Deciding between air rifle calibres for your next air rifle is very easy.
There are different calibres of air rifles or pellet guns, but above all, allowed in Spain without any kind of licence is the 4.5mm or .177, the 5.5mm or .22, the 6.35mm or .25 and the 7.62 mm or .30. Today we'll show you shooting tests with different calibres and performance.
From left to right the four calibres 7.62mm, 6.35mm, 5.5mm and 4.5mm.
The 4.5mm or .177 calibre
Starting with the 4.5mm calibre, it is believed to have appeared in England shortly after the turn of the 20th century. It is a very small pellet, usually made of lead and of which it uses very little. It is therefore the most widely used calibre in the world and is also the calibre that can be used in every competition that exists.
However, let's dispel a common myth. The 4.5mm calibre is NOT the most accurate (depending on the case). If we use a very powerful carbine or air pistol, the 4.5mm bullet will most likely suffer some deformation at the muzzle and lose accuracy as it travels through the air. For this reason, it is important to know at what distance you are going to shoot and if it is mainly for competitions, choose the pellet that best suits you.
As the 4.5mm pellet weighs very little, it reaches velocities close to the speed of sound. This hinders accuracy as mentioned above, so the shooter would have to select the heaviest 4.5mm calibre pellets available in order to maintain a low initial velocity.
A note: Normally carbines come to be selected in multi-calibre. By this we mean that 4.5mm and 5.5mm can be selected. If the power of the carbine is the same in 4.5mm and 5.5mm calibre, the output velocity will always be higher in 4.5mm calibre than in 5.5mm calibre. Logical, isn't it?
But it's not all about the possible loss of accuracy or precision. The advantage of 4.5mm calibre pellets is that they have a higher effective trajectory for precision shooting. They are also generally cheaper than higher calibres.
The 5.5mm or .22 calibre
This is the most versatile calibre. It can be used for both small parasite removal (where permitted) and precision shooting. The 5.5mm calibre pellet has a hard impact transmitting more energy on impact than the 4.5mm calibre.
Even for competitions that allow it, the 5.5mm calibre is also ideal for precision shooting with high performance and high power carbines. A more accurate and precise line of fire is achieved when used with very powerful carbines.
The 6.35mm or .25 calibre
A calibre that is in disuse due to its weight and low muzzle velocity. The carbine, if it has 24J of power, the 6.35mm bullet will exit at much lower velocity than a 4.5mm bullet. The power does not match the thickness of the calibre. The shooter who chooses the 6.35mm calibre has a clear idea of what he is going to use it for. And it is not for precision.
The 7.62mm or .30 calibre
This calibre is intended for high power PCP carbines only. Due to its weight this calibre can only be used with high power carbines. Primarily these pellets have started to be used in airguns as PCP rifles have improved their technology and achieved higher velocity.
Summary of what each calibre is
As a summary, albeit simple, with the maximum power allowed in Spain (24Joules) we could say of each calibre:
- The 4.5mm (.177) caliber is the one that will provide the greatest precision at long distances; we could reach up to 100m. With some effort and by adjusting the pellet weight (grains) to our rifle, it is the ideal caliber for precision training.
- The 5.5mm (.22) caliber is the all-rounder. It allows for precision shooting at 50m—a caliber that is theoretically easier to control due to its weight but does not reach such long distances. However, if what we are looking for is impact, this one hits harder.
- The 6.35mm (.25) caliber is heavier, offering precision for short distances and great energy upon impact. Those who choose it already know its specific purpose.
- The 7.62mm (.30) caliber is the largest and heaviest of the calibers. Designed for high-power PCP rifles. In countries where it is allowed, it is used for hunting.
Click here to view the different pellet models available in each caliber and take advantage of this discount code for your pellet purchase: 3CARBIN3
