Today, air rifles are high-powered precision tools that can be used for hunting or target shooting with extreme accuracy.

You can still buy a Red Ryder for about twenty-five dollars, but you could also pay approaching a thousand bucks for a gun that falls in the airgun category.

When you start talking about spending several hundred dollars or more on an air rifle, clearly you need to be making a careful selection:

The right air rifle will be:

• Accurate, durable, plus pleasant and affordable to shoot.
• A quality air rifle is something that people of all ages can enjoy shooting, whether it is for fun, competitively or for hunting purposes.

Picking the wrong air rifle can lead you down a number of unfortunate paths:

• Some are less accurate than others, which is a bummer of a discovery after you have already thrown down the money to buy it.
• Others have quality issues or require more maintenance. Whether you have to spend more money on repairs, maintenance or circling back and purchasing a different model to replace it, picking the wrong gun can be costly.

Using this guide should help you find a quality product that will provide you a great shooting experience.

This article includes:

• reviews of some of the top pellet guns on the market.
• advice on all the features & specifications you need to pay attention to when choosing your gun
• overview of the most popular air rifle brands

[toc]

13 Best Pellet Guns of 2021: Outdoor Empire Reviews

These are our top recommendations for air rifles in 2021:

1. Best .22 caliber: Get the RWS Model 34
2. Best hunting: Get Benjamin Trail NP XL Magnum .22
3. Best PCP: Get the Benjamin Bulldog Bullpup
4. Best for the money: GAMO Big Cat 1250 .177
5. Best high-power: Get the Seneca Dragon Claw
6. Best big-bore: Get the Umarex Hammer
7. Quietest airgun: Benjamin Rogue SBD
8. Best .177 caliber: Get the Air Arms TX200
9. Best break barrel: Get the Beeman R7
10. Best CO2 powered: Get the Crosman DPMS SBR
11. Best shotgun: Get the Seneca Wing Shot MK2
12. #1 Pick From 2019 SHOT show: Get the TC 35 and 45 Big Bore PCP Rifles
13. #2 Pick From 2019 SHOT show: Get the Benjamin Fortitude

*Looking for a specific feature? Check out our quick-reference chart below:

Category	Best .22 caliber	Best Hunting	Best PCP	Best For The Money	Best Break Barrel
	RWS Model 34	Benjamin Trail NP XL Magnum	Benjamin Bulldog Bullpup	GAMO Big Cat 1250	Beeman R7
Caliber	.22	0.22	.357	.177	.177
Velocity	800 FPS	1100 FPS	800 FPS	1250 FPS	700 FPS
Action	Break barrel	Break barrel	Sidelever	Break barrel	Break barrel
Powerplant	Spring piston	Gas piston	Precharged pneumatic	Spring piston	Spring piston
Weight	7.5 lbs	9.7 lbs	7.7 lbs	6.1 lbs	6.1 lbs
Length	45 in	48.25 in	36 in	43.4 in	37 in
Cost	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

1. Best .22 Caliber Airgun: RWS Model 34

The RWS Model 34 is very popular and one of the most accurate air rifles on the market. It’s proven to be extremely reliable and accurate. At its price point, it is indeed the best .22 out there. Several airguns come close but their cost is almost double of the RWS.

It fires a .22 caliber projectile at eight hundred feet per second. That’s screaming for such a basic airgun. It has a break barrel action that makes it a good small game rifle. It can easily harvest squirrels, rabbits, or other pests.

The RWS Model 34 comes with a fine wooden stock. This gives it a classic look. It’s a throwback to the classic rifles. There is also an RWS 34P that utilizes a polymer stock if that’s what you prefer.

Outstanding Features

The Model 34 features a real rubber butt pad that is ventilated for comfort. It has an auto safety and a well-made two-stage trigger. The trigger is adjustable for user’s choice; it is 3.3 pounds, feels extremely crisp, and very predictable.

It also comes with an amazing set of iron sights. It is equipped with a set of fiber optic Tru Glo sights that are bright enough to be used in low light conditions.

The RWS lacks a few frills here and there. But as a basic air rifle, it is well-made and quite affordable.

Continue to the full RWS Model 34 review.

Specs

Caliber: .22
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 800 FPS
Action: Break barrel
Powerplant: Spring piston[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price on Pyramyd Air!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anrdoezrs.net%2Flinks%2F100321065%2Ftype%2Fdlg%2Fsid%2Fbest-air-gun-reviews%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.pyramydair.com%2Fs%2Fm%2FDiana_RWS_34_Breakbarrel_Rifle_T06_Trigger%2F402%3Futm_source%3Dcommission_junction%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate_program%26utm_campaign%3Dwww.pyramydair.com%26utm_term%3Dalphalogic%26cjevent%3Dd504440c6f0a11eb803b01440a1c0e10||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Airgun Depot!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantlink.com%2Fclick.php%3Ftt%3Dcl%26merchant_id%3D97338a88-d4bb-4c59-a4b9-32eba2511bd2%26website_id%3Dc3571a18-8c5f-4fa4-bbfc-646887262f95%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.airgundepot.com%252Frws-34-with-scope-pellet-rifle.html%26ctc%3Dairgunguide||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Compare prices at: Amazon

2. Best Airgun for Hunting: Benjamin Trail NP XL Magnum .22

The Benjamin Trail NP XL is one powerful air rifle.

When it comes to airgun hunting, the bigger you go the better. Why? You have to kill an animal and do it humanely. Humane hunting requires the user to make an accurate shot with a powerful weapon. The Benjamin Trail does just that.

It fires a .22 caliber pellet at over a thousand feet per second. It is a gas piston gun that uses nitrogen over a spring.

The stock is made of legitimate hardwood and you have a straight pistol grip with a thumbhole stock for comfort. The stock is ambidextrous so left-handed people are covered.

Outstanding Features

It features an extremely quiet shot profile. It’s cut about 70% from spring shot air rifles. This reduced noise is important for hunting because it is less likely to scare the game. You may miss and be required to take a second shot. The last thing you want is your small game to sprint away.

The Benjamin Trail also reduces the stress put on a system by a spring. Thus, the recoil is reduced significantly. While recoil on an airgun is very little in general, every little bit helps with flinching. Even minimal recoil can cause people to develop a flinch.

You will also wear a scope out less. The Benjamin Trail comes complete with a 3 to 9 power optic and scope mounts.

Specs

Caliber: .22
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 1100 FPS
Action: Break barrel
Powerplant: Gas piston
Others: Optic and rings included

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Compare prices at: Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Amazon

3. Best PCP Airgun: Benjamin Bulldog Bullpup

The Benjamin Bulldog Bullpup is one of the unique and efficient PCP air rifles in the world. The first thing you might notice is its odd layout. It follows a design known as bullpup.

A bullpup design is where the trigger and pistol grip are placed in front of the action and chamber. The result is a rifle that is superbly short but maintains a full-length barrel.

The Benjamin is 30% shorter than other air rifles that feature a 28-inch barrel. The overall goal means the airgun is more maneuverable in and out of vehicles, on four wheelers and UTVs.

Outstanding Features

The Benjamin Bulldog Bullpup is a big bore air rifle designed to hunt the big and bad out there. Most airguns are used to hunt small game, but this is designed to hunt medium game. Instead of rabbits, you are capable of killing hogs, coyotes, and all types of varmints.

The Bulldog fires a .357 caliber projectile and has varying FPS rating, depending on the weight of the ammunition used. A heavy .147 grain projectile can reach 800 feet per second.

As a precharged pneumatic airgun, it uses a reserve air tank to propel the projectile. This tank guarantees 800 FPS performance for 10 shots. After that, the shots begin to slow down. You also have a quick disconnect to refill it quickly. The Bulldog can use both nitrogen and compressed air.

Specs

Caliber: .357
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 800 FPS
Action: Sidelever
Powerplant: Precharged pneumatic

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Pyramyd Air!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anrdoezrs.net%2Flinks%2F100321065%2Ftype%2Fdlg%2Fsid%2Fbest-air-gun-reviews%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.pyramydair.com%2Fs%2Fm%2FBenjamin_Bulldog_357_Bullpup_Shrouded%2F3592%3Futm_source%3Dcommission_junction%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate_program%26utm_campaign%3Dwww.pyramydair.com%26utm_term%3Dalphalogic%26cjevent%3D225e15326f0a11eb80be01140a1c0e0c||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Airgun Depot!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantlink.com%2Fclick.php%3Ftt%3Dcl%26merchant_id%3D97338a88-d4bb-4c59-a4b9-32eba2511bd2%26website_id%3Dc3571a18-8c5f-4fa4-bbfc-646887262f95%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.airgundepot.com%252Fbenjamin-bulldog-357.html%26ctc%3Dairgunguide||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Compare prices at: Sportsman’s Guide, Amazon

4. Best Airgun for the Money: GAMO Big Cat 1250 .177

The Gamo Big Cat is a budget air rifle that is surprisingly powerful and well-made. It fires a .177 projectile at a rip roaring 1250 feet per second. This makes it fast and powerful enough to take small game like rabbits and squirrels.

The Big Cat can be used in a variety of roles, and it excels for target shooting and spinning plates on top of hunting and pest disposal.

Gamo also makes nice airguns that are backed by good warranties and impressive customer service.

Outstanding Features

The rifle is somewhat plain and very simple, so it’s capable of fitting a budget but you still get some excellent features.

For example, there are ambidextrous controls that make the weapon friendly for left and right handers. It also has a shock wave absorber to reduce recoil and scope stress.

Speaking of scopes, the Big Cat comes with a fixed four power scope and mounts.

So out of the box, you are ready to rock and roll. There is a raised cheek weld on the Monte Carlo stock to make using a scope easier. The cocking effort is only 30 pounds so it’s far from significant, and easy for almost any user.

The Gamo Big Cat is an impressive rifle, especially if you consider its affordable price.

Continue to the full Gamo Big Cat 1250 review.

Specs

Caliber: .177
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 1250 FPS
Action: Break barrel
Powerplant: Spring piston
Others: Adjustable trigger, scope and mounts included[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Airgun Depot!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantlink.com%2Fclick.php%3Ftt%3Del%26merchant_id%3D97338a88-d4bb-4c59-a4b9-32eba2511bd2%26website_id%3Dc3571a18-8c5f-4fa4-bbfc-646887262f95%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.airgundepot.com%252Fgamo-big-cat-1250-air-rifle.html%26ctc%3Dbest-airsoft||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Walmart!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fgoto.walmart.com%2Fc%2F2666693%2F565706%2F9383%3FsubId1%3Dbest-airsoft-rifle%26veh%3Daff%26sourceid%3Dimp_000011112222333344%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.walmart.com%252Fip%252FGamo-Big-Cat-1250-177-VFLC4X32WR-Platinum-Combo%252F30155972||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

5. Most Powerful Air Rifle: Seneca Dragon Claw

There comes a time in the airgun world where you want to pull a Tim Allen and just want more power. The Seneca Dragon Claw is for those situations. The Dragon Claw is a 50 caliber airgun that utilizes a pre-charged pneumatic design. This beast of an airgun fires a 50 caliber pellet up to 679 feet per second. It hits with 230 ft-lbs of muzzle energy.

This is the airgun you need if you want to hunt medium game, up to small hogs like javelinas. You can get rid of pests like coyotes, foxes, and possums equally efficiently.

Outstanding Features

The gun is equipped with dual tanks to give 500cc air capacity without a massive tank hanging around. The dual chambers are under the barrel and balances the gun out nicely. The gun has adjustable sights and a dovetail rail for mounting optics. Finally, it comes equipped with fine wooden stock and fore end.

Specs

Caliber: .50
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 679 FPS
Action: Bolt-action
Powerplant: Precharged pneumatic
Others: Adjustable sight and dovetail rail for optics

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Airgun Depot!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantlink.com%2Fclick.php%3Ftt%3Dcl%26merchant_id%3D97338a88-d4bb-4c59-a4b9-32eba2511bd2%26website_id%3Dc3571a18-8c5f-4fa4-bbfc-646887262f95%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.airgundepot.com%252Fsam-yang-dragon-claw-air-rifle.html%26ctc%3Dairgunguide||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Pyramid Air!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kqzyfj.com%2Fclick-100321065-12817065%3Fsid%3Dbest-airsoft-rifle%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.pyramydair.com%252Fproduct%252Fseneca-dragon-claw-500cc-ultimate-hunters-combo%253Fm%253D4487||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Compare prices at: Sportsman’s Guide, Amazon

6. Best Big Bore Air Rifle: Umarex Hammer

The Umarex Hammer has the aptest name for an airgun I’ve ever heard. The Umarex Hammer is a 50 caliber airgun that looks like it stepped out of an action movie.

The Hammer is a PCP gun that uses a 4,500 psi cylinder. It delivers a constant 3,000 psi of pressure behind each shot for devastating power and consistent accuracy.

The airgun uses a bullpup platform to keep the size down to a manageable level. The gun is a relatively short 43 inches, which for a 50 caliber is about as good as it gets. The gun weighs a stout 8.5 pounds and comes ready for a scope.

Outstanding Features

The Hammer comes outfitted with an AR Magpul grip that’s exceptionally comfortable and ergonomic, but it can also be switched out with any other AR grip out there. The gun can send a 250-grain slug screaming at 850 feet per second, and lighter slugs can reach 1,000 FPS. This is no toy and should be treated with as much respect as a real firearm.

Specs

Caliber: .50
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 850-1000 FPS
Action: Bolt-action
Powerplant: Precharged pneumatic

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Pyramid Air!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anrdoezrs.net%2Flinks%2F100321065%2Ftype%2Fdlg%2Fsid%2Fbest-air-gun-reviews%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.pyramydair.com%2Fs%2Fm%2FUmarex_Hammer_50_PCP_Air_Rifle%2F4336%3Futm_source%3Dcommission_junction%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate_program%26utm_campaign%3Dwww.pyramydair.com%26utm_term%3Dalphalogic%26cjevent%3D49829cf86f0a11eb83a8012f0a1c0e12||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Airgun Depot!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantlink.com%2Fclick.php%3Ftt%3Dcl%26merchant_id%3D97338a88-d4bb-4c59-a4b9-32eba2511bd2%26website_id%3Dc3571a18-8c5f-4fa4-bbfc-646887262f95%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.airgundepot.com%252Fumarex-hammer-air-rifle-50-cal.html%26ctc%3Dairgunguide||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Compare prices at: Sportsman’s Guide, Amazon

7. Quietest Air Rifle: Crosman Benjamin Rogue SBD

The Benjamin Rogue SBD is an improvement on the original Benjamin Rogue SBD. The SBD standing for silencing barrel device. This greatly reduces the noise heard from the airgun firing and makes is 3x quieter than other break barrels. This is a .177 caliber design that throws a pellet at 1,400 feet per second.

This is a quiet killer perfect for taking small game and dispatching pests with ease. The Rogue SBD is a brutal little rifle that makes short, and quiet work of small game. It’s a fast shooting, hard hitting little rifle that’s priced to move.

Outstanding features

The Silencing barrel device is the biggest feature worth mentioning. It’s slightly odd looking, but functions well, and doesn’t block the adjustable sights. Let’s not forget about the adjustable two-stage trigger that breaks very cleanly. The Nitro Piston 2 also offers smoother and smoother shooting gun.

Specs

Caliber: .177
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 1400 FPS
Action: Break barrel
Powerplant: Gas piston
Others: Silencing barrel, Nitro Piston 2 powerplant

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8. Best .177 Airgun: Air Arms TX200 Hunter Carbine

Refined, elegant, and accurate is a great way to describe the Air Arms TX200 Hunter Carbine. This compact and lightweight .177 rifle that is designed for target shooting and for all around excellent accuracy. The TX200 sends a pellet downrange at roughly 930 feet per second. This is an underlever style gun that does require 34 pounds of cocking effort.

The Air Arms TX200 Hunter carbine is also a decent choice for small game, nothing bigger than a rabbit. It’s decently lightweight, and short overall for easy handling. The beautiful wood stock gives it that classic hunting look.

Outstanding Features

The standout feature is definitely the two-stage adjustable trigger. This excellent trigger is paired with a barrel from Lothar Walther for precision accuracy. The stock features an extended and comfortable comb for a solid cheek rest. Everything about this gun focuses on accuracy and precision.

Specs

Caliber: .177
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 930 FPS
Action: Underlever
Powerplant: Spring piston[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Pyramid Air!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anrdoezrs.net%2Flinks%2F100321065%2Ftype%2Fdlg%2Fsid%2Fbest-air-gun-reviews%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.pyramydair.com%2Fs%2Fm%2FAir_Arms_TX200_HC_Hunter_Carbine%2F175%3Futm_source%3Dcommission_junction%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate_program%26utm_campaign%3Dwww.pyramydair.com%26utm_term%3Dalphalogic%26cjevent%3D6341e0106f0a11eb825c01380a1c0e0e||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Check price at Airgun Depot!” color=”warning” size=”sm” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avantlink.com%2Fclick.php%3Ftt%3Dcl%26merchant_id%3D97338a88-d4bb-4c59-a4b9-32eba2511bd2%26website_id%3Dc3571a18-8c5f-4fa4-bbfc-646887262f95%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.airgundepot.com%252Fair-arms-tx200-hunter-carbine-walnut-rh.html%26ctc%3Dairgunguide||target:%20_blank|rel:nofollow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

9. Best Break Barrel Airgun: Beeman R7

The Beeman R7 is a small, compact and very lightweight break barrel pellet gun. However, it’s still not a slouch in the power and accuracy department. It fires a .177 pellet right around 700 feet per second.

It is based off the popular R1. The goal was to create a lighter, shorter, and easier to shoot weapon for smaller shooters. To complement this, the double jointed cocking lever reduces the effort needed to cock the weapon. It’s close to 50% easier to cock than the R1.

The break barrel design uses a spring piston to propel the .177 caliber projectile quite accurately. This is an excellent plinker and target shooter. It is also a perfect training airgun.

Outstanding Features

One of the real joys of the weapon lies in the trigger. It is a two stage trigger that uses the Rekord trigger. You get an excellent and crisp break that is easy to predict. The trigger is adjustable for the most discerning shooters, which breaks at 1.25 lbs.

The Beeman’s reduced effort cocking device makes it unique and an overall excellent break barrel design. The fact that it is 5 inches shorter and 2.5 pounds lighter than the Beeman R1 makes it the clear winner.

The Beeman R7 is an excellent air rifle but excels as a break barrel plinker. You also get a set of scope mounts for your optic needs.

Specs

Caliber: .177
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 700 FPS
Action: Break barrel
Powerplant: Spring piston
Others: Adjustable trigger

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10. Best CO2 Air Rifle: Crosman DPMS SBR

Want to have a little fun? Then the DPMS SBR is for you. This AR 15 style airgun runs off your standard 12-gram CO2 cartridges. Everything about this gun is modern and sleek. It’s also both fully automatic and semi-auto. A full auto airgun is an absolute blast, and the DPMS SBR makes it fun and affordable.

The gun is easy to use and fun for both adults and kids. It uses cheap BBs and the CO2 cartridges are also quite affordable. It’s designed to give you a fun, and even educational experience.

Outstanding Features

First and foremost this gun is so modern. It comes with flip up sights, as well as an adjustable 6 position buttstock. There is even a quad rail forearm for mounting additional accessories. The gun comes with an angled foregrip and has realistic weight and function. The DPMS SBR is even compatible with AR pistol grips.

Specs

Caliber: .177
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 430 FPS
Action: Semiautomatic/Full-auto
Powerplant: CO2
Others: Angled foregrip, flip up sights, adjustable buttstock.

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11. Best Air Shotgun: Seneca Wing Shot MK2

Air shotguns are a growing category of airgun for sportsmen. The Seneca Wing Shot MK2 is an airgun shotgun that doubles as a 50 caliber air rifle. The air shotgun uses Air Venturi Shotshells holding either #6 or #8 shot. The effective range is limited to 30 yards, but it is a shotgun and not a rifle.

With a quick removal of the choke you can then easily fire 5 caliber pellets at 760 feet per second. You can hunt both small pigs, and small birds with the Seneca Wing Shot MK2. The only downside is the sights are a simple bead and not rifle sights. You’ll have to get a little practice in with a bead sight.

Outstanding Features

The vent rib makes tracking moving, and flying targets easily and is a nice touch. The Gun handles like a standard over/under shotgun so it’s very fast to point and swing. The gun is well designed as a shotgun, and perfect for the new airgun shotgunner.

Specs

Caliber: .50
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 1130 FPS
Action: Bolt-action
Powerplant: Pre-charged pneumatic
Others: Angled foregrip, flip up sights, adjustable buttstock.

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Top New Airguns From 2019 SHOT Show

12. The TC 35 and 45 Big Bore PCP Rifles

The TC 35 and 45 Big Bore PCPs are technically two rifles. One is in 357 and one in 45. However, the only real difference is their caliber. In fact, they operate, function, and handle identically.

The TC Series by Gamo is designed for serious hunters, and the rifle looks like an actual steel big bore weapon. With a lethal range of 100 yards, these rifles are incredibly powerful and hard-hitting.

The TC 45 can throw a 138-grain pellet at 900 feet per second! It can use ammunition as heavy as 350 grains for hard-hitting close range power. The TC 35 can throw a 357 projectile at 850 feet per second. These are deadly little guns!

Not to mention, they are modular and easy to use with optics. The tanks double as stock and utilize a modern design incorporated into the system. They are PCP powered air guns and are lethal for 5 to 15 shots. Be warned: tweaking the settings may lower this count.

Outstanding Features

These extremely modern air guns are excellent hunters. Weighing in at around 5 pounds, they are as lightweight as all the best hunting rifles. They are perfect for long range carry and very quick to shoulder and swing. Not to mention these 2 guns are very slim in design.

Both the TC 35 and TC 45 come outfitted with silencers, new scope rails, and an AR 15 grip. The triggers are an adjustable 2-stage design. Both let you tune the trigger for your own needs and wants.

Specs

Caliber: 357 or 45
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 357 – 850 FPS / 45 – 900 FPS
Action: PCP Powerplant Air Tank

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13. Benjamin Fortitude

Sometimes simple is better, and the Benjamin Fortitude is a simple design. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and best of all it’s affordable! The Benjamin Fortitude is a PCP-powered air gun that sports all the features shooters love about these guns. These come in either 117 or 22 caliber pellet rifles. The 117 have a 950-feet-per-second, and the 22 have a 800 FPS speed rating.

The gun is a bolt action, single shot design with a well made, highly reliable 10-round rotary magazine. The Fortitude weighs only 5.3 pounds and is an all-weather type of design. This Benjamin is an excellent little hunter for small game. It’s quite potent inside a hundred yards!

The PCP design makes the action quick to use, and intuitive in design. Not to mention it comes with everything necessary to get going and hit the range. This includes an 11mm dovetail mount and sling swivels. Even better, the Fortitude has Benjamin’s famed reliability, accuracy, and design.

Outstanding Features

The first thing that stands out is the use of a light and crisp single stage trigger. The design facilitates a constant pull, which makes it easy and accurate. Overall, the bolt action is very simple and provides a very easy to use rifle.

The rifle is optics ready and the 11mm Dovetail mount is easy to use. It matches the majority of popular rifle scopes on the market today. The rotary magazine is simple but very robust and reliable. Not to mention the Fortitude itself is very quiet and very lightweight. This a great little hunting rifle for small game and we think it’s a blast to shoot.

Specs

Caliber: 117 or 23
Ammo Type: Pellet
Velocity: 117 – 950 FPS / 22 – 800 FPS
Action: PCP Powerplant Air Tank

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Understand These Important Factors 

Powerplant

So what kind of air rifle do you want? There are different kinds of air rifles out there and they are further categorized based on their powerplants. Each offers different advantages, cost, and of course disadvantages.

Spring Piston

Spring piston airguns are the most common form of high-powered, non-toy grade guns.

As you can imagine, a spring is involved in the gun’s operation. This type uses a really strong spring and air piston to propel a pellet or BB. The user has to manually retract the spring through some form of leverage.

Spring powered guns are typically the most accurate and most affordable choice. The technology is incredibly simple and reliable. Spring guns aren’t limited to budget models but are limited in caliber. When it comes to hunting, they are limited to small game.

CO2

This type of air rifles uses CO2 cartridges. These small cartridges are 12 grams of compressed air in a metal container. They are affordable and easy to find. CO2 guns come in both rifles and handgun configurations. All semi-automatic airguns use CO2 for power source.

There is no pumping required. However, they suffer from inconsistency given the fact that the CO2 can decrease in pressure due to outside temperatures. This can cause velocity and accuracy issues. These guns are definitely suited for plinking and recreational shooting.

Pneumatic (Pump)

Pneumatic air rifles use compressed air to propel the round from the rifle.

Single-stroke

These airguns require the user to consistently pump the rifle in every shot. These are great target guns because they are consistent in every shot. This also makes it difficult to hunt with due to the noise, movement and time required to fill the reservoir.

Multi-pump

This became a favorite because of its convenience. Its air reservoir uses a built-in air pump. If you need to fill it with compressed air, you just have to put some effort on the pump handle multiple times.

Precharged Pneumatic

Precharged pneumatic, also known as PCP.

Similar to a pneumatic airgun, you still use a controlled dose of air. The reservoir on these systems is precharged by an air compressor, hand pump, or scuba tank. Once charged, it is ready to go from ten shots to a few dozen depending on caliber.

They can be extremely powerful. They can fire large rounds of ammunition capable of killing medium game. The main downside is their high price, and need for an expensive air filling system.

Power Categories

Power categories are commonly based on the speed that a gun can move at a projectile and the muzzle energy. This is often measured in feet per second (FPS). The power rating of the air rifle dictates exactly what it is capable of doing.

When buying an air rifle for say hunting, you may have a different need than buying one to train target practice with.

Light

Light powered air rifles typically in the 600 to 700 FPS rating and deliver a muzzle energy around ten-foot pounds total.

• Often lighter and smaller
• Designed to minimize recoil and noise
• Better suited for target shooting than hunting
• Great for piercing paper and recreational shooting

Medium

Medium or standard power air rifles are the category that most airguns fall under. Your basic spring powered air rifle is most likely a medium. Mediums range from 700 to 850 FPS, although some consider 900 medium.

• Its minimal recoil and noise make it pleasant to shoot over and over while plinking.
• Fast enough to deal with small game like rabbits, squirrels, and small varmints.
• Most versatile of air rifles

High

High-powered, or magnum powered air rifles are anything above 900 FPS. These are often the most expensive rifles, and encompass PCP airguns.

• You can hunt animals ranging from squirrels to hogs and coyotes with the proper magnum powered airgun.
• Usually not the ideal weapon for plinking and casual target shooting because of ammunition cost.
• They range greatly in size and caliber.
• Most common hunting option

Caliber

Airguns have a wider variety of calibers than people actually realize. The caliber you choose commonly dictates what is done with it.

Small Game and Target Rounds

• .177 – The standard in international shooting competitions.
• .22  – Most commonly used for hunting.
• .20 – Used in multi-pump pneumatic air rifles.
• .25 – A good choice for hunting and pest control, especially for bigger animals like raccoons and possums.

Large Game Rounds

The following calibers are better used for hunting medium and large game. They are used in almost exclusively PCP airguns. These rounds are also quite expensive.

• .357
• .45
• .50
• .58

Trigger

Considerations regarding trigger commonly revolve around adjustment or replacement. If you do not like the stock trigger, can you do something about it?

Some triggers come from the factory ready for adjustment and customization. The aftermarket has created a series of replacement triggers like the GRT 3 by Charlie Datuna. This is a serious consideration for someone who wants maximum accuracy out of their air rifle.

Mechanism

Break Barrel

Break barrel air rifles utilize a downward hinging barrel to cock the spring. Once the barrel is opened, you also load a pellet directly into the barrel. These are the lightest airguns and often the simplest. Simple often leads to a more reliable weapon.

They are also simpler to take apart and upgrade. Constantly opening the barrel can cause accuracy issues with a scope, which is a downside. However, with iron sights, the aim will stay true.

Underlever

Underlever guns place the lever directly under the barrel.

The user grabs the lever and pulls rearward. This cocks the spring and opens the breech for loading. There is no torque when firing the weapon because the lever is placed below the barrel. These are an ambidextrous design that is easy to use.

Sidelever

The lever on this gun is mounted on the side of the air rifle. The user simply grips the levers and pulls it to the side and rearward. This cocks the piston and allows the user to load the weapon.

Sidelevers are tougher and are less sensitive to rough handling. The problem is that they aren’t ambidextrous so it can be challenging for left-handers.

Semi-Auto

Semi-auto air rifles require zero manual cocking after the first round. It feeds from a magazine and fires one round per pull of the trigger. These guns come in either CO2 or PCP mechanism.

Know What You Want and Need

BB or Pellet?

Do you want to go pellet or BB? BB guns are more affordable and more common. The ammunition can be bought by the hundreds. This is a big consideration, are you looking for a semi-auto CO2 powered recreational shooter? Then BBs maybe for you.

Air rifle pellets are bigger and cost more but there is a reason for it. They deliver more power and are more accurate because they engage rifling. They are also more capable for more tasks. Pellets are the chosen projectile for small game hunting, competition, and longer range shooting.

Scopes and Scope Mounts

Before we dive into scopes and scope mounts, we need to address if you even want a scope. If you do not want one, then your option for airguns opens a bit.

If you want an airgun scope, you need to pay attention to the gun’s ability to accept one. Some cannot accept mounts, some accept limited mounts, and some can accept almost anything.

Scope

If you want a scope, you need to realize that you can’t toss any old scope on a rifle. A standard firearm scope can easily break on a spring powered airgun. That sounds odd, but it is true.

An air rifle recoils in a unique way, much different from a regular firearm. Spring piston rifles produce a reverse recoil. This means your scope needs to be rated for airguns. If it is not, it won’t last long.

Scope Mount

When it comes to mounting airgun scope, you need to (of course) make sure it can be mounted on your gun. After that, you need to understand that optics come in different sizes.

The tube millimeter measurement will ensure you get a scope mount that fits. Tubes come in different sizes, so checking the measurements on your scope and scope mount is the only way to shop.

Sights

If you don’t want a scope, you also have to check a few rifles off the list. Some rifles these days do not have iron sights and are made exclusively for scopes.

Iron sights are much better for short range shooting. It also cuts the price of a scope out of the equation. But what kind of iron sights do you want?

If you have a spring piston break barrel, I’d suggest sights located on the barrel. Other than that, the choice comes down to your needs.

For example if you want to maximize accuracy, peep or aperture sights are the way to go. If you want to shoot in low conditions, like hunters often do, you may want fiber optic easy to see sights. Consider your goals when you consider your sights.

What Is Your Goal?

Your goal is the most important consideration. What are you planning to do with your air rifle? Hunters have different needs than that of 10-meter competition shooters. Different needs require different airguns at different costs.

Hunters need something chambered in pellets, and the pellet needs to reach at least 700 feet per second. A competition shooter doesn’t need that much speed for a 10-meter shot and values accuracy over power instead.

A recreational shooter most likely just wants to have fun and plink at targets. Semi-auto designs are a popular option for recreational shooters.

Once you identify the role that you want for your airgun to play, then you can start isolating brands, operation types, and caliber.

Ups & Downs of Leading Airgun Brands

Gamo

Gamo is the big boss when it comes to air rifles. They share the spotlight with only one other company, Crosman. Gamo produces a very wide variety of airguns which includes rifles, handguns, and even submachine guns.

Their product lines are varied especially when it comes to price. A base level Gamo air rifle roughly costs $100 to $600. They range from small plinking rifles to serious hunting rifles.

They produce airguns in PCP, spring, and nitro piston models. Their pistol line is almost all CO2 powered models.

Notable Features

• They manufacture very light rifles which is an impressive quality when you consider the fact that they use hardwood in a lot of their builds.
• They make one of the more affordable spring piston pistols.

Downsides

The few problems that Gamo has usually revolve around their cheaper rifles.

• They tend to have excessive recoil which can wear and tear a scope or make the mounts slide back and forth.
• Many Gamo rifles do not have iron sights so a scope is required.
• Their premium line limits itself to rifles designed for only hunting small game.
• Their pistols are mostly replicas of real firearms and are only useful for plinking.
• The triggers are often heavy and gritty.

Crosman

Crosman is the other big name in air rifles. They reached this popularity by providing a wide array of airguns. It is an excellent company to start with, and also an ideal starting point for youth shooters.

The Crosman Pumpmaster is probably what most pellet gun shooters start with. Crosman airguns have a firm hold in that beginner market.

They produce M16 and AK clones that can be either semi-auto CO2 powered or nitro piston single shots. Crosman makes a series of impressive pistols, specifically their Field Target Pistol.

Notable Features

• You can find a Crosman at any big box store that sells airguns and anywhere on the internet.
• Their rifles can be priced for as low as $35 and start working their way up from there.
• They have high-end rifles designed for 3 position air rifle contests hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Downsides

• A lot of their guns are not that durable. They are not designed for long years of use.
• Unless you are buying a top dollar Crosman, the airgun you are getting is likely not going to last much after heavy use.

Daisy

Dandy Daisy BB guns are by far the most popular and most common on the market. Their BB guns range from lever guns to pump actions, semi-automatic pistols, and competition pellet guns. The classic Daisy Lever action is a mainstay in the airgun world.

Their competition guns are reportedly very well-made and accurate. This includes a unique take on a BB gun. They designed a competition BB gun, the Avanti Champion, which is known as the most accurate BB gun in the world.

Notable Features

• Their airguns are very small and light.
• Affordable and a blast to shoot.
• It’s an excellent way to teach the youth about airguns, accuracy and safe handling.
• Certainly one of the best brands for youth shooters to begin with.

Downsides

• Most airguns are made for kids and are too small for most adult shooters.
• Quite loud for BB guns.
• Cocking mechanisms can be too difficult for children.
• Outside the Daisy competition models, you’ll run into problems with consistent accuracy.
• The use of plastic degrades overall durability.

Benjamin

Benjamin airguns are some of the best on the market. They make unique designs and often experiment with a variety of styles. Their airguns start at over a hundred dollars go into over the thousand dollar range.

They also produce rifles for hunting small game, target shooting competition, and recreational shooting. If you want to go big in terms of power and FPS, then Benjamin has you covered.

Their Bulldog Bullpup is capable of firing a .357 projectile at over 800 feet per second. These guns can be used for hunting medium game and can easily take out hogs and coyotes.

Notable Features

• Their air rifles are known to be of high quality and are powerful.
• Designs vary and are almost entirely modern.
• Customer support is reliable.

Downside

• Benjamin trigger tends to be serviceable but are not the best. When you consider the price you pay, you expect a better trigger.
• The only other issue is its weight. These are beefy airguns and the shorter, lighter models like the Bulldog weighs 7 pounds without a scope.

I do like Benjamin air rifles but for polymer frames and stocks, I’d expect some weight savings.

Airgun, Air Fun!

Airguns are an interesting hobby. Every time you think you’ve seen it all, makers come forward and deliver something new. It is a market and hobby that is constantly changing. However, the core concepts typically stay the same.

A general understanding of how airguns work and that they come in different types are the most important considerations. Some shooters also check on airsoft guns, so knowing the differences between airsoft vs airgun is going to help narrow your choices too.,

Having an idea of the various recreational gun types and how they differ from each other can also be beneficial in deciding what is the perfect fit based on your purpose. Once you grasp that, shopping for one is much easier.

And don’t forget to check out the airgun hunting laws by state.

Check out our full guide on getting started with hunting and shooting. 

Other resources worth checking:

Airgun Nation

USA Shooting – They train and promote the shooting sport.

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The post 13 Best Air Rifles Reviewed & Revealed (Hands-on Pellet Gun Guide) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

The 8 Best BB Guns of 2021: Outdoor Empire Reviews

1. Best Pistol #1: Umarex Glock
2. Best Pistol #2: Umarex Beretta
3. Best Rifle #1: HK MP5 PDW BB Gun
4. Best Rifle #2: Crosman M4 Pneumatic Pump
5. Best for Kids: Daisy Pump BB Gun
6. Best Fully Automatic: Crosman DPMS SBR
7. Best Lever-Action: Daisy Red Ryder
8. Most Powerful: Crosman Legacy 1000

Category	Best pistol	Best rifle	Best for kids
Product	Umarex Glock	Crosman M4 Pneumatic Pump	Daisy Pump
Max Velocity	365 FPS	625 FPS	350 FPS
Shot Capacity	18	18	50
Action	Semiautomatic	Bolt-action	Bolt-action
Powerplant	CO2	Multi-pump pneumatic	Multi-pump pneumatic
Weight	1.6 lbs	3.75 lbs	3.1 lbs
Cost	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

1. Best BB Pistol #1: Umarex Glock

Glock took forever to license a clone of their famed Glock 17, but we can finally say that one exists.

The Umarex clones are always top notch and realistic. This Glock 17 Gen 3 clone holds 18 rounds in the magazine, has a blowback action, and is semi-automatic. This gun mimics the Glock 17’s controls and styling to a T, down to the markings on the grip, rail, and safety trigger.

This gun has a metal slide and polymer frame and uses a single 12-gram CO₂ cartridge. The gun will fit in any Glock holster and allows for quick and easy training. Umarex has done an excellent job of making a safe and effective training pistol for Glocks with quality and reliability that’s hard to beat.

Features and Specs

• 18-round, drop-free magazine
• Semi-automatic, CO₂-powered action
• Only licensed Glock BB gun

Pros

• Extremely well made
• A perfect replica of the Glock 17 Gen 3
• Fits in Glock holsters

Cons

• Cannot swap the sights

This is an excellent gun if you want a training tool that replicates your Glock. You can shoot it in the backyard and practice drawing and firing safely without heading to the gun range. This is also just a fun gun to practice with.

View at Bass Pro Shops

2. Best BB Pistol #2: Umarex Beretta

Umarex has licensed the Beretta M92A1 design and has done an amazing job at producing convincing replica.

The Beretta series served our country for nearly 30 years and continues to be a popular choice. The Umarex Beretta comes with all the features of the standard Beretta M92A1, including the rail system and hammer. The clone gun features a drop-free, 19-round magazine and is powered by 12-gram CO₂ cartridges.

What’s neat is the gun has a semi-auto mode, and with the flip of a switch, it goes to a full-auto mode. This full-auto mode makes it quick and easy to dump a mag and put a smile on your face. The Umarex Beretta is an awesome replica and is nice and heavy due to its full metal construction.

Features and Specs

• Fires ammo at a velocity of 310 feet per second
• Weighs 2.4 pounds
• Holds 19 rounds in the magazine

Pros

• Full auto is a literal blast
• Full-metal design
• Can fire in single- or double-action modes

Cons

• Sights are fixed

The Beretta M92A1 by Umarex is an awesome clone and an excellent training weapon. The M92A1 is perfect for recreational shooting and training, but it’s designed to replicate an actual handgun and should therefore be used only by adults or under adult supervision.

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3. Best BB Rifle #1: HK MP5 PDW BB Gun

The MP5 Submachine gun is likely the most popular machine gun ever created. It’s a classic that is now being built as a semi-auto BB gun for all your shooting needs. This fun gun is CO₂ powered and utilizes a 40-round magazine. It uses any kind of standard BB and spews them at a rate that’s hard to beat.

It’s an absolute blast, and with the proper catch, you can just recycle the BBs and shoot them again. This gun is made under license by Umarex and is the only licensed MP5 BB gun.

The MP5 uses 12-gram CO₂ cartridges that insert into the back of the gun, behind the stock. The stock can also be folded, and the included forward grip makes it easy to control. A 12-gram CO₂ will fire almost 100 rounds in full-auto. I challenge you to find a BB gun that’s more fun to shoot than this. The MP5 is as awesome as they come.

Features and Specs

• Comes with two 40-round mags
• Powered by 12-gram CO₂ cartridges
• Features a robust folding stock and foregrip

Pros

• Insanely fun and reliable
• Looks and feels similar to the real thing
• Easy to use and perfect for all ages

Cons

• You have to press the mag release to easily insert the mag, an odd design choice

The Umarex MP5 BB Gun is for anyone looking for a semi-auto rifle that’s a ton of fun to shoot. It’s light and very handy, and the semi-auto action is a real blast. The sights are nice, and the gun is even compatible with a claw mount from real MP5s if you want to mount an optic.

The MP5 is a legendary SMG, and a BB gun model is an awesome way to have fun.

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4. Best BB Rifle #2: Crosman M4 Pneumatic Pump

The Crosman M4 Pneumatic Pump is a single-shot repeater that can shoot both BBs and pellets. As a BB gun, it can hold up to 350 rounds in its reservoir, enough for a whole day of shooting. The gun is dressed up like an M4 rifle that includes an adjustable stock, adjustable iron sights, sling loops, and a scope rail on the top.

The M4 pneumatic air gun is capable of slinging BBs at an impressive 625 feet per second. It’s rough and tough design looks great while still being ergonomic and practical. The pump is built into the forearm and is basically invisible when closed.

Features and Specs

• 350-shot BB reservoir and 5-Shot Pellet Clip
• 625-foot range per BB
• Supports mounts for lights, lasers, and optics

Pros

• Shoots both BBs and pellets
• Excellent iron sights
• Adjustable stock fits a variety of shooters

Cons

• Sights require a tool for adjustment

This is an excellent BB gun for new shooters learning how to safely handle a BB gun. The single-shot component makes shooters take their time and learn basic accuracy. The adjustable stock also helps fit the gun to most shooters, all in an overall lightweight package.

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5. Best BB Gun for Kids: Daisy Pump BB Gun

BB guns are an excellent tool to teach the basics of marksmanship and safe weapons handling to kids.

The Daisy Pump BB Gun is hard to beat in this area. It’s a single shot gun with excellent sights (both a peep sight and an open rear sight), which means it will stress accuracy, and the BBs only move at 350 feet per second, which reduces the likelihood of a ricochet.

The Daisy Pump BB gun has a 50-shot capacity, but it, of course, must be pumped before each shot. It comes with a cross-bolt trigger block safety that works very well when the gun is not being fired. It’s easy to pump, and most kids will be ringing bullseyes before they know it.

Features and Specs

• Single-shot repeating design
• 50-round capacity
• Shots fire at 350 feet per second

Pros

• Fully adjustable iron sights
• Rear wood stock and pump
• Very accurate

Cons

• Heavy for a BB gun

The Daisy Pump Action BB Gun is an excellent tool for new shooters. It allows them to learn the skills necessary to use a rifle properly. It’s a reliable and accurate BB gun that will make backyard shenanigans great again.

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6. Best Fully Automatic BB Gun: Crosman DPMS SBR

The AR-15 series of rifles is the most popular in the United States, so it makes sense that we’d see some BB gun models of the famed AR. The DPMS SBR is one such model. SBR stands for short-barreled rifle, but that’s not a worry when it comes to BB guns.

The DPMS SBR BB gun sports both full- and semi-auto configurations and comes modded out like any other modern tactical rifle. This in includes a railed handguard, a six-position stock, an angled foregrip, and flip-up iron sights.

The DPMS SBR by Crosman comes with a 25-round magazine and is powered by a 12-gram CO₂ cartridge, but the rifles look and handle like a real AR. The design makes it intuitive and easy to handle—perfect for all types of shooters. Flipping the switch to full-auto makes it an incredibly fun gun.

Features and Specs

• 25-round magazines
• CO₂ powered blowback action
• Comes with sights and angled foregrip

Pros

• Full-auto is a ton of fun
• Adjustable stock makes it a great gun for smaller shooters
• Looks and handles almost like a real AR

Cons

• Only comes with one magazine

The DPMS SBR is a great gun for someone just looking to have fun. If you want to dump tons of rounds in full-auto, this is the gun to use. It’s easy to control and handle, fits most shooters, and is quite light. The DPMS SBR is a rock-solid rifle, and the tactical look will surely draw in fans.

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View at Sportsman’s Guide

7. Best Lever-Action BB Gun: Daisy Red Ryder

The Daisy Red Ryder is the classic American BB gun. For most shooters, this is the gun that started it all, and the Red Ryder remains the best lever-action BB gun on the market. The Red Ryder BB gun works like an old cowboy rifle, with a working lever that puts a round in the chamber and sucks air in all at the same time.

The Red Ryder is a smooth-shooting and accurate little gun, with a fixed front and adjustable rear sight.

The Daisy Red Ryder is a very fun gun and provides that Old West feel with its wooden stock and forearm. The gun is also mostly made of metal and is rock-solid reliable. The gun can fire at 350 feet per second and has a massive 650-round BB reservoir. The Red Ryder allows anyone to get in some hardcore target practice and get their cowboy fix.

Features and Specs

• Features a cross-bolt push button safety
• Adjustable rear sight
• 350 FPS shots

Pros

• Very well made and durable
• Affordable
• Very easy to shoot

Cons

• Short length of pull

The Daisy Red Ryder is great for any new shooter, any kid who wants a BB gun, or anyone trying to recapture their time as a kid. It’s reliable and easy to shoot, but if you are a big guy like me, keep in mind that it’s small and light and made with kids in mind. The Daisy BB gun is an American Classic with a long history to boot.

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8. Most Powerful BB Gun: Crosman Legacy 1000

Crosman is a big company that produces a wide variety of ultra-modern CO₂ powered air guns  as well as lower key traditional air guns. The Crosman Legacy 1000 harnesses the older design of the traditional air gun, but it’s popular and especially powerful.

It’s a variable air pump gun, meaning you can pump the gun multiple times to take in more air and be more powerful. It has the ability to fire both BBs and pellets and can launch a BB up to 800 feet per second.

The Crosman Legacy 1000 comes with a handy set of iron sights, but Crosman also includes a 4x fixed power scope. The gun is a bit heavy but is made for bigger shooters. It has a 17-round internal BB magazine and a cross-bolt safety. The Crosman Legacy 1000 comes with synthetic furniture and is available in a multitude of colors.

Features and Specs

• Variable pump air gun
• Steel BB velocity of 800 FPS
• Shoots BBs or pellets

Pros

• Comes with iron sights and an optic
• 17-round capacity is nice
• Easy and quick to pump

Cons

• Heavy at over 4 pounds

This is best for the more serious, more grown-up shooter. The included scope makes it easy to hit targets and knock over cans, a nice complement to its power. The included iron sights are always there for an extra challenge as well. This gun is also versatile with its ability to feed both pellets and BBs.

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What is a BB Gun?

A BB gun is most often a smoothbore air rifle that shoots perfectly round balls known as BBs. It’s pronounced “bee-bee gun,” and they are an American tradition. BB guns are simple and designed for recreational purposes (and sometimes for training purposes as well).

BB guns differ from pellet guns and airsoft guns significantly. Pellet guns are rifled and fire a somewhat conical projectile. They are typically more powerful than BB guns and can even be used for hunting. Some pellet guns get up to 35 in caliber, while BB guns always fire .177-sized BBs.

Airsoft guns typically shoot 6 mm plastic pellets and are safe to shoot at another person. Airsoft is a game based around shooting another person, and these guns are intended for that.

BB guns are not intended for shooting anything besides targets. They are not powerful enough to hunt with, but they are too damaging for shooting at another person.

BB guns are perfect as target guns and are remarkably affordable to shoot. The copper or steel pellets costs barely anything, and even CO₂ pellets for semi-auto guns are incredibly cheap.

Some BB guns are designed to be training guns and mimic actual handguns. They make practicing draws, trigger control, and proper gun safety possible without a real firearm.

How to Choose Your BB Gun

Single-Shot, Semi-Auto, or Full-Auto?

Single-shot BB guns are typically the cheapest and most common. A single-shot design may incorporate a reservoir for extra rounds to be held, but it still only shoots a single shot. Between each shot, the shooter has to make a manual action to load the next round.

A semi-auto gun is a repeater that self-loads the next round. This means it fires one round per pull of the trigger. This design is quite common and very popular. These guns are quite fun and do allow you to shoot quite quickly.

Full-auto BB guns allow you to fire multiple rounds per pull of the trigger. The gun will fire as long as you pull the trigger and as long as you have ammunition. They spew BBs at a rapid rate and aren’t particularly useful, but these guns are just fun—tons of fun.

CO₂-Powered, Lever-Action, or Pump-Action?

BB guns are powered by air. How they get that air is where things different. CO₂-powered guns doesn’t use air per se, but they use compressed CO₂ to project a BB down a barrel. CO₂ guns are most commonly semi-auto or full-auto, and they utilize small 12-gram CO₂ cartridges that plug into the gun.

These do require extra money due to the design of the cartridge.

Lever-action guns like the old school Red Rider utilize a pump activated by a lever. When cocked, the lever draws in air and loads the next round. The lever must be activated for every shot.

Pump guns feature an air pump often built in the front end. The shooter loads a round into the chamber and then pumps the gun to gather air to propel the round. The act of pumping the gun can be done once or over and over with some guns to gather more power behind the round.

What is Your Intended Purpose?

BB guns are typically made for shooters to have expensive fun at home, without the need for a literal gun range. Compared to other options, they are remarkably affordable to buy and supply. Since their first role is to just shoot and have fun, I prefer semi-autos and full-autos for fun times, but any BB gun can be fun.

When it comes to teaching shooters basic safety and handling skills, a good single-shot with iron sights is an excellent starting point. Single-shots will make beginners take their time, and that’s all that’s needed to help reinforce the basics of marksmanship and gun safety.

For more serious training purposes, you may need something more alike to your actual gun. This is very easy to do when it comes to handguns. There are lots of pistol BB guns designed to be direct replicas of most guns on the market.

What’s Your budget?

The final question is, what is your budget? A basic single-shot BB gun can be found for as little as 25 bucks, and as you get into more modern designs with CO₂-powered semi- or full-auto designs, we see prices rise.

When it comes to semi- and full-auto guns, you want to purchase a quality model from a dependable company. Cheaper models will not last long. If you want a higher end single-shot, you can certainly find them. They are often dual-use guns that fire both pellets and BBs, which is a nice combination

BB Gunned

BB guns are a ton of fun, especially to start a new shooter or train with an EDC wannabe. Easy to use at an at-home range, BB guns one of the cheapest ways to get into shooting. Check one out, and let us know what you think.

The post 8 Best BB Guns Reviewed (Kid-Friendly, Most Powerful) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

As the cold sets in you can’t wait to get back, grab a cup of coffee and start the crock pot full of rabbit stew. You move slowly, and you move carefully.

Your breath turns to steam it so cold, but it’s worth it. You know it when you see that little rabbit bouncing at the edge of a field.  

He’s in range, your airgun is ready, and so are you. You settle slowly into a sitting position, align your sights, and carefully squeeze the trigger.

The slight pop goes off, the gun’s little recoil distorts your vision and you see the rabbit run…

• What went wrong?
• Did you miss?
• Was the gun too weak to take the rabbit?  

Maybe it’s because you chose the wrong pellet pistol. Not just for hunting, but in general. Choosing the wrong pistol is going to lead down the wrong path.

You won’t ever be satisfied with an air pistol that doesn’t have what you need it to. It’s critical to not only purchase a quality airgun but an airgun aimed at your goals. There is no one air pistol that will do it all.  

Purchasing a substandard, underperforming air pistol is quite frustrating. If you want to avoid that feeling you need to keep reading.

We want to help you choose not only the highest quality air pistol but the best choice for the role at hand.  

 [toc]

The 6 Best Pellet Pistols of 2021: Outdoor Empire Reviews

These are our top recommendations for air pistols in 2021:

1. Best .22 PCP: Benjamin Marauder
2. Best CO2: Get the Gamo P-25
3. Best for self defense: Tippmann TiPX Mag Fed Paintball Pistol 
4. Best for the money: Crosman 2240
5. Next best for the money: American Classic Pistol
6. Best affordable: Umarex XBG

Looking for a specific feature? Check out our quick-reference chart below:

Product	Benjamin Marauder	Gamo P-25	Tippmann TiPX	Crosman 2240	Umarex XBG
Action	Bolt Action	Semi-Automatic	Semi-Automatic	Bolt Action	Semi-Automatic
Powerplant	PCP	CO2	CO2	CO2	CO2
Velocity	700 FPS	450 FPS	8 BPS	460 FPS	410 FPS
Caliber	.22	.177"	.68	.22"	.177
Capacity	1	16 rounds	7 balls	1	19
Weight	2.70 lbs	1.5 lbs	1.11 lbs	1.81 lbs	0.7 lbs
Cost	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

1. Best .22 PCP Pistol: Benjamin Marauder Woods Walker

When it comes to quality and durability it’s hard to beat the Benjamin Marauder. The Woods Walker is one of the most powerful air pistols chambered in the .22-caliber pellet.  

It’s designed to be both a hunting and a marksman’s tool. This PCP airgun throws .22-caliber pellets at a blistering 700 feet per second.

This PCP airgun allows the user to pre-charge the system to maximize power and FPS per shot. It also remains consistent shot after shot. 

The Marauder includes a built-in pressure gauge to observe just how powered up this airgun is. The Marauder is equipped with a two-stage match trigger that gives the user a consistent and smooth trigger pull.

The two-stage shot allows you to stage the trigger, and hold it right before it breaks. The Marauder is equipped with a noise dampening shroud that allows you to shoot quietly.  

Finally, the Marauder is a modular platform. You can equip a variety of upgrades including optics. You can also easily add a shoulder stock to the Marauder to aid in stabilizing the design.  

• Action – Single Shot Bolt action 
• Feet Per Second – 700  
• Caliber – .22 
• Capacity – 1 

2. Best CO2 Pistol

Gamo P-25

$80.32

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08/15/2023 05:10 am GMT

CO2 airguns are where things interesting if you are looking for a training or just general fun airgun a semi-automatic CO2 powered airgun is arguably the best option.  

There are tons and tons of high-quality CO2 semi-automatic airguns, but one that really stands out to me is the Gamo P25. The Gamo P-25 is a simple, affordable, but dynamic airgun. It’s a pellet gun that fires .177 rounds from a magazine.  

What really sets this CO2 airgun apart is its blowback design. A blowback design allows the slide to reciprocate as the airgun is fired.

While many airguns have a reciprocating-blowback design, very few do it at the Gamo P25’s price range. The P-25 is under a hundred bucks, and it is reliable as hell.

The Gamo P-25 features a metal slide and polymer frame, which makes it feel very realistic.  

The Gamo P-25 operates off a common 12-gram co2 cartridge and even comes with two magazines. It is a very interesting, and affordable design if you’re looking for a high-quality co2 powered airgun.  

• • Action – Semi automatic C02 powered 
  • Feet Per Second – 450 
  • Caliber – .177″  
  • Capacity – 16 rounds 

3. Best Air Pistol for Self Defense

Tippmann TiPX Mag Fed Paintball Pistol

$249.95

Pros:

• The CO2 canister remains sealed until you pull the trigger
• Fires less-than-lethal pepper or rubber balls
• Magazine fed
• Semi-automatic action

Cons:

• Maximum of 14 shots with a new CO2 canister at maximum velocity

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08/15/2023 05:15 am GMT

Air pistols do not produce the amount of energy necessary for self-defense projectiles. A particularly powerful air pistol might hit a dozen joules of energy. Weak 9-millimeter loads still hit almost 500 joules.

That’s not to say there’s no way an air pistol can be used for self-defense, though. Certain air pistols fire .68-caliber pepper balls, which are basically paintballs filled with pepper spray.

The Tippman TiPX is the best paintball pistol for this purpose.

It’s a magazine-fed air pistol that uses a 12-gram CO2 canister under the barrel to fire up to 25 pepper balls up to 150 feet.

However, you’ll want to adjust the speed to maximum to ensure the pepper balls break on the target, in which case you’ll still get 14 shots. Each magazine can hold seven pepper balls, and the air pistol comes with two magazines.

The CO2 canister isn’t pierced until you pull the trigger, so you can keep the TiPX loaded for extended periods of time without worry.

If you don’t like the idea of using pepper balls, then reusable, less-than-lethal rubber balls are available as well.

Pros

• The CO2 canister remains sealed until you pull the trigger
• Fires less-than-lethal pepper or rubber balls
• Magazine fed
• Semi-automatic action

Cons

• Maximum of 14 shots with a new CO2 canister at maximum velocity

The Tippman TiPX is a reliable air pistol that can carry a variety of less-than-lethal self-defense ammo without being a lethal firearm.

4. Best Air Pistol for the Money

Crosman 2240

$65.42

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08/15/2023 05:23 am GMT

If you are looking for a few quality choices for a good price I have two great little Crosman airguns.

I’d usually choose a single product for this category, but these two are close enough in price and function I couldn’t decide so you get both today.  

The first is the Crosman 2240 Bolt action handgun. The Crosman 2240 is a CO2 powered bolt action air pistol that’s designed for both accurate shooting and hunting. The 2240 fires a .22-caliber projectile at 460 feet per second.

This makes it a perfect choice for taking squirrel and even some rabbit at the right range.  

The 2240 is powered by a twelve-gram co2 cartridge and maximizes air pressure by utilizing a bolt action design.

It is also quite customizable and you can add a variety of different attachments. This includes suppressors, air rifle scopes, different sights, and more. Crossman provides an exceptional number of optional accessories.  

That’s not to say the design is flawed. For the price, it’s outstanding. It’s accurate, powerful, and equipped with a very high end set of iron sights that are easily adjustable.

The 2240 by Crosman is a good choice for the beginner and expert air gunner.  

• Action – Single Shot Bolt Action CO2 
• Feet Per Second – 460  
• Caliber – .22″
• Capacity – 1 

5. Next Best Air Pistol for the Money

American Classic Pistol

$59.99

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08/15/2023 05:29 am GMT

The Crosman’s 2240s brother, the American Classic is another great choice for all levels. Instead of being powered by a co2, it’s powered by a manual hand pump.  

The American Classic is a little better suited for hunting. It’s a .177 caliber pellet gun that can throw a projectile at a rapid 600 feet per second. This makes it ideal for small gun and pest hunting.

Although the .177 caliber means that it is only appropriate for very small game, such as rats.  

The American Classic as a pump gun makes it a better suited for those on a tight budget. You don’t have to buy 12-gram co2s. Just toss airgun pellets in it, pump it up and go.

It also features a robust set of iron sights that are easily adjustable and makes it a nice and precise choice for target shooting.  

• Action – Single shot pump action  
• Feet Per Second – 600 
• Caliber – .177″
• Capacity – 1 

You’d be well served by both the 2240 and American Classic; at their price, they are hard to beat.  

6. Best Affordable Air Pistol

Umarex XBG

$29.99

View on Amazon View at Pyramyd Air

08/15/2023 05:36 am GMT

If you are looking to save a little money, then I suggest going with the Umarex XBG. The XBG is a small CO2 powered semi-automatic pistol made by a very reputable airgun company.

This little gun replicates your modern compact pistols down to the 19-round capacity and integrated Picatinny rail.  

Saving money doesn’t just meaning saving money on the gun, but its ammo and power source too. This double action gun utilizes 12-gram CO2s and gets over a hundred shots per cartridge.

On top of that, it utilizes plastic BBs which are quite cheap and widely available.  

The Umarex XBG isn’t fancy, and that’s not a bad thing. It is durable, easy to shoot, and an excellent little gun to have some fun with. The modern and sleek design sports a realistic and comfortable grip, and a solid set of iron sights.

The pistol is great for kids, new shooters, and general plinking.  

• Action – Semi automatic CO2  
• Feet Per Second – 410  
• Caliber – .177 
• Capacity – 19 

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Important Choosing Factors

Use Case

The most important factor to consider when buying an air pistol is what exactly is it being used for.

It’s a very simple concept, but an important one to understand. If you have Concept A and buy a gun designed for Concept B you are going to have a bad time. Air pistols can be used for a wide variety of tasks, including: 

1. Hunting 

Hunting with an airgun requires a very specific type of airgun.

Air pistols for hunting animals like:

• squirrel and rabbit should be chambered in either .22 or .25 caliber
• .177 can be used to kill rats, small snakes, and other small pests

With too weak of a gun you’ll merely injure the animal. The weapon needs to be capable of taking an animal humanely, and it’s important these guns are accurate and equipped with solid sights.

It is also important to ensure airgun hunting is legal in your area.

2. Target Practice 

When it comes to target practice you can ease your selection process. With target practice, you can go with pretty much any air gun pistol you want. Plinking isn’t a crazy important task.

You simply want a reliable gun that’s fun and easy to shoot.  

3. Self Defense

Air pistols designed for self-defense should actually be capable of shutting an attacker down. You’ll likely want an air pistol capable of firing chemical irritant. This is the category users should be most cognizant of.

You need an extremely reliable, and capable weapon for self-defense. Your life is literally on the line.  

Self defense training

Many people use an air gun to simulate defensive firearms training when they can’t make it to a gun range. For self-defense training, you need a weapon close to your own in function.

You likely want semi-auto action, and an affordable source of ammo and CO2 since you will be shooting a lot.  

Air Pistol Action 

Action selection will be pretty critical to what your firearm is aimed at. The action of an airgun pistol can be broken down into:

• semi-automatic
• bolt action
• single shot
• revolving cylinder

The most powerful pellet pistols will traditionally be single shot or bolt action models. These actions allow for a greater seal that generates more air power.

Some high-end self-defense air pistols will utilize CO2, but will be relatively limited in shots fired.  

Air pistols designed for general target practice and self-defense training will often be semi-automatic or feature a revolving cylinder. These guns fire a single shot per trigger pull.

This replicates the action of actual handguns and gives you an action closer to your actual firearm. It also makes target practice a bit faster and bit more fun.  

Velocity  

Velocity is going to be a major consideration for hunting and self-defense pistols. Without proper velocity, you won’t have enough penetration to quickly and humanely taking game.

When it comes to self-defense you want the round to cause serious pain or disperse chemical irritants. Velocity for hunting with a 22 caliber projectile should be around the 450 feet per second range.  

When it comes to self-defense velocity will depend on the round itself. Rubber rounds should be hitting are around 300 feet per second in general.

It’s best to consult the ammunition manufacturer for a certain rounds effective velocity.  

Caliber Selection 

Calibers for airguns are varied but typically fall under 1 of 3 rounds with a 4th bearing mention. The most common calibers are:

• BB
• .17
• .22

The 4th is uncommon but shows up time to time, and it’s the .25 caliber.  

For general plinking and target practice, BBs are perfect. They are quite cheap and can be reused if collected in a trap. They are a bit too weak to hunt but perfect for plinking and self-defense training.

.177 is the smallest pellet gun caliber, and can be used for very small pest removal, but is ultimately better suited for target practice and self-defense shooting as well.  

Both .22 and 25 are serious calibers designed for hunting game under 6 pounds. It’s great for squirrels, pests, and even small rabbits if you know how to shoot.

However, the .22-caliber variety is much more common, and the pellets are much cheaper overall. 

Self-defense rounds tend to vary by gun. Most use a proprietary ammo designed for that particular air gun. The ammo itself is often hard rubber or some form of chemical irritant.  

Power Source 

Airgun pistols are traditionally powered by one of three sources. With the name air in the title, it isn’t hard to imagine by what.  

CO2 Cartridge

A wide variety of airguns will be charged via a CO2 cartridge. These guns take less effort to use, and the CO2 cartridges are common and affordable.

They allow an airgun to function as a semi-automatic, and make follow up shots faster. Even single shot powered CO2 guns are much faster to reload and fire than the alternatives.  

Break Barrel

One highly common means of operation for air guns pistol on the cheaper end are break action models. When the action is ‘broke’ open the pump sucks in a considerable amount of air and powers the gun.

These guns are traditionally low in velocity and are only single shot air guns. They are great for target practice and not much else.  

PCP

The third and final means of air powered air guns in PCP, or pre-charged pneumatics. These guns utilize a built-in pump to fill the gun’s tank.

This allows you to fill the tank and fire at a substantially higher FPS per shot than a break action. These are excellent hunting options and are often more affordable than CO2 powered hunting guns.  

Aired Up  

Airgun pistols are excellent little tools for a very wide variety of tasks. They can fill roles no other tool can, especially when it comes to building an at home shooting range.

Airgun pistols allow you to hunt, plink, train, and even potentially save your life. The key is knowing what does what and choosing accordingly.  

The Best Air Rifles of 2021: The Definitive Guide (In-Depth Reviews)

The post 6 Best Air Pistols Reviewed & Revealed (Hands-on Pellet Pistol Guide) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

In all honesty, if you want the utmost accuracy out of your top airgun, a scope is the way to go. Today we are going to explain how to mount a scope to an airgun.  

But we can’t just mount any old rifle scope to an airgun – you need one made for an airgun.  

Why You Need an Airgun Scope 

You’d think “Hey you, a firearm scope is made to deal with a gun’s recoil, it can handle my airgun.”

To that I say, rest in peace, firearm scope.

1. An airgun can disassemble the firearm scope from the inside because of the unique forward and rear recoil impulse most airguns have. Firearm scopes are not rated for this unique recoil impulse, and it can rip them apart.  

2. Outside of the recoil impulse, airgun scopes are made to shoot at close ranges, and rifle scopes are not. This is where you run into parallax issues.

Without diving too deep into what parallax is and why it occurs, we can just say it greatly affects accuracy. It places the crosshairs and the image on different optical planes.  

This affects accuracy and makes hitting a target difficult. Parallax is adjustable, or set, and is done at a specific distance. So, rifle scopes are commonly parallax free at 50 to 100 yards, which is well beyond the effective range of an airgun.

Airgun scopes are designed to be parallax free at 10 yards or less. 

Mounts – Bases and Rings 

The mount is commonly used to refer to two pieces of an airgun that work together to mount a scope.

A mount could refer to the scope rings or one-piece scope mount that attaches to the scope, or it could refer to the mount on an airgun where you mount the rings or one-piece base. 

Scope rings

When it comes to scope rings you have the choice between a two-piece mount and a one-piece mount.

1. Two-piece scope rings tend to be cheaper and more common. They are a great choice for airguns.

2. If you are handling a more powerful airgun a single piece scope mount is likely the better choice. These are more expensive but more stable. 

Airgun mount base

Most airguns use an 11mm dovetail base. This base is the industry standard, but some air gun companies like to be special and have their own special mounts. In this case, you’ll need to use specialized rings and mounts.

On more powerful airguns you’ll also see a series of odd holes in the base, these are important to mount stability. 

Those holes are designed to function with the scope mount stop pin that’s built into scope rings and bases. The pin mates into the hole in the base and provide a more stable platform for a gun to resist against recoil.

If you have a more powerful airgun and it lacks these scope base holes you’d want to go with a single piece scope mount. They are less affected by recoil impulse and unlikely to move. 

Alternatively, you can purchase a Picatinny adapter that converts the dovetail rail into a Picatinny rail. The only downside is the raised effect which can compromise a good cheek weld.

Pic rails tend to have a lot of different choices for scope rings and mounts, and you have a better selection overall. 

Mounting the Scope  

1. Take the scope rings or mount and remove the top ring entirely.

2. Now fit the mounts on to the airgun’s base, make sure they engage the stop pin if needed. Make sure it’s stable and tighten the fastening screw just enough for it to stay on the rail.

3. Now place the scope into the open rings. Now to want to place the scope rings on, but just barely tighten them. You still want the scope to be able to move back and forth as well as rotate.  

4. Get behind the scope and gun and get a good, solid cheek weld. Do not adjust your body to the scope.

5. Now you need to establish a proper eye relief.  

Eye relief is the distance from the scopes lens to your eye. Proper eye relief will give you a crystal-clear picture without any ‘scope shadow’ in your sight picture.

So, you may need to move the scope rearwards or forwards, which means unfastening the mounts and sliding them rearward and forward.  

You want to have that good cheek weld and position to ensure that the scope is positioned for proper eye relief when you are in a shooting position.

Once you have good eye relief tighten the fastening screws on the base, which secures the rings to the gun.  

6. Look through the scope again and ensure the crosshairs are dissecting the scope up and down and left to right. You want the scope to be level and the center crosshair to be perfectly up and down.

7. Once it’s level you can start to tighten the top scope rings. You want to hold the scope and check it as you tighten the top screws. You want to ensure everything is remaining level.  

When tightening the screws, you want to tighten each ring in an alternating fashion. So, you’ll do it almost like the same way you change a tire. You’ll tighten the first screw on the right and then tighten the rear left screw.

You are simply going diagonally with each screw, alternating from side to side.  

A Special Note for Break Barrels

When it comes to break-barrel guns you are going to have issues with a scope. You may experience barrel droop after the guns been used over and over and find it hard if not impossible to properly zero the scope.  

In this case, you’ll need adjustable airgun scope rings. This allows you to raise the rear of the scope for accurate zeroing. Also, it’s hard to zero perfectly because the barrel is rarely in the same position twice. 

Zeroing 

That’s it! You’re done. Now the only task needed is for you to go out and zero your airgun. This is a simple procedure all you need is a bull’s eye target, a little patience and a stable place to rest your gun. After that, the sky’s the limit.  

The post How To Mount A Scope On Your Air Rifle (Complete Guide) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

They need to be cleaned and maintained to ensure proper function.  

Today, we’ll talk about airgun maintenance and hopefully clear up any confusion you may have about the topic.

General Airgun Maintenance By Type

The most important piece of advice I can give you regarding airgun maintenance is to consult your manual. Airguns are precision instruments that have strict guidelines regarding internal oiling and cleaning.

Follow those guidelines to the letter. You can very easily over lube and damage an airgun by going hog wild on it.  

Use the Proper Cleaning Supplies 

You need airgun cleaning supplies and solvents to properly clean an airgun. This includes small cleaning rods, bore patches and even cleaning pellets. You always want to use airgun-specific solvents and never use gun oil.

Most gun oil is petroleum based and will chew through hard rubber. Airgun solvents made from companies like Crossman, Napiers and Beeman are all recommended, affordable and common.  

Spring Piston Guns 

The majority of spring-piston guns require very little specialized maintenance to keep them running. Many have lifetime lubricated rings and seals. This is one of the most important things to research about your gun.

If it does need to be oiled, you put the manufacturers recommended a dose of oil down the transfer port and let the gun stand on its stock for half an hour or so. You want to use a high-quality silicone chamber oil. Crossman makes one of the best chamber oils.  

The only portion you may need to inspect carefully is the cocking mechanism. These need some grease, not oil, grease which aids in making it easy to cock and reduce friction.

Just right around the pivot point you can wipe off the old grease and apply new grease. Use a solid lithium grease.

Break Barrels

Grease break barrels around both sides of the action fork and the pivot bolt. This area is the pivot point of the barrel; grease it with the barrel in place and in the cocked position.  

Slide or Pump-Acton

If your airgun uses a slide or pump-action design, you need to grease the chamber walls. Get in there with an application, or even use a new toothbrush to apply.   

Co2 Guns

CO2-powered airguns are remarkably simple to care for. They involve very little maintenance and most of it is focused on where the cylinder meets the gun.

Again, use only airgun-specific lubricants. All you need is one drop of Pellgun oil per cylinder and one drop of airgun chamber lube per cylinder.  

If the area near the valve starts gathering dirt and debris, spray it out with compressed dry air. Never use petroleum-based lubricants or they’ll destroy the internal O-rings.  

PCP 

When it comes to specific care instructions for PCP guns we are going to need to focus on the parts that really matter. Most PCP guns never need internal oiling unless they’ve been taken apart.  

What’s critical is the valve and the adapters that seal the tank to the gun. The valve needs to remain clean and needs a drop of oil maybe twice a year at the very most.

Prior to oiling the valve, you should inspect it for dust and debris and If possible, spray them out with dry compressed air.  

With PCP guns you also need to oil the O-rings involved with attaching an air tank to the gun. This includes O-rings that seals the tank to the adapter and the double O-rings on probes.  

Just due to the nature of probes you’ll find yourself wiping them down and applying oil often. This oil isn’t to lubricate but to help seal the gun.

For either task, you want to use high-quality silicone lubes as petroleum-based will eat the O-rings. Because they spend lots of time exposed they tend to pick up more dirt and debris.  

The Bore 

While airguns don’t have to worry about carbon build up they do have issues with lead build up, and even rust depending on the environment.

CO2-powered airguns are notorious for rust building in the barrels when being used in humid environments. If your barrel is beginning to get fouled, it may affect accuracy and even your FPS.

Over-cleaning the barrel isn’t an issue, but it’s not something you have to do every day. Once a month is probably too much for most shooters.

There are a few ways you can clean the barrel:

If you are in a humid environment you may want to run a bore patch through and look for rust colored remains at least once a month.

If rust is found it’s time to clean the bore.

Cleaning the bore is easy: 

Using a straight gleaning rod, you want to run a patch with a bit of Napiers Airgun oil on them through the barrel. Two or three should do. Then run dry patches until they come out completely clean. Never use gun oil that’s petroleum-based or it’ll eat O rings. 

You can also use cleaning pellets. These are felt and made to be fired through the gun. They grip to the inside of the barrel and clean as they go. It’s a bit more fun, albeit more expensive, means to clean your airgun.

A dab of oil on one is all you need and then follow it with dry cleaning pellets. 

External Rust 

If your gun starts to show signs of rust on the outside you can use a rag and a bit of Ballistol to remove it. Ballistol should never be used on the inside of the gun and should be applied to a rag prior to being applied to the gun.

It’s safe for metal, wood and plastic stocks. 

Wood and Plastic Stocks 

If you have a fine wood stock, you want to protect it — the wood is half the reason you bought the gun. To keep that stock looking nice stay away from petroleum-based oils as they weaken wood over time.

Wiping the stock with a Linseed oil once a year, or before putting it in long-term storage will work. 

Air Guns and Maintenance 

Air guns are honestly pretty low maintenance items. They don’t require much to keep running and as long as you follow your manual you should be good to go.  

The post Air Rifle Maintenance 101: Keeping Your Airgun Operating Properly  appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

A lot of people are going to say a real gun, as they assume that an airgun is essentially the same as the Daisy BB gun they had when they were kids. Those people should see our article where we explain the differences between BB and airguns.

But the real question is, which one is better than the other? 

In some cases, a real gun is certainly better than any airgun, but by the same token, there are situations in which an airgun is handier than a real gun. If you’re a hunter, it may be wise to add an airgun to your collection of rifles and shotguns.   

The Range Dilemma 

When it comes to hunting most people would say the more range the better, right? A real gun is always going to have a longer effective range than an airgun, so this consideration seems obvious.

But, how much range is too much?  

A .22-LR, for example, can fly for quite an impressive distance, yet it is one of the smallest, lowest powered rifle rounds out there.

Sure, it’s fine if you are hunting over a few hundred acres, but if I’m hunting rabbits at the edge of my property, it provides more range than I want.  

What if I miss? Then I have a round that may still travel a considerable distance.

If I’m hunting with an airgun and I miss, the round isn’t going much farther. A responsible hunter would never take a shot that could be a risk to others, and airgun pellets are rarely, if ever, a risk to others.  

Sometimes a shorter range is beneficial when hunting, and it’s perfect when you are in a limited hunting area.

Heck, I could cover one side of the property and have my wife hunting the other and never run the risk of a stray airgun pellet hitting her, or her hitting me.  

Sound and Fury 

Real guns are considerably louder than airguns, which is of course due to their higher power. This has numerous effects on hunters, with the first being their own hearing.  

Most hunters do not wear ear protection while hunting because they need all their senses. Even electronic hearing protection is difficult to use because it takes away your ability to perceive a sound’s direction.

You can always purchase a suppressor if it’s legal in your state.  

With an airgun there is still some noise, but considerably less than an actual firearm. My favorite big-bore airgun is the Benjamin Bulldog.

A .357 powerhouse, the Bulldog is still safe to use without hearing protection — no earmuffs are required. Smaller caliber .177 and .22s are also relatively quiet.

To avoid scaring game some guns even have built-in suppressors to reduce the gun’s sound – just be sure to follow all local, state and federal laws when doing so.    

Airguns also produce a lot less recoil than conventional firearms do. In fact, you can’t tell the much of a difference between a .22-caliber LR and .22-caliber airgun.

However, there is a major difference between a Bulldog and a .308 hunting rifle.  

Shot Placement 

Shot placement is your ability to not only hit your target but to hit a target in an area that would instantly and humanely kill your quarry.

For most small game animals this will be a chest or head shot, while a torso shot is better for medium game.  

Shot placement is always important, but it is even more important with an airgun. Airguns give you less room for error when it comes to a kill shot. You really need to make a headshot for small game.

A real gun is a bit more forgiving.

You still need decent shot placement, but the rounds hit with greater foot pounds of energy, and hunting rounds are designed to expand, which creates more damage as they pass through the game’s body. 

Airgun ammo can expand, but nowhere near as much as actual rifle ammo expands. If you are airgun hunting you need to be a sure shot, and confident in your own accuracy.  

Calibers 

When it comes to real guns, there are hundreds of different calibers that are tuned for various tasks. This is great for selection but bad for choosing a caliber. When it comes to airguns you are limited in caliber selection.

Most small game would be taken with a .177-, .22- or .25-caliber weapon. 

• Varmints and small predators (such as coyotes) are easily taken with .30-caliber pellets 
• Medium game requires something between .357- and .50-caliber pellets  

While you have more options and loads with real guns, the calibers from which you can choose for airguns lend themselves well to airgun hunting.

Just be sure to pick one of the common calibers mentioned and don’t get stuck with something odd and proprietary. That’ll make finding ammo difficult and potentially expensive. 

Also, the lines between airgun calibers are quite broad. In no situation would a .22-caliber pellet ever be used to hunt deer. The requirements are strict and are put in place to guarantee that a pellet is capable of humanely killing an animal.   

Someone accustomed to hunting with real guns may be used to the idea that the lines between ammo are a little hazier.

For example, .223-caliber rounds are considerably less powerful than .308-caliber rounds, but both can be used for deer hunting.

Regulations 

Regulations regarding hunting with airguns can be tricky to understand. You’ll often find a lot of information relevant to airguns established in the laws of your state. Real guns tend to get a bit more leniency than airguns.  

Airguns can be regulated by:

• caliber
• velocity
• bullet weight
• foot pounds of energy

They can also be regulated to a certain game and only certain game.

Don’t forget airgun season may be separate from traditional hunting season. Researching and knowing the laws regarding hunting is your responsibility.  

On the flip side real firearms often have any number of state and federal regulations on the actual guns. These include the means to carry them, store them, and of course, the proper age needed to own and possess one.

Airguns often have much laxer regulation, but it may vary from state to state. 

An Addition, not a Competition 

Airguns are an addition to the hunter’s loadout. They should be used when necessary and when the opportunity arises.

Both real guns and airguns serve different purposes and aren’t meant to be in direct competition with each other. It’s important to recognize the weaknesses and advantages both guns bring to the table.  

The post What’s Better For Hunting – Airgun Or a Conventional Gun? – Compared! appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Before anyone begins with the sport, it is critical to understand airgun hunting laws. Federally, there are no laws regarding airguns and airgun hunting. But the differences come from various states.

Compiling every state’s air rifle laws is a long process and it may be inaccurate since it changes. So we’re going to point out what to look for regarding laws in your state.

What You Should Check

Airgun Classification

How your state classifies airguns can be a major factor in purchasing and hunting with it. Federally, airguns are not considered firearms so they are not regulated as firearms.

However, some states like New Jersey, classify airguns as firearms. So hunters must follow NJ’s firearms laws when possessing, transporting, and shooting them.

Other states classify it as dangerous weapons and not as firearms. This is another important distinction. While there are countries that do not classify airguns as firearms, but felons are not allowed to own them. And there are those that do not classify them at all.

Licensing

Some states require specific licensing for specific weapons when hunting. This includes a separation between bow hunting, black powder, and firearms. It’s critical to make sure that you don’t need a special hunting permit when you’re out there hunting with your airgun.

Airgun Caliber

This is another major concern for a variety of reasons. As a hunter, your goal is to kill an animal humanely and reduce the potential of suffering. Many states require a certain caliber based on the game’s size.

As a rule, anything with fur should be shot with a .22 caliber projectile or larger when appropriate. This is reflected by placing standards for caliber size on certain animals. .22 caliber projectiles are excellent for rabbits and squirrel, but not appropriate for deer.

Some states require .30 caliber, or even a .35 caliber projectile and larger. Missouri, for example, requires a .40 caliber projectile for whitetail deer.

Some states also determine both the weight and caliber of the projectile. Like in Rhode Island, they allow small game hunting with .177 and .22 caliber projectiles but requires them to weigh at least 7.5 grains.

Velocity Requirements

The velocity of a projectile is another factor of taking a game humanely. The largest projectile can be rendered quite useless when fired at a slow speed.

New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Texas all have certain velocities that a round must meet for it to be legal to hunt with.

Hunting Seasons

Different weapons are tied with respective seasons. Like in Florida, hunting season opens with bows only, then black powder, and then general gun season. Some states may regulate airguns to one particular time per year.

In Maryland, for example, you can hunt turkeys with an airgun but only in the fall turkey season. Some states may restrict you to a certain game in particular seasons, but allow you to hunt all hunting seasons for certain animals.

The latter is usually applicable with a small game like squirrels or pests. Typically, these animals aren’t as protected as deer or turkey.

Animal Restrictions

Some countries allow a certain animal to be hunted with airguns and restrict certain game to bows and firearms. There is no issue with hunting small game and pests with airguns.

Most laws have not caught up with the times. Modern airgun technology makes it possible to take a deer or hog with an air rifle effectively and humanely. However, many state laws do not reflect this.

Other states may have peculiar rules regarding very specific animals. For example, Kansas allows airguns for hunting but you cannot shoot turtles or bullfrogs with it.

Age Restrictions

Many states regulate the user’s age in terms of when it can be purchased and used independently. Some require a person to be over 18, some over 16, and others don’t restrict it at all. This is certainly an important aspect of research since laws vary per state.

Always Remember

Many states take their hunting laws very seriously. Being labeled as a poacher is a serious crime in many states, and there is a broad range of fines that are imposed.

Make sure to check the current laws of your state here, and that your airgun abides to state requirements before you start your hunt.

The post Can You Hunt With Airgun In Your State? (Laws & Regulations) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Recreational Gun Comparison

Airgun

Airguns have a broad category. Depending on where you are in the world, it can mean different things. It can be a BB or even an airsoft gun that utilizes an air-based projectile system.

Air rifle is a term applied to rifles that use air instead of gun powder. Air rifles can be as large and as powerful as you can imagine. They fire mostly lead projectiles with varied sizes.

Functions

• Serious marksmanship competitions at Olympic levels.
• Hunting small game and some are powerful enough to kill large game.

Power System

CO2 – It uses small, disposable CO2 cartridges to project a round. These cartridges are affordable and easy to find.

Pneumatic – Basic pneumatic guns have a reservoir that must be filled with air. It requires manual action to fill the tank. This is commonly done with a pump system.

Pre Charged Pneumatic – These are incredibly powerful airguns that can be used for hunting. They use a reservoir system but are not manually filled since they are pre-filled and allow the user to take several shots before refilling. It is refilled with a hand pump, a scuba tank, or air compressor.

Spring-piston – It is the most affordable and conventional airguns. It is manually operated and requires the compression of a powerful spring topped with an air piston. These are the most accurate airguns.

You can also take a look at our buying guide for picking the best air rifle.

Airsoft

Airsoft is both a type of sport and a type of weapon.

As a Sport

It is played in a versus style competition. Men and women equipped with airsoft guns are actively shooting at each other while attempting to reach certain objectives. It is often played as a military simulation game with troops usually in military regalia playing specific roles and with incredibly realistic airsoft guns.

Generally, it is safe to be struck by an airsoft projectile at most ranges. At ranges considered point blank, the round can break the skin and cause minor harm. It can damage the eyes so players universally wear goggles or full face masks.

As a Weapon

Airsoft guns fire round plastic projectiles that measure 6mm. They vary in weight, which may affect the distance and accuracy of the BBs.

They also come in the categories same as real guns — handguns, rifles, shotguns, SMGs, sniper rifles, and more. We even have a buying guide for finding a best airsoft gun.

Power System

• Gas
• Spring
• Electric

BB Gun

BB guns are air rifles that use a manual system to insert air into a chamber. The air is then fired through the weapon which propels a small BB down the barrel. They shoot small, mostly copper, balls that are accurate and capable of penetrating a soda can.

It is not safe to shoot it at another person, especially that it can easily break one’s skin. It should never be pointed at a person or animal. It is also inhumane to be used as a hunting weapon.

Functions

• Target practice
• Plinking

Power System

• Pneumatic
• CO2
• Precharged pneumatic

They are less serious than airguns since  they are genuinely made for children. The most famous is the Daisy Red Ryder, a BB gun that serves multiple generations of young shooters.

BB guns are not exceptionally accurate beyond 15 yards, and that is also their max effective range. They are very simple and affordable compared to other recreational weapons.

Pellet Gun

Pellet guns are essentially airguns that are designed for less serious use. It is the general term applied to cheaper airguns aimed at recreational shooting. They can be either rifles or pistols.

They are a step up from BB guns but should not be considered for hunting and never be fired at another person.

Functions

• At most they are effective for shooting pests like rats.
• An affordable solution to indoor training. Actual firearm companies, like Sig Sauer, produce pellet guns that operate like their actual firearms.

Power System

• Pneumatic with a pump system
• Spring-piston
• CO2

Paintball Gun

Paintball guns, also known as markers, are gun-like devices that shoot 68 caliber paintballs. This is an action shooting sport like airsoft and they are safe to fire at other people. Take note, 15 feet is the standoff distance to avoid injury.

Paintballs can be quite painful and can leave welts and bruises. So always use a full face mask when playing.

Function

• Game or sport

Power System

• CO2
• Nitrogen

A tank is filled and attached to the rear or center of the marker. This provides the propellant to send paintballs down range. Most paintballs are semi-automatic but there are full auto models as well.

Alternatively, cheaper paintball guns are pump models using smaller CO2 cartridges, like paintball pistols. Paintball markers have been around for decades, and there are already professional paintball leagues too.

Choose Your Weapon!

Recreational guns can be an absolute blast. It’s important to match your weapon with your overall goal of having fun. Some people want to see tin cans dance on the cheap and others want to run around shooting each other.

The post Airgun, Airsoft, BB, Pellet, Paintball (Differences Explained!) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

We took a look at all of the different options on the market for airgun pellets, and here’s what we found.

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Airgun Pellet Types

Wadcutter Pellets

Wadcutter pellets are the natural choice for target shooting.

They have a broad, round head that cut big holes in paper targets. Wadcutters are good for plinking, and some competitive shooting events make their marksmen use them. They range from ultra-cheap target pellets, to expensive tournament-grade wadcutters.

Some hunters think that wadcutters work better on a small game than domed or pointed pellets, but I haven’t been able to dig up any hard evidence to prove it. The theory is that wadcutters don’t over penetrate so they work like some sort of a poor man’s hollowpoint.

Take Note

Whether or not that’s true is anyone’s guess, but there’s a decent amount of anecdotal evidence — and some squirrel hunters swear by them.

Wadcutters aren’t very aerodynamic so they drop faster than other pellets at range. If you’re making shots out further than you’ve calibrated your sights, you need to adjust.

Domed Pellets

Domed pellets are more aerodynamic than other kinds of ammunition. That means, they hit harder at long distances. They were designed as airguns became more powerful and wadcutters started to tumble and lose accuracy because of wind resistance.

These pellets have a heavier tip, which generates a ton of knock-down power compared to other pellets. They keep a lot of that power at long range too.

Take Note

Domed pellets hit harder than pointed pellets but they aren’t specifically designed for hunting. That said, they do a great job as long as your airgun is powerful enough to make good use of them. They don’t penetrate as well as pointed pellets, but they are typically heavier and hit harder.

Since domed pellets tend to be heavy, you won’t see the same muzzle velocity as you would with other types. But if you have a powerful airgun and you need to make a long-range shot that hits the target hard, domed pellets are a good pick.

Pointed Pellets

Pointed pellets are designed to penetrate. They’re a good choice for varmints at medium range, since they cut through thicker hair and hides. They also have some of the same aerodynamic benefits as domed pellets, but they quite aren’t as pronounced.

They retain velocity better than wadcutters, so they’ll shoot flatter and penetrate well at range.

Take Note

One thing that sets pointed pellets apart from wadcutters and domed pellets is the skirt, which tends to be longer to compensate for the lighter tip.

Some of the best manufacturers of pointed pellets, like Beeman and ARS, also include thick bands at the midpoint which are designed to engage the rifling and put more spin on the pellet.

Pointed pellets work better than domed pellets in underpowered airguns, especially pistols. They’re typically lighter than domed pellets. Since they penetrate better, pointed pellets are more likely to get you a clean kill at a range — even if your airgun isn’t outstanding.

Hollowpoint Pellets

When they’re fired out of a powerful airgun, hollowpoint pellets expand to cause maximum damage. Just like hollowpoint bullets, these pellets are designed to kill. You don’t want to use them for plinking, but they’re great for hunting.

Take Note

They tend to be a little bit lighter than wadcutters which makes them fly faster. As they expand in the target, they dump all of their energy fast. That makes for larger wounds and better stopping power.

The downside is that hollowpoint pellets only expand if they’re traveling fast.

Depending on the brand, you only get good results above 1,000 FPS. If you’re shooting long distances, or if your airgun doesn’t have enough power, stick with pointed or domed pellets instead. But up close, they’re a killer.

High-Velocity Pellets

High-velocity pellets come in different shapes, but they’re all built for speed.

Some powerful airguns use high-velocity ammunition to reach muzzle speeds of 1,200 FPS and beyond. Almost all high-velocity pellets are made using lightweight metals, typically lead-free alloys, so they travel faster than heavier ammunition.

Take Note

Some high-velocity ammunition uses plastic sabots for a better seal with the barrel. Others have ridges or other features cast into the pellet itself to improve the seal. As a general rule, high-velocity pellets penetrate better and shoot flatter than other types.

The one drawback that comes with higher muzzle speed is its instability in flight. If you buy cheap high-velocity pellets, some of your shots will tumble and miss the target entirely. That problem only gets worse at long range so get the good stuff or don’t even bother.

Hybrid Pellets

Hybrid pellets combine the benefits of more than one style of airgun pellet. For instance, Crosman makes hollow point pellets that have a small spike in the middle. They give you a bit more penetration while still having some of the stopping power of hollow points.

It’s hard to categorize hybrid pellets since they come in so many shapes and style. But remember, you get the drawbacks as well as the benefits.

Bullets

Some heavy-duty airguns are built to fire modified bullets. They’re bigger, weigh more, and have a great aerodynamic profile. You only use them in high-velocity, high-caliber air rifles, but they pack a real punch.

Sometimes you’ll find .22 caliber airgun bullets. But usually, you see them as .357 and larger. In the places where it’s legal to hunt deer with powerful airguns, hunters use bullets instead of pellets.

Take Note

There aren’t any practical downsides to using bullets instead of pellets but most airguns aren’t chambered for them. If you’re shopping around for pre-charged pneumatic air rifles, keep in mind that your model might shoot bullets in place of (much) cheaper pellets and plan accordingly.

The Choice Is Yours

If you want to make the most out of every shot, you have to pick the right pellet for your airgun and target. The internet is a great resource so make sure to shop around. Pellets are so affordable that most shooters can keep a few styles on hand.

You might think about keeping around some wadcutters for plinking, hollow points for close-up hunting, and pointed pellets for long-range shots. That’s a decent mix that should cover the bases for just about every shooter.

The post Learn More About 7 Different Types of Airgun Pellets appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Airsoft is a whole lot of fun to play with friends — rather than plinking at cans, you can take aim at your friends instead. Air rifles and pistols are more efficient than ever, and a lot of people are turning to them for hunting or survival.

But really, what are the differences between the two?

Overview

Airsoft

As a sport, airsoft became popular because it’s fast-paced and fun, with less gear and mess than paintball. It offers players the same strategic challenge and excitement without a lot of the expense.

A lot of airsoft guns are built to look like firearms but the resemblance is only skin deep. As you’ll find out, airsoft guns are built for safety, not performance.

Airgun

On the other hand, air rifles have been popular for a hundred years or more. But it’s only lately that they’ve been able to deliver serious power. Instead of plinking at cans like a Daisy from the 1950’s, today’s air rifles are lethal.

If you’re an enthusiast with a big budget, you can find airguns that will take down a deer.

Bottom Line

In general, there’s one big difference between air rifles and airsoft guns, and that’s energy.

Air rifles and pistols generate higher muzzle energy by using more propellent per shot, longer barrels, and heavier ammunition. A few small changes on the same basic design makes the difference between a lethal weapon and a fun toy.

Hardware and Barrel

Airsoft

Airsoft guns use more plastic than airguns do, and they tend to have shorter barrels. Weight and cost are bigger factors with airsoft guns than they are with air rifles.

Airsoft guns also use lower chamber pressures, since they don’t shoot as hard. Longer barrels are only helpful if the projectile is moving pretty fast. Otherwise, they just create drag.

Airgun

Airguns are just about the complete opposite. Cost is less of a concern since people typically only own one air rifle. Airsoft is much more collectible, but I’m sure there are plenty of airgun enthusiasts who’ll argue with me.

Bottom Line

Airguns cost more but they use better hardware and longer barrels. You can find airsoft guns that are entirely made out of metal, but you have to look for them.

That’s just not the case with airguns, where plastic parts are usually limited to trim. Also, higher operating pressures mean that you’ll see airguns with 18” barrels — airsoft tops out at around 12”.

Power and Range

Airsoft

I won’t get too deep into the math, but your average gas-powered airsoft gun shoots a 0.20 gram BB at 375 FPS. That translates to about 1 foot-pound of force, or 1.31 joules.

Airguns can easily run a 0.50 gram projectile at 1,000 FPS, yielding an energy of roughly 17 foot-pounds or 23 joules.

Airgun

Airguns have the upper hand when it comes to power and range.

Like I mentioned, they’re operating at much higher pressures. Typically twice what airsoft guns are running. Combined with heavier ammunition, that means airguns have much higher power and range.

Bottom Line

It’s not a stretch to say that, at any given range, airguns are 17 times more powerful than airsoft guns. And those numbers are for a low-end air rifle. The difference is even more dramatic if you step it up to .22 caliber pellets.

Naturally, with so much more energy behind every shot, air rifles have a much longer maximum range than airsoft guns. Expect your average airsoft rifle to be decently accurate out to 20 yards, while airguns can be deadly at 50 yards and accurate out to 150.

Accuracy

Airsoft

Airsoft guns are really pretty accurate for what they are, but you have to consider the facts. These guns don’t use rifling so they don’t impart spin to their ammunition.

You’ll also find that they tend to have shorter barrels than airguns. Barrel length has less of an impact on accuracy than some people think, but it’s still a factor.

Airgun

On the other hand, airguns are surprisingly accurate. Shooters can get sub-MOA groupings from high-end air rifles. Their barrels are rifled, and pellets spin in flight just like bullets shot from a firearm.

Airgun barrels are even available with polygonal rifling, which creates a better gas seal and deforms the skirt of each pellet less, increasing accuracy even more. If you shop around, you can find the same sort of specialized barrels for sniper rifles.

Bottom Line

The cheapest airgun around shoots straighter than the most expensive airsoft gun. Some people may think that statement’s controversial but it’s absolutely true. Barrel rifling is such a huge advantage that it should really go without saying.

Ammunition

You’ve got your pick between BBs and dozens of different types of pellets. But in general, all airgun ammo has a few things in common.

Steel BBs and lead pellets all weigh around 5 grains, while airsoft BBs weigh about half as much. Even if you put aside pellets — which travel faster and hit harder — to compare apples to apples, airgun ammo carries at least twice as much energy.

Airsoft

That’s not to say that all airsoft ammunition is inferior, though. There are ceramic BBs designed for airsoft guns that weigh a bit more and shoot a bit straighter.

But the upper limit is safety. And at the end of the day, airsoft guns need to use lightweight ammunition in order to make sure nobody gets hurt.

Airgun

That said, airgun ammo comes in a lot more types and styles than airsoft ammunition does. There are pellets in every shape and weight, all built for different applications. You can even find hollow point pellets that expand on impact, just like their bigger cousins.

Whether you’re shooting for distance, taking down a small game or just plinking at cans, there’s an optimum pellet for your situation and airgun.

Target

It sounds a little ridiculous, but the biggest contrast between the two is that airsoft guns should only be pointed at other people and airguns never should be.

Airsoft

All of the safety testing and research means that airsoft guns are built to sting, not wound. It’s cruel to take a shot at a bird or squirrel with one.

Their lightweight plastic ammunition might leave a welt. But if you’re wearing safety gear it won’t seriously hurt anyone.

Airgun

Airguns, on the other hand, are perfectly capable of taking down small game. They shoot flat and accurate; using high-velocity, small-caliber rounds. Ballistically, air rifles have more in common with a .22 than they do an airsoft gun.

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