Balls for airguns
Balls
— balls for pneumatics are remarkable primarily for their low cost — on average, they are an order of magnitude cheaper than bullets. On the other hand, the accuracy and range of such ammunition is also much lower, and besides, they are intended mainly for use in smooth-bore weapons — only certain types of balls are suitable for rifled ones (see below). So the main use of such charges is recreational shooting.Balls used in pneumatics differ primarily in materials — and this, in turn, depends on some features of the application. Here are the most popular options today:
— Lead. The only type of balls that is suitable without restrictions not only for smooth, but also for rifled barrels (if the weapon allows the use of such ammunition at all). However lead has an increased tendency to deformation upon impact (for example, from shaking during transportation); on the other hand, the balls do not initially belong to precision-guided munitions, and this point cannot be called fundamental.
— Steel without coating. Steel balls are inexpensive and keep their shape perfectly, which is why they are very popular. They definitely cannot be used with rifled barrels, but this is more a feature than a drawback. The obvious disadvantages include perhaps weak resistance to corrosion; however, this nuance becomes fundamental only during long-term storage in conditions of high humidity.
— Steel copper-plated. The copper coating is intended primarily for corrosion protection. Such balls are somewhat more expensive than ordinary steel ones, but they tolerate contact with moisture much better. And some of them can even be used with rifled barrels — copper is much softer than steel. However, this possibility needs to be specified separately; and even if it is claimed, if possible, it is still better to load lead balls into a rifled barrel.
In addition to copper, other materials can be used as a coating — zinc, nickel, etc.; however, for a number of reasons, they are less popular.
— Plastic. They are practically not used in conventional pneumatics, but they are standard ammunition for airsoft. Actually, airsoft rifles, pistols, etc. are not weapons, but sports equipment — they were not originally designed to cause any damage to people. Plastic balls meet these requirements perfectly: they have a very low mass and minimal penetration. At the same time, the range of aimed fire with such ammunition can reach several tens of metres. Standard "airsoft" caliber — 6 mm; there are larger calibers, but they are used extremely rarely.