If its a new sport or hobby you always wonder what is your best option to start with.How many different types of air rifles there are? Or which type of air rifle is best for you? We will try to explain the differences with the detailed information about all types of air guns. Along with each type’s advantages and disadvantages so you can hopefully save time and money. There are 5 types of air guns. They are spring powered, gas piston, precharged pneumatic (PCP), variable pump and CO2 air guns. Each type has unique characteristics, but all of them got their names due to the way that they operate. Find out how much is your gun worth.
Air gun, weapon based on the principle of the primitive blowgun that shoots bullets, pellets, or darts by expansion of compressed air. A very basic description would be a projectile weapon with a nonexplosive propellant.
The History Of The Airgun / Pneumatic Weapons
It can’t hurt to know a little background info on what you’re out to buy, and as a bonus, the history of air guns happens to be pretty fascinating. Air guns have been around almost as long as their powder-burning counterparts. Lewis and Clark carried a .46-caliber air rifle on their trek to the Pacific way back in 1803. But by then, the Girardoni air rifle they packed had already seen 23 years of service with the Austrian army. Compared to contemporary blackpowder arms, it had a significantly higher rate of fire, much lower report, and didn’t produce a big plume of smoke that gave away their position
Webley & Scott – Gunmakers 1790
Probably one of the oldest names in the gun industry gong back for over 200 years. Webley was founded in the late 18th century by William Davies who originally made bullet moulds. Then started producing hand-crafted pistols and shotguns, although mass-production was later introduced to supply police and military buyers. More on Webley air guns.
The Advancement Of The Airgun
Air guns wouldn’t really catch on in the New World, however, until the owner of a failing windmill company met with the inventor of an all-metal airgun. When shown the innovative rifle, one windmill executive remarked ‘It’s a Daisy.’ When sales of new air gun quickly eclipsed other goods, the company stopped production of windmills in 1895 and changed its name to the Daisy Manufacturing Company. Daisy would go on to produce the Red Ryder No. 111 Model 40 BB carbine in 1940, named after a comic strip cowboy.
Daisy sold about 6 million of them by 1953, despite a five-year hiatus in which the company produced goods needed for World War II. Other models of the Red Ryder have remained in more or less continuous production since, cementing air guns in American culture. Still, the majority of advancements in the air gun community came and still come from across the pond. With their firearm ownership so heavily regulated, Europeans turned to air guns to scratch their shooting itch. If you are unsure of the terminology that we have a handy air gun terminology guide.
Types Of Airgun
Spring Powered Airgun
In a spring air rifle (springer), there is a piston and a coiled spring inside the chamber. The spring is compressed when you cock the gun. When you pull the trigger, you make the spring decompressed so it causes the piston to move forward. The piston movement makes the air compressed and the pellet is propelled out of the muzzle due to the force from pressurised air. Most shooters begin their gun collection with a spring air rifle.
he time-honoured, traditional, spring-powered airgun is still going strong, and still accounts for a huge percentage of overall sales. Many are relatively cheap to buy, and power is derived by a large mainspring being compressed. The stored kinetic energy of the spring then powers the piston, which compresses a volume of air ahead of it that, in turn, powers the pellet. Spring power may be seen as old-fashioned by some, but the best examples can give PCPs a run for their money in terms of raw accuracy. They just take a lot more care from the shooter, to get the best from them. A good springer starter air rifle.
Powered By Spring Airgun
The beauty of the springer is that it is self-contained because the gun itself generates the power. The downside is firstly, that the action kicks and recoils as it fires, and secondly, the increased weight over other types of airgun, given that the heavy piston and mainspring have to be hidden inside the action. Power-to-weight ratio dictates that a lighter spring-powered gun will probably recoil more, whilst the sheer mass of the heavier model will help to absorb some of the recoil, so it should be less harsh. Two main types exist:
Secondhand Air Rifle
Break-barrel:
Break-barrel airguns are perhaps the most popular of all, and still hold massive appeal.
The cheapest, bargain basement models tend to use this design, but top quality models from the big name brands can be extremely slick. The fast-fire configuration has a no-nonsense feel to it, and still takes some beating for sheer airgun enjoyment. Just pull the barrel right down and back until the trigger sears click and engage. Then mainspring is fully compressed, next place a pellet directly into the open breech, and snap the barrel closed. Shots are available as quickly as you can complete that cocking cycle.
With practice it can be extremely quick. In my experience the fore end of the stock and become fatigued. I know this to be true as a friend cocked the gun behind me and I actually thought he had hit me in the back of the head with the gun. When I recovered and turned around the barrel was in one hand and the stock in the other
Under-Lever:
Production methods are improving all the time, but the good old break-barrel design can still suffer from slight wear around the breech jaws, and this can lead to problems with alignment or breakage as II mentioned above.The fixed-barrel springer scores because the gun has a separate under-lever or side-mounted lever. This is used to cock the action. The barrel is fixed, so stays in perfect alignment and long-term accuracy.
Pros
- Simple to use
- Cheap to buy
- Accurate, powerful, consistent on shot-to-shot basis
- Fully self-contained, no need for CO2 cartridges or pumping equipment
- Helps you sharpen your shooting skills since a springer often has lots of recoil
- Gun parts are easily available in the market
- Easy to service, modify or tweak the gun for better performance
Cons
- More recoil compared to other types
- Requires practice to cock and shoot properly
- Cannot be left cocked since the spring will be fatigued and might not function perfectly
- Gets weaker if you shoot for several years, but can be modified for better performance
Gas Piston
A gas piston air gun, (also called gas strut or gas ram), works the same way as the spring-piston gun, but a gas ram gun has a gas-filled cylinder instead of a coiled spring. The air in the cylinder is already compressed and you apply more pressure to it when you cock the gun. The pressurised air is kept under tension until you release the trigger. When that happens, the pellet is discharged out of the barrel due to propellant force of pressurised air. Gas piston air rifles have many advantages above a spring air rifle and are one of the most popular rifles for plinking.
The idea for a gas-ram came from those clever chaps behind Theoben, back in 1982, famously inspired by the pneumatically damped forks on a motorbike.
By replacing the steel mainspring in the compression cylinder with a sealed chamber full of air, the characteristics of the rifle could be altered, and a more maintenance-free rifle developed. Basically, as the barrel is broken and the rifle is cocked in the conventional manner, the air permanently contained behind the piston, is compressed. Once the rifle is fired, this contained air expands, powering the piston, which in turn, compresses the air before it, which powers the pellet in the normal way.
Gas Piston Airgun Positives
The upside is that it all happens in milliseconds, and the result should be a super-fast lock time, with a super-smooth firing cycle in theory. The downside is that some manufacturers’ attempts to copy Theoben’s idea are a little unsophisticated and actually harsh to fire.
It’s actually carbon dioxide gas (CO2) that powers the pellet in this style of airgun. The gas is stored as a liquid inside the CO2 capsule, and only becomes a gas on contact with air. CO2 airguns require a power capsule to be loaded, and this then powers the gun, typically for around 50-70 shots per standard 12g capsule. Some guns utilise larger capsules, with larger shot counts, and the system has given rise to many multi-shot designs. Unsurprisingly, with fast-fire repeating guns now flooding the market, CO2 has become immensely popular, and replica pistols powered by CO2 can be great fun, of course.
The upside is a rapid rate of fire, and often, recoilless shooting. The downside is firstly, the additional cost, roughly 80p to £1 per 12g CO2 capsule, and secondly, the way in which CO2 can be affected by temperature. In cold conditions, shot count will fall, sometimes quite significantly. For this reason, CO2 holds sway in the fun sector of the market, whilst few serious competition models have taken up the system.
Pros
- Simple to use
- Cheap to buy
- Accurate, powerful, consistent on a shot-to-shot basis
- Fully self-contained, no need for CO2 cartridges or pumping equipment
- Helps you sharpen your shooting skills since a springer often has lots of recoil
- Gun parts are easlily available in the market
- Easy to service, modify or tweak the gun for better performance
Cons
- More recoil compared to other types
- Requires practice to cock and shoot properly
- Cannot be left cocked since the spring will be fatigued and might not function perfectly
- Gets weaker if you shoot for several years, but can be modified for better performance
Precharged Pneumatic
The precharged pneumatic – PCP air rifles use high-pressurised air in the chamber as the propellant force to discharge the pellet. The pressurised air is compressed up to 3000-4000 psi by using scuba tanks or hand pumps. When the air reaches the desired pressure level, the gun is ready to use. We class PCP air rifle as the next level for air rifle collectors but they do give many benefits for serious shooters.
Pre Charged Pneumatic Air Pistols are some of the finest airguns currently available on the market. These pellet guns come with tanks which are filled with compressed air, and this gives them higher speed, more consistency, and year round usability. By design, this means they are very much the best airguns that money can buy.
Owning a PCP means additional cost compared with other types of airgun since charging gear will be needed, be it a dedicated pump or air bottle. If you take the high-pressure air bottle route then safely store it well away from children. Great pellets for PCP airguns FX Pellets.
Manufacturers will, in the main, supply the rifle with a filling adaptor which needs to be attached to the air line. There is very little standardisation of valve design, however, so most manufacturers will have their own design of adaptor. For owners of several PCPs this can be frustrating as constantly unscrewing adaptors from cables and adding different ones is not only time-consuming. It may lead to air leaks with threads becoming worn or dirty.The best way to recharge a PCP airgun is to use a portable PCP compressor.
Pros
- Virtually recoilless
- Compact, high power, high accuracy
- Highly effective with large calibre pellets
- Very little cocking effort
- Most are repeaters which allow you to quickly shoot the second round if you miss the first shot
Cons
- Not self-contained
- More expensive than other types
- Need lots of charging equipment, so there are more costs for the gun
Variable Pump
A variable pump gun has a piston and a pressure cylinder in the chamber. When you cock the gun, the air between the piston and cylinder is compressed. It has nowhere to go and is forced into the cylinder. The cylinder has a lock valve that lets the air in and keeps it there until you shoot. When you pull the trigger, the pellet is propelled due to the force of compressed air. The variable pump air rifle is a classic because the number of strokes can be varied and the air is under high pressure. The variable pump rifles have the advantage of offering the shooter variable power.
The forearm serves as the pump handle so there is no external device required. However an amount of work is required to pump the rifle eight or ten times (usually the max recommended. However read the manufacturer manual). These rifles tend to be short and light for the power they achieve. The major disadvantage of the variable pump as a hunting rifle is that reloading is slow. There is a lot of movement involved in the process. To pump the rifle, it is necessary to grip it in the middle so that one hand applies pressure to the gun in opposition to the pumping action by the other. This can be somewhat awkward if a scope is mounted on the rifle.
Pros
- Compact, lightweight, recoilless
- Permits you to have control over the power of each shot. Pump more and you have more power. Pump less and you have less power
- Most have medium power
- Self-contained, no pumping equipment required
Cons
- Pumping action can be tedious at some points
- Requires practice to master the cocking action
- Requires significant time and effort to cock so it is not great for hunting situations since your animal target can run off if you miss the first shot and are still busy with the pumping action
CO2 Powered
CO2 air rifles work in the same way as a PCP air gun but it uses carbon dioxide cartridges (CO2) as the power source instead of the pressurised gas. When you pull the trigger, the compressed CO2 is released and it causes the pellet to move forward inside the barrel. Although the internal pressure in a CO2 rifle is limited to the pressure produced by the vaporizing CO2, that pressure is sufficiently high to drive pellets at approximately 600-700 ft/sec making the rifles powerful enough for use in hunting small species.
One advantage of this type of rifle is that the CO2 cylinder holds enough gas to give multiple shots that can be fired simply by loading only the projectile. These airguns are quick and quiet to reload and require a minimum of movement which helps in hunting situations. The CO2 cylinders are small and light enough to carry several while hunting. C02 gas canisters for sale
Pros
- Highly accurate
- Easy to cock
- Recoilless to shoot
- Consistent on a shot-to-shot basis
- Convenient for repeated shooting
- Allows semi-automatic fire (fire as fast as you pull the trigger)
Cons
- Not very powerful
- Power and accuracy are affected by weather since the expansion of C02 is different at various temperatures
- The cost of CO2 cartridges can add up if you shoot a lot
Types of Air Gun Projectiles
There are two main types of air gun projectiles: BBs and airgun pellets. BBs are usually made from steel and are designed for smoothbore guns. The round projectiles are cheap to produce and buy but aren’t terribly accurate. And putting the hard metal projectiles through the rifled barrel of a pellet gun can cause damage and ruin accuracy.
The streamlined shape of pellets, on the other hand, produces greater accuracy, and like bullets, they come in a variety of shapes. Flat-point pellets and wadcutters are best suited for paper, tin cans, and reactive targets. Pointed pellets and hollow-points are ideal for hunting. Domed pellets lie somewhere in the middle, built for target use but suitable for taking game when pushed to 1,000 fps or more. Pellets were traditionally made from lead, but a variety of alloys have hit the market in the past couple decades. These are lighter, and therefore faster, than lead versions of the same silhouette. Just be aware that lighter projectiles don’t produce as much knockdown power. Unsure what pellets suit your airgun the best? Try from our sample pellets range.
Air Gun Calibers
BBs are .177 caliber, or 4.5mm. That’s probably still the most popular bore size here, but others are rapidly gaining popularity as air gun hunting gathers steam. A serious air gun shop will carry rifles in .177, .20, .22, and .25. And if the store is located in an area where big-game hunting is legal, you’ll find pellets as large as .51 caliber, though .35 and .45 are probably the most prevalent for hog- and deer-size game. Just like centerfire bullets, the more mass a projectile has, the greater energy it can carry downrange with it.
If you’re looking to pick starlings off, or go toe-to-toe with a big pile of cans, go ahead and reach for the .177. I’ve always been a fan of .20 caliber projectiles for hunting small game like rabbits and squirrels, but they can be difficult to find. A .22 caliber air rifle with enough oomph will take most small game with ease, so consider that a great starting point for a hunting set up. If you’ll also be clearing the barn of critters like raccoons every now and then, opt for .25 caliber.
What do you want to do with your Air Rifle?
We’re all different. Take my nephew for instance. His only reason for owning an Air Rifle is to shoot at tin cans and other stuff I can find for him. This is fine, he gets a lot of enjoyment out of it and so do I.
Put yourself in one of these categories:
- Plinker – The main thing you want to do with your Air Rifle is to shoot at cans and other random stuff you can find lying around. You enjoy the satisfaction of just knocking things over. Loads of variety in this and you can always find something new to shoot!
- Target Shooting (short) – You want to practice your accuracy by shooting at targets that are not too far away though.
- Target Shooting (long) – You prefer your targets to be a bit further away, a little bit more skill involved.
- Target Shooting (general) – Sometimes you want to shoot at targets that are close to you and sometimes far away, it can vary depending on what mood you’re in.
- Hunting (small prey) – Maybe you want an Air Rifle for hunting wildlife, such as rats, rabbits, and birds?
- Hunting (larger prey) – Or, do you want to use your Air Rifle to hunt larger mammals?
- A combination – Of course, maybe you’re not sure yet or you may want your Air Rifle for a combination of the above reasons.
How much do you want to spend?
You probably already have an idea of what you want to spend and if you’re anything like me it will probably creep up a little as you start to see what’s available. A great place to look is in our market place for second hand air rifles. There’s always a slightly better one just £50 more expensive than the one you’re looking at. “Just £50 more”, I say to myself. But of course, once I start looking at that then there’s another one, slightly better and only £50 more. Where do you stop… Value for money, Pre-owned air rifle Vs New?
So, your budget will probably be in this region:
- Less than £200
- Between £200 and £400
- Over £400
Bear in mind there will be additional ownership costs, depending on what type of gun you end up with. For instance, if you go or a CO2 powered Air Rifle then you’ll need to buy CO2 canisters every time you run out. To give you an example of how often this will be, the larger, 88g CO2 canisters will shoot approximately 250-300 pellets or so before they’ll need replacing. Will you buy a used air rifle or new. You can also check out the average cost of a used air rifle, we compared over 9 thousand listings to get the best price points.
Where will most of your shooting take place?
Think about the environment where you’ll do most of your shooting.
Will it be primarily on your land? If so, does it lend itself to plinking or short-range target practice? If you have a large amount of land then it makes things a lot easier of course but not everyone is that lucky. You may only have enough room for some plinking or short-range target practice though so before you go out and buy a powerful large-caliber Air Rifle, make sure you can use it!
Is the loudness of the gun a potential problem?
Some people get a bit freaked out and also surprised that air rifles can be so loud. Well, most of them aren’t. If you’re not bothered about this then it’s not a problem but if you want something a bit quieter or have neighbors then
If the rifle is to be used by someone younger then they might not want something that has a rather loud crack when fired. It will depend on their disposition and temperament really.
I’m making the assumption that it’s your first gun of course and you certainly wouldn’t want to be put off just when you’re starting out with your new sport. You can get some very capable rifles that are pretty quiet these days and you also have the option of attaching a suppressor if you like to reduce it further.
Will recoil be a problem?
You don’t get that much recoil in an air rifle. However, some rifles recoil more than others. For instance, the spring piston rifles will recoil more than a PCP or CO2 powered rifle.
Anyway, if you don’t want any recoil at all – you should steer clear of spring pistons probably but before you do this, maybe try one out in a shop as you’ll probably be surprised. After half a dozen pellets you’ll get used to it so if possible, don’t rule out anything because of this, it’s really not that much of a big deal.
Will you want to do something else with it?
Is there a chance that after a few days, weeks or months you might change your mind and decide that plinking doesn’t quite do it for you anymore and you want to try a bit of hunting?
The reason I say this is if there is even a small chance that this is the case you don’t want to be stuck with a rifle that’s not fit for purpose. Your low-powered .177 caliber rifle may not be up to the job if this is what you go for.
Ideally you want to try as many friends ones if your can, talk to people with knowledge about air rifles, read as much as possible and watch some videos. Know you’re pellet types.