page_title: Air gun
section_title: Pellet
hierarchical_section_title: Air gun / Ammunition / Pellet
caption_attribution_description: .177 cal air gun ammunition.
context_page_description: An air gun, or airgun, is a gun that fire projectiles pneumatically with compressed air or other gases that are pressurized without involving any chemical reactions, in contrast to a firearm, which pressurizes gases chemically by oxidation of combustible propellants that generates propulsive energy by breaking molecular bonds. Both the "long gun" and "handgun" forms typically propel metallic projectiles that are either diabolo-shaped pellets or spherical shots called BBs, though in recent years Minié ball-shaped slugs are gaining more popularity. Certain types of air guns may also propel darts or arrows.
  The first air guns were developed as early as the 1500s, and have since been used in hunting, sporting and warfare. There are three different power sources for modern air guns, depending on the design: spring-piston, pneumatic, or bottled compressed gas.
context_section_description: The most popular ammunition used in rifled air guns is the wasp-waisted diabolo pellet, which has two sections — a solid front portion called the "head", which contains the center of mass and is available in a variety of shapes and styles such as flat (wadcutter), round (domed), cone-shaped (pointed) and pitted (hollow point); and a hollowed, thin-walled conical rear portion called the "skirt", which expands and fully engages the bore to provide a good seal and thus allows maximal efficiency in pellet propulsion during shooting.  In flight, the skirt has greater drag-to-weight ratio than the head and exerts a rearward pull behind the center of mass, similar to that of a shuttlecock.  This produces a phenomenon known as drag stabilization, which helps to counteract yawing and maintain a consistent flight path.  However, the diabolo shape also means that the overall pellet will have poor ballistic coefficient and tends to lose energy quickly and be more unstable especially in the transonic region (272–408 m/s ~ 893–1340 ft/s).  Diabolo pellets are traditionally made from lead, but can also be manufactured from tin, or a combination of materials such as steel or gold alloys with polymer tips.
caption: A .177 (4.5mm) caliber "Wadcutter" pellet next to a stick of chewing gum
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