Airgunpedia Choosing your gear
Choosing the right pellets for your air rifle
The right pellet can make a big difference to how accurately your air rifle or air pistol shoots. Calibre, head shape and weight all play a part, and two guns of the same model can prefer different pellets. Here is what you need to know to choose.
1. Start with the calibre
The pellets must be the same calibre as your gun. The calibre is usually marked on the barrel or given in the manual.
| Calibre | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| 4.5 mm (.177) | The most widespread calibre. Flat trajectory and a wide choice. Find them under .177 (4.5 mm) pellets. |
| 5.5 mm (.22) | Heavier pellets with more hitting power. May require a licence – check the regulations in your country. Find them under .22 (5.5 mm) pellets. |
| 6.35 mm (.25) | For powerful PCP air guns. |
Read more about safe use and storage in our guide to air gun safety and regulations.
2. Choose the head shape for the job
- Flat (wadcutter): Cuts clean, round holes in the target, which makes scoring easy. Best at short range, e.g. 10 metre target shooting.
- Round (domed / round-nose): The most versatile shape. A stable trajectory and good accuracy at both short and longer range. A good place to start.
- Pointed: A narrow nose that holds its velocity well. Accuracy varies a lot from gun to gun.
- Hollow point: A hollow nose that flattens on impact. Needs enough power to work as intended.
- Slugs: Solid projectiles for powerful PCP air guns. H&N recommends at least 25 J. In less powerful guns they rarely stabilise.
3. Find the right weight
Light pellets leave the barrel faster but are more affected by wind. Heavy pellets are slower out of the barrel but hold their velocity better and are more stable at longer range. A low-powered gun often does best with light pellets, while powerful PCP air guns can make use of the heavy ones.
The weights below are examples from the JSB Exact range:
| Weight | 4.5 mm | 5.5 mm | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 0.51 g | 0.93 g | Target shooting and low-powered guns |
| Medium | 0.55–0.67 g | 1.03–1.17 g | All-round |
| Heavy | 0.87 g and up | 1.64 g and up | Powerful PCP air guns and longer range |
4. Head size
Some pellets come in several head sizes, e.g. 4.50, 4.51 and 4.52 mm. The head here means the wide rear part of the pellet, which has to seal tightly in the barrel. Small differences can give noticeably better accuracy in your particular barrel. Start with the standard size and try the others if you want to fine-tune.
5. Material
Most pellets are made of lead, because it is heavy and soft enough to follow the rifling in the barrel. Lead-free pellets also exist, and they are lighter at the same size. Avoid hard steel projectiles in rifled barrels unless the manufacturer of your gun says they are fine.
6. Test in your own gun
The surest way to find the right pellet is to try a few:
- Buy 2–3 different tins, or start with a sampler pack.
- Shoot strings of 5–10 shots with each type from the same distance, with the gun rested.
- Compare how tightly the shots group, and choose the type that gives the smallest groups.
- Clean the barrel when you switch between very different pellets.
See the full range under pellets.
