Choosing the best pellets for your rifle can feel like you’re in the line of fire, with so many options being shot at you from all directions it can be almost impossible to know where to start. As ever the Wolfman is here to try and make that decision a little bit easier. A quick note - this guide is dealing with rifle pellets. For pistol pellets check out our Pistol Pellet Buying Guide here: ***
You’ll probably be aware that there are different calibres of rifle, and there are of course pellets in all the calibres to fit the rifle. The 4 main calibres you’ll see, from smallest to largest, are: .177, .20, .22, and .25. Of these the most common are definitely the .177 and .22. This part is quite simple, as whatever calibre rifle you have, you will need the same calibre pellet to match. It is important to note that here we are talking about pellets and not BB, which are different from pellets and can only be fired by BB specific guns, and vice versa.
The most important consideration after the calibre is the intended use of the pellet. This can determine a lot of the finer details such as pellet shape and weight, and ensure you are firing something designed to be effective for your use. The main uses of air rifles are target shooting, competition, pest control, and recreational garden shooting, and there are pellets available for all these uses.
Target shooting pellets are designed to be accurate at standard rifle-range distances and commonly will have a flat head to punch a clean hole through the target, hence why they are sometimes known as ‘wadcutters’. For all uses, round-headed domed pellets are common as well, being a very effective and aerodynamic design. This enables them to have a long-flat trajectory making them accurate at longer distances. Competition shooting requires pellets very similar to target shooting, but they are often hand-sorted to ensure complete pellet-to-pellet consistency. The material of the pellets may also be very important, with the softer lead of JSB pellets being popular with many. With this emphasis on finer details, you will also commonly see reference to pellet head sizes (for example, 4.50 or 4.52) with many shooters trying to match the pellets to their barrel by differences of 0.01mm. However, if you are unsure or confused feel free to ask us for help, but it is mostly a case of trying the different sizes to see what works best and a pellet of the correct calibre will always fire; it is just a question of those finer details the professionals examine to get the highest-degree of performance from their rifle.
Buying pellets which are both accurate and effective is very important for pest control, otherwise it won’t kill the target quickly and will cause unnecessary suffering. Such pellets are designed to cause maximum impact so may be pointed to pierce the target, or have a hollow-point to expand upon impact. Some of the best pellets for pest control, however, are heavy domed pellets. Heavier pellets, to cast your mind back to those physics lessons, will impact with a higher force and cause more damage, but the higher weight will change the velocity and trajectory of the pellet when fired with the same rifle as versus a lighter pellet. This can mean they are less accurate over longer distances. It is also wise to check manufacturer recommendations when looking at heavier pellets, as some are only suitable for certain power systems.
Finally, pellets for recreational garden shooting, often called ‘plinking’, can have fewer specific needs to fulfil and therefore it can be a good chance to buy some less expensive alternatives, or try a lead-free pellet, with the fun of shooting being the main goal. These pellets are perfectly designed for tin can shooting and paper punching, without the need for total accuracy.
Now you’ve got some overview on everything it’s time for the Wolfman Alpha picks for target, pest control, and plinking!
Of course, there are always some very honourable mentions, great pellets that will perform exactly as required but aren’t quite top of the pack. For target shooting you can’t go wrong with the H&N Field Target Trophy, which is a fantastic all-round pellet, well-able to give great results when shooting at the range. Similarly, here at the Wolfman we are very impressed with the RWS Superdome, which are made to a uniform quality and are a great pellet to use as a benchmark when trying out a new gun. Another high performer is the QYS Streamlined, designed for target shooting up to Olympic standard; these pellets are another quality option, although only available in .177. However, the Wolfman would have to recommend the Air Arms Diabolo Field as the best available on the market today. Extremely consistent and manufactured from the same softer high-quality lead as JSB pellets, these are very accurate and will give you reliably close groupings. That’s why the Air Arms Diabolo Field is The Wolfman Alpha pick for target shooting pellets.
Again, there is a vast array available to choose from in pest control pellets as well. Our honourable mentions this time are the H&N Baracuda Hunter Extreme, an affordable and powerful pellet that gives good accuracy, and the Bisley Magnum, a heavy-weighted domed pellet from a household name that packs a lot of punch into every shot. However, the Wolfman Alpha pick for pest control pellets, our recommendation for the very best available, would have to be the H&N Hornet, which are some truly premium pellets capable of producing the most lethal results. These are pellets that will hit and kill what you aim at. As the very best money can buy, the H&N Hornet is the Wolfman Alpha pick for pest-control pellets.
For plinking you might think any pellet would be as good as another, but we’d recommend getting something that won’t break the bank, and is still of enough quality to guarantee consistent results. Our first honourable mention is the BSA Elite, a classic domed pellet from a familiar name capable of all general tasks, but at a very accessible price. Next, you couldn’t go far wrong with the RWS Hobby. A scratch more expensive, being RWS these are produced to that dependable reliable standard making them a fantastic choice. Our Wolfman Alpha pick for plinking pellets would have to be the H&N Excite Econ. At a price that can only be described as beyond competitive, these lead-free pellets will deliver on all your recreational shooting needs, without any concerns of causing lead-fouling in your garden. This makes them the ideal choice to pick up for a quick 5 minutes of shooting while the kettle boils! That’s why the Wolfman Alpha pick is the H&N Excite Econ.
Looking to buy pellets for your pistol? Check out our Pistol Pellet Buyer’s Guide instead.
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