What is the purpose of lighter pellets?

[Puppadore]

Hi,
I’ve only used cheap Crosman pointed lead pellets. Im fairly new to airguns. And I recently saw a product called H&N Baracuda Green. It is .177 and 6.48 Grains.

It is a light weight, lead free ammo. I understand that this would be used when you don’t want lead in applications where environmental hazards are concerned, such as animals eating them.

But other than animal consumption or other environmental hazard is concerned, is there any benefit to using these light alloy pellets? In plainking, pesting, target shooting or whatever use.

This is more out of curiosity, but I mainly just do 10 yard pesting.

Haendler & Natermann H&N Baracuda Green Lead-Free Domed Airgun Pellets .177-Caliber / 6.48 Grains https://a.co/d/5uu2FVt

 

[Ezana4CE]

…Im fairly new to airguns. And I recently saw a product called H&N Baracuda Green. It is .177 and 6.48 Grain

It is a light weight, lead free ammo. I understand that this would be used when you don’t want lead in applications where environmental hazards are concerned, such as animals eating them.

But other than animal consumption or other environmental hazard is concerned, is there any benefit to using these light alloy pellets? In plainking, pesting, target shooting or whatever use…
Haendler & Natermann H&N Baracuda Green Lead-Free Domed Airgun Pellets .177-Caliber / 6.48 Grains https://a.co/d/5uu2FVt

@Puppadore I’m unsure, but I’m under the impression that some places have banned the use of lead ammo. I haven’t read of any accounts of pellets made of non-lead alloys outperforming lead pellets. My guess is that they are an alternative for folks abiding by the laws and regulations in places where lead projectiles are not permitted.

 

[Scouty]

If your ten yard pesting is indoors or around buildings I would avoid alloy due to ricochet. They are also more likely to pass through tin from what I hear not to mention pests.

I would also avoid light pellets for close range pesting because if anything it will move the near zero of your MPBR (maximum point blanks range) further away from your shooting position. Not a deal breaker but one of many things I would consider. I use .25 caliber Polymags at slow speeds to both bring my MPBR in closer and to reduce pass throughs. Previously when I was using 22 wadcutters I needed holdovers in my my backyard for the close shots. Now I don't and my longest shots are still within my MPBR. But that's my backyard. Your shooting situation may be different.

However, with all that said, if you have a need for lead free pellets Predator makes a GTO wadcutter in 177.

I haven't tried the GTO wadcutters but do like wadcutters for close range pesting. But would use lead over alloy where appropriate.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Ya, i dont know.. you got to figure go too light and you may not get the back pressure to help stop the piston of a springer from " slamming" so to say and end up with premature seal damage. Goes the same for loose or ill fitting pellets in the leade as well or poor breech seal, ect..

Maybe a quick example here in this .....

seal was damaged because it didn’t generate a high-pressure air cushion to retard its forward movement. It slammed into the end of the transfer port repeatedly for hundreds of shots.

What happens during a spring gun break-in? – Part 2The physical changes | Blog | Pyramyd AIR

by B.B. Pelletier Part 1 Okay, yesterday's post did not explain the physical changes that take place during the break-in of a spring piston airgun, so today I will finish the report. I assumed that all readers had followed the 13-part spring gun tuning series I finished back in August of 2006...

www.pyramydair.com

in the end may as well of just dry fired it..

 

[Scouty]

Ya, i dont know.. you got to figure go too light and you may not get the back pressure to help stop the piston of a springer from " slamming" so to say and end up with premature seal damage. Goes the same for loose or ill fitting pellets in the leade as well or poor breech seal, ect..

Maybe a quick example here in this .....

seal was damaged because it didn’t generate a high-pressure air cushion to retard its forward movement. It slammed into the end of the transfer port repeatedly for hundreds of shots.

What happens during a spring gun break-in? – Part 2The physical changes | Blog | Pyramyd AIR

by B.B. Pelletier Part 1 Okay, yesterday's post did not explain the physical changes that take place during the break-in of a spring piston airgun, so today I will finish the report. I assumed that all readers had followed the 13-part spring gun tuning series I finished back in August of 2006...

www.pyramydair.com

in the end may as well of just dry fired it..

I didn't even consider it might be a springer. Good point. However, I just looked at the first page of the OP's content and it appears he's using a PCP. Of course he may have more than one rifle so worth pointing out.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

I didn't even consider it might be a springer. Good point. However, I just looked at the first page of the OP's content and it appears he's using a PCP. Of course he may have more than one rifle so worth pointing out.

Ya,. Also fps like if a pcp. Will it over shoot too light a pellet. Or If you can tune to a sweet spot maybe no issue then .

 

[JungleShooter]

The purpose of extremely light pellets is...
that airgun manufacturers can shoot them, measure the muzzle velocity, and then can legally justified publish nonsense like the following in their advertising:

"1100 fps muzzle velocity!"

"The super-sonic airgun!"


Matthias

 

[timmah]

Well in the higher calibers you generally go to a lighter pellet if you want to flatten out your trajectory for shooting longer distances, so I would imagine it's the same deal with the .177. Or if you have the specific requirement to shoot lead-free as you've already mentioned.