Pellet Velocity, Energy and Weight

The pellet velocity of automatic electric guns is determined in large part by the tension of their main spring and so there tends to be a stratification of values. The most common airsoft velocity limits are between 300 to 400 ft/s for AEGs and 400 to 500 ft/s for single shot guns (sniper rifles). Here are some common levels of airsoft gun pellet velocity.
Velocity vs energy chart for 6mm Airsoft pellets.
Enlarge
Velocity vs energy chart for 6mm Airsoft pellets.

Notes:

* 3.00 g is the typical weight for a paintball pellet. At this weight a pellet flying at 300 fps results in 12,54 J and 14,99 J for 328 fps. This weight is for comparison purposes only and is not used on Airsoft. Higher energy but different collisions read Elastic collisions (airsoft) and Inelastic collisions (paintball) topics for further information.

* Red line are the usual Crony (cronograph) weights for 6 mm 0.20 g.

Dangers to humans

Airsoft pellets typically leave small welts on human targets. While mildly painful, pellets aren’t especially damaging to the skin. Eye protection is universally required to prevent damage to eyes. It is also often recommended that full face masks be used during airsoft matches to protect the players’ teeth and ears as on very rare occasions players have had teeth chipped or knocked out or ears injured by a well-placed pellet.

The following excerpts are from the United Kingdom Parliament’s “Principles of firearms control”, Home Affairs Select Committee Second Report, 6 April 2000, expound on the level of danger involved with low-energy projectiles:

“25. The Firearms Act 1968 defines a firearm “a lethal barrelled weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet or other :missile can be discharged”.[51] In this context, a “lethal weapon” means a weapon capable of firing a projectile with sufficient :force to inflict more than a trivial injury, i.e. with a force sufficient to puncture the skin.[52] The force with which a firearm :is able to deliver a projectile is normally expressed in terms of the kinetic energy it generates at its muzzle—the “muzzle energy”. :This energy is normally expressed in units of foot-pounds (ft•lbf) or joules (J).[53]

“26. The Home Office and the Forensic Science Service considers that the lowest level of muzzle energy capable of inflicting a penetrating wound is one foot pound force (1.35 J): below these power levels, weapons are “incapable of penetrating even vulnerable parts of the body, such as the eye”.[54] However, more recent analysis by the Forensic Science Agency for Northern Ireland has indicated that a more reasonable assessment of the minimum muzzle energy required to inflict a penetrating wound lies between 2.2 and 3.0 ft•lbf (3 to 4 J).[55] We will deal more fully with this discrepancy at paragraphs 123 to 130 below.”

“123. The power level at and above which an air weapon is considered a firearm in law is presently set at 1 ft•lbf. However, we note above that the Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland has more recently assessed the power level at which a barrelled weapon is capable of inflicting a lethal wound as between 2.2 and 3 ft•lbf, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has proposed that the law relating to firearms in Northern Ireland be amended to take this into account.[201]”

On another document also regarding firearms, “The Eleventh Annual Report of the Firearms Consultative Committee”, the penetration levels lies between 2 and 3 J based on a research for US Army and DiMaio’s work in “Minimal Velocities Necessary for Perforation of Skin by Air Pellets and Bullets, Journal of Forensic Sciences”.

8 mm pellet weights and their usage

* 0.34 g - Low weight for 8 mm sniper rifles.
* 0.45 g - Standard weight for 8 mm sniper rifles.
* 0.60 g - Heaviest weight for 8 mm sniper rifles.

NOTE: All BB masses in grams (g).

Airsoft Beginners Guide, airsoft gun, electric guns, firearms control, human targets, paintball, shot guns, sniper rifles

Posted by Airsoft Reviews in Airsoft Beginners Guide