If you searched for airsoft pellets or airsoft bullets, here is the first thing to know: players call them BBs. They are 6mm plastic spheres, they are not bullets, and picking the right ones matters more than most new players think. The wrong pellets will jam your gun, wreck your accuracy, and can even chew up your barrel.
Here is everything you need to pick the right ones the first time.
What airsoft pellets actually are
Airsoft pellets are round plastic projectiles, almost always 6mm in diameter. They are fired by spring, electric, or gas powered replicas at speeds usually between 250 and 450 feet per second. Unlike metal BBs from a BB gun, airsoft pellets are designed to be shot at other players wearing proper eye protection. That is the entire sport.
Two numbers define every bag of pellets: diameter and weight.
Diameter: why quality beats price
Standard pellets are labeled 6mm but actually measure about 5.95mm, because they need to fit through barrels with inner diameters between 6.01mm and 6.08mm. Cheap pellets have sloppy tolerances. A bag where pellets range from 5.90 to 5.99mm will give you flyers, jams, and inconsistent shots no matter how good your gun is.
This is why we tell customers: the cheapest place to upgrade your accuracy is the ammo bag. Quality pellets from brands like Elite Force, G&G, and Valken are polished, seamless, and consistent within a hundredth of a millimeter. If you want to go deeper on barrel fit, read our guide to 6.01mm vs 6.03mm inner barrels.
Weight: the number that changes everything
Pellet weight is measured in grams, and heavier is not automatically better. Here is the honest breakdown:
- 0.20g – The standard. Fine for cheap spring pistols and backyard plinking. Most fields measure FPS with these.
- 0.25g – The minimum we recommend for any decent AEG. Noticeably more stable in wind than 0.20g.
- 0.28g – The sweet spot for most rifles shooting 350 to 400 FPS. Better range, better accuracy, minimal loss of speed.
- 0.30g to 0.32g – For upgraded AEGs and DMRs with a good hop up. This is what most experienced outdoor players run.
- 0.36g to 0.46g – Sniper territory. Bolt action rifles shooting 450+ FPS need this weight to reach their full range.
The rule of thumb: run the heaviest pellet your gun can lift with its hop up. If your shots drop early, go lighter. If they curve up and float, go heavier.
Are airsoft pellets biodegradable?
Some are, and if you play outdoors, they should be. Biodegradable pellets are made from PLA based resins that break down with moisture and soil contact over months instead of decades. Nearly every outdoor field in Colorado, including ours, requires them.
Two things to know:
- Modern bio pellets from good brands perform identically to standard pellets. The old reputation for swelling and jamming came from cheap early generation bios.
- Do not store bio pellets in a hot car or a humid garage. Moisture is what starts their breakdown. Keep the bag sealed and dry and they last a long time.
Indoor CQB fields usually allow standard pellets since they sweep them up.
Pellets to avoid completely
- Metal or copper coated pellets. Not airsoft ammo. They will destroy hop up buckings and are unsafe to shoot at people.
- Rebranded bulk bags with no weight tolerance listed. If the bag does not state a tolerance, the factory did not hold one.
- Reused pellets off the ground. Dirt and micro cracks turn them into barrel jams. Never rechamber field pickups.
What we actually recommend
For most players: a 5,000 round bag of 0.28g bios from Elite Force or G&G covers a full day of play for around the cost of a fast food lunch. Snipers should grab 0.36g or heavier from a precision brand like Novritsch.
You can browse everything in our BBs and ammo collection, and for a deeper comparison of specific brands see our best airsoft BBs guide. If you are not sure what weight your gun wants, call the shop. Our techs answer that question a dozen times a day and they enjoy it.