As you might expect the most frequent topics on airgun forums would be the features and foibles of the dozens and lots of different models, but following closely behind the model discussions is the chatter about airgun ammunition or pellets. May very well not expect that a.177 caliber pellet from Manufacturer A would perform wildly different from a.177 caliber pellet from Manufacturer B in the same airgun, but they do. To produce it even more complicated Manufacturer B’s ammo may outperform Manufacturer A’s in a different air rifle or pistol.
We will discuss some of the different characteristics of airgun pellets and how you should use these records to your advantage when selecting a pellet for the air rifle or pistol.
A lighter pellet will leave the barrel of an airgun faster than the usual heavier pellet and it may also accelerate faster downrange handgun ammo for sale. That means less time to a target and a flatter trajectory because there is less time for gravity to work its magic. A heavier pellet will are apt to have a less flat trajectory not due to the weight but because it spends additional time to a target providing gravity with more time to pull it towards the earth.
The 2nd factor that most affects the flight of an airgun pellet is air resistance. Air resistance increases with the cube of speed. Whenever you double the speed of a pellet moving downrange you increase its air resistance by eight times. Really light.177 caliber pellets lose energy because of air resistance so rapidly that after a 35 yd. or so it is likely to be moving slower than the usual heavier pellet fired from the same gun. Air resistance might be irrelevant for target shooting out to 10 m but it’d play a huge role in a hunting shot beyond that range. This really is one of many reasons that you intend to hunt with the heaviest pellet your airgun are designed for effectively.
Along with the weight of the pellet air resistance will be different in line with the shape of the pellet. Wadcutters are flat nose pellets useful for paper target shooting. At the 10 m range the increase in air resistance is almost negligible but just like with the aftereffect of weight beyond 35 yd. the flat nose will begin working such as an air brake.
Medium weight round nose pellets offer the most effective compromise for both weight and shape for medium powered air rifles. For small caliber air rifles (.177 and.20) the most effective hunting ammo is a round nose hollowpoint. This pellet moves through the air in addition to a regular round nose and mushrooms on impact significantly increasing the force of the shot.
The most effective advice about air rifle ammo is to use several different brands, several different shapes, and several different weights. Everything you read in the airgun forums might be true generally but may not work for your air rifle. If you’re only a periodic shooter and still want the most effective accuracy and range then select a premium pellet from the same manufacturer that made your gun. It is almost always best to avoid no-name bargains because there might be significant variability between pellets in the same package.