Air rifles use a pressurized reservoir to propel pellets or BBs down the barrel and out of the muzzle. There are four main categories of air rifles, each with a different method for storing and delivering the pressurized gas that drives the projectile.
Piston-powered air rifles are the most common type of air gun. Most of these guns are break barrel designs that require you to break open the receiver, insert a pellet into the breech, snap the receiver back closed, and then cock the lever to fire. Some have rotary wheels that feed the pellets into the chamber for faster firing. Piston-powered air rifles can be accurate if they are well tuned. Serious airgunners will adjust the hammer spring, striker, and valve metering screw to get the best results out of their air rifle. These rifles are usually single-shot and need a high quality, precision built airgun scope.
PCP (Pre Charged Pneumatic) air rifles are the latest innovation in airgun technology. These guns are capable of generating enough power to take coyote, wild hogs, and deer at reasonable ranges. They are also incredibly accurate and can be fine-tuned to match the shooter’s preferences.
Some states allow the use of air rifles to hunt small game like varmints and feral hogs. Please make sure you check the local laws in your area before buying an air rifle to ensure you are legally using it for hunting. It is illegal in some states to use an air rifle for big game, such as whitetail deer. air rifles