Aside from being quiet, economical and highly accurate, air guns have an undeniable cool factor. They can provide a good entry point to target shooting or hunting, especially for younger shooters. Depending on the model you choose, they can be quite powerful. For those who seek a challenge, there are a number of high-end air rifles on the market that rival the power and precision of many conventional firearms.
Choosing the right model for your purposes requires some thought. The first thing to do is decide what you plan to hunt or target with it. Airguns are used to hunt squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and other small game, as well as predators and wild hogs. They can also be used for discreet pest control.
The most common air rifles are called multi-pump pneumatics. They use a series of pumps to build up air pressure in the chamber, and then fire a pellet when the trigger is pulled. They are generally considered to be the most versatile type of airgun for hunting.
More advanced types of airguns, referred to as pre-charged pneumatics or PCPs, are among the most powerful air rifles on the market today. They have onboard air tanks that store compressed air to propel the pellets at incredible velocities, making them some of the most accurate, precise and powerful hunters available. They typically have a more cylindro-conoidal-shaped “slug” pellet that is closer in shape to firearm bullets for improved aerodynamics and ballistic coefficient, but they require a fully rifled barrel to stabilize the projectile in flight. air guns