In this post, you’ll confidently find the best air rifles for your budget, skill level, and use. Each air rifle has its trade-offs. Luckily, you can easily filter what features in an air rifle are important to you by using the comparison spreadsheet within this post below.
There are also some important concepts to understand so that you can make an informed decision on the best air rifle for your specific applications and uses.
Today, there are a plethora of air rifles on the market so whittling down all the options to find the best air rifles can be time-consuming. With this post, I make it easy.
This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!
Table of Contents
Credibility of This Article
With over two decades of hunting experience and being a registered hunting guide and professional ecologist, I take pride in offering buying guides that reflect the quality and authenticity I look for when buying new gear.
Additionally, I have 10+ years of experience using air rifles for small-game hunting and pest control so I have a solid understanding of what makes a quality air rifle and can help you decide which is the best air rifle for you based on what you plan to use it for.
If you want to learn more about me, you can check out my About Page.
What Makes An Air Rifle The Best?
- Rifled Barrel
- Accuracy
- Foot Pounds of Energy (FPE)
- Noise/Supersonic/Subsonic
- Reload Speed
- Price
- Durability
- Caliber
- Cocking Effort
- Weight
Top 4 Air Rifle Picks
 |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisy Powerline 880 | Gamo Swarm Mag. 10x Gen2 | Benjamin Marauder | HatsanUSA PileDriver | |
| Best Beginner | Best Budget | Best Price/Performance Ratio | Best Big-Bore | |
| Type | Hand-Pump | Break-Action | PCP | PCP |
| Avg. FPS @ Cal | 800 @ .177 | 1650 @ .177 | 1100 @.177 | 850 @ .50 |
| Weight | 4.8 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 10 |
| Price* | 67 | 272 | 400 | 1180 |
| Availability | Shop Amazon Shop Airgun Depot | Shop Amazon Shop Airgun Depot | Shop Amazon Shop Airgun Depot | Shop Airgun Depot |
Sortable Air Rifle Comparison Spreadsheet
Best Air Rifles Price Weight (lbs) FPS @ Cal. Available Calibers Mag. Cap. Rifled Barrel Reload Speed Cocking Effort (lbs) Shots Per Tank
Crosman M4-177 62 3.56 625 @ .177 BB, .177 5 Yes Slow Variable n/a
Daisy Powerline 880 67 4.75 800 @ .177 BB, .177 0 Yes Slow Variable n/a
Daisy Powerline 901 68 3.7 800 @ .177 BB, .177 0 Yes Slow Variable n/a
Winchester Model 1977XS 98 3.1 1000 @ .177 BB, .177 0 Yes Slow Variable n/a
Gamo Varmint 101 5.47 1250 @ .177 .177 0 Yes Medium 30 n/a
Gamo Raptor Whisper 130 5.64 1300 @ .177 .177, .22 0 Yes Medium 30 n/a
Gamo Swarm Whisper 10X 150 5.43 1300 @ .177 .177, .22 10 Yes Medium 30 n/a
Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 229 6.61 1420 @ .177 .177, .22 0 Yes Medium 32 n/a
Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X Gen2 272 6.88 1650 @ .177 .177, .22 10 Yes Medium 41 n/a
Benjamin Marauder PCP Bolt-Action 400 7.2 1100 @ .177 .177, .22, .25 10 Yes Fast 0 30
Benjamin Marauder PCP Semi-Auto 729 8 900 @ .22 .22 10 Yes Very Fast 0 30
AirForce Condor SS PCP 870 6.1 1300 @ .177 .177, .20, .22, .25 0 Yes Medium 0 30
Benjamin Bulldog .357 PCP 715 7.7 910 @ .357 .357, .457 5 Yes Very Fast 0 10
AirForce Texan Big Bore PCP 1100 7.65 1040 @ .457 .257, .30, .357, .457, .50 0 Yes Medium 0 4
HatsanUSA PileDriver Big Bore PCP 1180 10 850 @ .51 .457, .51 0 Yes Medium 0 4
Best Air Rifles For Beginners Under 100$
Crosman M4-177 Air Rifle
The Crosman M4-177 is a .177 pellet gun that can also shoot bbs. This gun shoots about 650 FPS, which is fairly slow compared to the other beginner air rifles on this list. However, at close range (10-20 yards) this gun will have no problem shooting squirrel-sized game. It’s also a great platform for target practicing.
Although it does not shoot as fast as some of the other rifles it does have its perks. For example, it has a reservoir that can hold up to 350 bbs so you never need to worry about running out of ammo. It also has a 5 shot pellet clip, so you don’t need to load a pellet every time.
Daisy Powerline 880 Pump-Up Air Rifle
If you’re looking for the best beginner air rifle, the Powerline 880 is a great option. You pump this gun with the forearm handle, the more times you pump it, the faster it will shoot. This air rifle will shoot .177 pellets at 800 FPS. Because it shoots a max of 800 FPS it is subsonic, so it is a quiet air rifle.
The other big benefit of this air rifle is that it will also shoot bb’s and it can hold up to 50 bbs in the magazine for easy reloading. This air rifle is powerful enough to kill small game or pests at close ranges (within 25-30 yards) with a full pump.
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Daisy Powerline 901 Pump-Up Air Rifle
The Daisy Powerline 901 is another one of the best air rifles for beginners. It’s very similar to the 880 Powerline because most of the components are the same. The biggest difference is how the gun is pumped. For example, the 880 Powerline is pumped with a larger forearm lever, whereas the 901 is pumped with a smaller forearm grip.
It also shoots at the same max speed of 800 FPS, meaning its subsonic, thus quiet. This air rifle is powerful enough to kill small game or pests at close ranges (within 25-30 yards) with a full pump.
Winchester Model 1977XS Air Rifle
The Winchester Model 1977XS is another great air rifle for beginners. It’s very similar to the Powerline 880 and Powerline 901 but it shoots 1000 FPS, which is 200 FPS faster than the other models mentioned. It is still subsonic, making it a quiet air rifle compared to supersonic air rifles.
With a max speed of 1000 FPS, this air rifle is powerful enough to kill small game or pests at close ranges (within 30-35 yards) with a full pump. This air rifle also takes both pellets and bbs and has a rifled barrel which puts spin on the pellets which increases accuracy.
The thumbhole stock is a great addition for added comfort.
Best Break-Action Air Rifles Under 200$
Gamo Varmint Air Rifle
This is the least expensive Gamo air rifle you can buy making it a good option for beginners because of what you get for the price. You can only get this air rifle in .177 caliber which this air rifle can shoot at 1250 FPS via a spring-piston.
This is fast enough to take down small game and varmints. If you’re trying to get a decent air rifle for as little money as possible, the Gamo Varmit air rifle is a great option.
Because this gun uses a spring it can be quite noisy. Additionally, it shoots supersonic so it will be louder than the subsonic air rifles. Also, the spring creates a vibration that can lead to parts eventually moving (like the scope).
Gamo also has a 5-Year warranty, which is great because you can have peace of mind if the air rifle does not operate properly.
Gamo Raptor Whisper Air Rifle
The Gamo Raptor Whisper air rifle offers more advanced features than the Varmit air rifle above. For example, the ‘Whisper’ technology, which reduces noise and vibration when shooting.
The spring piston has also been replaced with a gas piston for better speed, less vibration, improved accuracy, and smooth cocking. You can also get a .22 caliber model of this air rifle. The .22 cal shoots 975 FPS or you can get the .177 cal which shoots 1300 FPS.
For only a small amount of money more than the Gamo Varmit Model, you get a lot of added features. Gamo also has a 5-Year warranty, which is great because you can have peace of mind if the air rifle does not operate properly.
Gamo Swarm Whisper 10X Air Rifle
The Gamo Swarm Whisper 10X air rifle offers more key features than the Raptor (above). For example, the Swarm offers a 10-round clip (hence the 10X in the name). This is a big deal because normally when you shoot an air rifle you need to load a pellet into the gun by hand every time.
With the 10-round clip, you don’t need to worry about reloading and fumbling around with pellets and can focus on shooting. You will still need to cock the gun every time, but when you do, a new pellet will be automatically loaded.
To get these features you don’t have to spend a lot of money. This Swarm Whisper air rifle is only slightly more expensive than the Raptor Whisper model.
The spring piston has also been replaced with a gas piston for better speed, less vibration, improved accuracy, and smooth cocking. You can also get a .22 caliber model of this air rifle. The .22 cal shoots 975 FPS or you can get the .177 cal which shoots 1300 FPS. It also includes the ‘Whisper’ technology, which reduces noise and vibration when shooting.
Gamo also has a 5-Year warranty, which is great because you can have peace of mind if the air rifle does not operate properly.
Best Air Rifles Under 300$
Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 Air Rifle
This air rifle costs a bit more than the previously mentioned rifles. The reason it costs more is for the increased speed with this gun due to the larger cylinder which allows this gun to shoot faster.
The spring piston has also been replaced with a gas piston for better speed, less vibration, improved accuracy, longevity, and smooth cocking. You can also get a .22 caliber model of this air rifle. The .22 cal shoots 1020 FPS or you can get the .177 cal which shoots 1420 FPS.
Again, Gamo also has a 5-Year warranty, which is great because you can have peace of mind if the air rifle does not operate properly.
Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X Gen2 Air Rifle
The Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X Gen2 air rifle is the best air rifle that Gamo makes as far as specs are concerned. This gun has everything you need for serious air rifle fun.
This is the most powerful air rifle that Gamo makes. The .22 cal shoots a blazing speed of 1300 FPS or you can get the .177 cal which shoots an even faster speed of 1650 FPS. Although not in the name, this air rifle includes the ‘Whisper’ technology, which reduces noise and vibration when shooting. This air rifle has enough stopping power for some long-distance small game hunting.Â
Just be ready for that heavy 41 lbs cocking weight of the gun that enables it to reach those higher velocities.
The Swarm Magnum offers an updated 10-round clip (hence the 10X Gen2 in the name). This is a big deal because when you shoot most regular air rifles you need to load a pellet into the gun by hand every time.
With the 10-round clip, you don’t need to worry about reloading and fumbling around with pellets and can focus on shooting. You will still need to cock the gun every time, but when you do, a new pellet will be automatically loaded.
Like most of the Gamo air rifles, the spring piston has been replaced with a gas piston for better speed, less vibration, improved accuracy, and smooth cocking.
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Best PCP Air Rifles
Benjamin Marauder Bolt-Action PCP
The Benjamin Marauder is a great value air rifle for those looking to get into PCP air rifles. This is a bolt-action Marauder that comes with a 10-round magazine. Once you fill the air rifle with the air you will get about 30 shots before you need to refill your gun.
The Marauder get up to 1000 FPS with .22 cal pellets. You also have the option to buy a .177 cal and .25 cal with the Marauder platform. The .25 cal will be slower (900 FPS) and won’t shoot as flat but will have a lot of take-down power and is subsonic for quieter shooting. The .25 cal can deliver 50 FPE, making it very deadly.
The wooden versions are a bit heavy so I would opt for the synthetic version.
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Benjamin Marauder Semi-Automatic PCP
The Benjamin Marauder semi-auto is another great option for those looking to get into the PCP world of air rifles. There aren’t many great auto-loading air rifles on the market which makes the Marauder one of the best air rifles when quick follow-up shots are needed.
Like the bolt-action above, this Marauder comes with the same 10-round magazine. It also shoots .22-caliber pellets up to 950 fps and you get about 30 usable shots per fill at 3000 PSI.
The wooden versions are a bit heavy so I would opt for the synthetic version.
Benjamin Marauder PCP Extra Magazines
Each magazine holds 10-rounds and the Marauder’s can shoot between about 30-60 shots before they need to be re-pressurized. For this reason, it can be helpful to have between 3-6 extra mags so you don’t need to worry about reloading these mags until you need to repressurize the air rifle.
AirForce Condor SS PCP Air Rifle
The AirForce Condor SS is one of the best PCP air rifles on the market. This air rifle has a built-in baffle system to make shots ridiculously quiet. This makes it perfect for pest control in populated areas where you don’t want to disturb neighbors.
Additionally, you can raise or lower the FPS so that you can keep the air rifle subsonic for even quieter shooting. When you’re looking to shoot longer distances, you can crank it up.
This is also one of the most powerful PCP air rifles. The .22 cal shoots 1100 FPS or you can get the .177 cal which shoots an even faster speed of 1300 FPS. You also have the option to buy a .25 cal model. The .25 cal will be a little slower (950 FPS) and won’t shoot as flat but will have a lot of take-down power for bigger species of small game and will be even quieter since it is subsonic.
The max fill for the AirForce Condor SS tank is 3000 psi. You can expect 20-40 usable shots per tank out of the AirForce Condor SS depending on caliber and pellet weight.
Keep in mind that this air rifle is a single shot and that it is not cheap. But you get what you pay for. If anything does go wrong there is also a lifetime limited warranty.
Best Big Bore Air Rifles For Big Game (Coyotes, Deer, and Hogs)
Benjamin Bulldog Bullpup PCP Air Rifle
You can get the Benjamin Bulldog in two calibers, .357 or .457. The .357 can send bullets up to 910 FPS which delivers a lot of energy downrange. This is a very powerful air rifle for taking larger animals like coyotes, hogs, and small deer at close ranges.
One of the best features of this gun is its 5-round magazine for fast and easy follow-up shots. This is something that many other large bore air rifles lack. Depending on the caliber and weight of the bullets you can expect around 10 usable shots per 3000 PSI refillable tank.Â
Because of the bullpup design, this air rifle is much more compact and has a longer barrel than more conventional air rifles on the market.
AirForce Texan SS PCP Big Bore Air Rifle
You can get the AirForce Texan SS in many calibers, the biggest bores being .457 or .50 caliber, and can send pellets up to 1100 FPS which deliver over 650 ft-lbs of energy (FPE) giving it second place for the most powerful air rifle on the market.
Although 650 FPE is only about 1/4 of the FPE of a shotgun slug, it’s impressive for an air rifle. This air rifle has no issues taking down big game like hogs and deer around that 40-yard range and even further for smaller animals like coyotes with good shot placement.
Depending on the caliber and weight of the bullets you can expect to get between 3-5 usable shots per 3000 PSI refillable tank.Â
HatsanUSA PileDriver PCP Big Bore Air Rifle
You can get the HatsanUSA PileDriver in .457 or .510 caliber and can send bullets up to 850 FPS which deliver around 800 ft-lbs of energy (FPE) giving it the title of most powerful air rifle on the market.
Although 800 FPE is only about 1/3 of the FPE of a shotgun slug, it’s very impressive for an air rifle. This air rifle has no issues taking down big game like hogs and deer around that 50-yard range and even further for smaller animals like coyotes with good shot placement.
Depending on the caliber and weight of the bullets you can expect to get between 3-6 shots per 4350 PSI refillable tank.Â
How To Refill PCP Air Rifles
You can bring your air rifle to a paintball or scuba shop to get tanks refilled, but if you’re going to be using PCP air rifles with any regularity you’re going to want to purchase your own portable way to fill up your PCP air rifle. There are a couple of options below:
Portable High-Pressure Hand Pump For PCP Air Rifles
The first option to refill your PCP air rifle is by hand. There are high-pressure hand pumps that can fill up your air rifle but to be honest it can take between 20-30 minutes and a lot of work to do so. This is probably best as a backup option.
Portable Air Compressor For PCP Air Rifles
Because hand pumps require a lot of work to fill your air rifle I would suggest getting a portable compressor. Surprisingly, they’re only slightly more expensive than hand pumps, making them worth every penny for simplicity and convenience.
Best Air Rifle For Small Game, Varmits, and Pests
Some air rifles are better than others when it comes to hunting small game. Most air rifles are sufficient to ethically take small game, but it does depend on the size of the small game and how far away you are from your target you will be.
Small game animals are also usually quick and can get away fast, for this reason, when choosing your rifle it would be beneficial to get a fast reloading air rifle. This will greatly improve your chances when hunting small game.
Best Air Rifles For Squirrels
Squirrels are on the smaller side of small game and any gun on this list will be able to take down squirrels. The air rifles in the 600-700 FPS range with .177 caliber pellets are best within that 20-yard range. This is because they don’t have the speed for a flat shot. Additionally, a lot of energy is lost out at the longer ranges with slower air rifles.
If you want to shoot squirrels at longer ranges then I would suggest an air rifle that shoots 1000+ FPS with .177 caliber pellets. These have plenty of power to kill a squirrel out to 40-yards.
.22 caliber pellets are even better options for hunting even though they are slower FPS because they have more knockdown power. An air rifle that shoots .22 caliber pellets at around 1000 FPS will be able to kill a squirrel out to 50-60 yards easily.
Best Air Rifles For Rabbits
Rabbits are pretty similar to squirrels in terms of hardiness. You can kill a rabbit out to 20 yards with an air rifle in the 600-700 FPS range, but I would hesitate to shoot much further at a rabbit at that power. Again, an air rifle that can shoot .177 cal 1000+ FPS will be the more ethical choice and can kill rabbits out to about 40-yards no problem.
.22 caliber pellets are even better options for hunting rabbits even though they reduce FPS because they have more overall energy and knockdown power. An air rifle that shoots .22 caliber pellets at around 1000 FPS will be able to kill a rabbit out to 50-60 yards without a problem.
Best Air Rifles For Varmits and Pests
The best air rifle for varmints and pests becomes a little more tricky because these animals are of all different sizes. If you’re trying to kill bigger pests like woodchucks, raccoons, skunks, or porcupines you’re going to need a more powerful air rifle than you would if you trying to shoot pesky squirrels in the bird feeder.
That said, there’s nothing wrong with getting an over-powered air rifle for small varmints and then having the option of using it for the larger varmints. If anything, it just makes dispatching those smaller pests quicker and more ethical.
An air rifle that shoots .22 caliber pellets at around 1000 FPS will be a good rule of thumb for dispatching woodchuck-sized pests out to 25-35 yards with good shot placement.
What Is The Best Air Rifle Caliber?
The best air rifle caliber depends on what you’re using it for. For example:
Feet per Second (FPS) vs Foot Pounds of Energy (FPE)
You will want an appropriate balance of feet per second (FPS) and pellet weight for your specific application.
A lighter pellet will travel faster and shoot flatter, but will not have a lot of energy once it hits the target, especially at longer ranges. This makes lighter pellets better for target practice because it does not matter how much energy is behind the pellet if you’re shooting targets.
With the same amount of air pressure, heavier pellets won’t travel as fast (FPS) but have some weight or energy (FPE) behind them which transfers into knockdown power. So, you can get away with slower speeds with heavier pellets to an extent.
To calculate Foot-Pounds of Energy (FPE), you need to know the mass of the pellet (grains) and the velocity (FPS). The FPE is calculated by using this formula:
- E= mv2 ÷ K or…
- Energy = (mass)*(velocity)2 ÷ 450,240 or…
- FPE =(pellet grains)*(FPS)2 ÷ 450,240
.177 Caliber Air Rifle Pellets
For target practicing/plinking the .177 caliber pellets are best because it’s the fastest and flattest shooting ammo. If you want to hunt with this caliber just buy heavier pellets and it will work just fine to those short and medium ranges for any small game animal. A heavier pellet will give the air rifle more FPE resulting in more knockdown power.
.22 Caliber Air Rifle Pellets
The .22 caliber pellets are a better choice if you’re looking to hunt with the air rifle. You can buy heavier grain pellets than .177 that will dish out more knock-down power upon impact and retain energy at longer ranges. That said, they’re still light enough so that they shoot pretty flat.
.22 caliber pellets can shoot woodchuck-sized game at medium ranges and smaller game out further than the .177 caliber pellets. These pellets are a great in-between pellet size.
.25 Caliber Air Rifle Pellets
When you start getting into higher-end air rifles that have a lot of speed they will offer a .25 caliber pellets option. These are a great option for air rifle hunters because if you have a decent FPS, these .25 caliber pellets can have a lot of energy behind them. .25 caliber ammo in combination with decent FPS allows air rifle hunters to target bigger animals like coyotes at close ranges and increases the lethal range at medium-sized small game animals like woodchucks.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this post has helped you determine the best air rifles for your budget, skill level, and use. Each air rifle has its trade-offs. It is up to you to decide what is important for the application you are using it for.
Luckily, you can easily filter what is important to you by using the comparison spreadsheet to find the best air rifles for you.
