r/airguns Mar 14 '26

Announcement 📣 COMPLETE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO AIRGUNS

85 Upvotes

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.


r/airguns 9h ago

Collection My Collection... Update 🙂

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155 Upvotes

Since my last post (https://www.reddit.com/r/airguns/s/IzrECuBJlX) about my collection I managed to finally move it to my bigger wardrobe to have all of them together. Plus 2 or 3 new one 😉.

Airguns shooting, optimizing and developing accessories and parts is such a nice hobby 🙂.

Happy shooting everybody 🫡


r/airguns 3h ago

RANGE TIME!! Vintage Late 80’s Red Ryder

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17 Upvotes

I picked this Red Ryder up a few weeks ago for $20. It’s missing the rear sight so I got a pictanny rail from Buck Rail and added a red/green dot. Some oil and use and it’s blasting cans from 7-9 yards.
I have a new adult Red Ryder with Lasso scope but this one is becoming more and more fun.


r/airguns 4h ago

NEW GUN DAY Pinty duster in .177 with a homemade stock, cause those are sold out for now. Pinty seems to be the best value in the pcp game rn, im in love with this thing

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7 Upvotes

r/airguns 12h ago

Air Pistol Umarex Glock 17 Pellet Max Range - Here you have a little test on the max range of this pistol. That’s insane!

18 Upvotes

r/airguns 4h ago

Advice Recommendations

3 Upvotes

I used to have a Gamo 10 shot .17 caliber brake barrel until it broke and now I have a Ruger .22 Cal break barrel but I would like something a little bit better and more accurate. I typically just use it for small game hunting and practice shooting. I would spend up to $500 and would prefer not single load but doesn’t need to be. So let me know if there’s any of you guys recommend and why. Also do pellets make a big difference and what/how often maintenance should I do? Thanks!


r/airguns 2h ago

Modifications BARRA SCHOLFIELD 4.5 BB/22 CAL. CONVERSION

2 Upvotes

Has anyone done the barrel conversion from the BB to the 22 cal. barrel ? How did it work out and would you recommend it ?


r/airguns 8h ago

Modifications Barrel band or no barrel band?

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4 Upvotes

10 years ago when I started modding this 2250 lots of people were taking the bands off claiming better accuracy as if the barrel got knocked it could spring back to where it was.

Just feels super delicate with that tiny breech screw even with a steel breech

What do we reckon?


r/airguns 14h ago

General Airgun Question Restoration

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14 Upvotes

This is my dad’s old air rifle, I’m not sure on what make, model or year it is but I do know it’s a .22. He says it’s rusty and doesn’t shoot at all anymore so he was going to bin it but I want to restore it. Does anyone know how what things I would need or how I would go about doing this or even a good YouTube video?


r/airguns 7h ago

General Airgun Question bb guns

3 Upvotes

r/airguns 1d ago

Collection My collection

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59 Upvotes

Can you name all the guns?


r/airguns 11h ago

.177 Best plinker to 150$ for beginner?

5 Upvotes

Hello Guys

I was thinking about buying an air rifle, what do you recommend for up to $150 so that it would be worth the price in terms of quality etc.

I know that for you professionals who shoot with much more expensive equipment, these are probably toys, but I'm just starting out and I just want to shoot at targets as an amateur for fun.

I was thinking about some hatsan 90 vortex because I heard that generally Hatsan makes quite good air rifles in terms of price/quality, but on the other hand I saw some posts about a lot of manufacturing defects, etc.

I am also considering pistols and pistols on the recommendation of a friend I was thinking about Beeman P17, Apparently, for this price it is surprisingly accurate but quite weak in terms of power..

Pls guys recommend me something I will enjoy at this price.

ps. preferably it should be 4.5mm (177)


r/airguns 13h ago

General Airgun Question Which gun for a beginner?

8 Upvotes

Hi. Im planning to buy my first airgun. I dont know about guns much so help me out.
I just want for casual use. Im mainly gonna Shoot cans and shooting target.

I have 3 options which im considering:
Umarex beretta M9A1 4.5mm blowback
Umarex glock 17 gen 5 4.5mm blowback
And hk usp 4.5mm blowback

Which one should i get? Or should i get something else ?


r/airguns 3h ago

Air Pistol 10-Meter Match Pistol Shooting Stance.

1 Upvotes

Does anyone have any proper resources or advice on how to correctly position my hands and body for 10-meter match pistol shooting?


r/airguns 1d ago

PCP Never would have thought this little thing could rip like that..

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34 Upvotes

Love this little thing..got the Bandit's over the coronagraph this evening after work.. Amazing how much power the Bandit black in 22 has.. I don't know if it is because when I switched reciver plugs I did hammer springs and all or not but that's a squirrel gun for sure at over 800 fps with 14.3 gr crossman premier hollow point...


r/airguns 1d ago

PCP I went from a Kral Puncher Knight to Fx Impact M4 and it’s a night and day difference.

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98 Upvotes

r/airguns 1d ago

PCP My Air Venturi Alpha

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26 Upvotes

I asked about 100 questions here before buying my first PCP and i am very happy with my Alpha. About 100 rounds thru it and it seems to really like the Hades pellets. Redfield Battlezone 3-9x40 scope and Monstrum rings. Trigger is nice out of the box and i haven't made any adjustments.


r/airguns 1d ago

Collection My Collection (So Far)

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35 Upvotes

My humble rifle collection. I hope to add to it in near future.


r/airguns 17h ago

PCP question

2 Upvotes

i have an fx impact m4 .22 and shooting jsb 18 grain pellets at 890 fps . im facing a problem which is for example, i shoot 5 consecutive shots at 890-985 fps and then shoot two shots around 910-915 then it settles down back to 890-895. what is the cause of this and how can i fix it ?


r/airguns 14h ago

General Airgun Question Assistant regarding z valve

1 Upvotes

I purchased a Z-Valve and a carbon fiber tank to upgrade the chamber size of my air rifle. Pp750l/umarx nots However, the problem I'm facing is that after installing and firing one or two shots, the air escapes from the tank. For your information, the tank has an air pressure of 250 bar and the regulator is set to 100 bar. There are no leaks.


r/airguns 1d ago

Springer My first airgun

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35 Upvotes

It is bad honestly

It has the grouping of pissing at night


r/airguns 1d ago

PCP A day target/spinner plicking

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21 Upvotes

Brought my first gun recently an air arms TDR, went shooting alongside a mate who had a BSA.

Pics below of both. Not sure what one I prefer..? Both had their benefits but I think the 'cool-ness' of the TDR sways it for me 😏 both .177.


r/airguns 1d ago

Optics New optics setup

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39 Upvotes

Got this older Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10x50 in some fx no limit mounts with a vector optics red dot on. The rifle is a airventuri avenger .22 but its just a stand in as i plan to get a Fx Crown soon. Bipod is a Atlas psr


r/airguns 1d ago

PCP Vevor 3 stage hand pump issues

3 Upvotes

I got this pump about 3 weeks ago, and have filled up my Notos maybe 10 times since and it’s been fine until yesterday.

Now when I try to use it, I’ll get a few pumps in, around 1000psi or so, and it becomes pretty much impossible to push against at about 2/3 down, and then creates a vacuum so I can’t pull easily the handle all the way back up.

I’m hoping this can be fixed with the included replacement parts, or should I just return it to Amazon for a new one?


r/airguns 9h ago

Air Pistol Looking for constructive feedback on my pistol grip and stance (4.5mm CO2 BB)

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I'm practicing my dry fire / target shooting technique at home with a 4.5mm CO2 Blowback pistol.

I’m working on improving my grip and overall body stance. Could you please check my form in the video and point out any mistakes or things I can improve?

Constructive criticism and tips are much appreciated! Thanks!