Review of some Indian pellets

[ibalajis]

I got a request from Kovi Bazaar (www.kovibazaar.com) to review some of the Indian made pellets which I readily accepted.

A few weeks back, I received a bunch of pellets (in both .177 and .22 calibers) and due to my hectic work schedule, I couldn’t start with them immediately.
So, with due apologies to Kovi Bazaar team for the delay, here goes the review for the .177’s.

To begin with, this is the package I received from the Kovi Bazaar team and I should say the pellets were packed with care so as to avoid any damage to the contents.




They had also packed some G.Smith Target sheets to test the pellets, so it was a complete package (minus the gun, of course *Wink*)



As it can be seen from the pics, the pellets under review were:

1. Marvel Shot (Long Range, Pointed .177)
2. United Shot (Pointed .177)
3. Marvel Shot (Round Head .177)

Just to give an idea about the pellets, below are some close up shots and it is evident that the shape of the pellets has a lot of scope for improvement in terms of uniformity of dimensions.








I in fact tried to measure the dimensions of pellets randomly with a Vernier calliper, but soon got tired as every pellet was different, so dropped the idea altogether and due to unavailability of any weighing scale, could not measure the weight of the pellets too.

So went ahead and set the range up (approx 10 yards) and decided to shoot from the rest to give maximum benefit to the pellets.

The AR was my beloved and trustworthy Precihole Polaris which I have been using for a few months now.




Fired 10 shots at the target preceded by 5 prep shots and below are the results. I should mention here that all three varieties of pellets were fitting loose in the breach of my rifle.





Conclusion: For my Precihole Polaris, the better pellets out of these three were the United Shot pointed ones which gave good groupings followed by Marvel Shot round heads and Marvel Shot pointed heads were the last in this league. It could be that my Polaris liked them only this way and other ARs would give different results.

All these pellets are available with Kovi Bazaar (www.kovibazaar.com) and they can be bought online from them.

Finally, my sincere appreciation goes to the folks at Kovi Bazaar on their constant endeavour to improve the quality of Indian made pellets by actively sharing the feedback from customers with the manufacturers.

Regards,
Balaji

[ganeshn]

As far as costructive feed back to improve the quality is concerned its no brainer, would be interesting to find out the range at which it will give 1/2 inch groups, it better be more than the barrel length

[aadhaulya]

ibalajis,

That was a good review. I also buy my stuff from kovebazar and find their service better than expected. Except a couple of times that they goofed up. But that is acceptable as the number of orders that I place on them is quite high.

I would like to know that the brackets used by you to hang your rifle are fabricated as per your specifications or did you pick up some regular stull from the market.
Also, doesn't the side of the rifle towards the wall get scratched, or is there a gap between the wall and the rifle.

Regards

Atul

[ibalajis]

ibalajis,

That was a good review. I also buy my stuff from kovebazar and find their service better than expected. Except a couple of times that they goofed up. But that is acceptable as the number of orders that I place on them is quite high.

I would like to know that the brackets used by you to hang your rifle are fabricated as per your specifications or did you pick up some regular stull from the market.
Also, doesn't the side of the rifle towards the wall get scratched, or is there a gap between the wall and the rifle.

Regards

Atul

Atul ji, thanks. They are actually off the shelf bathroom hooks which are supporting my rifle on the wall. There is sufficient gap between the wall and the gun due to shape of the hooks. I will post a pic soon

[Basu]

Dear ibalajis,
I am a regular user of Unitedshot Pointed 6.8 grns pellet side by side Mastershot Flat head in my SDB which is fitted with IHP 0.177 barrel.
In my gun it delivered highest velocity of 840 fps or 10.7 ft/lbs energy.
It sits at breech well though head being loose it leaves a chance to wobble while travelling in barrel.
I can hit 4/10 times a 1.5" water pipe if not more at 25 mtrs.
It is temperametal.

Basu

[brihacharan]

IMHO - Most Indian made pellets are unsuitable for a serious AR shooter
None can give a 'decent group' (3/4") at 30 yards!
The reasons are:
1. Inconsistency in weight
2. Irregular shapes - both at the head & shirt
3. Improper fitment in the breech
4. Poor finish
5. Deplorable packaging
Unfortunately all these add up to loss in accuracy
I am not being critical without purpose, but the manufacturers have paid little attention to such details & necessary requirement of specifications....
Of course there are odd cases where-in accuracy has been obtained (IFGian Basu's experience) but such incidents are few & far between....
In my reckoning only 2 manufacturers have come close to fulfilling the ideal specs for AR pellets...
1. G Smith
2. Precihole
I sincerely hope these two hold on to the quality & may be improve in the near future!
BTW - G Smith pellets are on the heavier side - their average weight being between 18.5gr & 19gr, while Precipels are 15gr..
(these are for 0.22 cal)
It would indeed be nice if they could bring out at-least 3 different weight categories ranging from 14 / 16 / 18 or 19gr as this would give the shooter the preference & choice.
Briha

[ganeshn]

IMHO - Most Indian made pellets are unsuitable for a serious AR shooter
None can give a 'decent group' (3/4") at 30 yards!
The reasons are:
1. Inconsistency in weight
2. Irregular shapes - both at the head & shirt
3. Improper fitment in the breech
4. Poor finish
5. Deplorable packaging
Unfortunately all these add up to loss in accuracy
I am not being critical without purpose, but the manufacturers have paid little attention to such details & necessary requirement of specifications....
Of course there are odd cases where-in accuracy has been obtained (IFGian Basu's experience) but such incidents are few & far between....
In my reckoning only 2 manufacturers have come close to fulfilling the ideal specs for AR pellets...
1. G Smith
2. Precihole
I sincerely hope these two hold on to the quality & may be improve in the near future!
BTW - G Smith pellets are on the heavier side - their average weight being between 18.5gr & 19gr, while Precipels are 15gr..
(these are for 0.22 cal)
It would indeed be nice if they could bring out at-least 3 different weight categories ranging from 14 / 16 / 18 or 19gr as this would give the shooter the preference & choice.
Briha

Absolutely, the stuff that these manufacturers peddel is more of a deterrent to airgunning and lately sensing them being used to rationalize some good indian pellets as being comparable .

[ibalajis]

IMHO - Most Indian made pellets are unsuitable for a serious AR shooter
None can give a 'decent group' (3/4") at 30 yards!
The reasons are:
1. Inconsistency in weight
2. Irregular shapes - both at the head & shirt
3. Improper fitment in the breech
4. Poor finish
5. Deplorable packaging
Unfortunately all these add up to loss in accuracy
I am not being critical without purpose, but the manufacturers have paid little attention to such details & necessary requirement of specifications....
Of course there are odd cases where-in accuracy has been obtained (IFGian Basu's experience) but such incidents are few & far between....
In my reckoning only 2 manufacturers have come close to fulfilling the ideal specs for AR pellets...
1. G Smith
2. Precihole
I sincerely hope these two hold on to the quality & may be improve in the near future!
BTW - G Smith pellets are on the heavier side - their average weight being between 18.5gr & 19gr, while Precipels are 15gr..
(these are for 0.22 cal)
It would indeed be nice if they could bring out at-least 3 different weight categories ranging from 14 / 16 / 18 or 19gr as this would give the shooter the preference & choice.
Briha

Agree...

[ibalajis]

Have got a few more pellets to review, this time in .22

[brihacharan]

Have got a few more pellets to review, this time in .22

Frankly its a waste of time testing those pellets.....
The only outcome you may experience is that -----your familiarity with your AR will be upgraded
Your frustration will increase as none will satisfy your expectations
Just for your inquisitiveness....Take a few of the pellets received from Kovi & put them alongside foreign brands such as RWS / JSB etc. & see them through a magnifying glass
you'll see the difference in finish, shape etc.
If you have a macro lens in your camera you can take pictures & post them!!!!!
Briha

[ganeshn]

Have got a few more pellets to review, this time in .22

Please have some mercy on us

[brihacharan]

What to look for in an Air Rifle Pellet?

If you’re a serious shooter of ARs – don’t go for cheap & poor-quality pellets which can result in poor accuracy and even damage to your air rifle! Hence it’s worth spending a little extra on established brands that have been proven to perform satisfactorily. The introduction of the “Diablo” shape for pellets has further reinforced the shooter’s choice for accuracy & dependability.

THE COMMON TYPES OF AIR RIFLE PELLETS ARE:

1.Wad-cutter / Flat headed Pellets
Wad-cutters are designed for lower velocities and are traditionally used at very close ranges, primarily for target shooting competition as they cut nice holes in target paper.

2.Round-Nosed Pellets
Round-noses are probably the most popular and best all-round pellets for hunting, target shooting and plinking. The DIABLO shape, provide remarkably good range, accuracy and hitting power. This shape has become popular due to its aerodynamic properties, which minimizes drag and keeps it flying straight without tumbling. Hence, if there is just one type of pellet you should buy – a good round nose would be the ones you must go for.

3.Hollow point Pellets
Hollow points are designed to expand and deform immediate upon hitting the target, thus maximizing impact rather than penetration. Thus these are a popular hunting pellet, but they are really only good for hunting at close ranges, as they bounce around too much in flight and decelerate too quickly to be used at longer distances.

4.Pointed Pellets
The pointed pellet is the ideal hunting pellet, designed for stable flight, longer distances, accuracy and achieving extra penetration due to its pointed head. It’s therefore unsurprising that many considered as the best choice for the serious air rifle hunter.

HAPPY SHOOTING
Briha

[ibalajis]

Despite the advice and feedback from some of the seniors (Sorry Briha ji and Ganesh) I thought I owed Kovi Bazaar at least a part review of the pellets they sent me.

I am not going to post a detailed one by the way, I tried two of the pellets and took some pictures which speak for themselves.
The shots were taken from the rest as before from approximately 10 yards.




Finally, to give a better idea of what these manufacturers need to focus on -

[gun08]

I am a newbie to this and don't mean to disrespect anyone and completely agree imported pellets are very good compared to Indian pellets, But imported pellets are expensive and performs best only in imported guns and Precihole. Most people can't afford those stuff.
Unless people don't review about Indian products and provide feedback to manufacturer the product's cant be improved.We should support local manufactures and encourage them to improve the quality.
Due to some reviewing from IFG member's guns like AK Agni, SDB 65 are well known to many gun lover's. Most of them use the gun for just plinking as an hobby and not as a serious shooters.

[Reaper]

I am a newbie to this and don't mean to disrespect anyone and completely agree imported pellets are very good compared to Indian pellets, But imported pellets are expensive and performs best only in imported guns and Precihole. Most people can't afford those stuff.
Unless people don't review about Indian products and provide feedback to manufacturer the product's cant be improved.We should support local manufactures and encourage them to improve the quality.
Due to some reviewing from IFG member's guns like AK Agni, SDB 65 are well known to many gun lover's. Most of them use the gun for just plinking as an hobby and not as a serious shooters.

Wow now you're a true Indian.

Yes unless we Indian's don't support our national brands then how will the manufactures make money and when will they improve.

Not to be disrespectful to anyone , but everyone cant afford Audis and Mercs. We need the maruthis as well ( even though they manufacture on borrowed technology), for the price we pay they give good performance.

Same goes for the pellets, for the price that you are paying you cant expect a RWS performance.

Another fact is most of the Indian guns cant accommodate Imported pellets. So such reviews help

Make in India!