Air rifle and air pistol target shooting are included in major intentional and national sports competitions and are also highly popular sport pastimes. Published scientific studies of pellet drag are very rare, in contrast to a large number of scientific studies published on aerodynamic drag of sports balls and other sports projectiles. Measurements are presented of the drag coefficients for 31 air rifle pellets of mainly 4.5 mm (0.177 in) calibre having a wide range of geometries. The drag coefficient measurements were made with a low-turbulence open wind tunnel at flow velocity of 200 m/s (Mach and Reynolds numbers 0.57 and 56,000 for 4.5 mm pellets). The detailed geometry of some pellets was altered systematically in order to improve understanding of how pellet geometry affects drag coefficient. The drag coefficient for the 31 pellets varied widely from 0.36 to 0.78, and it was influenced substantially by the curvature of the flow separating from the pellet head rim. Large curvatures delayed flow re-attachment onto the pellet tail, thereby lowering pellet base pressure and increasing the value of drag coefficient. Pellets with hemi-spherical or ogive-shaped noses generally had lower values of drag coefficient than pellets with other nose shapes. The presence of the pellet tail was beneficial by providing a surface onto which the flow detaching from the pellet rim could re-attach. However, for minimisation of drag coefficient, the pellet tail had to be of a certain optimum length which depended on the shape of the pellet nose. Small differences in pellet geometry had significant influence on the value of drag coefficient. Increase in air velocity from 120 to 200 m/s had small influence on the value of drag coefficient for three common sports pellets having flat, conical and dome-shaped noses.

气步枪和气枪目标射击包括在主要的有意和全国性体育比赛中，也是非常受欢迎的运动消遣方式。与有关运动球和其他运动弹丸的空气动力学阻力的大量科学研究相反，已发表的关于颗粒阻力的科学研究非常罕见。给出了31种气枪步枪弹丸的阻力系数的测量结果，这些弹丸的口径主要为4.5毫米（0.177英寸），具有多种几何形状。阻力系数的测量是使用低湍流露天风洞以200 m / s的流速进行的（对于4.5 mm球团，Mach和Reynolds数分别为0.57和56,000）。为了更好地理解颗粒几何形状如何影响阻力系数，对一些颗粒的详细几何形状进行了系统地更改。31个药丸的阻力系数在0.36到0.78之间变化很大，并且基本上受从药丸头边缘分离的流动曲率的影响。大曲率会延迟流重新附着到颗粒尾部，从而降低颗粒基本压力并增加阻力系数的值。具有半球形或卵形鼻状的丸粒通常具有比具有其他鼻状的丸粒更低的阻力系数值。颗粒尾部的存在是有益的，因为提供了一个表面，从颗粒边缘分离的气流可以重新附着在该表面上。然而，为了使阻力系数最小，丸粒尾部必须具有一定的最佳长度，这取决于丸粒鼻的形状。颗粒几何形状的细微差异对阻力系数的值有重大影响。