Air Gun Pellets & BBs

Pellets vs. BBs: Which Does Your Airgun Use?

Pellets are diabolo-shaped (waisted, with a wide skirt) and made from lead or lead-alloy, designed for the rifling found in precision air rifles and pistols — they stabilize through spin like a centerfire bullet. BBs are simple round steel or copper-coated balls, generally used in smoothbore, lower-powered airguns not designed for pellet accuracy. Always check your airgun's manual before buying ammunition — firing pellets in a BB-only gun or vice versa can damage the barrel or reduce accuracy significantly.

Choosing a Pellet Shape: Domed, Pointed, and Flat

Domed pellets (like Crosman Premier and Hatsan Vortex Strike) are the standard choice for target shooting and general use, offering good ballistic consistency at typical airgun ranges. Pointed pellets (Daisy PrecisionMax, Gamo Red Fire) are often marketed for hunting, aiming to combine accuracy with a bit more penetration on small game. Flat-nosed pellets are less common but favored by some shooters for paper targets since they punch a cleaner hole for scoring.

Steel vs. Copper-Coated BBs

Standard zinc-plated steel BBs (like Daisy's) are the traditional, most affordable choice for BB guns. Copper-coated steel BBs (like Crosman CopperHead) add a thin copper coating that can reduce friction and barrel wear slightly compared to plain steel, though the practical difference is modest for casual plinking use. Both are sized for standard .177 caliber smoothbore BB guns.

CO2 Cylinders: Powering Gas Airguns

Most CO2-powered airguns use standard 12-gram cylinders (offered by Crosman, Daisy, and Sig Sauer Airguns among others), which are largely interchangeable across brands of CO2-powered airgun since the cylinder itself is a standardized size. Buying in bulk packs (15-25 per pack) is the most economical approach for anyone shooting a CO2 airgun regularly, since individual cylinders add up quickly in cost per range session.

Frequently Asked Questions: Airgun Pellets & BBs

Can I shoot BBs in a pellet gun?
No — pellet guns are typically rifled and designed for the diabolo pellet shape; firing steel BBs through a rifled pellet gun barrel can damage the rifling and is generally not recommended. Always check your specific airgun's manual.

What's the difference between domed and pointed pellets?
Domed pellets are the standard choice for consistent accuracy at typical airgun ranges, while pointed pellets are often marketed for small game hunting, aiming for a bit more penetration.

Are CO2 cylinders interchangeable between brands?
Standard 12-gram CO2 cylinders are a common size used across most CO2-powered airguns regardless of brand, making them broadly interchangeable.