Yes, Sorted BBs Improve Group Size – Usually! The Big HAM BB Test Part Three
It seemed a reasonable question. Do sorted BBs improve group size downrange? That’s the question we’re asking in the Big HAM BB Test Part Three.
We already know from Part Two of this Big HAM BB Test that “the same” BBs vary in size and weight within the same bottle. That’s no surprise, of course, but we’ve not seen this degree of detail published on the Internet before.
In addition, we also know from Part One that BBs with an average diameter of 4.39 to 4.40 mm (0.1728 to 1732 Inches) have given the best downrange accuracy in 78% of the BB guns tested by HAM.
For this test, we decided to sort for diameter, so sorting was undertaken with a BBGage. Again, shooting tests were made with a Barra 400e BB Gun, the most accurate BB gun HAM has ever tested. Again, all shooting was done in 10-shot groups at 10 Yards range.
So HAM Tester Doug Wall did a whole load more sorting and shooting to answer that question: do sorted BBs improve group size downrange?
Let’s cut to the chase. The answer is “yes”. Well, at least mostly…
Overall, sorting improved the Vertical CTCs by an average of 21%. The Horizontal CTCs reduced by 13% overall.
The sorted targets are always shown on the left in the target pairs below.
Overall this HAM data shows that sorting BBs can reduce group size by somewhere between 10% and 30%. It also resulted in some spectacular groups that we’ll see below.
But we have to ask: when shooting BBs, does anyone care? Well yes, they might, particularly if they’re shooting their BB gun in competition. That degree of improvement could make the difference between scoring first and placing nowhere!
And, anyhow, interested minds want to know. There’s also an interesting conclusion that we’ll find at the end of this investigation…
Sorted BBs Improve Group Size for Avanti Precision Ground Shot
Let’s start Doug’s results with the Avantis. Note that – in each case – I converted Doug’s original Inch measurements to mm. This made it easier compare group sizes.
| Sorted | Vertical CTC | Horizontal CTC | Improvement By Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 1 3/8 Inches = 34.9 mm | 5/8 Inch = 15.9 mm | Base data |
| Yes, 4.42 mm and above dia. | 7/8 Inch = 22.2 mm | 5/8 Inch = 15.9 mm | Vertical CTC 36.4% Horizontal CTC 0% |
Here we see that there’s a significant reduction in Vertical CTC of 36.4%. The Horizontal CTC remained the same.
That resulting sorted target is the second-best 10-shot, 10 Yard group that we’ve seen from a BB gun. It highlights the improvements that sorting these Avanti BBs can produce.
Great shooting Doug!
BUY FROM PYRAMYD AIR
Daisy Match Grade Avanti Precision Ground Shot .177 Cal, 5.1 Grains, Steel BBs, 1050ct 0.177
Sorted BBs Improve Group Size for Crosman Copperheads
| Sorted | Vertical CTC | Horizontal CTC | Improvement By Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 1 5/8 Inches = 41.3 mm | 1 5/8 Inches = 41.3 mm | Base data |
| Yes, 4.35 - 4.38 mm dia. | 1 3/16 Inches = 30.2 mm | 1 3/8 Inches = 34.9 mm | Vertical CTC 27.0% Horizontal CTC 15.5% |
Again we see an improvement of somewhere around 30% for the Vertical CTC. However, the Horizontal CTC also improves by 15.5%.
BUY FROM PYRAMYD AIR
Copperhead .177 Cal, 5.1 Grains, BBs, 1500ct 0.177
Sorted BBs Improve Group Size For Hornady Black Diamonds – Usually!
In this case, sorting the Hornadys for 4.38 mm to 4.40 mm diameters improved the Vertical CTC by 40%. The Horizontal CTC was 22.4% better.
However, when Doug fired Hornadys of 4.41 mm diameter and greater, the Vertical CTC was 30% WORSE! Hmmmmm…
The Horizontal CTC did improve by 33.3% however.
| Sorted | Vertical CTC | Horizontal CTC | Improvement By Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 1 1/4 Inches = 31.8 mm | 1 1/8 Inches = 28.6 mm | Base data |
| Yes, 4.38 - 4.40 mm dia. | 3/4 Inch = 19.1 mm | 7/8 Inch = 22.2 mm | Vertical CTC 40.0% Horizontal CTC 22.4% |
| Yes, 4.41 mm and greater | 1 5/8 Inch = 41.3 mm | 3/4 Inch = 19.1 mm | Vertical CTC 30.0% worse Horizontal CTC 33.3% |
BUY FROM PYRAMYD AIR
Hornady Black Diamond Steel BBs, .177 Cal, 5.1 Grains, Anodized Finish, 1500ct 0.177
Sorted BBs Improve Group Size For Umarex Steels
Again we see improvements in both Vertical and Horizontal CTCs in the range of 20 – 25%.
| Sorted | Vertical CTC | Horizontal CTC | Improvement By Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 1 Inch = 25.4 mm | 5/8 Inch = 15.9 mm | Base data |
| Yes, 4.42 mm and above dia. | 3/4 Inch = 19.1 mm | 1/2 Inch = 12.7 mm | Vertical CTC 24.8% Horizontal CTC 20.2% |
But that test target shot by Doug with the sorted BBs was – without doubt – the best 10-shot, 10 Yard target we’ve ever seen from a BB gun. Except for one pesky flier, that was very close to a genuine “one-hole” group. Wow!
BUY FROM PYRAMYD AIR
Umarex Precision Steel BBs 5.1 grains, Speedloader, 1,500ct, 0.177 0.177
Sorted BBs Improve Group Size For ASG Blasters? Not!
Now here’s a turn-up for the books! The best-performing BBs when unsorted gave generally worse results when sorted. Duuuhhhhh…
| Sorted | Vertical CTC | Horizontal CTC | Improvement By Sorting |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 7/8 Inch = 19.1 mm | 7/8 Inch = 19.1 mm | Base data |
| Yes, 4.41 - 4.42 mm dia. | 5/8 Inch = 15.9 mm | 15/16 Inch = 23.8 mm | Vertical CTC 16.8% Horizontal CTC 24.6% WORSE |
| Yes, 4.38 - 4.40 mm dia. | 1 1/8 Inches = 28.6 mm | 1 Inch = 25.4 mm | Vertical CTC 30.0% WORSE Horizontal CTC 32.9% WORSE |
While the Vertical CTC was improved by 16.8% by sorting to 4.41 – 4.42 mm diameters, it was 24.6% worse horizontally.
And both horizontal and vertical CTCs were around 30% worse when sorted diameter BBs of 4.38 to 4.40 mm were used.
Who’d a thunk it?
Maybe someone really smart can explain this one. The HAM Team can’t so far.
BUY FROM AMAZON
ASG Blaster BBs
Final Conclusions
It’s pretty clear from the data in this review that sorting BBs by diameter can reduce group size on the target. Unsurprisingly, the improvement – or not! – will depend on the specific combination of BBs and gun used to shoot them.
But there is one general trend that seems to appear. Sorting BBs for diameter appears to reduce vertical stringing on the target, rather than horizontal. An unstructured search of historical HAM test targets for “solid action” – ie not blowback – BB guns with unsorted BBs also indicates that vertical stringing is more common than horizontal variation.
It would be fair to say that this Big HAM BB Test is a first look at BB gun accuracy, rather than a final conclusion. However it does show that all BBs are not the same and that there may be significant improvements possible in downrange accuracy by sorting them, just as we find with pellets and slugs.
