A governor from California is trying to get airguns regulated under the ATF. Get your voice heard unless you want us to be like Canada and the UK.

Edit: obviously guys in Canada and the uk are nice guys but us in the USA like when the government can’t tell us what to do. This is not for you guys

COMPLETE BEGINNER GUIDE TO AIRGUNS

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

1. MAIN TYPES OF AIRGUNS

There are four main categories of airguns.

PCP (PRE-CHARGED PNEUMATIC)

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.

Pros

• Very accurate

• High power

• Little recoil

• Many shots per fill

Cons

• Require external air source

• Higher initial cost

GOOD BEGINNER PCP RIFLES

Umarex Notos

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

JTS Airacuda

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

Air Venturi Avenger

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

HIGH END PCP RIFLES

FX Impact MK4

A flagship PCP rifle designed for precision shooting and hunting.

Features

• interchangeable barrels

• advanced regulator system

• extremely high accuracy

Price: $2,000+

FX Dreamline

Highly modular platform allowing many configurations.

Price: $1,200–$1,700

Other Popular PCP Brands

• 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.

HOW TO FILL PCP RIFLES

PCP rifles require compressed air.

There are three common methods.

Hand Pumps

Manual high-pressure pumps.

Cost: $40–$300

Pros

• cheapest option

• portable

Cons

• physically demanding

PCP Compressors

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.

SCBA / Carbon Fiber Tanks

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 AIRGUNS (SPRINGERS)

Spring piston rifles use a compressed spring and piston to generate air pressure when fired.

These rifles require cocking before each shot.

Pros

• no air tanks required, just the gun and a tin of pellets

• extremely reliable

• simple design

Cons

• recoil (double recoil)

• harder to shoot accurately

GREAT SPRINGER EXAMPLES:

Red Ryder BB Gun

•Shoots steel bbs

• Cheap Ammo

•Great for knocking soda cans out

• Teaching Children gun safety fundamentals

Weihrauch HW30S

One of the best beginner spring rifles ever made.

Features

• extremely smooth shooting

• excellent trigger

Price: $350–$400

Weihrauch HW97K

Underlever precision spring rifle often used in field target shooting.

Price: $600–$750

Gamo Swarm Magnum Gen3i

High-power break-barrel with a 10-shot magazine system.

Price: $200–$350

Gamo Varmint

Entry-level break-barrel rifle.

Price: $120

Great beginner rifle for backyard shooting.

MULTI-PUMP AIRGUNS

Multi-pump rifles require pumping a lever several times before shooting.

Each pump compresses more air, increasing power.

Pros

• no tanks required

• adjustable power

• very affordable

Cons

• slower shooting

• requires effort

POPULAR MULTI-PUMP RIFLES

Daisy 880

Classic American pellet rifle.

Price: $50–$80

Good for

• plinking

• learning fundamentals

Daisy 901

Another beginner pump rifle similar to the 880.

Price: $70–$90

Seneca Dragonfly MK2

A modern multi-pump with a .22 cal option

Much easier equal pumping than traditional pump rifles.

Price: $200

CO2 AIRGUNS

These airguns use CO₂ cartridges.

Usually 12g or 88g cartridges.

Pros

• easy to use

• semi-automatic options

Cons

• 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

AIRGUN CALIBERS

The most common calibers are:

• .177

• .22

• .25

• big bore (.30+)

.177 CALIBER

Smallest common caliber.

Best for

• target shooting

• backyard plinking

• small pests

.22 CALIBER

Most popular hunting caliber.

Best for

• squirrels

• rabbits

• pest control

Offers a good balance of power and efficiency.

.25 CALIBER

Larger caliber used mainly in PCP rifles.

Best for

• raccoons

• groundhogs

• larger pests

Provides greater energy and heavier pellets.

BIG BORE AIRGUNS (.30–.72)

Large PCP rifles designed for hunting.

Common calibers

.30

.35

.45

.50

.72

Used for hunting

• deer

• hogs

• large game animals

PELLETS VS SLUGS

Airguns fire two main projectile types:

PELLETS

Traditional airgun ammo.

Common shapes

Wadcutter

Domed

Hollow point

Pointed

Pellet Uses

Wadcutter

Best for paper targets for clean holes.

Domed

Best all-around pellet.

Hollow point

Used for hunting.

Pointed

Penetration.

SLUGS

Slugs look like miniature bullets.

Advantages

• better long-range performance

• higher ballistic coefficient

Most commonly used in high-power PCP rifles.

TARGET TYPES

Common targets include

Paper targets

Steel spinners

Field target knockdowns

Silhouettes

Homemade targets

Soda cans

Clay pigeons

Cardboard boxes

SAFE BACKSTOPS

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.

BEST AIRGUNS BY PRICE

UNDER $100

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.

UNDER $500

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.

UNDER $2000

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.

BEGINNER PCP SETUP GUIDE

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

PELLET GUIDE

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.”

Side Notes for Beginners

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:

1. The spring and piston rapidly move forward, causing the gun to jerk forward.
2. When the piston suddenly stops at the end of the compression chamber, the gun then recoils backward.

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.

FINAL ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS

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.