| Airsoft, like any other sport, involves many | | | | speed. Airsoft snipers usually use .30g pellets |
| scientific principles that go relatively unnoticed. In | | | | because of their high stability, but sniper weights |
| the heat of battle, one rarely worries about | | | | can reach as high as .43g (although very |
| something like the transfer of kinetic energy. | | | | expensive upgrades are required to use this grade |
| While knowing airsoft physics will not realistically | | | | of pellet). The heaviest pellet is .88g, which is |
| help you in a game, the principles are good to | | | | never used in airsoft because it is incredibly slow, |
| know. Knowledge of pellet ballistics, on the other | | | | not to mention very dangerous, as it is usually |
| hand, can help you with your game. | | | | made of steel. |
| Pellets transfer very small amounts of kinetic | | | | Pellet velocity is determined primarily by the |
| energy mainly because of their size. The transfer | | | | tension of the spring being used to propel the |
| of energy is basically the power of impact. Airsoft | | | | pellet, or in the case of gas airsoft guns, the type |
| and paintball energy transfers have been | | | | of gas being used. Energy transfer is relative to |
| compared, and paintball transfers substantially | | | | the speed of the pellet, and speed is also heavily |
| more energy. Energy transfers are measured in | | | | affected by weight. For example, a .12g pellet |
| joules, the SI derived unit of energy. A standard | | | | using .800J (the common energy rate of airsoft) |
| .20g BB traveling at 300ft/s transfers .8 joules, | | | | of energy will initially travel 375fps. However, a |
| while a standard paintball traveling at the same | | | | .20g pellet utilizing the same amount of energy |
| speed transfers almost 12 joules. Energy transfer | | | | only travels about 280fps, and a .45g pellet will |
| can actually be calculated using a mathematical | | | | travel at about 200fps. For a .45g pellet to reach |
| formula; E = 1/2mv2, where E is joules, m is | | | | the velocity of a 375fps .12g pellet, it would need |
| mass in kilograms, and v is velocity in meters per | | | | to utilize more than 2.50J of energy. |
| second. Since paintballs transfer more kinetic | | | | Bernoulli’s principle is the method through |
| energy, they could be considered more damaging | | | | which pellets fly. It is, interestingly, also the |
| than airsoft pellets. | | | | principle through which airplanes attain lift. |
| The weight of airsoft pellets significantly affects | | | | Bernoulli’s principle states that the velocities of |
| their speed and trajectory. The lighter a pellet is, | | | | fluids increase with a decrease in pressure. In |
| the faster it will travel, but it will also be less | | | | relation to airsoft, there is a fluid (air) above the |
| accurate due to the fact it will be more | | | | pellet at a relatively high velocity, which means |
| susceptible to environmental factors like wind. | | | | the pressure above the airsoft pellet is lower than |
| Heavier pellets have straighter trajectories, so | | | | the pressure under it, as there is a smaller |
| they are favorable to lighter pellets, but in many | | | | amount of air flowing under the pellet as there is |
| cases heavier pellets cannot be used because the | | | | above it. Therefore, the pressure under the |
| airsoft gun utilizing them is not strong enough to | | | | airsoft pellet pushes up and lifts the pellet, allowing |
| propel the pellets at a fast rate. Therefore, | | | | it to fly for a long period of time. Hop-up systems |
| players that wish to use pellets heavier than .25g | | | | in airsoft guns apply backspin to pellets, making air |
| usually need to upgrade their gun. Another benefit | | | | travel faster along the top of the pellet and |
| of heavy pellets is that they decelerate slowly, | | | | creating a larger difference in pressure between |
| unlike light pellets, which start fast but quickly lose | | | | the top and bottom. |