.30 AEA Pellet Design Change. Good or Bad?

[Billm]

I just read a thread on another forum that stated that AEA has changed the design of their pellets and that most believe that the results are not good. This is my favorite Airgun forum and so I thought I’d start the conversation here. I’ve been shooting a lot of AEA pellets and had great success with them. Recently my accuracy with the Sonoran has declined and now I’m wondering if the pellet change has impacted my shooting. I’m not at home now, but will take a look at my different tins. Anyone else aware of the change? I really hope I am successful with swaging slugs for accuracy. I’d rather be in control of my own destiny. lol.

 

[Solo1]

Me too ive been shooting them won a EFT match today shooting them straight from the tin

 

[Pumacarl]

Me too ive been shooting them won a EFT match today shooting them straight from the tin

Congrats on the win!

 

[Billm]

Me too ive been shooting them won a EFT match today shooting them straight from the tin

That’s awesome, congrats on the win. Old or new design?

 

[Billm]

So, I have lots of empty AEA tins with both barcode labels and without. The barcode labels are not the same as those shown on the other board, but I’m pretty sure they are the new ones. I have a partial tin of the “old 45’s” and so I shot a couple of groups. Except for the odd flyer (prob wind or me) they shot better.

 

[Solo1]

That’s awesome, congrats on the win. Old or new design?

Would assume old ive had them for a while. Just got 25 cal aea 30 gr to try

 

[Dogowski]

I just read a thread on another forum that stated that AEA has changed the design of their pellets and that most believe that the results are not good. This is my favorite Airgun forum and so I thought I’d start the conversation here. I’ve been shooting a lot of AEA pellets and had great success with them. Recently my accuracy with the Sonoran has declined and now I’m wondering if the pellet change has impacted my shooting. I’m not at home now, but will take a look at my different tins. Anyone else aware of the change? I really hope I am successful with swaging slugs for accuracy. I’d rather be in control of my own destiny. lol.

I've seen on youtube that the new design AEA pellets are not as accurate as the original versions which i love, or i should say my rifles love them! I guess it's back to good old reliable JSB pellets if these have changed for the worst.

 

[Danman]

I just read a thread on another forum that stated that AEA has changed the design of their pellets and that most believe that the results are not good. This is my favorite Airgun forum and so I thought I’d start the conversation here. I’ve been shooting a lot of AEA pellets and had great success with them. Recently my accuracy with the Sonoran has declined and now I’m wondering if the pellet change has impacted my shooting. I’m not at home now, but will take a look at my different tins. Anyone else aware of the change? I really hope I am successful with swaging slugs for accuracy. I’d rather be in control of my own destiny. lol.

Well shoot i haven't even tried the originals yet
They would have a good reason to change something like that you'd think but I wonder what that reason is? Do the pellets look visibly different at all or is it more like the factory just changed out the dies and now something isn't quite right?

 

[Billm]

I've seen on youtube that the new design AEA pellets are not as accurate as the original versions which i love, or i should say my rifles love them! I guess it's back to good old reliable JSB pellets if these have changed for the worst.

I agree with that assessment. AEA doesn’t actually make the pellets and so the question is did the pellet maker change their molds or did AEA change the OEM?

 

[Billm]

Well shoot i haven't even tried the originals yet
They would have a good reason to change something like that you'd think but I wonder what that reason is? Do the pellets look visibly different at all or is it more like the factory just changed out the dies and now something isn't quite right?

They have a different head size and cone - I have not verified this.

 

[Joey 69]

My ghost 22 likes the originals, I have 2 tins left. I hope the new ones shoot the same!!

 

[ctshooter]

Well shoot i haven't even tried the originals yet
They would have a good reason to change something like that you'd think but I wonder what that reason is? Do the pellets look visibly different at all or is it more like the factory just changed out the dies and now something isn't quite right?

They are visibly very different from the back. Old on left, new on right. Also the head size on the 45gr I measured old to be 7.60-7.61mm and new to be 7.57-7.58mm. Hope to do some more testing in the upcoming week in two rifles that shoot the old 45gr very well.

 

[jps2486]

Looks like a die change.

 

[Billm]

It will be interesting to determine if JTS pellets have changed. I’ve had good success with JTS in .22 and .25. Both pellets are made by the same Chinese company.

 

[ctshooter]

I went out Monday and shot both the old and new pellets in the Sonoran and the HPS Mini. Unfortunately it was too windy out at 100 yards for any conclusive results with either rifle - some shots getting blown 4 inches to the side. I shot a few mags at 50 yards with the Mini and the older style made a noticeably smaller grouping than the new.

It didn't seem like the Mini was as effected as the Sonoran considering they are both SubMOA 1:26 barrels just of different lengths. Could be speed differences of 830 fps vs. 895 fps.

The Zans BR50 48gr did show some promise, even with the winds as they were. I've retuned the Sonoran to shoot the 48gr @ 890 fps and hoping for maybe another option.

 

[MWGM2020]

So, I have lots of empty AEA tins with both barcode labels and without. The barcode labels are not the same as those shown on the other board, but I’m pretty sure they are the new ones. I have a partial tin of the “old 45’s” and so I shot a couple of groups. Except for the odd flyer (prob wind or me) they shot better.

The old ones shot better?

 

[Dogowski]

The old ones shot better?

That's what they are saying on the different forums and a few off of youtube. I don't have any new ones as I'm still going through my last batch i purchased of old ones. So I can't compare the two. By the way welcome to the forum!

 

[Billm]

I have both old and new, mostly new now. The old shoot better in my opinion.