How to choose the perfect airgun pellets – most common types
There is no universal answer to the question of what is the best type of pellet bullets. The most important criterion to follow when choosing airgun pellets is its accuracy. The only way to find the answer to this question is to test as many different pellet bullets as possible and select the best one for the model of airgun you own. However, it's even better to acquire enough knowledge before you buy to increase your chances of choosing the right kind of shotgun shell. In this guide, we'll tell you how to choose the perfect ammunition for your airgun model.
1. Airgun pellet weight
There are some general rules for the selection of pellet for a given airgun. In addition to caliber, the basic parameter of a pellet is the weight, given in grains, a unit equivalent to about 0.06479 grams. In the 4.5 mm caliber, a light pellet is considered a pellet up to 6 gr, a medium-heavy pellet 6-9 gr, while above 9 gr - a heavy pellet.
The use of a lightweight airgun pellet will cause it to accelerate more rapidly during shooting, reaching a higher exit velocity. Thus, the dwell time of the airgun pellet in the barrel will be short, which will reduce the adverse effects of instability and vibration of the airgun during shooting. In addition, the higher exit velocity results in a shorter flight time to the target. The result is a favorable flat flight trajectory. Thus, it seems that the pellet shell should be as light as possible.
Unfortunately, in reality, the use of lightweight pellet in powerful carbines will result in the shot leaving the barrel too quickly without reaching maximum velocity, because all the transferable energy stored in the spring will not be transferred. This can cause damage to the spring or, at best, faster wear, caused by the fact that the shot will not provide enough resistance to the spring. Therefore, in air rifle with a higher exit velocity, medium-heavy or heavy pellet bullet should be used.
The danger of using too heavy airgun pellet in weaker spring-loaded rifle should be mentioned here. Shooting a heavy pellet with a weak airgun will result in a spring that does not have enough energy to accelerate and shoot a heavy pellet at the appropriate speed. Doing so can lead to damage to the spring.
2. Shape of the airgun pellets
One of the criteria for the selection of airgun pellet is also the shape. There are four basic types of airgun pellets:
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flat (match)
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sharp (pointed),
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rounded (round nose and domed),
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semicircular with a concave head (hollow point).
Flat airgun pellet is used for sport shooting because it cuts a round hole in the target. Flat pellet, unfortunately, loses speed quickly and thus is not the best for shooting at longer distances (recommended for shooting at distances up to 25 m). In smoothbore airguns, the lack of bullet rotation causes small errors in workmanship, mainly the unevenness of the front of the bullet, to cause significant scatter. Therefore, for smooth-bore airguns, we recommend BB type rounded shot.
Sharp, rounded and hollow point shot can be used for shooting at longer distances. The shooting holes is not as pronounced as with flat airgun pellets, but this type of shot performs quite well at longer distances(>30 m). These pellets have a lower drag coefficient, so they lose energy more slowly in flight.
By the way of airgun pellet, it is worth mentioning an interesting product - Napier Pellet Lube. It's a airgun pellet lubricant that affects not only better flight characteristics, but also reduces the resistance to passage through the barrel, which it additionally protects from corrosion. A few drops per airgun pellet pack guarantees both improved pellet ballistics and protects the inside of the barrel. The 10 ml container is sufficient for many thousands of shots.
The pellet weight and streamlined shape make for stable flight even at farther distances. The heavy weight also causes it to have tremendous knockdown power even after covering a long distance. Ideal for long-distance shooting, where the shooter's task is to bring down the target, for example. Ideal for shooting at any distance e.g. FT figures.
The high weight of the airgun pellet causes it to have high energy transferred to the hit object, but it does not penetrate it, but tears it apart because of the characteristic indentation at the tip. Accurate at short and medium range. Ideal for tearing objects apart.
Light and medium-sized airgun pellets with very good ballistic properties obtained thanks to a sharp tip, whose main task is to provide excellent penetration properties. This type of airgun pellet is capable of piercing a hard target even at a long distance, but due to its light weight there may be shortcomings in the repeatability of shots. A very good airgun pellet for piercing hard targets.
Flat-head airgun pellets leave a visible, regular hole, which is very helpful for target shooting at a distance of 10 meters, since without the use of sighting devices the shooter can control the hits. Ideal airgun pellets for preparing an amateur sporting or recreational shooting range.
Darts, is an option for users of weaker airguns with a broken, smooth barrel. They allow you to arrange an amateur shooting range in the garden or meadow.
BB pellets are designed for air pistols and rifles with smooth barrels, as well as those airguns that have a magazine for BB pellet. BB pellet takes on a rotary motion that increases accuracy and range.
Round airgun pellet is an alternative to Diabolo pellet. Unlike subcaliber pellet, it is not intended for smoothbore airguns, but complements the offer in the segment of magazine-loaded airguns.
