How to Choose Air Rifle Pellets (Head Size & Weight)

The single cheapest way to make any air rifle shoot better is to feed it the pellet its barrel prefers — and that’s almost never a guess you can skip. Two rifles off the same line will favor different pellets. Here’s how to find yours.

Start with quality domes

For hunting and general accuracy, choose a domed (round-nosed) pellet from a maker known for consistency. Skip pointed “hunting” pellets and fancy hollowpoints for accuracy work — they rarely group as well as a good dome. Wadcutters have their place on close targets, but domes rule everywhere else.

Test head sizes

Quality pellets come in head sizes that differ by hundredths of a millimeter — and that tiny difference changes how the pellet fits your bore. Buy a couple of head sizes of your chosen pellet and shoot five-shot groups of each at 25–30 yards off a bag. One size usually pulls ahead. That’s your number.

Match weight to the job

Heavier pellets carry energy and buck wind but use more air; lighter ones shoot flatter and give more shots. Pick a sensible weight for your caliber and use, then let the head-size test sort the precision. The air rifle caliber guide helps you set the weight range.

When sorting is worth it

For hunting, a good pellet from a fresh tin is plenty. For benchrest or long range, weigh-sorting a tin and culling damaged skirts will tighten groups further. Tedious, but real.

Then buy in bulk

Once you’ve found the pellet and head size your rifle loves, buy it by the sleeve — head sizes and lots drift over time, and consistency between tins matters more than people expect. Browse JSB pellets and the rest of our airgun ammo, and frame the whole topic with the Calibers & Ammo guide.