Best Airsoft BBs: The 2023 Expert Guide To Airsoft Ammo
Which are the best airsoft BBs? Should I go with 0.20g, 0.25g or 0.28g ammo? Do BB brands matter? We answer all these questions in our 2018 best airsoft BBs guide.
- ELITE FORCE 0.20G BBs Review
- ELITE FORCE 0.25G BBs Review
- VALKEN TACTICAL 0.36g BBs Review
- G&G 0.20G BIO BBs Review
- ELITE FORCE 0.25G BIO BBs
- G&G 0.28G BIO BBs Review
- ELITE FORCE 0.28G BIO BBs Review
- Crosman 0.20g BBs Review
- ThunderBBs 0.25g BBs Review
- ThunderBBs 0.36g BBs Review
Whether you’re a 16-year-old beginner without a clue about airsoft ammo, a mom or dad looking to buy safe airsoft BBs for your child, or a hobbyist wanting to educate himself further; you’ve found the single best airsoft BBs resource on the internet!
I’m Liam and I’ll answer your every question on airsoft ammunition you can have! I’ll give you access to my years of airsoft expertise and provide you with a comprehensive list of the best airsoft BBs!
Let me make sure you don’t spend your money on low-quality BBs that will break your expensive guns!
Contents
Best Airsoft BBs
0.20g BBs |
0.25g BBs |
0.36g BBs |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| Best Pistol BBs | Best Rifle BBs | Best Sniper Rifle BBs |
| 0.20g | 0.25g | 0.36g |
| For guns up to 300 FPS | For guns 300-500 FPS | For guns over 500 FPS |
| 5000ct | 5000ct | 2500ct |
| Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
ELITE FORCE 0.20G BBs Review
Elite Force’s 0.20g BBs are the #1 go-to choice for players with guns shooting in the range of 280 to 350 Feets Per Second. Due to their high-quality manufacturing process, they don’t have any dimples, seams, or imperfections. They are well polished and slick to the touch.
The BBs feature the industry-standard 5.95mm diameter and weigh in at 0.20g per pellet. The standard deviation is less than +- .01. This makes for consistently high performance on the fields of airsoft.
For guns with FPS outputs below 350, the 0.20g per pellet is optimally balanced to achieve the highest degree of range and flight path stability. Most commercially available entry pistols and rifles will handle these BBs perfectly.
The BBs come in a 12 by 3 inch bottle with a durable screw on cap. Usually holding 5000 pellets, the bottle facilitates easy feeding into high-cap magazines without the need to handle and dirty the actual pellets with your hands.
Elite Force is one of the most popular and well known brands in airsoft. This is reflected in their pricing – they are usually slightly more expensive than other brands. A price definitely worth paying as Elite Force 0.20g BBs are a perfect example of their dedication to deliver an impeccably high-quality product.
ELITE FORCE 0.25G BBs Review
For mid-range and more powerful guns, Elite Force 0.25g BBs are the perfect choice. I would advise you to get these BBs if your gun is shooting at above 350FPS consistently. The 0.25g pellet by Elite Force is almost identical to their small 0.20g brother. No seams, no holes or deformations. Incredibly smooth and consistent.
Due to the 20% increase in weight, these BBs will be able to achieve improved accuracy and flight stability. Their increased weight would negatively impact the range less powerful guns. This is why I am recommending to get 0.25g BBs with guns powerful enough to overcome this issue.
95% of the time I play, I will be using this ammo exclusively. A very versatile and useful BB. My friends and I mostly play on small fields so I prefer to just bulk buy half a dozen bottles of 0.25g BBs and use them across all my guns. This way I never have to worry about BBs again!
Once again, Elite Force delights with their products. Powerful punch, straight shots all around, and adequate range for most situations. One of my favourite staples in my airsoft armoury. Elite Force’s 0.25g BBs are a must buy for most airsoft players!
VALKEN TACTICAL 0.36g BBs Review
Valken Tactical’s 0.36g BBs make for an incredibly performing projectile in high-end and modified guns shooting at 500FPS and above. If you have poured in some serious money and effort into your gun and you want to achieve ranges of up to 200 feet, V-Tac’s BBs are the way to go!
Valken’s BBs sport a 5.95mm diameter with a +- .01 Tolerances and polished to perfection. Due to their weight, they have unparalleled accuracy and fly straight as an arrow. You won’t find any other BB weight as accurate as Valken’s 0.36g. Because of this weight, however, this ammo is usually reserved exclusively for powerful and costly bolt action snipers. No gas or electric-powered stock gun will be effective with such a heavy BB.
Due to their green/aqua colour, Valken’s BBs are virtually impossible to spot in the air. This is in stark contrast to the standards white BBs, which people quick on their feet may see and dodge. As a sniper, this is a huge advantage. Not only are hits guaranteed, you are also effectively concealing your position.
Valken has created a supremely performing pellet. Calculated and optimized down to the detail, as accurate as it gets and concealed for maximum effect. Valken Tactical 0.36g BBs are the absolute pinnacle of airsoft sniper BBs and my undoubted recommendation!
Best Biodegradable Airsoft BBs
0.20g BIO BBs |
0.25g BIO BBs |
0.28g BIO BBs |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| Best Pistol BBs | Best Rifle BBs | Best High End Rifle BBs |
| 0.20g | 0.25g | 0.28g |
| For guns up to 300 FPS | For guns 300-500 FPS | For guns over 500 FPS |
| 5000ct | 5000ct | 5600ct |
| Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
Using biodegradable airsoft ammo and practicing a sustainable lifestyle when out and about in nature is subject very near and dear to my heart. I believe that anyone spending time in the great outdoors must do everything to protect and preserve the environment.
Poor quality bio BBs can oftentimes be less durable and prone to shattering. In addition, the may compost into the soil slower than other high quality BBs. Additionally, environmentally airsoft BBs are marginally more expensive than standard plastic ones.
Buying and using only biodegradable BBs is a great and easy way to pay your dues and help make sure your future generations will be able to enjoy the mountains and vast greens just as much as we do!
G&G 0.20G BIO BBs Review
G&G 0.20g Biodegradable BBs are without a doubt the best choice for environmentally friendly players with guns shooting at up to 350FPS. Not only is G&G producing some incredibly popular airsoft guns, they are also often touted as the best airsoft bio BBs brand.
The BBs themselves come in at a 5.95mm diameter with industry-standard +-.01 tolerance. They shoot perfectly in tight bore barrels with 6.02 diameters. The pellets are extremely high quality, something very much appreciated with bio BBs, where manufacturers usually like to slack a bit. The BBs fly incredibly straight and have never jammed on me.
The ammo comes in a resealable bag, which is very convenient when it’s so important to make sure that the BBS are indeed kept sealed and safe.
G&G does something unique which many players appreciate greatly. They include 10% of non-biodegradable plastic with their bio BBs. While I was taken aback the first time I heard this, I’ve come to LOVE this concept. It minimizes the damage to the environment while at the same time ensuring a very smooth, spherical and with a perfect centre of gravity.
By and large G&G’s 0.20g Biodegradable BBs are the best sellers in the 0.20g bio BBs market. High quality manufacturing practices resulting in perfect smoothness, true flight, awesome range and quick biodegradability. If you’re like me and bought all into sustainable and responsible airsoft shooting – G&G has my seal of approval!
ELITE FORCE 0.25G BIO BBs Review
It’s no surprise that Elite Force has found themselves once more in my Top 3 rankings. Elite Force 0.25g Biodegradable BBs are continuing the trend of manufacturing excellence. Just like their 0.25g non-bio cousins, these BBs are void of any deformations, seams, imperfections and are perfectly polished and smooth to the touch. They are perfectly suited for guns shooting above 350FPS.
The 0.25g bio variations come in, the same, at a 5.95mm diameter with a +- .01 tolerance. As you can already guess, Elite Force has done a marvelous job at ensuring the pellets fly straight through the air with a stable flight path. I feel like a broken record here, but it’s no surprise that with such consistently high products, Elite Force are among my favorite BB brands.
The pellets come in a bottle, as any other Elite Force BB products. Make sure that when you screw the cap back onto your bottle, it’s sealed perfectly. You don’t want any moisture to get into the bottle and start the decomposing process.
What more can I say other than Elite Force 0.25g Biodegradable BBs are the perfect choice for mid-range gun owners looking to protect the environment. Incredibly consistent high standards from Elite Force. Never jammed my gun once. My #1 favorite Bio BB.
G&G 0.28G BIO BBs Review
G&G 0.28g Biodegradable BBs are another product from airsofters favorite Bio BB brand. The big brother of the 0.20g BB, 0.28g BBs are some of the heaviest bio pellets available on the markets. Unfortunately BBs at and above 0.30g are rarely widely available AND biodegradable at the same time. Snipers and owners of high-powered airsoft rifles shooting at around 450FPS will do very well with 0.28g’s.
The pellets are virtually the same as the 0.20g ones. Same 5.95mm diamater (+-.01 tolerance). Same premium grade quality in terms of smoothness, lack of imperfections, perfectly spherical design and consistently balanced center of gravity. Once again, very very accurate and stable shooting. Especially for a Bio pellet.
G&G 0.28g Biodegradable BBs effortlessly cement the brands devotion to be crowned among the best airsoft biodegradable BBs you can buy on the markets today. It’s no surprise you will spot the their green bags of BB on every airsoft field. If you’re looking for a consistently high performing airsoft BB for high-end guns – G&G is the way to go!
Honorary Mention
ELITE FORCE 0.28G BIO BBs Review
Another knock-out-the-park airsoft product by Elite Force. Their 0.28g Biodegradable pellets continue the trend of excellence. The only reason I decided to give not feature these was to give an awesome American brand such as G&G some much needed exposure. Having said that, if you want to bank on perfection – Elite Force is the way to go!
Best Cheap Airsoft BBs
Let’s be honest here, airsoft is anything but a budget hobby. From guns to equipment, consumables, fashion and all the bells and whistles that come with this awesome game – it can get quite expensive.
Not everybody wants or can afford to spend a fortune on airsoft BBs. Nor should they! It’s very prudent to allocate a bigger chunk of your budget on more essential parts of your loadout, such as your gun and its parts, instead of spending $25 on biodegradable BBs.
Not to mention that, if you like using airsoft grenades, you may need to spend more on BBs than you’d like! In this case, cheaper 0.20 or even 0.12 BBs are a fantastic option. Also, if you like grenades, make sure to check our best grenades guide – you’ll definitely find products of interest there!
With you, the prudent saver, in mind I have created this section of the guide – some awesome and little known budget airsoft BB options!
0.20g BBs |
0.25g BBs |
0.36g BBs |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| Best Pistol BBs | Best Rifle BBs | Best Sniper Rifle BBs |
| 0.20g | 0.25g | 0.36g |
| For guns up to 300 FPS | For guns 300-500 FPS | For guns over 500 FPS |
| 5000ct | 2700ct | 2000ct |
| Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now |
Crosman 0.20g BBs Review
Crosman 0.20g BBs provide an enormous and much needed boost to a company with an otherwise mediocre reputation in the airsoft world. The brand has managed to create an impressively performing, well manufactured airsoft BB while at the same time keeping the price incredibly low. Crosman’s 0.20g BBs are the perfect choice for budget conscious players with entry guns shooting below 350FPS!
Crosman’s 0.20g pellets are 6mm in diameter and are white in color. Surprising for the brand, these BBs are completely seamless. They are, however, not polished at all. Obviously, we like polished BBs which behave much more consistently and have a tighter grouping. One small drawback, justified many times over by an attractive price tag.
Due to a lack of polish, these pellets are having difficulties measuring up to their more expensive 0.20g competitors. They tend to trail up and go off target more quickly. This is not to say they are inaccurate. It’s the effective range which is negatively affected.
Another drawback comes with the packaging. For some reason many of my friends and people online have reported spilled BBs. As in, the 3rd party shipping the ammo is doing a poor job of handling orders and there are regular reports of broken tubs and spilled BBs inside the delivery box. This not only dirties the ammo, a good chunk of it is lost.
Let me say this, it’s very unlikely to happen to you. Most people will never encounter this. If it does, you can easily contact Amazon and/or Crosman and take advantage of a 90-day warranty. They will be happy to resend you a new tub, perhaps even two 🙂
Crosman 0.20g BBs are a very solid choice for budget airsoft players. The company’s great customer service, well manufactured product and amazingly low price makes up for the few and far between drawbacks.
ThunderBBs 0.25g BBs Review
Putting the quirky name aside, ThunderBBs 0.25g BBs (what a mouthful) are an exemplary airsoft ammo product which showcases the huge efforts ThunderBBs have put into reaching the pinnacle of performance and price competitiveness. A perfectly spherical pellet without any imperfections or other drawbacks. Fit to compete with pricier competitors in both accuracy and craftsmanship, thunderBBs will prove a very good BB choice for anyone sporting an entry airsoft weapons shooting at up to 350FPS.
The BBs are 6mm in diameter with a +-.01 tolerance. A perfectly spherical pellet. Polished to perfection, void of seams, bubbles, cracks, deformities and imperfections often found with cheap airsoft BBs. Truly an excellent quality pellet which will perform consistently shot to shot, bag to bag. If you’re a fan of never-jams, you’ve just found your right budget fit.
The only real drawback is that some users have reported feeding issues with tight bore barrels. If you’ve installed such a barrel I would recommend you to look elsewhere for your BB needs. ThunderBBs may prove a headache for you.
When it comes to accuracy, some people have mentioned that hop-up calibration (more than general) is required. This is easily done and will only take you a good ten minutes of experimentation. Hardly a drawback, but worth mentioning if you have funky hop-up. Once adjusted, the BBs are very reliable and accurate.
Additionally, there have been reports of spilt BBs. Very very few and far between, but still I thought you should know in case your UPS guy dislikes you.
ThunderBBs 0.25g BBs could easily compete with Elite Force and Valken. Other than a few small issues that some people are experiencing, ThunderBBs are an excellent choice for airsoft players on a tight budget. Awesome craftsmanship, consistent performance and a super sexy price tag. Delicious!
ThunderBBs 0.36g BBs
Putting the quirky name aside, ThunderBBs 0.36g BBs (what a mouthful) are an exemplary airsoft… Wait a minute! Haven’t I written this already? Oh right, I have. Maybe because, compared to the 0.25g BB, the 0.36g BB is the exact same pellet, only heavier and in different color. Really, that’s it. Other than these two adjustments, they are virtually the same. Once again, ThunderBBs will prove an awesome BB choice for players who are partial to a sniper playstyle and own a high-end and/or upgraded airsoft gun shooting at 500FPS and above!
No changes in terms of dimensions – 6mm with a +-.01 standard deviation. Impeccable craftsmanship resulting in a perfectly spherical pellet with no issues to talk about. Manufactured to perfection as they say.
Drawbacks, same as above, are issues with tight bore barrels. Due to the same exact packaging, spills may occur when handled improperly. Other than that, accuracy will be very high, especially so due to the heavy weight. Some of the most accurate and stable BBs you are able to purchase.
These BBs are black in color, especially useful for snipers. When half your job is to find foliage to hind between, the added benefit of “invisible” BBs is very much appreciated. Not only will your opponent be unable to dodge (or claim to have dodged *cough, cough*), they won’t know who and from where they were hit! Multi-kills here we go!
ThunderBBs 0.36g BBs are an incredibly accurate and well produced airsoft ammunition. Quite mind-boggling that the brand keeps these at such a low price, but hey – I’m not complaining! They impress with beautiful craftsmanship and killer performance – The #1 budget BB for airsoft snipers!
The Competition
Now that I’ve provided with 9 options for airsoft BBs with reviews for each and every one of them, you should be perfectly advised and have a lot your questions answered.
Having said that, there are A LOT of options out there. While my recommendations are a reliable guide I know that you may be curious about other brands and products as well. I’ve chosen a few of these products to include into this buying guide. While I will not go into detail about them, I hope these mini-reviews might answer some additional questions you may have!
0.12g BBs
The incredible cheap 10,000 count Crosman 0.12g BBs are a very popular choice for a lot of newcomers and teens. As I have mentioned in my in-depth review on them, they are perfect for afternoon backyard foolery, shooting cans and shooing away pesky raccoons. Other than that, they are way too light and manufacturing quality controls are way too lax resulting in poor performance. This automatically bars them from consideration for competitive play. Having said that their price is very attractive and for guns shooting below 250FPS these are viable BBs.
Air Venturi 0.12g BBs are most likely the best biodegradable 0.12g ammo option you’re likely to find. Due to their light weight and biodegradability, Air Venturi’s are not the most durable pellet, sometimes resulting in shattered BBs on impact. But as I’ve mentioned in the review post I wrote on them, Air Venturi’s research labs have created an impressive piece of airsoft ammunition, especially for a 0.12g pellet!
0.20g BBs
Valken Tactical 0.20g BBs are very popular pellets on the fields of airsoft. Let me quote myself – “Their laser accuracy and never-jam feeding consistency is only trumped by their seamless manufacturing process and picture perfect polish.”. If it wasn’t for Elite Force’s marginal supremacy, Valken’s 0.20g ammo would have been my go to pellet for entry guns.
One of my favorite BBs in terms of reliability and craftsmanship are MetalTac 0.20g BBs. I’ve never seen a more consistent, durable and spotless pellet than with MetalTac. As I’ve mentioned before, both beginners and intermediate players are delighted by the excellence in manufacturing that MetalTac has been engaging in. Truly a top contender.
The unassuming TSD 0.20g BBs will be quick to impress you with a very savy and hidden performance. Beneath a layer of boring non-flashiness, you’ll find an incredibly performing airsoft pellet. Very accurate and durable, TSD is remaining a revered brand in the world of airsoft BBs. Feel free to check out my whole guide on them! If you’re into biodegradability, make sure you pick up their Bio pellets instead!
As Crosman has been impressing people with their 0.20 standard BBs, Crosman 0.20g Biodegradable BBs have been amassing a reputation on their own! While not priced as cheap as we would expect from Crosman, these biodegradable pellets are of very high quality. Very well manufactured and accurate up to 60-70 feet or so. Keep it up Crosman!
0.25g BBs
King Arms 0.25g BBs don’t exactly have a reputation, but nonetheless are a popular airsoft pellet. They are very reliable in terms of feeding and never jamming. When it comes to accuracy, they do behave differently than the top ranking BBs. While accurate, you should expect some fliers. Still, their price can hardly be beat. One drawback is inconsistency in production. Some people swear on King Arms pellets, other had rather “meh” experiences.
Another contender by TSD, the TSD 0.25g BBs are very well suited for tight bore barrels and perform well in such. While most report high satisfaction rates with this specific TSD product, others are claiming that some BBs have had slight imperfections and haven’t been perfectly spherical. Again, inconsistency in production is most likely the culprit.
Valken, we meet again. Valken 0.25g BBs continue the trend of the brands delivery of excellent value to airsoft customers around the world. While I have personally used these many times over the years, I decided not to rank them higher as there have been rumours flying around that counterfeit products of Valken are being sold. Broken and spilt bottles, Frankenstein BBs among the high-quality ones. Do I believe these rumours? I’m unsure.
Lancer Tactical 0.25g BBs are an often overlooked budget-ish option. Accurate, reliable and cheap – my favorite trifecta. They don’t jam in tight bore barrels and the brand has awesome customer support. Some even go as far as to say these are the best airsoft BBs! Perhaps I should take a closer look at these!
0.28g BBs
Valken again delivers a very well performing with their Valken 0.28g BBs. 5 star reviews all around, these BBs are very well made and have no visible seams or other manufacturing issues. If you’re looking for a step up from your standard 0.25g BBs, you should definitely give these a try!
TSD 0.28g BBs are an alternative to Valken. Very high quality, very well made and accurate. Are they worth almost a 50% price hike in comparison to Valken? Personally, I don’t think so. Especially not when you take into account the spill issues some people have encountered at these weights.
0.30g BBs
Is your gun shooting above 450FPS? Then the heavy-duty Valken Tactical 0.30 BBs might prove an awesome shooting experience with more powerful guns. These BBs echo what we are accustomed to from Valken – pure performance. Polished, perfectly spherical, accurate and without seams or deformities. Some even say these are on par with Elite Force!
Bioval 0.30g BBs are produced by a smaller brand, but not in terms of performance. Their 0.30g BBs fly very straight and true. Personally I haven’t had the chance to use or see these BBs in action, but I’ve only heard positive reports. If you’re loaded out and looking to experiment – you should definitely give Bioval a try!
Why you should trust me
As I wrote in my humongous 19,000 word (that 76 pages!) comprehensive guide on airsoft, I’m a true lover of the game. With close to a decade of experience, over two hundred weekends of play and probably around 2 million BBs fired – I know more about BBs than I should.
Let me just quickly gather myself after it dawned on me how much money I’ve spent on small plastic balls over the course of the past 8 years, gulp. Worth it!
In addition to my own expertise, I’ve consulted with many many of my friends and airsoft buddies to ask for their own advice and opinions. To further prepare for this guide I read through well over 800 different Airsoft BB reviews on Amazon, more than 50 forum threads on Reddit’s /r/airsoft and Airsoftsociety as well as few dozen other small airsoft hobbyist blogs anecdotal info.
What is a high quality BB
If you’ve read through my recommendations, you will have noticed that I refer to my top picks as “high quality” or “manufactured well”. You may be asking yourself why BB polishing is important or why seams on airsoft BBs are to be avoided. Let me expand some more on what makes a BB good.
Craftsmanship
I have to admit, I often use this term as an all encompassing one. What I mean with “good craftsmanship” or “excellent manufacturing” has largely to do with the physical appearance of the pellet. A perfect pellet is a characterized with a balanced center of gravity, a smooth shiny polish, and a consistent lack of deformities, imperfections, seams, dimples, bubbles and cracks on the surface of the pellet.
We want our BBs to be as perfectly spherical as possible. The more they approach perfect sphericalness, the more accurate and straighter they will shoot. Any kind of imperfections on the surface or inside the BB will throw of the center of gravity and the pellet will swerve away from the target.
Accuracy & Range
Let me preface this by stating very clearly, your own shooting skills, your gun and how its set-up and the environment you’re playing in will all affect your accuracy to a high degree. Having said that, the pellet you chose to use can adversely affect your performance if everything else is taken care of.
As I stated above, craftsmanship will be the variable which can throw your game off or give you a huge advantage on the field. Well crafted BBs will simply achieve much better degrees of accuracy. The only other big variable on accuracy is the weight of your pellet and indirectly the FPS of your gun.
The more powerful your gun, the heavier weight you can use. The heavier your BB, the less it will be affected by windy conditions. That’s as simple as it is. On the flip side, the heavier your BB the less range you can expect to achieve. This is why you want more powerful guns for heavier BBs, you need to optimally balance weight and your gun power for optimum accuracy AND range performance.
Check out this handy chart for FPS to Weight correlation.
| FPS | BB Weight |
|---|---|
| Up to 250 | 0.12g |
| 280-350 | 0.20g |
| 350-400 | 0.25g |
| 400-450 | 0.28g |
| 450-500 | 0.30g |
| 500-600 | 0.36g |
Durability
Quite simply, how structurally sound the pellet is. You might wonder why this is important since you don’t really care what happens to your BB once it leaves your barrel, right? Yes and no.
The immediate problem with weak BBs is their proneness to break inside your gun. Now imagine you’re operating an unmodified AEG and you’re shooting around 15 round per second. All of a sudden one of your BBs gets stuck and breaks into dozens of pieces inside your gun.
Here’s the big issue – by the time you notice your gun has clogged up and jammed, you’ve shot another 10 BBs which will all cause immense damage to your gun internals. Now imagine this is a $500 and heavily modified and upgraded gun which shoots at 50 rounds per second. One small pellet can undo so much effort and money.
Another reason, and this is very important, is that some brittle BBs will shatter into a hundred pieces on impact. Now, most of the time you wouldn’t care about this, but if you accidentally shoot at a newcomer to the game who hasn’t been told not to wear wire mesh eye protection these small fragments can pass through the mesh and into the player’s eyes (it’s best to wear a full-face mask with integrated goggles, like this one here).
Unfortunately for tree-huggers like myself, biodegradable BBs are prone to being brittle. This is why I recommend you to head my advice on the best biodegradable BBs as they have been tested in combat and bear my seal of approval.
Packaging
Admittedly not nearly on the same level as the points above, but still something to keep in mind. Even the most perfectly manufactured BB can start underperforming drastically if dirtied by greasy hands. This is why BBs which come in bottles are vastly preferred than those which come in bags or tubs. Bottled BBs can be poured into hi-cap magazines, without the need to touch them.
BBs which come in either tubs or plastic bags are at a disadvantage due to one more reason – spillage. The sharp corners of tubs and flimsy nature of plastic bags make these prone to spilling your BBs all over the place if your UPS processing center has a bad day and mishandles your package.
How to take care of your BBs
Taking care of your BBs is an important part often neglected. It doesn’t matter how much of this guide you read if you yourself mishandle your airsoft ammo. Fortunately for all of us, taking care of BBs is super simple and straightforward.
Wash your BBs
Washing BBs will remove mold release residue and other gunk left on the surface of your BBs from the manufacturing process. We already covered just how important a smooth surface is. Washing your pellets is fairly straightforward. Check out this awesome video by airsoft legend Novritsch on how to wash BBs:
If you can avoid it, do not touch your pellets with your hands after washing them. This is why I always recommend BBs that come in bottles as you can easily feed them into your magazine. If yours don’t come in a bottle, or you’ve gone with mid-cap magazines make sure your hands are clean and dry.
Never ever reuse BBs
It hurts me to watch when someone picks up dirty, half-broken BBs and puts them into their guns. I cringe just thinking about it. I mean, gosh, I recommend you to never touch them if possible – imagine what dirt will do to them. Big no. I don’t care if yours cost $40 and are from some vegan farm in Ireland – the moment a BB leaves your gun barrel it has done its purpose.
Some people ask me if they can reuse BBs if they wash them, the answer is a categorical No. As your BB has impacted its target it has undergone structural damages. All high-quality BB characteristics it once possessed have now disappeared. Let them die a slow, plastic death.
Store bio BBs in cold, dark and dry conditions
It’s best practice for any BB really, but especially vital for biodegradable ones. You want to keep them in a cold, dark, and dry place, especially if you’re like me and bulk buy BBs by the tens of thousands. Biodegradable BBs will start degrading in hot and humid environments. If you live in a hot climate, this, unfortunately, means frequent ordering or keeping your BBs in the fridge.
Further Resources
I sincerely hope this guide has helped you out with your buying ammo buying decision! If it has, please make sure to share this guide on social media and comment below with any comments, questions or concerns! Here are some additional readings for you to delve into if you want to learn more about BBs. If you have a resource of your own, contact me and I will add your link 🙂 !
- Airsoftpal – My 19k word comprehensive airsoft guide with a dedicated section on BBs
- Wikipedia – Airsoft Pellets
- AirsoftSniperForum – In-depth discussion about benefits of washing BBs
Shoot straight, call your hits and stay awesome!
I’ll talk to you soon.
Liam