| BB gun belongs to the category of air | | | | gun is not essential but a safety |
| guns. They are specifically designed to | | | | precaution is recommended. While |
| fire at spherical projectiles. They are | | | | shooting lead pellets safety measures |
| called as BBs named after the birdshot | | | | should be taken as a bouncing BB retains |
| pellet which of the same size | | | | a large portion of its initial energy. |
| approximately. These guns are generally | | | | This can cause damage to the eyes very |
| used for bird hunting but they can also | | | | easily and can lead to blindness. |
| be pointed. The modern BB guns have a | | | | History |
| smoothbore barrel. Its caliber and bore | | | | The initials BB stand for ball bearing. |
| diameter are 4.5mm. These guns are made | | | | The BB sized lead shotgun shot is |
| up of steel and plated with copper and | | | | originally used in the BB guns. It is an |
| zinc to resist corrosion. It measures | | | | intermediate between B and BBB size. BB |
| 0.171 to 0.173 inches in diameter. Lead | | | | shots vary considerably in its size due |
| BB guns of larger diameter are also | | | | to high tolerance levels allowed for the |
| manufactured. These are used in rifled | | | | use of shotgun shell. |
| bb gun barrels. The plastic recreation | | | | Operation |
| of bb guns is also manufactured by some | | | | Any operating mechanisms used for air |
| Asian companies. | | | | guns can be used by BB guns also. The |
| Safety measures wile using BB guns | | | | accuracy and the range of the BB gun are |
| Extreme care must be taken while | | | | limited therefore less expensive and |
| handling the BB gun and it should not be | | | | simple mechanisms are used. |
| fired at other people. Cheap and simple | | | | It is commonly observed nowadays that |
| BB guns are available for sale at | | | | the BB guns make use of magnets for |
| Wal-Mart. These guns have a capacity to | | | | their loading mechanisms. The bore size |
| fire over 1000 fps. BB guns are | | | | of the BB can be hardly swaged. Thus the |
| different than airsoft guns. The airsoft | | | | magnets are often used to hold BB at the |
| guns are not harmful to humans. A lead | | | | rear of the barrel. If the BB is held at |
| .177 fired at or above 600 fps can | | | | a downward angle then the BB will simply |
| pierce skin and possibly fatal if fired | | | | roll out. The spring piston type of BB |
| in an improper manner. Steel BBs are | | | | guns is still the most common and |
| also prone to ricochet off the hard | | | | traditional powerplant. They are usually |
| surfaces such as concrete or brick. | | | | patterned after a pump action shotgun or |
| Protecting eyes while firing from a BB | | | | a lever action rifle. |