Doesn’t really make much difference as you can only buy the new versions, but if some are wondering why certain pellets gain or lose their following, it just might be because the makers drastically change the pellets size, weight, alloy, and construction over the years.
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The order of the pellets iin these pictures s old-new-old-new-etc. Weights and diameters are averages of 10 pellets
Silver jets.
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“Old†were the ones made in Japan that looked like they were lathe turned. Those averaged 11.2gr., very uniform, head .201†skirt .206â€. thin skirt engraves easily, head fits tightly in all four 5mm barrels. Alloy remains shinny after many years of storage.
“New†are current issue tins, made someplace other than Japan. Not as neatly finished, much heavier at 15.2gr. New versions have a much larger head diameter at .202†(and a lot more bearing area) but the same .206†thin skirt. You’ll need a pellet seating tool to load them in most barrels.
Good news is that the new version shoots well in some guns. The old version shot a bit better in 3 out of 4 barrels, but the difference in minimal. The bad news is that these pellets don’t seem to have nearly as high a BC as you’d guess from their length/shape.
In this case, the old version is a much better product...unless you have a loose 5mm barrel, pass on the current versions.
Cylindrical slugs.
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Old were the ones in the yellow plastic box , but seem identical to the ones that were in the old screw top cans. these weigh 15.2gr. Alloy remains shinny after many years of storage. Can see the driving band at the rear and the dead straight sides. These are small at .197†heads and .201†bands. If you look closely, can see a roundish blemish on the side...all of them seem to have this, believe it’s a bleed hole for the swaging process.
New ones are current “black tin†issue. These weigh 14.3gr. and have identical diameters to the old slugs.
For whatever reasons, the new version shoots very well in all 4 barrels while the old original version does not. A Sheridan “C†shoots it about as well as anything else, but the modern barrels seem to prefer fatter pellets.
Not to step on Sheridan lover’s toes, but the new version is the better shooting pellet. Unless you just want some of the orignals to have them on hand, don't pay a collector's price for them.
Eun Jin heavy weights.
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Eun Jin older pellets (haven’t a clue how old). Dull gray and of a softer alloy. Rear diving band is thick, the hollow base is shallow, and the driving bands are thicker. These weigh 25gr. even. Head diameter is a smallish .197†and the thick skirt measures .206â€
New Eun Jin pellets are bright and shinny, are lighter at 22.9gr., thin skirt, and have a deep hollow base. The skirt diameter remains at .206", but the head diameter increases to .203â€.
Only use these in a Sumatra. Will shoot OK groups in lower powered rifles, but slinging them out at about 450-475fps isn’t real productive. The lighter new version is faster (old version gets 983fps, new version 994), earns a little less energy, but if anything, it’s a bit more accurate.
Have to test more, but the new version is a much cleaner looking pellet that seems to shoot a least just as well as the old. Don't worry if someone has old stock for sale, they seem to work just fine.
