Oiling pellets is not straightforward!

by Harley Ayre

Oiling pellets is a subject all shooters of precharged pneumatics (PCP) know about. When I came into the PCP fold in the middle 1990s, it was explained to me that spring guns are constantly blowing their piston lube through the transfer port in small quantities, so you never have to lube them. That turned out to be not entirely correct, because whenever Crosman Premiers get above 900 f.p.s., they start to deposit lead in the bore. But that was the explanation I received.

Why lube PCP pellets at all?
In sharp contrast, a PCP doesn't blow any oil into the barrel. So, if you want oil there, you'll have to put it there yourself. The most common way is by oiling the pellets. Before we go there, a word about the necessity of oiling at all. You may not need to! I say "may" because a lot depends on the velocity at which you shoot and the barrel you shoot through. Some barrels want oiled pellets for best accuracy, while others I've seen did not. A dry pellet going 850 f.p.s. or less isn't going to lead the bore unless that particular bore is very rough to begin with. The Lothar Walther barrels used in AirForce rifles and Falcons are quite smooth and can do well without oiling.

That said, however, I have seen some Lothar Walther barrels that did prefer oiled pellets. This is a very individual thing that each shooter must determine for his own airguns. Then, there are times when oiling is just generally a good idea, such as the aforementioned Premiers in any caliber going faster than 900 f.p.s. How about a Condor cranked up to shoot a JSB Exact at 1150? That kind of velocity always needs oil if you don't want to clean the barrel every 50-100 rounds.

What to use
Over the years, airgunners have had a major debate about what lubes work best in PCPs. It's gone from the ridiculous to the comedic, as one guru will recommend his potion and claim that several others will actually damage your airgun! Kinda like a presidential election year! Now, Airhog has their own proprietary pellet lube, and it's more than just oil - it's an entire system. If I were just getting started in this game, that's probably the way I'd go, because who knows what's really right. At least from Airhog you know they will back what they sell.

What NOT to use
Stay away from petroleum-based lubricants for safety's sake. They won't harm your bore, but if some should get into your reservoir (transferred by an oily hand during filling), you have just created a fuel/air bomb!

How much to use
I think this is far more important than what you use, as long as it's safe. I have seen airgunners pick up pellets that actually dripped oil as they loaded them into their airguns, and I have seen other airgunners who opened the pellet tin and whispered the word "Oil" inside! Accuracy didn't seem to be the issue. Those who used a lot of oil seemed to have guns that needed repairs more often. The repairs seemed to be needed in the bolt and valve region, so I'm attributing that to over-oiling. It may not be correct, but that's how I've seen it.

Another consideration is that oil attracts and holds dirt. Use a lot of it and you will have to clean your airgun more often and more methodically. You'll also have to be careful when handling it, because I have seen over-oiled airguns actually slip from the hands of their owners. Okay, that last example happened to me during a field target match, but it's still valid.

I hope I've cleared up some of the questions you may have about oiling pellets. If not, please drop me a comment.