AFTE Store - The Exterior Ballistics of Contemporary Air Guns and BB Guns

Aire guns and BB guns are popular training, recreational and target guns which range from low powered BB pistols of marginal accuracy to very sophisticated arms capaple of great accuracy and relatively high muzzle velocities. Their designs vary from simple spring-plunger types (e.g.- the classic Red Ryder lever action BB gun) to multi-pump pneumatic types and CO2 charged guns. These guns are available in calibers from .177 inch to .25 inch with projectiles consisting of 0173 inch steel spheres to soft lead projectiles in a variety of shapes in .177, .20, .22 and .25 caliber. All of these projetiles, if driven to sufficiently high velocity and at close range, are capable of serious injuy and even death in some special circumstances. Their low ballitic coefficients however, cause them to lose velocity rapidly over distance. This paper examines the exterior ballistic performance of some representative examples of these projectiles as a means of setting some limits on the ranges at which these projectiles might be capable of producing injuries or property damage.