A very popular and powerful pneumatic air rifle sold in the United States has caused numerous injuries and even one death. These incidents are not due to a product failure, but are due to improper use of the gun. The ballistic performance of the 5 mm proprietary Sheridan pellets is examined, and the wounding and bone penetration capabilities of these pellets are studied. Due to the softness of the projectile, bone penetration is unlikely, and skin penetration slows down the projectile so that its wounding potential is considerably reduced. Several cases are briefly examined, and the performance of the Sheridan pellet is compared to the ballistic performance level of the 22 rimfire rounds.