Pellets | Air gun blog - Pyramyd Air Report

How does BB select pellets for a test?

Posted on April 20, 2017 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 30 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

This report covers:

Don’t I wish?
What’s the criteria?
Brands first
Choosing a pellet
Target guns
Action airguns
Hunting airguns
General purpose airguns
Trick pellets
How should you do it?

This blog was requested by reader Cobalt 327. And the answer is simple. BB gets paid by the pellet manufacturers to promote their products — the same as for the airgun manufacturers. The more they pay me, the more I talk about their pellets. I get a very healthy stipend from Crosman for writing about their Premiers, and from H&N for touting their Baracuda Match pellets. JSB actually sends me on all-expense paid vacations to the Bahamas several times each year, in addition to a very large check each month! Pocketa-pocketa-pocketa…

Don’t I wish?

I know that’s what some people think. There are no kickbacks that I am aware of in the airgun industry. If there are, whoever is paying them is fooling themselves, because we writers do this because we love it. I do get paid to write this blog, but no one tells me what to write and I have never been told to give a product anything but an honest report.

Some talk about airgun lubrication: Part 2

Posted on November 1, 2016 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 17 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1

This report covers:

Pneumatics
Single-stroke pneumatics
Multi-pump pneumatics
Other pump gun lubrication
Precharged pneumatics
Other lubrication needs
Lubing pellets
Keep the barrel clean
PCPs differ from spring-piston guns
What lube for your pellets?

This is a continuation of our discussion about lubricating airguns. Part 1 is basic for spring-piston seals. We don’t need to cover that material again. Today I will look at some different lubrication applications for pneumatics.

Pneumatics

Pneumatic airguns are those that use compressed air to propel a pellet or BB. They may compress the air as they are used, such as single-stroke and multi-pump pneumatics do, or they may be guns that use compressed air from a separate source — guns we refer to as pre-charged pneumatics or PCP. I will address all three types, starting with single-stroke pneumatics.

Beeman Double Barrel air rifle: Part 4

Posted on September 8, 2016 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 60 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Beeman Double Barrel air rifle.

This report covers:

The test
RWS Hobby pellet
Falcon pellet
JSB Exact RS
Which is which?
Summary

Today I shoot the Beeman Double Barrel air rifle with a quality red dot sight mounted. I will tell you now that I learned a lot from today’s test.

The test

This was an accuracy test using a Tasco Pro Point red dot sight. I shot rested at 10 meters and I shot left-handed because my right eye is not working well. I’m not looking to hit the target in this test. I’m looking at the groups I get with different pellets, plus I have a couple surprises to share with you.

After mounting the sight I fired one shot and saw that the pellets were hitting about where I wanted them. I left the sight as it was and moved back to 10 meters.

The influence of shooting galleries

Posted on February 5, 2016 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 240 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

A history of airguns

The 15th century
Why?
Gallery guns were weak
Airguns and galleries
Different ammo
Repeaters
What killed the airgun?
Feltman

Shooting galleries have been a major influence in the shooting sports for close to a century and a half, and airguns have had their day in galleries. Reb, our most outspoken reader, once ran a traveling shooting gallery that featured the popular “Shoot out the Red Star” game. I’ll discuss that at the end of the report, but right now I’m going back to the beginning of shooting galleries.

The 15th century

And, who can really say when that was? We know from documents and from tapestries that shooting events were popular in Europe in the 1400s. But those were sporting events that came and went — they weren’t the galleries I am discussing today. The crossbows and guns that were used at those events belonged to the shooters. They were not rented by the gallery to the general public.

Air Arms S410 TDR precharged pneumatic pellet rifle: Part 5

Posted on December 8, 2015 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 65 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Both side of the Air Arms S410 TDR.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

This report covers:

Airgun Academy videos are back!
The test
Here we go
Notice what is happening
Shooting at higher power
Still tipping
Conclusion

Airgun Academy videos are back!

The Airgun Academy videos are back and number 35 — The artillery hold — is ready to be viewed!

Look for more videos each week. Now let’s get to today’s report.

Today I take the Air Arms S410 TDR Classic out to 100 yards, to see if the accuracy we saw at 50 yards in Part 4 continues. This will be an interesting report for all who think that going from 50 to 100 yards means simply doubling the size of the groups.

You really should read Part 4 again, because that was where I finally learned how the test rifle wants to be operate and what pellet it likes best. When I started today’s 100-yard test, the rifle was set exactly as it had been for 50 yards and I was careful to fill it to 2900 psi with the Air Venturi G6 hand pump.

Duke Colt pellet revolver, weathered: Part 1

Posted on November 18, 2015 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 73 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

John Wayne Duke single action pellet revolver.

This report covers:

At last!
The weathered gun
The gun
Artillery model
Weathered gun
Cartridges
Manual
Safety
Grips
Summary

At last!

In the words of the late Etta James — At Last! Here is a pellet gun many of you have been waiting for — the one you told “them” to build. The John Wayne Duke Single Action Army pellet revolver. And this one is genuine — a licensed edition authorized by John Wayne Enterprises. Most readers are familiar with the Duke through his films that are recognized around the world, but it isn’t just the name that makes this pellet pistol so attractive. It’s what it is and what it does. This is a Colt Single Action revolver that shoots pellets!

Air Arms S410 TDR precharged pneumatic pellet rifle: Part 3

Posted on November 4, 2015 by B.B. Pelletier ↓ 43 Comments

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Both side of the Air Arms S410 TDR.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

The G6 pump has a luminous dial!
Many things to test
The point of the test
Third group
Analysis of the first series
High power
Air Arms dome
End of the test

Today we take the Air Arms S410 TDR Classic to the range. If you recall, I got good stable velocity with the power selector set on medium power, so I left it set that way for this test.

The G6 pump has a luminous dial!

You may also recall that I am filling the TRD with an Air Venturi G6 hand pump. I do that because the TDR has an Air Arms proprietary fill adaptor that nothing else fits, so I attached it to the G6 for this test. The velocity test suggested there may be as many as 30 good shots from a fill to 2900 psi, and filling the rifle to that pressure isn’t hard to do. But the morning I was at the range I discovered something curious. The G6 pump I’m using has a dial that glows in the dark!