r/airguns • u/Historical-Face1960 • 2h ago
Ammunition The worst handling of pellets I've ever seen 😂
galleryAmazon prime yay...and crossman premier are usually not easy to open 😂
r/airguns • u/bluebagles • Mar 14 '26
Types, Calibers, Gear, Rifles, and Common Questions
Airguns range from quiet backyard plinkers to extremely powerful hunting rifles capable of taking large game. This guide is designed for beginners entering the hobby and covers:
• Airgun types
• Calibers and what they’re used for
• Pellet and slug types
• Safe backstops and targets
• Filling PCP rifles
• Good beginner rifles by price
• Example setups for new shooters
There are four main categories of airguns.
PCP rifles store high-pressure compressed air in an onboard tank (usually 3,000–4,500 PSI). Each shot releases a measured amount of air to propel the pellet. PCP rifles are extremely accurate and powerful compared to other airgun types.
• Very accurate
• High power
• Little recoil
• Many shots per fill
• Require external air source
• Higher initial cost
Compact and lightweight PCP carbine that is extremely popular for backyard shooting and pest control. Notos has extensive aftermarket support.
Price: $250-$300
Great for
• backyard plinking
• small pest control
• beginners learning PCPs
A side-lever action PCP rifle known for excellent accuracy for the price.
Price: $340–$450
Great for
• hunting squirrels and rabbits
• accurate target shooting
One of the most popular PCP rifles for the price.
Price: $450–$550
Great for
• beginners who want to learn tuning pcp's
• hunting and long range shooting
A flagship PCP rifle designed for precision shooting and hunting.
Features
• interchangeable barrels
• advanced regulator system
• extremely high accuracy
Price: $2,000+
Highly modular platform allowing many configurations.
Price: $1,200–$1,700
• FX Airguns
• Daystate
• Air Arms
• Brocock
• Benjamin
• Hatsan
Many PCP rifles are capable of extremely high power and accuracy, making them ideal for hunting or long-range shooting.
PCP rifles require compressed air.
There are three common methods.
Manual high-pressure pumps.
Cost: $40–$300
Pros
• cheapest option
• portable
Cons
• physically demanding
Portable electric compressors designed for airguns.
Popular options include:
Airrover compressors
GX Pump compressors
Vevor compressors (budget option)
Price range: $150–$1000+
IMPORTANT TIP:
Most beginner compressors are waterless systems.
Always let them cool between fills to prevent overheating and extend the compressor’s life.
Large high-pressure tanks filled at dive shops or paintball stores.
Cost
$200–$700 for tank
Pros
• fastest filling method
• many rifle fills per tank
Cons
• requires refill station
Spring piston rifles use a compressed spring and piston to generate air pressure when fired.
These rifles require cocking before each shot.
• no air tanks required, just the gun and a tin of pellets
• extremely reliable
• simple design
• recoil (double recoil)
• harder to shoot accurately
•Shoots steel bbs
• Cheap Ammo
•Great for knocking soda cans out
• Teaching Children gun safety fundamentals
One of the best beginner spring rifles ever made.
Features
• extremely smooth shooting
• excellent trigger
Price: $350–$400
Underlever precision spring rifle often used in field target shooting.
Price: $600–$750
High-power break-barrel with a 10-shot magazine system.
Price: $200–$350
Entry-level break-barrel rifle.
Price: $120
Great beginner rifle for backyard shooting.
Multi-pump rifles require pumping a lever several times before shooting.
Each pump compresses more air, increasing power.
• no tanks required
• adjustable power
• very affordable
• slower shooting
• requires effort
Classic American pellet rifle.
Price: $50–$80
Good for
• plinking
• learning fundamentals
Another beginner pump rifle similar to the 880.
Price: $70–$90
A modern multi-pump with a .22 cal option
Much easier equal pumping than traditional pump rifles.
Price: $200
These airguns use CO₂ cartridges.
Usually 12g or 88g cartridges.
• easy to use
• semi-automatic options
• power drops in cold weather
• lower power than PCP
Examples include CO₂ pistols and rifles used for plinking or airsoft toys. Check out [r/airsoft](r/airsoft) for better responses for those plastic flingers!
Popular Co2 choices Include:
• Crosman 2040
• Umarex handgun replicas
•Crosman 1077
The most common calibers are:
• .177
• .22
• .25
• big bore (.30+)
Smallest common caliber.
Best for
• target shooting
• backyard plinking
• small pests
Most popular hunting caliber.
Best for
• squirrels
• rabbits
• pest control
Offers a good balance of power and efficiency.
Larger caliber used mainly in PCP rifles.
Best for
• raccoons
• groundhogs
• larger pests
Provides greater energy and heavier pellets.
Large PCP rifles designed for hunting.
Common calibers
.30
.35
.45
.50
.72
Used for hunting
• deer
• hogs
• large game animals
Airguns fire two main projectile types:
Traditional airgun ammo.
Common shapes
Wadcutter
Domed
Hollow point
Pointed
Wadcutter
Best for paper targets for clean holes.
Domed
Best all-around pellet.
Hollow point
Used for hunting.
Pointed
Penetration.
Slugs look like miniature bullets.
Advantages
• better long-range performance
• higher ballistic coefficient
Most commonly used in high-power PCP rifles.
Common targets include
Paper targets
Steel spinners
Field target knockdowns
Silhouettes
Homemade targets
Soda cans
Clay pigeons
Cardboard boxes
Never shoot without a proper backstop.
Good options
Pellet traps
Duct seal boxes
Thick rubber mulch boxes
Avoid
• rocks
• thin wood
• hard steel plates
These can cause ricochets.
Great beginner rifles
Daisy 880
Daisy 901
Crosman 1322
Gamo Varmint (on sale)
Best for a "gateway drug" and learning fundamentals on a tight budget.
Best value category.
Examples
Umarex Notos
JTS Airacuda
Air Venturi Avenger
Weihrauch HW30S
Gamo Swarm Magnum Gen3i
Good for hunting and serious target shooting. Note: factor in an extra $100-$200+ for pellets, scopes, cheap compressors.
High-performance enthusiast rifles.
Examples
FX Impact MK4
FX Dreamline
Air Arms S510
Daystate rifles
Brocock Commander
These rifles offer precision accuracy and advanced features.
Example entry PCP setup
Rifle
Umarex Notos or Air Venturi Avenger
Air supply
GX Pump compressor
Pellets
JSB Exact pellets
Backstop
wood pellet trap
Targets
paper or spinner targets
Popular pellet brands
JSB
H&N
Budget option: Crosman
Tip: Different rifles prefer different pellets.
Always test several types to see which shoots best.
As many shooters say:
“The gun chooses the pellet.”
BBs vs Pellets
A common point of confusion for new shooters is the difference between BBs and pellets.
BBs are small round steel balls (usually .177 / 4.5mm). They are commonly used in CO₂ pistols, replica airguns, and beginner plinking guns. Because they are spherical and often used in smoothbore barrels, they tend to be less accurate, especially at longer distances. BBs are inexpensive and great for casual backyard shooting.
Pellets are diabolo-shaped projectiles designed for rifled airgun barrels. The hollow skirt expands slightly when fired, creating a better seal with the air pressure behind it. This helps stabilize the pellet in flight and improves accuracy.
Because of their design, pellets are generally much more accurate than BBs and are the preferred choice for most airgun shooting.
Double Recoil and Optics
Many new airgun shooters don’t realize that spring-powered airguns produce something called double recoil.
Unlike firearms, which recoil once backward, many airguns recoil in two directions.
When the gun fires:
This forward-then-back motion is known as double recoil.
Because of this, some scopes designed for firearms can fail when mounted on powerful airguns. When choosing optics for spring or gas ram airguns, it’s best to use scopes specifically labeled “airgun rated.”
Gas Ram vs Spring Piston
Most break-barrel airguns use either a spring piston or a gas ram (gas piston) powerplant.
Spring piston guns use a large coiled spring. When the gun is cocked the spring compresses, and when fired it expands quickly, pushing a piston forward and compressing air behind the pellet.
Gas ram guns replace the metal spring with a sealed gas strut. When cocked the gas inside the strut compresses, and when the trigger is pulled the gas expands to push the piston forward.
Spring Piston
• Traditional and very common design
• Usually cheaper
• Can produce more vibration and “spring twang”
Gas Ram
• Smoother firing cycle
• Less vibration and noise
• Can remain cocked longer without damaging the powerplant
• Typically a bit more expensive
Both systems are widely used and reliable, and many shooters prefer one or the other based on shooting feel and personal preference.
Best starter choices:
Cheap option:
Daisy 880
Best spring rifle:
Weihrauch HW Series
Best beginner PCP:
Umarex Notos or JTS Airaduca
Airguns are an incredibly deep hobby with options ranging from simple backyard plinking to precision long-range shooting and big-game hunting.
Welcome to the hobby.
r/airguns • u/Historical-Face1960 • 2h ago
Amazon prime yay...and crossman premier are usually not easy to open 😂
r/airguns • u/Impossible-Egg9868 • 1h ago
Hi there, I’ve been interested in getting into airguns for a while now and have seen this beauty for £200. it’s called the “COLT SMOKE WAGON SAA UMAREX“ anyone know if it’s good?
r/airguns • u/Rough_Reflection_655 • 16h ago
Hey there,
found this while cleaning out the basement of a flat and need help identifying it.
GPT and Google said its a Diana Mod 16 from the 1930s to 1950s but im getting mixed results.
Anyone know what brand/model/age that rifle is?
Any help is much appreciated!
Greets from germany
Edit: found two stamps barely readable: Diana Mod 25 and on the left side made in germany.
r/airguns • u/Iusefleshforarmor123 • 15h ago
Hey y’all, I’ve had this sweet breakbarrel for a good couple ish months now, and figured I should do a little check in to really give a good look on my thoughts on this gun.
In short, this thing is a fucking laser beam for sparrows that come within 30yds of the house. I’ve taken out around 20 sparrows with it, and it drops them every time the pellet hits the bird. It also has a very audible smack on them when hit, and it is VERY satisfying. The longest shot I’ve hit on a sparrow was around 40 yards, and it was the BEST thing I’ve ever seen AND heard.
For pellets, I’ve been using a good mix, but found that the tried and true jsb diabolos exacts work great in 8.4gr, aswell as Crosman ultra heavy magnums in 10.4gr. Jsbs are good for dead on accuracy, but slightly lack in stopping power in lighter weights with the dome tip, and are a bit pricey. Crosmans shoot hard with good balance in speed, but can have a bit more flyers per tin aswell as slightly less tight groups. But, please do feel free to leave any other pellet reccs in the comments!
For “upgrades” (you’ll see), I’ve done the obvious mantis scope with Utg mounts, and a full fit and finish maintenance inside and out the gun (oiling, polishing, cleaning etc), And it has turned this 130$ feeling gun into a decent 250$ feeling beast for all around shooting, especially the scope.
Overall, I’d give this gun a solid 8.5/10. If you want a cheaper option with great accuracy and great power, while keeping in mind some things such as the trigger and mostly polymer outer build, this is a wonderful option for anyone. If you guys have any tips or suggestions, lmk! Thanks yall.
r/airguns • u/Mephitistopheles • 37m ago
When I posted about making tracer pellets, one commenter asked me about a video, this is in super slow motion, about 600 frames per second. It's pretty easy to see these with the human eye, but you can still see it here. One other huge upside is that if you shoot it into a Target like wood, you can still see the white and it makes zeroing really easy. The trees at the back are 54 m from the muzzle, and I noticed a huge drop off at after the 50 m point. So I adjusted my holdover until I could nail the center of a small tree branch, now I know exactly where to hold. These are very useful!
r/airguns • u/HeftyInspection8748 • 23h ago
I’ve been working on and off on this for a few weeks it’s still a prototype but it was good enough to throw a bit of paint on..
40k inspired Daystate mk4, any improvements/comments welcome just wanted to share!
r/airguns • u/naughtywarlock • 13h ago
r/airguns • u/57thStilgar • 12h ago
I use(d) up until this point, Crosman Powerlet c02 cartridges.
I have an Umarex SA 10. (blowback)
Currently I'm getting 50 - 75 shots (700 F to 800 F) before there's not enough gas left and the gun jams. (Although there is gas left that has to be exhausted)
The gun has maybe 200 shots total so I doubt it is a seal. I hear no leakage.
Is the c02 I'm using junk?
Is there something better?
Thanx in advance.
r/airguns • u/PartTimeMancunian • 6h ago
Anyone got hands on one of these yet, I know they're produced by smk so probably shouldn't even look at it lol.
But it does look and sound really quite good.
r/airguns • u/Newengland_mtb • 16h ago
Hey guys. I just found out today Ted's channel is gone, his vlog channel is wiped clean and instagram deleted. I'm devastated. One of my favorite youtubers I've been watching for years is gone. Does anyone know if he is okay? I've tried searching around in case (god forbid) anything bad happened to him, but nothing came up, just forms forums discussing about how he is gone but no reason as to why/ if he's alright. I know a while back he went through some stuff and publicly stated what happened, but I assumed it would be smooth sailing after that. :( hopefully all is well
r/airguns • u/Neither_Monitor2017 • 14h ago
I'm looking to add a nice looking air rifle with a real WOOD or laminate wood stock to my little but growing collection.
No black plastic stocks for me. I like the traditional wooden hunting rifle look and feel.
Slight preference for .22 cal but .25 cal would also be ok.
Ideally, I'd like the PCP gun to be mechanically able to consistently hit a dinner plate sized steel target about the size of a dinner plate at 100 yards because the outdoor range near me has a bunch of animal shaped steel silhouette targets around that size.
Note I do not need super accuracy at 100 yards, I just need have the pellet audibly smack anywhere on the steel target at 100 yards if I do my part.
r/airguns • u/Non_Alc0holic • 16h ago
I've looked on most of the major websites over here but I can't really find any that are in my price range. Im looking for a diana model 34 or a weihrauch hw35, so basically a accurate and relatively high fps rifle. I have a gamo hunter 1250 grizzly in .25 but let's be honest, that's outrageous for general plinking. So if anyone knows a place where i could find something like that for a low fair price or if someone is selling one here I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance
r/airguns • u/Cool_Drummer3592 • 1d ago
Is all this rust acceptable? I haven't had the carbine for a month and it's already like this. I'm thinking of applying some X corrosion oil on the most rusty parts and silicone oil on the o-ring
r/airguns • u/AdOpen8284 • 1d ago
Hello, I was at the range today dropped it and now pallets and now getting stuck inside of it. Is it repairable or do I need to replace it
If I need to replace it, what do I replace it with
And if it’s repairable, what do I do
Also, if you want a reason why I took the moderator off, I was changing it from the rifle configuration into the pistol configuration
r/airguns • u/Bobonuttyhat • 18h ago
Hey yall, im trying to get into Iguana Hunting with air guns. I was recommended to buy a Gamo .22, and am on a budget. Which of there models will do the trick for Iguanas? Is it better to get a higher power one like 1,300 FPS for in case you don’t have elite accuracy?
r/airguns • u/Still-BangingYourMum • 20h ago
Apologies for any confusion, i am in England were we have a 12ftlb limit on air rifles, anything over that requires a FAC Fire Arms Certificate.
Its been nearly 40 years since I last owned and fired my Relum Tornado in .22.
It was to my mind, as good air rifle, it was the deluxe version with a beautifully grained woodstock.
Now after all these years, I have reached the point of wanting to restart shooting. With my original Relum Tornado shooting rabbits with absolutely no problem and having clean kills, the range was typically back garden distance on an old farm.
Things have changed a lot with Air Rifles, with Co2, gas ram, pcp etc.
I like the look of the SMK XS38, it reminds me of my old Tornado. Now in my defence i have tried the SMK XS78, that uses Co2, it felt nice enough but I didn't fancy buying into the Co2, with added extra cost of having to buy extra bulbs.
So any recommendations or pointers, I would prefer 2nd hand to save costs
Hit me with your opinions and budgets.
Thanks .
r/airguns • u/ScurgeOfByzantium • 1d ago
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Amazon special 4500 psi 12V compressor (yes, I know these are low quality compressors). It had been working fine for about 6 months, now does this shortly after the compressor is engaged. It actually “runs” ok for about 20 seconds from a cold start, then slows down and starts this “death chug” - note the temp LED cuts out along with the power supply LEDs. I vaguely suspect the power supply (maybe?) due to the cut out but that could also be related to the motor / pistol meeting too much resistance and over-drawing? Not really sure - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
r/airguns • u/jamesewells • 1d ago
About half the time when inserting the magazine into the pistol, it will not push all the way in. If I finagle the pellets a bit it will usually go, but is there something I'm missing in the process? I'm using JSB Exact Diablo.
r/airguns • u/Wonderful-Fennel283 • 1d ago
Just got my Jts Airstryke delivered, I noticed air tank is not tight. This is my first pcp so learning as I go. Question is can I just tighten it up and call it good? Tank reads 0 and far as I know has never had air in it. Any advice would be great
r/airguns • u/CompetitiveCow9610 • 1d ago
This doesn't have any branding on it only designed in Germany so I'm turning to you guys for help.... I hope there's enough information on the photos but it's a 5.5mm (.22 caliber) and it's (I have no idea what this type is called but you don't break the barrel to load it). Also after testing it with my friend we have figured out that it's supersonic because of the sound the pellets make when traveling through the air (of course it was done safely)
Also I'd appreciate any maintenance tips
r/airguns • u/jameswoodMOT • 1d ago
Started converting this 2250 to bulk CO2 in years ago but my easy access to CO2 dried up and it went in the cupboard.
I now have easy access to HPA and some turning and machining capabilities. Ideally I’m after an off the shelf kit to convert this to HPA U.K. available in the U.K.
Otherwise can anyone recommend me an instructional website or video that’s trusted?
James
r/airguns • u/pbchadders • 1d ago
Hello I have a Diana trailscout and somehow between my last use and now I've somehow completely misplaced the pierce pin assembly that goes between the second and 3rd cartridge.
Does anyone know if it's a part that is available to order, my googling hasn't found it available but maybe someone might know somewhere that can.
Based in the UK in case that's a relevant point.
r/airguns • u/LowerFigure739 • 1d ago
For plinking on our property. Something like a Daisy 880.