This report covers:
- Four smallbore calibers
- What the numbers mean
- Which caliber is more powerful?
- Accuracy is the same for both calibers
- .177 is the caliber for 10-meter target guns—period!
- Also field target
- .22 caliber airguns can be deadly accurate!
- .22 caliber dominates hunting
- What’s better—.177 or .22?
- Summary
This blog is read by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. New airgunners usually land here soon after they start searching the internet for information. Some of these blog reports are found way more often than others. This is one of them.
Pyramyd Air has asked me to update this report to help the new airgunners. I wrote this one way back in 2005—just a month after the blog started. I updated it in 2021. Has anything changed since then?
Four smallbore calibers
There are four smallbore pellet calibers — .177, .20 (also called 5mm), .22 and .25. However in terms of sales and recognition, .177 and .22 calibers are the major ones.
What the numbers mean
The numbers .177 and .22 refer to the diameter of the bullet or pellet in inches. Theoretically .22-caliber means 0.22-inches. There is actually some deviation from that measurement but that discussion is too long for this report.
For three-quarters of a century (1900-1975), the .22-caliber pellet was the sales leader in America, and .177 sold best in Europe. In the 1970s, when many British and European models were imported in large numbers, the preference for the .177 came with them. The U.S. now aligns with the rest of the world. But newcomers often ask, “What are the significant differences between these two calibers, and why should I care?”
Which caliber is more powerful?
In any airgun the .22 caliber will always be more powerful. This is true regardless of the powerplant, barrel length or anything else. As long as all things are the same for both airguns, the .22 will deliver about 20 percent more punch. That holds true for all models of air rifles and air pistols.
In the same airgun the .22 is always slower, but don’t overlook the fact that it shoots a pellet weighing almost twice as much. That’s where the extra power comes from. A marshmallow and a bowling ball moving at the same speed hit with vastly different power.
Accuracy is the same for both calibers
Accuracy is not as clear as the power issue. For decades .177 was thought to be more accurate than .22. But that is because target guns are only made in .177. The best of today’s .22 pellet rifles will outshoot Olympic target rifles at all distances greater than 10 meters! And the new pellets that have come to market since 2021 have made this more clear!
.177 is the caliber for 10-meter target guns—period!
The .177 caliber is the only caliber allowed by all international 10-meter shooting organizations. It’s written in the rules because their sophisticated sound-scored targets are calibrated to that caliber. That means that all target airguns are made in .177 and no other. The extra care given to the construction of target guns goes a long way toward ensuring that .177 target airguns are accurate.
In the past 25 years the pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) has become the most popular powerplant in the world. Now that long-range benchrest matches (100 yards) have become popular there are larger-caliber airguns that will outshoot 10-meter Olympic-grade target guns.
Also field target
Everyone shoots field target with a .177. I have seen one guy use a .20 and another used a .22, but the .20 was a Sheridan Blue Streak and he held the scope tube while pumping the rifle. The .22 was a 21 foot-pound rifle and was disqualified for going over the energy limit. If you wanna win you shoot .177 because, if your pellet touches the side of the kill zone hole it’s real bad!
.22 caliber airguns can be deadly accurate!
I shot a .22-caliber RAW PCP that put 5 shots into 0.03-inches between centers at 21 yards. That is three one-hundredths of an inch between the centers of the two shots that are farthest apart in the group! For those outside the U.S. that would be 5 shots into 0.762mm between the centers of the shots at 19.2024 meters. No 10-meter target gun can do that except by luck.
.22 caliber dominates hunting
While it is possible to hunt with a .177, the .22 caliber is by far the favorite of the two. Sometimes, a .177 pellet will pass through the game animal without doing enough severe damage to stop the animal. Hunters who have had their quarry run away after a solid hit often switch to .22.
But even a .22 pellet is no guarantee of a humane kill. The pellet still has to hit a vital spot, and even then there may be some running or thrashing after the hit. Hunters notice a decided advantage with the .22 caliber.
What’s better—.177 or .22?
When cost is considered there is a big advantage to the smaller caliber. Not only are there more types of pellets to choose from in .177, they also often come more to a box and cost significantly less. I could give you numbers like the cost per pellet and such, but these days the cost of lead is rising and the cost of transportation is rising fast. This is something you need to look at on your own to get what is right for you. Fortunately the Pyramyd AIR website does tell you what most pellets cost per pellet.
If you plan on doing a lot of target shooting and general plinking, .177 is your best bet. And if hunting and pest elimination is what you will be doing, consider a .22. My advice would be to get the finest airgun you can afford, and in the .177-caliber that saves you the most if you want to just shoot, or a .22 if you hunt.
Summary
I hope this short discussion helps some people make the choice between calibers. In the end, of course, either caliber can satisfy most shooting needs. These are just some of the things to consider.
Tom,
One of these days somebody ought to submit a report on the current state of slugs in air rifles. Are they really what they are hyped to be? Do they truly have a role in airguns?
Siraniko
Siraniko, now that is a really good idea for a series of blogs. Especially with the number of slugs that are offered these days.
I believe that Shootski would be a great enabler in persuading Tom to make this series.
Bill,
Working…
shootski
Siraniko,
That is a good topic. I’ll give it some thought.
BB
BB
On my Umarex Synergis Elite I managed to single load pellets using a small reverse tension tweezer and small Allen wrench to deep seat and then returning the magazine which acts as the chamber to its place. In this way I eliminated the magazine as the sauce of extreme inaccuracy. There was no difference in accuracy. Still thinks it’s a shotgun. I will try something else but not hopeful.
Deck
Deck,
Thanks for trying.
BB
BB
And thanks for the suggestion.
Two years ago you asked me to let you know if I had problems with my unnamed small compressor suitable only for direct filling of airguns. It is performing just fine. I have not had to fool with any moisture control add ons either. I do store it inside at room temperature and keep it covered from lint accumulation. I do bleed out moisture before and after using it. I avoid prolonged filling allowing cool down intervals. I adhere to using a few drops of chamber oil each time I fill a gun. All my PCP’s still hold air.
I bought a 3 year warranty on the compressor from Amazon which will expire in March 2026. I will let you know whenever the compressor fails. So far so good.
Deck
Deck,
Thanks for your report.
BB
Ever clean out the barrel with JB Bore Paste? Any issues with the crown? Is there a moderator interfering with the pellets’ path?
Roamin
I have not tried this paste yet. Somehow I’ve got to figure out a practical way to do that. Unlike a break barrel the breach end leaves very little room to work with in my Umarex Synergis Elite. Maybe I start with pull through patches from the muzzzle and then a .177 snake in my .22 bore.
I drilled out the muzzle moderator to be sure it wasn’t snagging pellets. The crown looks okay but I may try flaring it with a cap screw.
I bought it on impulse at a farming supply type store. I almost returned it but then got a 3 MOA 10 shot group at 25 yards with JSB Hades pellets. I have not come anywhere near that since and have let too much time go by to consider returning it. I have tried every type hold I know. The trigger is actually decent enough to manage.
Deck
Unless the barrel can be removed, you are stuck with the pull through system. Try to go from breech to muzzle, though.
Fun is in the tinkering. If you can improve accuracy, great. You probably won’t make it worse.
Roamin
Yep, it’s fun to tinker. I have gotten decent velocity consistencies with 20+ grain pellets. Not so with the Hades strangely.
Umarex Synergis Elite:
Hades 15.9
770
743
738
692
716
Avg= 732
Range= 78
Fpe= 18.9
JSB 25.4
533
536
533
532
548
Avg= 536
Range= 16
Fpe= 16.2
Bar Match 21.14
615
620
626
630
627
Avg= 623
Range= 15
Fpe= 18.2
Deck
Siraniko,
If you want to shoot “slugs” accurately, you had best have a very thick wallet.
RidgeRunner,
So True!
But they do make BULLETS (slugs) in .177 caliber that use far less of that EXPENSIVE Lead (Pb) just like with diabolo pellets.
Even some springers can shoot them well as i proved with my .177 SIG ASP20 on the PA MOA challenge.
shootski
Siraniko,
Most likely to be happy if you shoot/hunt/pest beyond 50 meters or yards.
shootski
*** SOMEBODY ought to submit a report on the current state of slugs in air rifles ***
Siraniko,
Agreed that a report on slugs would be a good thing for an overview. I’ll throw in a couple of quick comments…
I’ve been looking into slugs for a while now and have a couple of slug-capable PCPs. IMHO slugs and airguns are not ready for the average shooter. The PCPs and the slugs are available but it’s a lot more to shooting slugs than just getting the stuff and sighting in.
There’s a lot of factors (mostly due to the lack of consistency in airguns) that make finding the right combination of barrel, slug and TUNE challenging for the casual shooter. Seen lots of people try and give up in frustration.
It’s kinda like the difference between maintaining the family car and getting a high-spirited racing car ready for a competition.
That being said, there’s a lot of satisfaction/fun in setting up a good shooting slug gun, but this is “enthusiasts territory”, I just think it’s not something that the general public is ready for.
Just a general suggestion to airgunners. If you are looking for a fun challenge, shooting slugs will give it to you. If you shoot a less than 60-70 yards and want plug-and-play, stick to pellets.
Just my 2 cents.
Hank
Vana2,
You have given the Blog Readership a very valuable “Just my 2 cents.”
I hope at least a few of the manufacturers also pay some attention to your writing!
shootski
Hank,
Thank you for your 2 cents. Locally for me the ones promoting/reporting the use of slugs are those that push the distance of airgunning to the extreme. And yes they do go through a lot of experimentation to achieve their reported accuracy. Some have even gone towards buying their own slug molds (considering the dearth of commercial slugs it makes sense) allowing them to tune their equipment further. Slug use here are exclusively for PCP use.
Siraniko
BB, I know that you haven’t forgotten, but there are advantsges, at least for me, of the .22 cal. pellet. The ability for a man of your, and my advanced ages to be able to manipulate .22 cal pellets into either the breach, the magazine, or simply from the tin makes shooting more pleasurable. One last point of value is in my shot follow-through; I can usually still see my .22 cal pellets fly to the target, not so much with the .177 cal pellets. Others will have more to add, but that’s it for me, Orv.
Orv,
These big, thick, antiquated fingers also have a difficult time dealing with those itty bitty .177 pellets.
B.B.
So I guess pellet head sizes is next?
Then maybe after that one on rifling and how the pellet interfaces?
-Yogi
PS in one of your earlier blogs you mentioned how fast the pellets spins around it circumference. So much faster than it is moving forward. Still has me pondering….
B.B.
Whenever I hear of a church shooting, like the one in Ky., I think of you!
Good work my friend. We must keep evil at bay!
-Y
Hundreds of thousands of readers? Be nice if they commented once in a while.
Any reason why so many read it? looking for info on a specific item or just following the daily comments for entertainment or gaining knowledge.
I am mostly a collector and tinkerer and enjoy staying on top of all things airgun related. An enjoyable hobby for sure. It helps to be living in a place where there are no restrictions to shooting them.
The Blog is not totally technical. More like, like minded individuals sharing information acquired through airgun experience and good conversation.
I imagine being retired and having more free time to participate and contribute helps. Not too many distractions in life when you get older, and a lot more confidence to speak your mind.
I believe the introduction of high-powered springers, or magnums and PCP’s have pushed the .22 pellet into the limelight. .177 just can’t keep up or take advantage of the power offered or the new capabilities of airgun hunting or pest control.
I suspect most people look at B.B.’s reports on guns they want to get, and that’s it.:(
Bob M
“Any reason why so many read it?”
Here is why I read this blog faithfully beginning in 2012. I had just discovered the advantages airguns give of being able to shoot at my urban home instead of driving 15 miles to a gun range. Finding this blog on the internet, I received so much help from regular commenters as well as Mr Gaylord. Whether architects, gunsmiths, artists, machinists or fighter pilots, they freely share their expert knowledge. Shooting airguns has become my favorite hobby (of many) in my 25 years of retirement.
Blog reports like the one today are so much help to newcomers.
Deck
That’s pretty much why FM got started on this blog when he started looking for options when it came to reptilian pest control, having decided low-velocity .22 rimfire was not a good backyard choice though those cartridges were getting the job done effectively. Rule 1 became “research the bejeezus out of the subject before jumping in,” so this blog became the “course textbook” for FM’s airgun journey. May it and its author stick around for many more years. Ditto for the rest of us airgun friends.
Bob M,
I recently retired at the beginning of this year and find I am far busier than I used to be. I find I have less shooting time. There are just so many things that need to get done.
Not only has the .22 been pushed into the limelight, but it is also difficult to find .177 in most of the newer airguns. I have some top shelf .22 airguns, but I am having a hard time finding what I want in .177. I would really like to have a Disco, Maximus or 3677 in .177 for plinking some. Yes, many of the “old gals” around here are .177, but I would like to have a decent PCP to do such also.
Way too many of the newer airguns are coming out in .22 or bigger. I guess that is what is selling.
Obviously, some clever manufacturers need to sell .20 as the not-a-compromise caliber!;)
OP,
I agree. It really is quite a caliber. If I can find that round tuit and get a suppressor for my Condor in .20, it is my intention to do a good bit more with it. Though there is not a great selection of pellets available, what is out there is top shelf.
It really is a great caliber, most especially for sproingers. It is flatter shooting than the .22 and has more of a punch than the .177.
There are a couple of problems with the .20, at least for now. Most dealers do not stock this caliber, so you will likely have to pay a little more to get one. You will also find that except for JSB and H&N, no one is making pellets for them. The selection will increase and the prices will come down some if more people shuck out the bucks for them though.
Coincidentally, I had recently clocked my Barra Schofield 7” revolver before and after changing the barrel from .177 to .22 caliber. This demonstrates well what BB said about a gun being more powerful in .22 caliber versus .177 caliber. In .22 caliber it is slower, however the energy level is clearly higher. The only change to the gun was the barrel. And of course, like BB said, the pellets weigh about twice as much as the .177 caliber pellets.
Barra Schofield 7” smooth barrel. (7.0 grain Hobby pellets)
Shot count: 6
Low: 433 FPS
Hi: 458 FPS
Avg: 449 FPS
Spread: 25 FPS
STD Dev: 9.4 FPS
20-Jun-2025 18:23:38,458,FPS,3.3,FT Lbs,
20-Jun-2025 18:24:36,458,FPS,3.3,FT Lbs,
20-Jun-2025 18:25:08,454,FPS,3.2,FT Lbs,
20-Jun-2025 18:25:35,451,FPS,3.2,FT Lbs,
20-Jun-2025 18:26:09,433,FPS,2.9,FT Lbs,
20-Jun-2025 18:26:42,440,FPS,3.0,FT Lbs,
Barra Schofield 7” .22 rifled barrel. (14.3 grain pellets)
Shot count: 6
Low: 340 FPS
Hi: 364 FPS
Avg: 355 FPS
Spread: 24 FPS
STD Dev: 7.8 FPS
09-Jul-2025 13:08:57,353,FPS,4.0,FT Lbs,
09-Jul-2025 13:09:09,340,FPS,3.7,FT Lbs,
09-Jul-2025 13:09:27,351,FPS,3.9,FT Lbs,
09-Jul-2025 13:09:47,361,FPS,4.1,FT Lbs,
09-Jul-2025 13:10:04,364,FPS,4.2,FT Lbs,
09-Jul-2025 13:10:18,358,FPS,4.1,FT Lbs,
Elmer,
Wow! What a great comment that demonstrates what I was trying to say!
Thanks,
BB
Elmer,
The rifling in the.22 barrel versus the smooth bore of the .177 will have some affect, but not likely almost 100 FPS. Thanks.
RR, I agree that the rifling should make a difference. I do have a .177 caliber rifled barrel that I can test. That might tell us something when compared to the .177 smooth barrel.
I don’t know of a .22 caliber smooth barrel available for that gun. But a comparison of the two different .177 caliber barrels should give us a rough idea of what might be expected with a .22 caliber smooth barrel.
I will try to get the test done soon. Thanks!
Elmer,
Thank you so much for that info on the .177 vs .22. That was neat to see play out. And I vote YES, Please do show us the .177 rifled barrel difference too. It would be nice to know how much the rifling slows down the .177 vs the smooth bore.
Doc
I managed to get the test done with the .177 rifled barrel today. Here are the results:
Barra Schofield 7” rifled barrel .177
Shot count: 6
Low: 426 FPS
Hi: 437 FPS
Avg: 431 FPS
Spread: 11 FPS
STD Dev: 4.1 FPS
14-Jul-2025 15:13:19,428,FPS,2.8,FT Lbs,
14-Jul-2025 15:13:42,427,FPS,2.8,FT Lbs,
14-Jul-2025 15:14:01,437,FPS,3.0,FT Lbs,
14-Jul-2025 15:14:23,435,FPS,2.9,FT Lbs,
14-Jul-2025 15:14:45,430,FPS,2.9,FT Lbs,
14-Jul-2025 15:15:09,426,FPS,2.8,FT Lbs,
So for this test it appears that the rifling does slow the pellets down significantly (RR was correct). An average of 449 fps with the smooth barrel minus an average of 431 fps with the rifled barrel equals approximately 18 fps difference. This is with a 7” barrel, I think that a longer barrel (of a typical rifle for example) would probably have a somewhat greater slowing effect.
Elmer,
Thanks again for your time/work on this. Very interesting.
Doc
FM’s experiences in pesting confirm – for him at least – Tom’s belief that .177 is better for target shooting/plinking, .22 for hunting/pest control. Yesterday, for the first time in over a year, “bagged” a medium sized green “iggy” with the .22 Marauder and 16.36 grain H&N Terminator pellets. One hit was sufficient. Suspect a .177, even the heaviest version, would not have kept the iguana from escaping only to suffer unnecessarily and still die. The .22 is definitely the more humane choice here.
Wouldn’t try this with one of those invasive pythons out in the Everglades, though. 😉
FawltyManuel,
I think i need a trip to the Everglades to see if the .58 caliber DAQs would be enough for those Pythons ;^)
I could get in some kayaking while i’m at it…heck, i could bring my double and have an extra seat to rent out!
shootski
The .58s should do just fine with them sneaky snakes – and Florida’s native wildlife would thank you for it.
B.B.,
“.177 is the caliber for 10-meter target guns—period!” Huh?
Did you already forget Field Target? As I recall you are the person who on the telephone (land line in those days) asked me why i wanted a .22 to shoot Field Target. You went on to explain that the .177 fits through the annular openings of the knock down targets much better and that most Match Directors had strict FPE limits that would be difficult to be under with a .22 caliber airgun.
You know what they say about forgetting our history…
I enjoyed the read today and yes your take on the modern world of airgun bullets (slugs) would be of interest to both of my SIG ASP20s :^)
shootski
shootski,
What can I say? I’m old and I forget things.
And my rememberer isn’t here anymore.
BB
B.B.,
Your rememberer was a blessing from God!
You can add the change to ad FT to your update; your call.
shootski
shoothski,
As you wish…
BB
FM tried Nielsen .218 slugs/bullets on his .22 Maximus Hunter and though they “fed” into the breech on the hard side, they seemed accurate enough – at least for FM purposes – at 25 yards. The “Rememberer” seems to remember reading somewhere – maybe it was a comment here – that slugs/bullets were a no-no if your airgun is equipped with a suppressor. The one on the Marauder is a DonnyFL Fat Boy.
FawltyManuel,
From personal experience with various barrels the only problem i have ever had experiencing a Bullet (slug) baffle strike was on a choked barrel. I have shot diabolo pellets and Bullets (slugs) with both of my SIG ASP20s which have suppressors with unchoked barrels and achieved similar levels of accuracy sub 2 MOA (frequently sub MOA) without any issues.
Typically Crosman barrels are choked as best i know…especially their Lothar-Walther barrels. I don’t shoot bullets (slugs) with my DonnyFL SUMO equiped 1st Generation .22 Marauder or my DonnyFL TANTO equipped .177 Discovery. On one of the DonnyFL U-TUBE videos he talks about choosing the suppressor caliber for your airgun. If i remember correctly he recommends going for the higher caliber in the single caliber suppressors and your choice in their dual caliber suppressors.
From the study of External Ballistics (the projectile inside the suppressor is in fact governed by External Ballistics and not Internal Ballistics) the STABLE (by design) projectile has the greatest excursions (Nutation and Precession) from its centerline immediately on muzzle exit. A projectile that is not STABLE by design for the barrel twist rate, Muzzle Velocity, and length is of course is a baffle strike waiting to happen.
n.b., From experience unless you have a suppressor alignment tool you are safer going one caliber up and it really doesn’t increase the sound level that much in most airguns.
shootski
That is good information to be considered. For now, will enjoy the rifle “as is” – it is shooting very well with pellets so will stick to the “ain’t broke, don’t fix” rule.
I can see how the .20 cal. can be considered a well-rounded pellet if you only have one air rifle, but it is actually a compromise for the performance of a .177 and .22.
Had a pleasant surprise tonight. Left my key ring, containing a half dozen keys, in my Post Office Box door around 3 PM. Figured it out about 9 PM. It was still there. My box number is in the 400 range, so how many people returning home today checked their mail and left my keys alone. One hundred or so?
May be they all believe, “There but for the grace of God the keys could have been mine”. Great place to live.
Time to look for a key ring with a zip cable.
The PO closed at 4:30 but the lobby is open to the public 24/7.
Bob M,
My LEO daughter says that there really aren’t that many really bad folks; just a small percentage that are totally EVIL. She points out that fact is what makes the Law Enforcement job so very difficult especially when compounded by the politicians/District Attorneys who Sell Restorative Justice as political opioid for a gullible populace.
shootski
FM has friends, now mostly retired, in the LEO community – he prays for all LEOs out there, they have a tough job to do and in some places virtue-signaling politicians and other residents in that swamp make their job harder and more dangerous.