In the Beginning...

Sometime's when I am over at CDT's shop, he tells me things as he is tuning rifles. Every once in a while something sticks...
One thing that got my attention was distorted pellets.. He was testing a finished tune one day when I arrived. He had the gun on the chrony. One shot had way low FPS, and he mentioned that, that was a bad pellet. I asked him what do you mean. He said the pellet skirt must have been distorted on that one. So he showed me and I was impressed to say the least. Thought to myself, maybe that is my problem sometimes when shooting targets and can't hit crap...

After several discussion with Bob about pellets and what types do what, what damaged ones sound like leaving the muzzle, accuracy etc, etc., a light came on. I need to take notice with these pellets.. hehe
And now follows my conception of pellet handling and the performance and outcome of damaged or distorted pellets..

I am sure the old timers are well aware of pellet handling and what you look for in a good production pellet. I am goin into splitting hairs here with pellets...

Actually I never knew about pellet handling when I first started in the Air Gun Hobby. I practiced and practiced shooting springers constantly as most of you have done..
The whole point here is handling of pellets and not just the brands of pellets. Over time I have noticed a distorted pellet does not make for accuracy. Can really lower your FPS and FPE also. Some of you new guys when shooting targets or even small game hunting should take not at what the skirts of the pellets you use before you place them into the breech.
Every time you mis handle a pellet you risk distorting the skirt. I have big ole fingers and it is very easy for me to pick a pellet out of the tin and distort the skirt. When I am on the bench shooting I spread out the pellet I am using onto a cloth. That way I can pick them up with out damaging the other pellets around the tin. By putting them on a flat surface on cloth I never damage the other pellets.
I have got to this point after many hours of practice n which I would get flyers which would discourage me allot. At the beginning as I said I was not aware of the consequences of damaged pellets. At that point I was picking pellets out of each tin. Pushing my fingers into the tin and damaging the pellets. No wonder I could not shoot with accuracy. hehehe
You can look through a new tin of pellets and find damaged pellets from shipping and handling. I usually set those pellets aside. I also find that trying to wash pellets damages them also. Every time you move or shake pellets there is always some pellets that are getting damaged.
As I have found out that the consistency of shooting targets and good head shots depends partly on a good shaped pellet that you load into the breech. The consistency of my shooting has improved tremendously after watching how I handle pellets and looking at each one before I slide it into the breech.
There are many other factors with pellets that can make up good shots but this was the most important thing that I found that helped me out with consistent accuracy.
Gene