Testing the performance of the QYS pellets

Dave Barham explores a new range of pellets that has been taking the market by storm, and for good reason...

The Shooting Party has just been appointed as UK Distributors of QYS pellets here in the UK. Qiang Yuan Sports Goods was established in 1994 when they developed their own technology and processes to produce some of the most accurate pellets ever manufactured.

To date, their pellets have helped to produce outstanding medal tallies in every Olympic Games since Sydney in 2000 – a staggering total of 10 gold, four silver and five bronze, as well as scores of medals in World Cup events for both rifles and pistols (Official ISSF Data).

Now distributed in Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, America, Canada, Russia, India, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Australia, South Africa and 20 other countries, they want to spread the word in the UK, and the Shooting Party has invested heavily in large stockholdings to push these superb pellets out to a wider audience via greater distribution to the UK trade.

15 years or so ago, very few shooters would have thought seriously of paying a premium price for hand-inspected pellets from the Czech Republic – my, how things have changed!

Testing time

The weather conditions weren’t exactly ideal on the day of the test, with a left to right crosswind, but I struggled on. After filling my BSA R10 SE with fresh air, I warmed it up by chucking 20 pellets down the range, then loaded four magazines with five pellets each of the ones on test.

Please remember that this group test is subjective. I used the same rifle for all four pellets, and the wind – as well as my ability – definitely played a part in the initial results.

Olympic-Medal-Winning Pellets: .177

RRP: £13.99

These flat-head pellets weigh in at 7.8 grains and show virtually zero weight variation pellet to pellet. The ‘Olympic’ grades are individually hand-selected and packed in Styrofoam trays incorporating two sliding layers of 100 pellets, each within a plastic box. They are also available in two head-sizes, 4.49mm and 4.50mm.

Being Olympic-grade flat heads, they’re not really designed for shooting over 20 metres, but that’s what my range is set up as in my back garden, so I thought I’d give them a try at that distance.

I wasn’t really happy with the first grouping I achieved, especially after the results that the next three domed pellets produced, so I went back to these for a further five shots on a fresh target afterwards. My suspicions were correct – in my excitement, I had been snatching the shots and although the first shot I took of round two dropped low – my fault again – the next four were bang on the money. I shall be passing the remainder of these pellets to a young chap who shoots 10m pistol for GB, to see what he can do with them – if he’s not using them already.

FT Domed: .177 (4.50mm)

RRP: £13.99

These dome-head pellets weigh 8.48 grains, and as with all the FT ranges they come in 500 pellet-count plastic tubs.

After the disappointment in myself for not smashing it out of the park with the flatheads, I was keen to redeem myself with these next pellets on test.

True to form they hit their mark as anticipated, but with the wind now gusting heavily, a couple of them veered slightly right by a couple of millimetres. Other than that, they did what they were supposed to do.

FT Streamlined Domed: .177

RRP: £13.99

These individually selected and hand-packed Streamlined dome-head pellets weigh in exactly the same as the ‘FT Domed’ at 8.48 grains.

They are ever so slightly longer than the TF Domed, hence the ‘Streamlined’ name tag. The finish is superb and their accuracy reflects that.

With my new-found confidence in both my and the pellets’ ability I inserted the magazine and settled down for my next five shots. By now, I was judging the wind, taking my time, and trying to shoot between gusts.

As you can see, my tactics worked and the FT Streamlined gave me great results, with just one pellet straying a millimetre outside of the bull.

FT Sreamlined Heavy Domed: .177

RRP: £14.99 (ED’S CHOICE)

Again, these pellets are individually selected and hand-packed. The Streamlined dome-head pellets are heavier than the regular ones, weighing in at 9.56 grains.

Last but not least, it was the turn of the ‘Heavies’. I have to admit that in the past I haven’t been a great fan of heavier pellets, especially at range, but boy have I been converted! As you will see in the photo, I put five of these beauties near enough on top of each other at 30 metres.

I was getting cocky at this point, and pulling slightly left whenever the wind began to gust, and the pellets just kept on finding their mark.

I was totally impressed, not only in the pellets, but my own shooting, too. I can’t wait to hurl some of these at the rabbits in the springtime, I reckon they’re going to be ideal for the job.

Conclusion

I have to say a massive ‘thank you’ to Mike Hurney at The Shooting Party for sending me these pellets to play with. It’s not often you find a pellet that surpasses all expectations and changes your brand loyalty. I know what I’m going to be hunting with this year, and I suggest you give them a try to see if your gun likes them too.

Visit The Shooting Party website here.