The rifle gets most of the attention, but the pellet you load does just as much work. Weight, shape, and caliber all change how a pellet flies, how much energy it carries downrange, and how it performs on paper, cans, or game. Most airgun pellets use a waisted, skirted diabolo shape, weighed in grains, with the caliber referring to the pellet's diameter, most commonly .177 (4.5mm), .22 (5.5mm), or .25 (6.35mm).
As a rough rule: lighter pellets in a given caliber are faster and flatter-shooting, better suited to target work and plinking, while heavier pellets retain energy better downrange, making them a stronger choice for hunting and pest control. This guide breaks down a few well-regarded picks in each caliber, along with what each is actually good for.
.177 is the most widely available airgun caliber, with the deepest pellet selection of any size. It's the default choice for target shooting and general plinking, and light enough that even modest-powered rifles can push it fast.
A domed, mid-weight pellet widely regarded as one of the most accurate .177 pellets made. Good balance of velocity and stability, and the pellet most target shooters reach for first.
The most widely used .177 pellet in the US. A hollow point with a domed profile, versatile enough to cover hunting, pest control, and backyard plinking without needing to switch pellets.
A heavier .177 pellet that trades some velocity for better energy retention at distance. A strong choice once you're shooting past 30 yards or need more authority on small game.
.22 is the traditional hunting caliber, trading some of .177's flat trajectory for meaningfully more energy on target. It's a common step-up choice once someone's decided pest control or small game hunting is the priority.
The most widely available .22 pellet, and a genuine do-everything choice. The hollow point aids expansion on small game while the domed profile keeps velocity consistent at moderate range.
Widely considered among the most accurate .22 pellets available. A domed, mid-weight design that holds tight groups whether you're punching paper or hunting at medium range.
A genuinely heavy .22 option that holds energy well past where lighter pellets start to fade. Suited to higher-powered PCP rifles and hunters who want more authority at range.
.25 caliber trades trajectory and pellet selection for raw downrange energy, and generally needs a higher-powered PCP rifle to make the most of it. It's a dedicated hunting caliber more than an all-arounder.
The most popular .25 pellet by a wide margin, and the natural starting point when testing a new .25 rifle. Domed, consistent, and capable of real accuracy at hunting distances.
A purpose-built hunting pellet with a fragmenting hollow-point design intended for clean, controlled expansion on small game and pest control, rather than raw penetration.
A genuinely heavy .25 pellet for rifles with the power to push it well. Better wind resistance and higher retained energy downrange, at the cost of needing real power behind it.
Once you know a pellet's weight in grains and your rifle's velocity with it, plug both into our FPE calculator to see the actual energy behind the shot, in foot-pounds and joules. It runs live right here:
Weight alone doesn't tell the whole story either, our sectional density calculator shows how well a pellet carries that weight through its diameter, a useful second data point when comparing pellets within the same caliber.
Start with a mid-weight domed pellet in your rifle's caliber, like the JSB Diabolo Exact in .177 or the Crosman Premier in .22. Both are versatile enough to cover target shooting and general use while you figure out what your rifle likes.
Look toward a hollow point or a heavier domed pellet in your caliber, covered in each section above. Heavier pellets retain more energy downrange, which matters more for a clean, humane result than raw velocity does.
Check our recommended retailers for current stock, most carry the pellets named on this page directly.