The reason for ridges on a pellet skirt.

The reason for striations on pellet skirts. (Ridges on the side of the skirt)

The following is my contribution to another forum. I reproduce it here to see what happens.

I have no authoritative quotes to substantiate this information apart from a discussion among some knowledgeable shooters at the local airgun club. It is subject to someone who has better information.

The reason for the striations on some pellets is the Magnus effect. In brief this means that the spinning of the pellet as it travels produces a low pressure area to the side of the pellet into which it is sucked. That gives a pellet deviation to the side of the direct line from muzzle to target. Left to a clockwise rotating pellet.

At short ranges this deviation is insignificant with airguns. In powder burning high powered rifles it is also insignificant even at ranges of say 600 yards because the bullet exits the muzzle very fast, up to 3000 fps and does not loose significant velocity during its flight although it does loose some. The important point to note is that the spin rate imparted by the rifling is very fast, up to 70,000 rpm and for the duration of the bullet flight remains constant. Therefore the magnus effect is constant for the whole of the bullet trajectory. Because it is travelling so fast it makes no difference to the deviation from the direct path from muzzle to target. That is why among other reasons that rifle bullets do not have striations.
On the other hand an air rifle pellet exits the muzzle at say 850 fps and because it has little energy it drops velocity quite quickly. However the spin rate of the pellet remains, for practical purposes, constant. Over the course of its travel the pellet spin remains the same so the magnus effect that is drawing the pellet off course remains constant. However because the pellet is bleeding velocity quite quickly the magnus effect has a greater offset effect per unit of distance traveled at lower pellet velocity.
The way to offset the magnus effect is to slow the rotation of the pellet as it travels so that at greater ranges with the pellet travelling slower the offset per unit distance is less. The striations are to slow down the pellet spin and consequently reduce the Magnus effect.

I think this deviation from the straight path is also called spin drift.

Edited by Novagun - 16 May 2017 at 3:59pm

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Pauly5 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Moderator Joined: 11 Mar 2013 Location: Titahi Bay Status: Offline Posts: 1527	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pauly5 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2017 at 4:00pm
	That's interesting. I would say that most pellets used by the throngs have smooth skirts. Your example of the 850 fps pellet - any idea on how far off it would travel over say, 50 m? Does caliber matter?

Novagun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 14 Dec 2016 Location: Wellington Status: Offline Posts: 62	Post Options Post Reply Quote Novagun Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2017 at 3:57pm
	Yes that is right the pellet does decelerate quickly but according to my information the spin rate does not. The striations are to slow the spinrate down by way of drag as the velocity of the pellet decreases so that the the magnus effect is less as the pellet velocity decreases. The further out from the muzzle the longer time makes the drag slow the pellet more. That is what the striations achieve. Sure it must be that as the pellet leaves the muzzle the spin rate is high and the striations must increases the circular motion of the air and have a high magnus effect early in the pellets' travel. I suppose the pellet designers expect trade offs until harmony is achieved. ( Never is though) I think the smooth skirted JSB and H&N pellets are the best. Better than RWS Superdomes.

Novagun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 14 Dec 2016 Location: Wellington Status: Offline Posts: 62	Post Options Post Reply Quote Novagun Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2017 at 3:54pm
	The reason for striations on pellet skirts. (Ridges on the side of the skirt) The following is my contribution to another forum. I reproduce it here to see what happens. I have no authoritative quotes to substantiate this information apart from a discussion among some knowledgeable shooters at the local airgun club. It is subject to someone who has better information. The reason for the striations on some pellets is the Magnus effect. In brief this means that the spinning of the pellet as it travels produces a low pressure area to the side of the pellet into which it is sucked. That gives a pellet deviation to the side of the direct line from muzzle to target. Left to a clockwise rotating pellet. At short ranges this deviation is insignificant with airguns. In powder burning high powered rifles it is also insignificant even at ranges of say 600 yards because the bullet exits the muzzle very fast, up to 3000 fps and does not loose significant velocity during its flight although it does loose some. The important point to note is that the spin rate imparted by the rifling is very fast, up to 70,000 rpm and for the duration of the bullet flight remains constant. Therefore the magnus effect is constant for the whole of the bullet trajectory. Because it is travelling so fast it makes no difference to the deviation from the direct path from muzzle to target. That is why among other reasons that rifle bullets do not have striations. On the other hand an air rifle pellet exits the muzzle at say 850 fps and because it has little energy it drops velocity quite quickly. However the spin rate of the pellet remains, for practical purposes, constant. Over the course of its travel the pellet spin remains the same so the magnus effect that is drawing the pellet off course remains constant. However because the pellet is bleeding velocity quite quickly the magnus effect has a greater offset effect per unit of distance traveled at lower pellet velocity. The way to offset the magnus effect is to slow the rotation of the pellet as it travels so that at greater ranges with the pellet travelling slower the offset per unit distance is less. The striations are to slow down the pellet spin and consequently reduce the Magnus effect. I think this deviation from the straight path is also called spin drift. Edited by Novagun - 16 May 2017 at 3:59pm