Sorting pellets - is it worth it?

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How important is sorting?

  • Very important

    Votes: 5 31.3%

  • 50/50 - You will see a small difference

    Votes: 4 25.0%

  • Waste of time - shoot straight from the tin

    Votes: 7 43.8%
  • Total voters
    16
V

ValleyPrecision

Member
Jul 29, 2022
20
18
Arizona
I want to start this by saying I am new to airguns but I’m learning a lot.

How important is sorting your pellets? I am going to do my own testing and post those results soon but I’d like to hear everyone’s opinion on it.

How do you sort them, size and/or weight?

I haven’t tried to sort them yet but straight from the tin at 50 yards they are shooting amazing. I will test and post my results as soon as I get more data.
 
Depends a lot on the starting point and what your goals are.

For mediocre pellets (e.g. Crosman, Daisy), it can sometimes take a tin that groups 4 MoA at 30 yards into a tin that groups 2 MoA. Emphasis on sometimes. No amount of sorting with high tech gadgetry will make them into 1 MoA pellets.

For quality pellets capable of grouping 1 MoA or better, other than a visual to reject the occasional damaged pellet, one can scarcely devise a sorting method that will demonstrably improve the results.
 
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Sorting by weight and head size will yield more consistant ammo. Standard JSB pellets which are considered one of if not the best out there. A standard tin will generally have majority 2 different head sizes, occasionally 3, as well as a 1.5g range of weights. this in 25 cal. saw same in 30cal. For example , in 25 cal , I will get head size anywhere from 6.36-6.39. But VAST majority are split between 6.37 and 6.38. As for weight the "25.3"g range from 24.7g-26g and the "34"g range from 33.5-35g.
So if I take a sorted batch of JSB pellets head size of 6.38 and 34-34.09g will they be a tighter group than an unsorted tin? I don't see how they wouldn't be. Should eliminate the "occasional flyer". Is it worth it? Up to the shooter, it can be boring. I watch youtube videos while doing it , generally on cold winter days.
 
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Fit is most important . A pellet that seats in the leade correctly . Loose pellets can cause premature piston seal spring damage from not enugh back pressure and then you get slamming .

Like if you pull the piston and see somthing like transfer port marks a few maybe fine but too many it could cit a chunk out in that area of a seal.. ive only had 2 i let go that far and thats several 1000's of shots... Anyway a properly seald gun and pellet is pretty spot on target and consistent. One thats not is not so much.
 
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Skirts are oversized by a few thousandths of an inch, and are forced into conformity with the bore by the blast of air pressure. I have in some cases observed a subtle bump in velocity by flaring thick-skirted pellets for low power airguns (CO2, MSP at low pump counts, etc.), but every credible test I've seen or done myself has shown no meaningful benefit to accuracy by sizing skirts.
 
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nervoustrig said:
Skirts are oversized by a few thousandths of an inch, and are forced into conformity with the bore by the blast of air pressure. I have in some cases observed a subtle bump in velocity by flaring thick-skirted pellets for low power airguns (CO2, MSP at low pump counts, etc.), but every credible test I've seen or done myself has shown no meaningful benefit to accuracy by sizing skirts.
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I could see that working somewhat on the loose ones . Sure could not hurt for sure. The pictures here are pellets just droppen in on there own weigh. the top is just helpless the bottom you can srat nice. .. but i may try your thing on them smalls and see. In the end your just not getting any head just a bit of up skirting🤤

fit3.jpg
 
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pesty3782 said:
Crap Gerry don’t tell Barbara that, she just sorted 4 tins for EBR by weight….my reloading powder scale hasn’t seen that much action in a long long time. 😎😎

Tony P
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Of course you will see on AGN that its a waste of time. But, almost EVERYONE that competes at RMAC and EBR at the top levels sort their pellets. If only for confidence and to identify the one or two in a tin that are truly bad... Even the guys that are totally against sorting will look at their pellets as they load them and "sort" any that don't look right. So basically everyone sorts in one way or another, formal or informal...

I sorted the .30 cal. 50.1 JSB, and almost all of them were 49.2 to 49.9 grains. But out of three tins, I got a few that were very light (48.1-ish) and a few that were very heavy (50.5-ish). Plus as you're sorting you can cull any that are damaged...
 
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In spite of the parroted explanations or anecdotal evidence, I never got that. Washing, sorting, etc. of pellets. I'd rather be shooting. :)

If you earn more than it costs to buy better pellets, you're wasting your valuable time. There are visual and hand-sorted selections, but anything under, oh, 50M, does any quality pellet have a "flyer" of greater than a half inch?

And does it really matter, shy of competition shooting?
Even then, just because they're "pros" doesn't mean they aren't just copying what might be an urban legend.

Kinda seems silly to me, I even get a mental chuckle when I read people doing that.

Like, ya got too much time on your hands fella.


I can change my mind if I see some really fine examples of before/after, with a gain that's really worth it.

SOME shooters, maybe it can be a difference. I'd wager 95% of us, nah, no change, get back to practicing. :)
 
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beerthief said:
i wash all my pellets (.dirty finger) sort competition and hunting pellets/ sort for head size and weight . still undecided about lube .
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You’re holding back on lube because your uncertain about head size and weight?! Life’s too short man! Grab the lube, lol!

I’ve seen a difference with sorting, for sure. Both on the chronograph and the target. Still get those once in awhile fliers, though. I find it a big treat when a certain make of pellets shoot as if they were sorted, straight out of the tin, and those to me are the 30 cal Haydes
 
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