Editing Air gun (section)

===Pellet===

{{Main|Pellet (air gun)}}
[[File:Diabolo prof.jpg|thumb|Wadcutter or Flathead pellets]]
The most popular ammunition used in rifled air guns is made of lead, a [[Heavy metals|heavy metal]]. Lead is [[Lead poisoning|highly poisonous]] (whether inhaled or swallowed), affecting almost every organ and system in the human body. For this reason, lead-free pellets are becoming increasingly popular, and are available in all major shapes and styles, just like traditional lead pellets.

By far the most popular shape is the [[wasp-waist]]ed '''[[diabolo]] pellet''', which has two sections – a solid front portion called the "head", which contains the [[center of mass]] and is available in a variety of shapes and styles such as flat ([[wadcutter]]), round (domed), cone-shaped (pointed) and pitted ([[hollow point]]); and a hollowed, thin-walled [[conical]] rear portion called the "skirt", which expands and fully engages the bore to provide a good [[seal (mechanical)|seal]] and thus allows maximal efficiency in pellet propulsion during shooting.  In flight, the skirt has greater [[air drag|drag]]-to-weight ratio than the head and exerts a rearward pull behind the center of mass, similar to that of a [[shuttlecock]].  This produces a phenomenon known as ''drag stabilization'', which helps to counteract [[yaw (rotation)|yaw]]ing and maintain a consistent [[flight path]].  However, the diabolo shape also means that the overall pellet will have poor [[ballistic coefficient]] and tends to lose energy quickly and be more unstable especially in the [[External ballistics#Transonic problem|transonic region]] (272–408&nbsp;m/s ~ 893–1340&nbsp;ft/s).

[[Image:177cal.jpg|thumb|250px|A .177 (4.5mm) caliber "Wadcutter" pellet next to a stick of chewing gum]]
Diabolo pellets are conventionally made from [[lead]], but are widely available in non-lead alternatives, such as [[tin]], or a combination of materials such as [[steel]] or [[gold]] alloys with [[polymer]] tips. A variety of lead-free pellets are offered by all major pellet manufacturers, including H&N Sport, RWS, JSB, Gamo, and others.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home - Lead Free Pellets |url=https://www.leadfreepellets.org/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=www.leadfreepellets.org}}</ref> Since lead is very dense, it has a higher ballistic coefficient than lightweight alternatives such as tin, copper, or plastic. At the present time, the airgun industry does not mass-produce dense alternatives to lead with a high ballistic coefficient for long-range shooting.

==== Slug ====
Some manufacturers also have recently introduced the more [[cylindro-conoidal bullet|cylindro-conoidal]]-shaped "[[slug (projectile)|slug]]" pellets for the more powerful modern PCP air rifles. Compared to the commonly used diabolo pellets, these slug pellets resemble [[cast bullet]]s and have more contact surface with the bore and hence need greater propelling force to overcome friction, but have better [[aerodynamics]], [[ballistic coefficient]], and longer effective ranges due to the more aerodynamic shape, however they also require a fully [[rifling|rifled]] barrel for spin stabilization in flight. Appropriately sized bullets cast from firearm bullet molds can be used in big bore air rifles.
Caution should be used when handling lead projectiles or preparing animals for food, as lead fragments can be easily missed inside the meat. Lead-free slugs in airgun calibers are gradually being developed and becoming available for purchase from manufacturers such as Zan Projectiles, due in part to regulations on hunting with lead projectiles in many areas.