# How dangerous is my pellet rifle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481 "2006-04-20T15:33:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@Don\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/1 "2006-04-20T15:33:08Z")
I recently purchased a pellet rifle to use to kill a largish black bird that is trying to make its nest in my (leaf proof) gutters. I have tried every other conceivable option to make the bird leave on its own accord, but it seems to have picked my gutters as THE PLACE to enjoy the Spring and it has really made a mess. I live inside the city limits in a subdivision, so a shotgun or rifle is really out of the question. So, I go to Wal-Mart and purchase their top of the line Gamo 1000 FPS air rifle to perform the deed discretely. They had other models there for less money and some had attached scopes, but I reasoned that the scope wouldn’t be that accurate on an air rifle and that the more expensive model would be more accurate even with open sights. I have woods behind my house so I feel fairly safe to take a shot from the backyard, but when I shake the downspout to get the bird to fly away, it flies to the electric wires in front of my house where several other houses sit in close proximity on 1/4 acre lots. This appears to be my only available shot, with the bird on the wire. I talked to my neighbor directly in front of me and asked him if it would be ok if I shot a pellet over his house and he said it would be ok. There would be nothing but bird, sky, and wire in my sights when I pulled the trigger, but…the pellet has to come down sometime, and could conceivably hit another house, vehicle, or even a person upon its descent. What is the potential for damage in this scenario? Could it break a window? hurt somebody? I’ll be shooting cans out back until I can get the straight dope… ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/2 "2006-04-20T15:45:09Z")
_sigh_ It’s a gun. A low-powered gun. It’s exactly as dangerous as any other gun. That said, 1000 fps out of the muzzle will slow down pretty quickly so you won’t have crazy range with it, but if you put someone’s eye out with it that’s small consolation. You didn’t say where you live. If you live in a city, just take it back now. If you live in the country, make absolutely sure that there’s NOBODY around when you use it. You’re not firing paintballs at an armored and protected opponent, you’re shooting a solid projectile into the air. Be careful. Follow the rules of use for that gun like you would any other. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/3 "2006-04-20T15:47:27Z")
Ah, you did say where you live. If I may be so bold, don’t use it for the purpose that use intend to use it. If you hurt somebody you’ll have more problems than an annoying bird. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/4 "2006-04-20T15:47:30Z")
You’ll put your eye out, kid! (Sorry, someone had to say it!) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/5 "2006-04-20T16:00:16Z")
Don’t shoot at anything on a wire. Damage to the wire can knock out power or communications to hundreds of homes. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/6 "2006-04-20T16:01:06Z")
A pellet gun can be fatal under the right set of circumstances. Those circumstances are extrememly narrow, however. Moreover, every pellet gun fatality I ever heard of involved a child being shot at very close range. I’ve used airguns to dispatch pests in flagrant violation of municipal law with no legal problems, but who is to say you would be as lucky? If you are determined to shoot the bird, I’d say shooting it near dawn or dusk as it enters or leaves its its nest. Then you’ll be using your own house as a backstop. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/7 "2006-04-20T16:05:35Z")
Just for comparison, 1000 fps is just a bit shy of the muzzle velocity of an [M9/Beretta Model 92 pistol](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m9.htm), which goes out at 1250 fps. Would you shoot a handgun into the air? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/8 "2006-04-20T16:23:05Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Just for comparison, 1000 fps is just a bit shy of the muzzle velocity of an [M9/Beretta Model 92 pistol](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m9.htm), which goes out at 1250 fps. > > Would you shoot a handgun into the air? .177 caliber pellets vary in weight from 7.87 grains to 16.0 grains. 9mm bullets vary in weight from 95 to 147 grains. The pellet gun does not produce nearly the muzzle energy that a 9mm pistol produces. A .177 pellet gun that produces 15 to 17 foot/pounds is considered a pretty hot number. A typical 9mm load produces well in excess of 300 foot/pounds. I don’t believe comparing one to the other is valid. It is a bad idea to fire an air gun when you are unsure of the backstop but it is not the same thing as firing a 9mm in the same careless fashion. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/9 "2006-04-20T17:18:38Z")
**Scumpup** Yes that is true about the bullet having more mass than the pellet and therefore more energy. Heck, you could say a .30-30 Winchester cartridge has nowhere near the energy of a .458 Weatherby. But does that mean the .30-30 is relatively “safe”? I don’t think so. Here’s a recent story of a boy in Brockton, Massachusetts shot by a BB Gun on Easter: [http://cbs4boston.com/local/local\_story\_108155058.html](http://cbs4boston.com/local/local_story_108155058.html) The boy is in critical condition. I have an average powered pellet rifle yet it can go through 3 “tin” can lids (maybe more - I’ve only tested it up to 3). Don’t get me wrong. I’m one of the most liberal posters on the SDMB but I’m also a gun-owning liberal. As I’ve said before (for example, in the MPSIMS thread of the DE Agent shooting himself in the foot), I’d rather err on the side of caution. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/10 "2006-04-20T17:22:31Z")
Did I say pellet gun = nerf gun? Did I not mention that pellet guns are potentially fatal? Did I not suggest firing so that his own house is the backstop? Pellet guns are dangerous. They are **not** in the same class as even a .22 short much less a 9mm. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/11 "2006-04-20T18:02:40Z")
I’ve been shot by a BB gun. It sucked, it hurt like hell, but it just gave me a REALLY nasty bruise. Would have been the same had a pellet been fired instead. Of course, it didn’t hit me in the eye or the temple or something, it hit me in the leg. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/12 "2006-04-20T18:10:52Z")
I have shot a few pigeons with the gun you own. (gamo 220) With a well place shot , mid breast I was able to kill it cleanly . Without a clean shot the bird suffered and had to be shot again . I would imagine if the bird annoyed you enough to purchase a rifle you wouldn’t care if it suffered, but be prepared to shoot it plenty – a pigeon is small fry compared to a black bird. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@Don\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/13 "2006-04-20T18:18:53Z")
I appreciate the replies and based on the information put forth here, I will only take a shot if I can fire with the woods in the back as a backdrop, which isn’t very likely to happen. I’m sure that taking a direct shot from this gun would do emergency room type damage to someone from a considerable distance, but there would be little danger of this occuring when shooting up into the air, correct? Wouldn’t the pellet have to hit a zero velocity point before coming down? It is a rifle so I assume that the pellet is spinning, but is this really that dangerous? (In the theoretical sense, I’m not going to conduct any experiments) ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/14 "2006-04-20T18:19:11Z")
Just because they don’t use powder doesn’t make them dangerous. The Austrians used to shoot both deer and Frenchmen with air rifles [http://www.airguns-online.co.uk/air\_rifle.htm](http://www.airguns-online.co.uk/air_rifle.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/15 "2006-04-20T18:21:24Z")
> [@Slithy Tove](#): > > Just because they don’t use powder doesn’t make them dangerous. The Austrians used to shoot both deer and Frenchmen with air rifles > > [http://www.airguns-online.co.uk/air\_rifle.htm](http://www.airguns-online.co.uk/air_rifle.htm) Not with .177 caliber airguns developing a muzzle energy in the neighborhood of 15 foot/pounds they didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/16 "2006-04-20T19:08:41Z")
Never, ever fire off a projectile weapon unless you specifically know what’s behind it, and you’re ok with that something being shot. “The Woods” is too vague, unless you live in the remote wilderness, and “My house” is kind of a bad idea as well. Try something along the lines of the things offered [here](http://www.bird-away.com/) instead of becoming the friendly neighborhood sniper. Use the pellet rifle for something else, or just return it if your sole purpose in purchasing it was bird removal. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/17 "2006-04-20T19:55:48Z")
I don’t think I adressed the o.p. true to its original nature, instead concentrating on how many shots it would take to kill said prey. I would say depending on distance to target , medium to very dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/18 "2006-04-20T20:11:15Z")
If it were me, I would use a .22 cal rifle using birdshot instead of bullets. It is good for controlling pesky birds. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/19 "2006-04-20T20:11:56Z")
> [@Don Coyote](#): > > … Wouldn’t the pellet have to hit a zero velocity point before coming down? It is a rifle so I assume that the pellet is spinning, but is this really that dangerous? (In the theoretical sense, I’m not going to conduct any experiments) Just to focus on this part of your question, yes, if you fired the pellet straight up, it would come to a halt, then fall to earth. I don’t know how to calculate its terminal velocity, but at 7-16 grain, it would not be very high. I won’t swear to it, but I don’t think it would even give you a bruise. (Anybody who knows how to calculate terminal velocity for a pellet’s shape & weight, please be my guest as I’m a little curious, too.) The problem is, you most likely won’t be firing straight up, which means the pellet will describe an arc and come down with more retained velocity. Whether this is dangerous or not depends on a number of factors, so who can say for sure? Spinning won’t affect the equations. Guns put spin on their projectiles to stabilize them. (And before someone nitpicks me to death, yes I know that shotguns firing rifled slugs or sabot rounds do not put spin on these projectiles 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481/20 "2006-04-20T23:26:34Z")
Be sure of the backstop. It may not be enough to kill, but it’ll still take out an eye (and if you have luck like mine, that’s what’ll happen) 1000 fps is a pretty powerful air-rifle. Anything over 500fps is federally controlled in Canada (need a licence) And from the site I checked to doublecheck the 500fps number: > [@](#): > > Nonpowder firearms > Nonpowder firearms, such as BB guns and air guns, are not benign toys. These firearms have been associated with significant morbidity and even mortality. Marshall et al (19) found air gun injuries to be the leading cause of enucleation secondary to trauma, in youths 18 years of age and younger in Ottawa , Ontario , from 1974 to 1993. In a review of the literature on fatal nonpowder firearm injuries, Lawrence (20) found that present day nonpowder firearms, which use air or CO2 compression or a spring-loaded piston to propel the small-calibre pellets or BBs, can obtain projectile velocities high enough to cause skin penetration and significant internal damage. He reviewed 11 cases of death from nonpowder firearms, of which 10 were from injuries to the eye or the frontotemporal region. One death resulted from a wound to the chest. Of these 11 cases, nine were in youths ranging in age from three to 17 years. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-my-pellet-rifle/353481.md?page=2)