.177 pellets for air rifles and airguns

Worldwide, .177 air rifle pellets are the most used calibre. These small and light pellets don’t have much air resistance, helping them to reach great speed without the need for much power. And thanks to this speed, despite their low weight, they can carry an impressive kinetic energy for a good impact. A .22 pellet will create an impact by its mass alone, although it will be quite a bit slower than a .177 pellet.

And that brings us to the trajectory. Their ability to easily reach a high speed also gives the .177 airgun pellets a very flat trajectory, as their small frontal surface doesn’t offer much air resistance. This results in significantly less drop than with bigger calibres, such as a .22. As a result, this makes .177 pellets very forgiving for beginners. But their flat trajectory appeals to sport shooters too, making the .177 the best pellet for target shooting at 10 metres for example. In short, .177 pellets are well-loved in all layers of the airgun community.

.177 airgun bullets are divided in two categories: pellets and slugs. Let’s start with the pellets, as everybody will be familiar with these diabolo shaped projectiles. They’re designed with a head that carries most of the mass, followed by a wasp-like waist and a flaring skirt that provides stability. As the skirt is hollow, it will expand slightly against the inside of the barrel for a perfect seal to get the most out of the air pressure available.

In addition to .177 pellets, there are .177 slugs. A slug can best be described as simply being a solid bullet like the ones you find in firearms cartridges. A .177 airgun slug is very aerodynamic in shape and has quite a bit of mass, both making it less susceptible to air resistance and wind deflection, thus making it more suitable than a pellet for long distance shooting. Because of its significant weight, a slug needs more power than a pellet to reach a relevant speed. So for slugs, a powerful air rifle is definitely needed.

Although many different .177 slugs are available, the calibre itself isn’t the most ideal for slug use. Why? Well, besides the bullet shape, weight is another important factor with slugs. And as the diameter of a calibre is a given, the only way to gain extra weight by adding more lead, is to lengthen the projectile. And to give a relevant weight to a relatively small calibre as is .177, you’ll need pretty long slugs. This is absolutely no problem when loading by hand, but when you use a magazine, there’s a small chance a slug will be too long and won’t fit in the magazine. It’s for this reason that we mention the length in the specifications of all the slugs (and pellets) that we sell.

Also worth mentioning are lead free .177 pellets. Normally, pellets and slugs are made of lead. As lead has a very high specific weight, its mass inertia will help overcome drag and provide a good impact on the target. And it’s the softness of lead that will prevent the barrel from wearing out. However, lead is harmful for the environment and not too good for yourself either. And it’s for this reason that lead free .177 pellets are available. These are usually made from a tin alloy that’s soft enough not to damage the barrel, hence the also common term of alloy .177 pellets. Their lower weight makes them more sensitive to drag, which means alloy .177 pellets are best suited for shorter distances. For instance, they’re perfect for target shooting in your garden.

Well… first and foremost, the best pellet is an accurate pellet. Logically. But first you need to choose which head you will be needing. There are four main .177 pellet types, each with its own characteristics. The two most popular .177 pellets are roundheads and wadcutters (flatheads). Roundheads make the best .177 pellets for accuracy, as their shape and weight will give the best results over longer distances. However, the best .177 pellet for target shooting will be a wadcutter. On shorter distances, this pellet is as accurate as a roundhead, but the flat head of the pellet will punch a perfect round hole without any tears in a paper target. This makes an accurate reading of the score more reliable. They’re great at 10 metres.

Then there are pointed pellets, which are a bit less accurate at longer distances than roundheads, but the pointed heads will make for a better penetration. And the last ones that need mentioning are hollow point pellets. They’re not suitable for very long distances, but will provide you with a maximum impact.

If you’re shooting purely over long distances and your airgun is powerful enough, then it might be wise to consider using heavy .177 pellets or -even better- .177 slugs. Slugs will offer the best ballistic coefficient, due to their weight and shape. This will reduce drag and wind sensitivity, making for the best accuracy and an extensive reach.

Regarding hunting: the best .177 pellets for hunting definitely wouldn’t be wadcutters. They simply don’t have the reach for it. Yes, wadcutters can sometimes be great for close range pest control, as their flat nose will transfer all the energy to the target, making for a good impact. But really hunting with them is out of the question.

Most often used for hunting are round nosed pellets, as they’re the most accurate on longer distances. They penetrate and offer a good impact. However, as you’ve read above. Pointed pellets offer more penetration if that’s what you need. Their impact will be less though. And if it’s purely impact that you’re after, even above accuracy, then a hollow point pellet would be the best .177 pellet for hunting.

Still, with .177 cal pellets, your hunting should be limited to small targets, such as squirrels, as the pellets simply don’t pack the punch for bigger targets. After all, the main objective when hunting with .177 pellets is a clean shot. We often get asked by our foreign customers (as we’re not allowed to over here in the Netherlands) what the best .177 pellet for squirrels is. Well, most of our overseas customers seem to go with roundhead pellets as they’re the most accurate and pack a significant enough punch. With a small calibre like .177, it’s all about shot placement, which means accuracy is top priority and that’s where roundhead pellets shine. These and .177 slugs of course, if shot from an air rifle with enough power.

We’ve got a wide range of .177 pellets for sale in our webshop. All best brands of .177 cal pellets are available in all types and varieties. And not just with different heads, but also with different weights and different sizes. The latter might sound a bit strange, as you’d expect a .177 cal pellet to be just that: .177 inch. But there are nuances to make up for differences in barrels, due to fabrication tolerances and manufacturing methods. Some barrels can be a bit wide and you want a pellet to fit very tight for the best air seal around it. That’s why we also sell .177 pellets that are slightly bigger in diameter, such as, .1775, .1779 and even .1783. It can pay off to play with size, as well as weight to get the best results from your airgun.

It’s worth mentioning for sport shooters, that we do sell .177 pellets in bulk. Our own brand of match pellets (wadcutters or flatheads) will punch perfectly round holes in paper targets. They’re very popular, as they’ve got a great price for their quality. And that’s why we sell these .177 pellets in bulk. The more you order, the higher the discount will be that we’ll give you.