Req 2bc — Two Types of Air Rifle Ammunition

The two most common types of air rifle ammunition are BBs and pellets. They are different in shape, material, and intended use—and they are not interchangeable.

BBs

A BB is a small, round steel ball (historically made of lead, now typically steel with a thin coating). Standard BB diameter is 0.177 inches (4.5mm).

• Common use: Smooth-bore BB guns designed specifically for BBs. Multi-pump pneumatics and CO₂-powered BB guns.
• Shape: Perfectly round.
• Material: Steel (most common today); sometimes copper-coated or zinc-coated.
• Distance for this badge: 15 feet (or 5 meters).
• Accuracy: BBs are less accurate than pellets at longer ranges because they are not spin-stabilized (smooth bore) and their round shape is not aerodynamically ideal.

Do not use BBs in a rifled pellet rifle barrel. Steel BBs can damage rifled barrels and may cause dangerous pressure situations in some designs.

Pellets

A pellet is a diabolo-shaped lead projectile with a narrow waist and flared skirt. The skirt expands slightly when fired and grips the rifling grooves, imparting spin.

• Common use: Pellet rifles with rifled barrels. These are the type used in Olympic air rifle competition.
• Shape: Diabolo (hourglass with a flat or domed head and a cupped skirt).
• Material: Lead (most common). Lead-free tin alloys exist.
• Common caliber: 0.177 inches (4.5mm) is standard for most training and competition. 0.22-caliber pellets are used in some hunting-oriented air rifles.
• Distance for this badge: 33 feet (10 meters) for 0.177 pellets; 25 feet for some configurations.
• Types: Wadcutter (flat head, cuts clean holes in paper—best for target shooting), domed (round head, better ballistics for longer range), pointed (hunting applications).

Key Distinction