Buying pellets by lot number

D

dmw6455

Member
Anyone have a source that you can buy JSB or Air Arms pellets by lot number? I have been ordering pellets from a large online retailer who just sends you the tins of pellets and you never know what you get. I shoot a lot of rimfire benchrest and use Eley ammo. I can always test lots and than order what I like. I do not like getting random lots of pellets because they are always different. I know most competitive shooters want the same thing, but there must be a way we can do that.
 
Precision Air

KimZ said:
Jim at Precision Air will tell you lot numbers he has in stock.

Kim
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Thanks for the reply. Went to their site and looked up pellets and they seem to clearly say they don't offer die lot sorting. I will try calling Jim tomorrow to see if that is true.
 
Good luck with that thought line.

Two years ago I contacted one of the country's largest dealers who put me in touch with the Importer and was told by him that they (JSB) had done away with indentifying Lot numbers. The reason: enough of their dealers had requested not having the labels as not to cover the Bar Coding because it was easier (for them) to scan the tins at the counter as well as for inventorying purposes.

He and I had quite a long discussion - to no avail. Since then I've always requested the tins I buy be from the same sleeve, then I identify mine by the date I received them, which really is meaningless where I very seldom buy just one sleeve, so anything above that could very well be from a different Lot. Also, I never mix tins when sorting, then if one seems outstanding I'll test each of the rest of the tins for comparison purposes to give me some idea of how many of which are as good, or if these were mixed Lots.

I don't know if the rest of the world is doing the same, but was lead to believe that it is something JSB has taken to heart as being the norm.

As I said: Good luck.

Dave Shattuck
 
if we ALL complain to the large retailer maybe just maybe they would work with us but i doubt it
the tins no longer have the JSB MFG label on the back of the tins from the importer they buy from
the tins coming directly from JSB for other then this importer still have the label on the bottom
the tins from the impoter come 10 to a box and the box has the JSB MFG label on the end flap
the large retailer vacuum wraps the 10 tins and throws the box away
some other retailers put the tins on the shelf and throw the box away
when you order? order 10 tins and request the box they come in
and hope you can get it

there are retailers out there with JSB tins with the MFG label on the bottom :D
same for the AA's

Dick
 
strever said:
if we ALL complain to the large retailer maybe just maybe they would work with us but i doubt it
the tins no longer have the JSB MFG label on the back of the tins from the importer they buy from
the tins coming directly from JSB for other then this importer still have the label on the bottom
the tins from the impoter come 10 to a box and the box has the JSB MFG label on the end flap
the large retailer vacuum wraps the 10 tins and throws the box away
some other retailers put the tins on the shelf and throw the box away
when you order? order 10 tins and request the box they come in
and hope you can get it

there are retailers out there with JSB tins with the MFG label on the bottom :D
same for the AA's

Dick
Click to expand...

Dick,
Which retailers are there with JSB label, I'd like to deal with them.
Thanks!
Pete
 
What we all need

is a way to make all pellets shoot the same. Unlike Rimfire Ammo, there is no powder or primer mix or crimp to be concerned with. Find out how to do that and we are home free. There should be a way but who actually knows why some lots shoot well and others not so well? They all LOOK the same. Perhaps that is why the retailers don't care. They sell all they can get, apparently. Makes a difference how small the x is, eh for us anyway, vs a lesser demanding sport.

Pete
 
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Gentlemen
the biggest retailer selling JSB with original mfg labels on the bottom is AOA
their next shipment is supposedly on the boat now
the other retailer i used is Bori & Peter @ Topguns just purchased by Joe Brancato
i don't know if Joe is going to continue using Bori's contacts at JSB
the other retailer is Jim & Nancy @ PrecisionAirguns
R&L let me have the box they came in so i knew the label #'s
and i'm sure there are more if you ask
hope this info is OK here ?

but ALL of us really need to complain to the largest retailer about the lack of info

Dick
 
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I'll try to find the info I had on the U.S. Importer for JSB so we can all contact him directly. I'll get back a.s.a.p., but the info Dick has posted should work until I do.

Dave
 
my mistake on cpl points previously but it was late
Precision will give you the box so you have the label
i did get some additional tins with the label on the bottom but am having a problem
REMEMBERING who
sucks getting old :(

Dick

Dave the person at Predator is Dick and his ph # is (303) 761-1236
 
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Thanks Dick! That's the guy, and as you said: it does suck getting old.
 
Here in the uk we can generally buy our jsb ammo by batch numbers, but generally only when you are buying a ten tin sleeve or more at a time.

For example, look at inershoots sight here: http://www.intershoot.co.uk/acatalog/Air_Pellets.html

I shoot various air rifle/pistol disciplines at competitive level and find that consistency in batches is paramount.

Tony
 
Sure is the case Tony I wouldn't risk buying anything JSB made without a label on each tin.
For years I often buy one tin and try, if any good I specify that batch number and buy as many as can afford or in stock.

There are masses of differences between the dies and batches and whether first run or second or even third run.

I can understand shops removing from the 10 tins within plastic wrapping in outers and displaying individually. Used to go in various shops 24 years ago and sort through the Maggy die numbers and buy the lot.
Same applied when Crossman reigned supreme in the 90's used to buy by die and date. 6 times bought Crossman 7.9 Die2, opened and inside heavy 10.6gr so have to question what else they do.

One thing Pavel never answered when asked 4 times is how many dies/machines go in to each tin! Seen it all the time from 2005 to 2011, pick from 4 areas within a tin and get 4 very different weights, sizes and lengths. They know when they make a good batch often sent to sponsored shooters, I am currently on such a batch of 8.4gr only have 2 sleeves left, no need to weigh or size just use straight from the tin.

So it seems you lads are fighting a dead loss without any labelling on each tin, dies vary atrociously in shaping and will have a very different BC, some even have a flat in the skirt 2009 now passed on to a certain AA batch of Express.
I would use some other pellet if no labelling available, 1 tin 500 I could go through 150 pellets tuning rifle to suit every month, not on.

Well over 12 months ago quality had dropped even plinkers were returning pellets bought and no one could find anything any good. Remarketing ploy and a way of getting the price up was to sell the Premium pellets think £10 for 200 rather than £10 for 500 in tins, make of that what you want.

Luckily have seen whats regarded as superb groups with these Premium and the 2011 batch I have straight from the tin leaves groups 1/6th the size 95% cant get their head around or believe.
 
Dave Shattuck said:
Good luck with that thought line.

Since then I've always requested the tins I buy be from the same sleeve, then I identify mine by the date I received them, which really is meaningless where I very seldom buy just one sleeve, so anything above that could very well be from a different Lot. Also, I never mix tins when sorting, then if one seems outstanding I'll test each of the rest of the tins for comparison purposes to give me some idea of how many of which are as good, or if these were mixed Lots.

I don't know if the rest of the world is doing the same, but was lead to believe that it is something JSB has taken to heart as being the norm.

As I said: Good luck.

Dave Shattuck
Click to expand...

This is what I do as well... unfortunately I have resorted to testing each tin for consistency as I've found that some tins with the same lot number are quite different. I purchase a minimum of 10 tins (sleeve) and specify that all tins come from the same box. I have too many sleeves of pellets waiting for a barrel that likes them... Most of my good pellets lately are Air Arms as JSB's don't seem as good in my guns. Overall my recent pellet purchases seem to be of lower quality than a year or two ago.

Without an air gauge it would be impossible to compare tins for consistency good or bad other than shooting them.

Have Fun

Boomer
 
Ah The search for the holy grail of pellets- as bad as rimfire minus the exorbitant cost sort of. Way back in the mists of time RWS used to sell their ultimate match pellet in plastic boxes with pellets in trays therein. Pricy as sin in comparison to a tin- so drank the koolade - didn't notice any magical improvement- went back to the tins just sorted for flaws worked fine for my ten meter work. This BR stuff is a bit more picky though.
 
Last year I ordered 40 tins of 10.34 gr. AA pellets in .177 caliber and 4.52 head diameter...I received the pellets and learned that all had the same AA lot number (AA Sticker at the bottom of the tin) but then not all tins shot the same...I measured and weighted random lots and found significant differences....

I then wondered how was it that all pellets were 4.49 to 4.50 head sizes and not 4.52's as I ordered...The tin says 4.52 but I am still yet to find a single 4.52 pellet inside those 20,000 pellets...I then noticed that the AA lot number was on top of something else and I removed this sticker with hot air only to find out a JSB lot number...To my disappointment, I had 4 different JSB lot numbers covered by a single AA identical lot number!

I then contacted AA in London but after 5-6 emails over 2-3 weeks all I got were many excuses and BS insulting anyone's intelligence, all I head were selling arguments telling me how good their pellets are and this technician didn't even consider reviewing issues I as a shooter might be having...I kept all correspondence in case someone is interested or in case AA is reading this communication and disagrees with my assessment....Life is too short so I decided to accept that I bought over $450 dollars of useless plinking pellets and moved on....I could not return these pellets as the seller does not take pellets back, he argues that pellets get damaged in transit (Shaking and vibrations of the trucks) and this may very well be true.

So what I have been doing is sorting them out by weight and head size and this has somewhat alleviated the inconsistency problem but my gun doesn't like 4.49 and 4.50's, it shoots amazingly well with 4.52's but 4.51 and 4.53's are OK, so other than for plinking, I have no use for AA's...

Bottom line: I was really screwed and will not ever buy AA again...I am currently waiting for the new shipment of JSB or H&N Barracudas for placing a new order. Pyramid Air and other companies WILL NOT sell you nor guarantee that you will be receiving the same lot and it is a fact that with the current demand for pellets it is very difficult to test some lot and expect to find more tins with the same lot number a few days/weeks later...

This issue also happens with .22 RF ELEY and other brands, you buy a lot and test it and if it is good, by the time you get back to Sanders or Dan Killough, the lot is long time gone...We all need to gamble when buying our supply of RF ammo and the same issue is happening with airgun pellets.

As stated, Pyramid Air and other companies for that matter do not guarantee that you will be receiving the same lot when you order more than 5-10 tins so selection of ammo is becoming a scarse commodity ..or maybe a thing of the past..

Regards for all members,

AZ

PS. Please note the different JSB dates of manufacture and die numbers covered by the very same AA Lot Number:

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How much do good pellets cost and what are the weights/calibers y'all are looking for? Just humor me for a moment here if you have the time.
 
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