Airsoft pellets
Plastic spherical projectiles used in airsoft guns, typically 6 mm in diameter.
Airsoft pellets, commonly called BBs, are spherical projectiles used in airsoft guns. They are typically made of plastic, measure around 6 mm in diameter, and weigh between 0.20 and 0.40 g, with 0.20 g and 0.25 g being the most common weights. Despite the shared term, these BBs are distinct from the 4.5 mm metal projectiles fired by BB guns or the 0.180 in birdshot from which the term originated.
Quick Facts
- Diameter
- 6 mm (standard); also 8 mm (0.315 in) or 6.4 mm (0.252 in) in selective models
- Common weights
- 0.20 g, 0.25 g, 0.28 g, 0.30 g, 0.32 g, 0.40 g
- Muzzle velocity limits
- 90–120 m/s for AEGs; 120 m/s for single-shot spring sniper rifles
Facts from the source article.
Variants
Most airsoft pellets are simple spherical plastic projectiles, but special varieties exist. Biodegradable pellets, often required at outdoor fields where sweeping is impractical, are made from resins such as polylactic acid (PLA), a renewable material derived from corn products. These pellets are designed to degrade through soil microbes or photosensitive processes, and high-quality versions are certified as compostable. Both biodegradable and non-biodegradable pellets are widely available, with the biodegradable type costing slightly more. Glow-in-the-dark tracer pellets are used with a device that charges them with a burst of light before they leave the barrel, making them luminescent in flight for nocturnal games; this unit may be hidden in a suppressor, magazine, or hop-up unit. Biodegradable tracer pellets are also produced. Dark-colored pellets are available to make it harder for opponents to spot the shooter's origin, as white pellets are common and easily tracked. However, few high-quality dark pellets exist, and shooters may have difficulty seeing their own shot trail.
Pellet mass
Pellet mass influences velocity, energy, trajectory, and hardware requirements. Lighter pellets achieve higher velocities but are more affected by wind and decelerate faster; they can also reduce range due to hop-up mechanics. Heavier pellets hit harder due to increased momentum and may show higher kinetic energy in guns shooting 620 ft/s. Trajectory curvature is greater for lighter pellets, though hop-up can flatten and extend it. Heavier pellets may require more powerful guns and upgraded parts. Choice of mass depends on gaming style, gun internals, venue conditions, and muzzle velocity regulations. Low-cost pellets often have flash from molding, lower impact resistance, and imperfect sphericity; they can shatter and damage gun internals. Higher-cost pellets are smoother, more impact resistant, and perfectly spherical. The 6 mm standard is used in almost all spring, electric, and gas airsoft guns. Uncommon masses include 0.11 g and 0.135 g. The 0.12 g pellet is extremely common in low-grade AEGs and spring guns but is not recommended for guns firing over 250 ft/s, as it is prone to breaking and inaccuracy due to wind.
Flight physics
Pellet speed in spring-powered and automatic electric guns is largely determined by the main spring tension. Muzzle velocity limits are 90–120 m/s for AEGs and 120 m/s for single-shot spring sniper rifles. A 3.00 g paintball pellet at 100 m/s has 15 J of kinetic energy, while a 0.20 g airsoft pellet at the same speed has 1 J. In airsoft, terminal impact energy is nearly equal to kinetic energy because the collision is almost completely elastic, unlike paintball where the pellet fractures. Typical airsoft impact energies are much smaller than those of paintball. During flight, a pellet decelerates due to quadratic drag, which depends on mass, diameter, and velocity. For a 0.20 g pellet at 120 m/s with 6 mm diameter, drag is high and velocity decreases quickly. Neglecting wind and hop-up, a straight shot from 1.8 m height has a range of 34 m, with an impact energy of 0.1 J on ground hit; at 5 m distance, impact energy is 1 J.
Dangers to humans
Airsoft pellets at sufficient velocity can cause small superficial wounds on exposed skin, typically closed contusions that heal without medical attention. More serious damage can occur to vulnerable areas such as eyes and ears; lower protective face masks and mandatory goggles are recommended. The critical velocity for skin penetration, defined as entering more than half the pellet's diameter, is given by a formula involving mass. For a 0.20 g pellet, this velocity is 136.7 m/s. Many high-end AEGs, spring-, and gas-powered guns can reach such velocities at close range, leading venues to set maximum muzzle velocity limits and require chronograph testing. Some venues impose minimum engagement distances or a 'bang bang' rule, where players simulate firing verbally instead of shooting. The United Kingdom Parliament's 'Principles of Firearms Control' notes that a lethal barreled weapon is defined under the Firearms Act 1968 as one capable of firing a projectile with sufficient force to puncture the skin, with force expressed as muzzle energy in foot-pounds or joules.
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