" grade of pellet. In the meantime I don't think the variability of the Daisy or Crosman is relevant to me.

[jrmcdaniel]

So, the best of both worlds then is the cheapest pellets being the most accurate -- the Civilian Marksmanship Program sells Vogels to clubs at $57.78 per sleeve (10 tins of 500) plus $8 for shipping. Unfortunately, they are out-of-stock right now so your suggestion of the Crosman Premier Match pellets at $5.90 per tin is good news.

Best,

Joe

[IPshooter]

Joe and all,

I'm sure you know this already, but you must remember that these results are from the pistols and pellets I had on hand. You may or may not get the same result with your pistols and pellets.

Also, I noticed the apparent inconsistency in the Crosman pellets. If they were too tight for the LP5 magazine, I didn't use them. Afterwards, I wondered if running them through a Nygord sizer would help or hurt their performance. I might look into that in the future.

Stan