# BB & airsoft - how powerful?



## shesulsa (Nov 9, 2006)

I'm curious just how powerful these can be?  I just had a couple of house windows shot through (double-pane storm windows) with a BB gun.  I would have to think the range would be short and the gun powerful.

Forgive me, but I'm rather ignorant along these lines and any input is appreciated - thanks!


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## elder999 (Nov 9, 2006)

shesulsa said:


> I'm curious just how powerful these can be? I just had a couple of house windows shot through (double-pane storm windows) with a BB gun. I would have to think the range would be short and the gun powerful.
> 
> Forgive me, but I'm rather ignorant along these lines and any input is appreciated - thanks!


 

Air rifles (BB guns) vary in power, but I've killed things with the ones sold in the toy section-that old "you'll put your eye out" has a lot of truth in it. The Swiss actually made some pretty serious ones for their militia, at one time.....

We train firearm defenses and handgun retention with the Airsoft, though, wearing a helmet with a safety mask and safety glasses-they sting and leave a bruise sometimes, but that's about all-though, again, "you'll put your eye out" applies....

I reckon that applies for some windows as well.....


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## Jonathan Randall (Nov 9, 2006)

Shesulsa, it sounds more like a high-powered pellet gun did that rather than either airsoft or BB. Some of the newer pellet rifles sold even at Wal-Mart can approach the power of a .22 short (cheap ammunition, not high velocity, expensive stuff). I have a 1000 f.p.s. Air Rifle that shoots pellets threw an inch of plywood, and 1250 f.p.s. are being sold as well.


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## Stan (Nov 9, 2006)

I don't have much experience with airsoft, but I know that they are often used in training ( they are safely if painfully shot at people, wearing only eye protection).  Steel BB's on the other hand can penetrate into tissue.  They can break glass and penetrate soup cans straight through.  The average pump BB gun can kill a small bird with one shot.  

BB guns are neither safe training tools nor are they at all effective self-defense weapons (beyond weapons of last resort).  Never shoot one at anything you don't want to wound or kill, but at the same time don't expect them to stop anything larger than a sparrow.

I hope this helps.  Like many youths, I used to spend many hours after school with my BB gun.  I'm just trying to explain them in terms of this self-defense forum.


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## shesulsa (Nov 9, 2006)

Jonathan Randall said:


> Shesulsa, it sounds more like a high-powered pellet gun did that rather than either airsoft or BB. Some of the newer pellet rifles sold even at Wal-Mart can approach the power of a .22 short (cheap ammunition, not high velocity, expensive stuff). I have a 1000 f.p.s. Air Rifle that shoots pellets threw an inch of plywood, and 1250 f.p.s. are being sold as well.


Damn.

What would the range have to be on that?


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## Grenadier (Nov 9, 2006)

Airsoft guns fire soft 6 mm plastic BB's that are very light, and travel at a max of 400 fps (actual velocity is usually lower).  That's for the long guns. 

The handguns are much lower in velocity, usually at around 200 fps.  Neither are likely to break windows, since the projectile is a soft polymer that deforms.  

Actual BB guns usually fire metallic .177 spheres, or sometimes shaped lead pellets.  The better ones, as Jonathan has already stated, can easily exceed 1000 fps.  I'm actually partial to the RWS ones.  

These guns can shoot out a window, even from a longer range, due to the increased velocity, and the hardness of the projectile.


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## elder999 (Nov 9, 2006)

Jonathan Randall said:


> Shesulsa, it sounds more like a high-powered pellet gun did that rather than either airsoft or BB. Some of the newer pellet rifles sold even at Wal-Mart can approach the power of a .22 short (cheap ammunition, not high velocity, expensive stuff). I have a 1000 f.p.s. Air Rifle that shoots pellets threw an inch of plywood, and 1250 f.p.s. are being sold as well.


 
I'll confess, I've broken windows and stuck BBs in plywood-as a kid, with my slingshot. I still have a wrist-rocket, and the best I've ever gotten out of a slingshot is a little under 300 f.p.s.-and, yes, I've used it to kill rabbits and squirrels as well.....

A lot depends upon the age and condition of the windows, and the best hint might be the surroundings-would they have to have gotten close to shoot because of trees? They may have some good velocity on them, but BBs can be deflected by the slightest of things, like leaves.....


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## Lisa (Nov 9, 2006)

I can adjust the f.p.s. on my gun.  Right now mine is sitting at about 650 and at 10 metres (33 feet) still hits the back stop with quite a lot of force.

That is just scary Georgia.  Was anyone hurt?


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## Jonathan Randall (Nov 9, 2006)

elder999 said:


> I'll confess, I've broken windows and stuck BBs in plywood-as a kid, with my slingshot. I still have a wrist-rocket, and the best I've ever gotten out of a slingshot is a little under 300 f.p.s.-and, yes, I've used it to kill rabbits and squirrels as well.....
> 
> A lot depends upon the age and condition of the windows, and the best hint might be the surroundings-would they have to have gotten close to shoot because of trees? They may have some good velocity on them, but BBs can be deflected by the slightest of things, like leaves.....


 
The pellet gun that I'm speaking of (sold at Wal-Mart for $99.99) puts the pellet ALL THE WAY through the plywood. It's in a WHOLE different league from either Air Soft or BB guns. There's simply no comparison in power and velocity between the recent mass-produced air rifles currently being sold and even the old pump mass-produced pellet rifles most kids grew up with.

Georgia, I bet mine could do that at a hundred yards or more.


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## Carol (Nov 9, 2006)

Lisa said:


> I can adjust the f.p.s. on my gun. Right now mine is sitting at about 650 and at 10 metres (33 feet) still hits the back stop with quite a lot of force.
> 
> That is just scary Georgia. Was anyone hurt?


 
Geo said no one was hurt.  Dang...what a thing to deal with.


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## Carol (Nov 9, 2006)

Jonathan Randall said:


> The pellet gun that I'm speaking of (sold at Wal-Mart for $99.99) puts the pellet ALL THE WAY through the plywood. It's a WHOLE different league from either Air Soft or BB guns. There's simply no comparison in power and velocity between the recent mass-produced air rifles currently being sold and even the old pump mass-produced pellet rifles most kids grew up with.
> 
> Georgia, I bet mine could do that at a hundred yards or more.


 
I think you are on to something Jonathan.


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## Jonathan Randall (Nov 9, 2006)

Carol Kaur said:


> I think you are on to something Jonathan.


 
Thanks.

Georgia, odds are that this is the offender.


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## Jonathan Randall (Nov 9, 2006)

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews53683.html

This is the one I have and that Wal-Mart sells for $99.00. Note that one review compared it favourably to the .22 remington for small game hunting. Wal-Mart also sells a Gamo occaisionally for a bit more.


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## shesulsa (Nov 9, 2006)

There are two old, large, thick trees on that side of the house, each one fairly close to the windows - one at about 25 feet, the other about 15 feet, so they would need to be shot around.  My guess is they shot from the street and either hid, took off on foot or bike.  I'm betting on hid across the street - the trees hide a lot of light and there are only three streetlamps on that side of the house and they're on the other side of the street.

There's a lot of camouflage around here.


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## Ceicei (Nov 9, 2006)

Did you make a police report?  What happened wasn't light-hearted mischief.

- Ceicei


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## shesulsa (Nov 10, 2006)

Ceicei said:


> Did you make a police report?  What happened wasn't light-hearted mischief.
> 
> - Ceicei


Indeed I did.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Nov 10, 2006)

shesulsa said:


> Indeed I did.


 
That is good because whoever did that is so very, very wrong and needs to be caught.


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## Bigshadow (Nov 10, 2006)

Grenadier said:


> Actual BB guns usually fire metallic .177 spheres, or sometimes shaped lead pellets.  The better ones, as Jonathan has already stated, can easily exceed 1000 fps.  I'm actually partial to the RWS ones.



I actually have a crossman .22 cal pellet rifle.  I believe the published muzzle velocity is over 800fps.  When I was teen I dispatched squirrels with it.   Some of the .177 cal pellets ands BBs can exceed 1000fps muzzle velocity.

Airsoft isn't nearly as powerful, as stated before they are made of polymer and the velocities are much lower.


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## Bigshadow (Nov 10, 2006)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> That is good because whoever did that is so very, very wrong and needs to be caught.



That is very true!


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## shesulsa (Nov 10, 2006)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> That is good because whoever did that is so very, very wrong and needs to be caught.


He will be.


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