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Air rifles - Airguns

Looking to buy a new or second-hand air rifle? No problem – we have hundreds! If you’re already an experienced airgun shooter, you’ll know your way around. But for anyone just starting out, we’ve put together all the essential information about air rifles in one clear overview. Read more

All about air rifles: how does an air rifle work? Which type of pellets do I need?

Anyone who has never owned an air rifle before is likely to have plenty of questions. And even if you already have an air rifle at home, there is still much more to learn about them. We have gathered all this information on this page and the pages linked to it, so you can find everything you need to know about air rifles in a clear and structured way. Think of it as an air rifle wiki, full of reliable information. With this knowledge, you can be confident in making a well-informed choice when it comes to air rifles. And of course, it is also simply fascinating to read.

Transporting an air rifle

Another important rule to bear in mind is that, under law in many countries, an air rifle must be transported in such a way that it cannot be used immediately. Simply said: you are allowed to transport it, but it must not be ready for instant use. In practice, this means it must be properly secured in something.

Always transport an air rifle in a gun case. The principle of “not for immediate use” is best taken as seriously as possible, so avoid placing it on the passenger seat in your car; instead, keep it in the boot whenever you can. Needless to say, an air rifle must be unloaded during transport. And do not forget to carry proof of age, if that’s required in your country.

How does an air rifle work?

An air rifle is also known as an air gun, air-powered rifle, or PCP gun. The variety of names all point to one common element: air. By means of compressed air, a lead pellet is propelled through the barrel and outwards. The higher the air pressure, the faster the pellet will travel. This is expressed as power, measured in joules (J). In other words, the quicker the air builds up pressure, the higher the joule value and the more powerful the rifle becomes.

Apart from differences in power, the main technical distinctions between air rifles lie in their power source. Below is an overview of the most common power mechanisms, explaining how they work as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Spring-piston air rifle

In a so-called spring-piston air rifle, a piston inside a cylinder is pushed backwards against the tension of a spring. The piston locks into place, and when the trigger is pulled it is released, driving forward under spring pressure. As it moves forward, the piston compresses the air in front of it, forcing it through a small opening (the breech). This opening sits directly behind the barrel, so the compressed air propels the pellet forcefully through the barrel and outwards.
Cocking can be achieved by breaking the barrel (break-barrel design), but some models use separate levers either underneath (underlever) or on the side (sidelever). More about these cocking systems is explained further on.

The spring-piston air rifle is considered the king of versatility. It is excellent for casual backyard plinking, but high-end models can also be extremely accurate, making them well suited for competitions such as Field Target (FT) and Hunter Field Target (HFT). They do produce some recoil, and the spring is often audible with a characteristic “twang”, but for many shooters this is an essential part of the traditional air rifle experience.

Air rifle with gas ram

The gas ram system is identical to the spring system, but instead of a spring, it contains a gas strut. This is a gas-filled, compressible cylinder, a bit like the gas strut on a car’s boot lid. Whereas a spring twists slightly (it torques) when being compressed and released, a gas ram does not. No energy is lost through that movement. In addition, a spring continues to vibrate afterwards (twang), while a gas ram does not. It is whisper-quiet.
In line with the spring-powered air rifle, the same essentially applies to the gas ram air rifle. It is a highly versatile air rifle, great for shooting in the garden, yet the top models are certainly competition-worthy. Thanks to significantly fewer vibrations than a spring-powered air rifle, a gas ram air rifle shoots very smoothly and is mechanically much quieter.

PCP air rifle

PCP stands for Pre-Charged Pneumatics, in other words compressed air. A PCP air rifle, also known as a compressed air rifle, has a reservoir in which compressed air is stored under very high pressure. The advantage of this is that there is no need to cock against heavy spring tension. One only needs to place a new pellet or load one from a magazine. An additional advantage is that PCP air rifles can be much more powerful than spring-powered air rifles; there are even models of almost 1000 joules, making compressed air rifles by far the most powerful air rifles.

When the trigger is pulled, a hammer strikes a small valve that briefly opens. This releases compressed air which propels the pellet. Mechanically, PCPs are quieter than spring-powered and gas ram air rifles, although the often much greater power can produce a louder muzzle report.

Compressed air rifles, or PCP rifles, are without doubt the most powerful air rifles. They offer the benefit of not needing to be cocked and are generally rifles with a magazine. The high power and the fact that there is virtually no recoil make them highly accurate and suitable for very long ranges. They are therefore perfect for 100 m competitions, and where permitted, a PCP is the best type of air rifle for hunting.

Filling a PCP air rifle can be done with a hand pump, but more commonly a large compressed air cylinder (scuba tank) is used to fill the rifle’s reservoir. Such a charging cylinder can be filled with a compressor, but more often they are refilled professionally.

CO2 air rifle

A CO2 air rifle works in principle just like one powered by compressed air, except that CO2 capsules are used. Due to the lower pressure compared to compressed air, CO2 air rifles are considerably less powerful than compressed air rifles. However, whereas compressed air rifles need to be refilled from a large air cylinder, CO2 air rifles only require fresh capsules to be inserted. In terms of power, a CO2 air rifle is comparable to a light spring-powered rifle, with the advantage of being quieter and not needing to be cocked after every shot.
CO2 may not be the most powerful energy source, but it is the cheapest solution for those who do not want to cock their air rifle every time. A CO2 air rifle is often fitted with a magazine, making it easy to fire multiple shots quickly in succession without the hassle of cocking and reloading.

What is a break barrel air rifle?

A break barrel air rifle is the most common type of air rifle. In this type, the barrel functions as the cocking lever for the spring or for the gas ram. The barrel is hinged and, when closed, locks into place. This may be a manual locking system, but more often it is a chamfered and/or rounded pin that falls into a recess under spring pressure. By applying force to the barrel, the pin slides away, allowing the barrel to be broken open.

By breaking the barrel open, you can insert a pellet (but best wait until the airgun is cocked). If you then continue to break the barrel further against the tension of the spring or gas ram, you are cocking the rifle. You push the barrel down until you hear the piston click into place in the trigger mechanism. You can clearly feel this when you bring the barrel back up. The tension is then released from the barrel.

It is important to know that if you do not feel any tension on the barrel of a break barrel air rifle, this means the rifle is already cocked and you must keep your finger away from the trigger until the barrel is closed again and aimed at the target. Storing a break barrel air rifle while cocked is, in fact, the main cause of power loss. The spring remains compressed for so long that it loses part of its ability to rebound.

Replacing an air rifle spring is something we do regularly. We have replacement springs in stock for almost all air rifles. If you wish to detune an air rifle, for example to bring it below the 16 joule limit of the Hunter Field Target (HFT) discipline, that is also possible. Replacing a spring in a lower-powered rifle can be done carefully by the owner, provided you keep in mind that the spring is under tension when released. You really must have a clear understanding of what you are doing, as a spring coming loose carries a lot of force and can be very dangerous. For this reason, we recommend having a spring replaced by an expert. For us, it is a routine job.

Returning to the break barrel: this is, as said, one method of cocking the spring or gas ram of your air rifle. There are, however, also fixed barrel air rifles in which the spring or gas ram is cocked using a separate cocking lever. This lever is often located beneath the barrel or the fore-end. Such a construction is known as an underlever air rifle. Another design is a sidelever air rifle, in which the cocking lever is positioned on the side. In both cases the lever is pulled backwards. The advantage of an underlever or sidelever air rifle is that the barrel remains solidly fixed to the action, meaning there is absolutely no play, which certainly benefits accuracy.

Air rifle with magazine

The time when every air rifle was a break barrel, where you had to load a pellet after each cocking, is long behind us. There are now plenty of air rifles with a magazine.

Although, with spring-powered and gas ram rifles, the majority still need to be loaded manually after cocking, there are also some rifles in this category that feature a magazine. These automatically index after each manual cocking movement. As a result, you can shoot a little faster, as it saves you an extra action.

Air rifles with magazines are more commonly found in PCP (compressed air) rifles and CO2 rifles. These do not need to be cocked, which makes the use of a magazine much more logical. Many air rifles with a magazine can be cycled very quickly with a bolt action, and there are even air rifles with magazines that operate semi-automatically. In fact, there are also a few fully automatic air rifles.

Which pellets?

Besides the power source, there is also the calibre to choose when buying an air rifle. The calibre is the internal diameter of the barrel, which means you need a pellet of the same diameter. The traditionally most common calibres are .177 and .22, but many other calibres are available. For example, there are the popular .25, .35 (9 mm), and even .50 calibres. Pellets for smaller calibres produce a flatter trajectory, while pellets for larger calibres are less affected by wind and deliver more impact. They also have a greater range. The more powerful the air rifle, the more the characteristics of the smaller calibres shift towards those of the larger calibres.

For instance, a .35 air rifle is often a very powerful rifle. Due to this power, the trajectory of a .35 pellet -quite a heavy piece of lead- is flatter. Allowing it to be shot over longer distances. The mass of a .35 pellet makes it considerably less susceptible to crosswind and air resistance than a small-calibre pellet. For this reason, a large calibre is often used for long-distance shooting. At short range, a smaller calibre is usually sufficient.

If you are mainly shooting in the garden or at paper targets, an extremely powerful large-calibre air rifle is unnecessary. In that case, .177 pellets are usually enough, and much less power is required. In fact, too much power can make them fly too fast and reduce accuracy. More information about .177 pellets, .22 pellets, and all other calibres can be found via the link below. On that page, we also explain the differences between various types of pellets, such as domed, flat, pointed, and hollow-point. A hint: flat pellets create neat holes without fraying on paper targets, domed pellets are the most accurate, followed by pointed pellets, while hollow-point pellets deliver the greatest impact.

Second-hand air rifle

Krale has long been known as the air rifle shop of the Netherlands. The range of air rifles for sale with us is immense. And we do not only sell new air rifles; you can also find a good second-hand air rifle here. This means that you will not only find the latest models with us, but also older examples that still perform excellently.

All second-hand air rifles are checked by our experts in the workshop and, if necessary, receive maintenance. It is reassuring to know that every used air rifle we sell has first passed through skilled hands.

A second-hand air rifle is a good way to start in the shooting sport relatively cheaply, but it is also perfect for progressing if you have a limited budget. The used air rifles that we offer as pre-owned, come from all segments: from beginner air rifles to pure competition rifles and everything in between.

Buying a second-hand air rifle from us means you know exactly what you are getting. Some used air rifles are virtually in new condition, while others may show signs of use. We always reflect this in the prices we offer for second-hand air rifles and in the classification we give them.

Anyone who keeps a close eye on our online shop, or follows us on social media, will notice that new air rifles do not have to be expensive with us either. In any case, we offer air rifles at competitive prices, and by buying in bulk, we are able to hold very attractive air rifle sales from time to time. During these sales, one or more air rifle models are offered at a very interesting discount while stocks last. We try to hold such air rifle sales several times a year.

Buying an air rifle

Buying an air rifle should be an enjoyable and, above all, a good experience. And most importantly: you should end up with the air rifle of your dreams. That is why our specialists always take as much time as possible for you. Whether you contact our customer service or visit our shop in the Netherlands, we do our very best to answer your questions as thoroughly and comprehensively as possible and to provide you with the best advice.

With the information on this page and on the pages you can click through to, you should already get a good idea of which air rifle suits you best. When the time comes to actually buy an air rifle, you may still be undecided between a few models. That is fine; the initial selection is easy, but the final choice between the last few is always the most difficult. Price is of course a factor when buying an air rifle, but the most important factor is whether the air rifle perfectly meets your requirements.

Buying an air rifle could be subject to restrictions. If you reside in the Netherlands, we are obliged to ask if you’re minimal 18 years of age. For this reason, you will be asked to provide identification to verify your age. If you buy an air rifle online (we ship air rifles to addresses both within the Netherlands and abroad), this is done by requesting an image of your identification to be uploaded. Rest assured; your privacy is protected. We only want to be able to verify your name and age. You may therefore cover other details, such as photo, social security number, and document number. Once we have verified the details, the copy is deleted from our system. If you don’t live in the Netherlands, it’s your own responsibility to comply to rules and regulations in your country.

Air rifle accessories

With just an air rifle and pellets, you often do not have everything you need. There is an enormous range of air rifle accessories available. Of course, you do not need them all, but many do offer real added value. The more you shoot, the more air rifle accessories you tend to accumulate. Many will make shooting easier or even improve performance, while others are simply very practical.
The eleven most commonly used air rifle accessories at a glance:

Rifle scope

With a notch and post sight, you can aim very accurately at short distances, but the greater the distance, the less precise your shots will be. A scope magnifies your view, allowing you to see the target better, larger, and sharper. The larger the image, the more detailed the target appears, enabling much more precise aiming. In addition, the crosshairs in a scope allow you to see everything around the target clearly, whereas with iron sights, the bottom of the target can fall out of view. Moreover, with a notch and post sight, you need to shift your focus between the sights and the target, whereas with a scope you can look much more calmly and sharply.

Red dot

It is a gadget for an air rifle, but a very fun one. For short-range use, a red dot works perfectly. It is an illuminated red dot on a transparent screen. You no longer need to align a notch and post, nor do you need to position your head exactly as with a scope. You simply look at your target, place the red dot on it, and you’re ready to shoot.

Bipod

Shooting off-hand requires a lot of practice and a perfect shooting position. It is much easier to shoot accurately when you support your air rifle (this is called shooting off a rest). It is ideal to mount a bipod under your air rifle. Some rifles already have an accessory rail under the fore-end for this purpose, while for others we offer accessory rails that you can attach yourself.

A bipod consists of two foldable, often extendable and adjustable legs that can be placed on any surface. These legs provide very firm support for your air rifle, allowing you to take a very stable shot with minimal movement of the sight picture.

Bipod

Shooting rest (or sandbag)

Of course, you do not necessarily need to attach accessories, such as a bipod, to your air rifle if you want to shoot off a rest. This can also be done perfectly well with a rifle rest or a sandbag. A rifle rest is a height-adjustable support with a stable base and a padded cradle that does not damage the fore-end of your air rifle.

You can also use said sandbag. It cannot be height-adjusted, but a sandbag has the advantage that it can be used on any surface, even uneven ones. You can, for example, place a sandbag over a branch, railing or on a rock.

Gun case

We already mentioned the safe and legal transport of your air rifle. It should not be readily accessible, which means it needs to be stored in something. In practice, you would use a gun case or a soft case. These provide good protection for your air rifle and make it easy to carry.

A rifle (gun) case is often lined with foam, so that your air rifle is securely clamped between the two halves of the case. The hard exterior provides extra protection against knocks or weight compression. Rifle cases often also offer additional space for items such as tins of pellets, and usually allow a scope to remain mounted.

A soft case, or gun bag, has the advantage of being much lighter and more manageable than a rifle case. It is the ideal way to transport your air rifle safely without taking up much space. Soft cases often come with a shoulder strap, which makes carrying even easier, leaving both hands free. If you have a scope mounted on your air rifle, you need to ensure that the soft case you choose has enough space not only in length but also in width (or height). We always provide the internal dimensions for both our rifle cases and soft cases so that there are no surprises.

Paper target

Paper targets, also sometimes called target cards, are ideal for recreational use in the garden. We offer many types and sizes of target cards for air rifles, with single or multiple aiming points (an aiming point is what the bullseye is called).

In addition to so-called recreational targets, we also offer targets for competitive use. These meet the exact requirements for the size of the aiming points as set by the relevant regulations.

Pellet catcher (or pellet trap)

A pellet catcher is designed as a holder for an air rifle target. It not only serves as a target holder but, above all, as a pellet trap, since a target by itself does nothing to stop an air rifle pellet. The pellet trap is made of sturdy steel, against which the pellet is flattened before falling down into the bottom of the trap.

As air rifles have become increasingly powerful, we recommend choosing a so-called ‘heavy’ pellet catcher for very powerful rifles. These pellet traps are made from thicker steel, which deforms less easily.

Shooting targets

If you have a spacious garden or access to another enclosed area, you can have plenty of fun with air rifle shooting targets. These targets come in various forms. For example, we have flip-down targets that you can reset using a string. We also have boxes with multiple flip-down targets that you shoot over one by one; by shooting the reset lever, all the targets pop back up. The pellets are neatly collected. Another example of air rifle targets are the so-called spinners—targets that rotate or tilt when hit and do not need to be reset.

Silencer

To be considerate of your neighbours, a silencer on your air rifle is a commonly used accessory. A silencer reduces the muzzle report, making the bang from the barrel significantly quieter. With spring-powered rifles, the effect may seem less noticeable to the shooter because the vibrations of the spring (the “twang”) often sound louder than the shot itself. After all, your ears are closer to the spring than the muzzle. However, your neighbours will certainly appreciate the reduced muzzle noise. With gas ram and PCP air rifles, the mechanical noise is minimal, and you will notice the effect of a silencer the most. For more powerful air rifles, the difference in sound can be quite significant.

We offer many types of silencers, from model-specific moderators to universal ones. For many of these silencers, we also provide silencer adapters so they can be used on almost any air rifle. In addition, we have moderators that can be customised by adding or removing internal chambers. The length of a silencer can affect the shot pattern, and the weight of a silencer can influence the harmonic movement of the barrel. By experimenting with modular silencers, you can extract that little bit of extra performance from your air rifle.

Magazine

If you have an air rifle with a magazine, you already enjoy the convenience of multiple shots in succession without having to load pellets manually. However, once you get used to such a magazine, you will quickly notice that you actually want one or two extra magazines, as refilling a magazine still causes a brief interruption. With extra magazines for your air rifle, you can reload quickly and continue shooting, after which you can refill the magazines at your leisure.

Charging cylinder (and other filling equipment)

If you have a PCP air rifle, you will fill it using a compressed air cylinder. We offer these in various volumes, ranging from 5 litres up to 20 litres. The cylinders we sell can be filled up to 300 bar, and when your cylinder is empty, you can have it refilled with dehumidified air at our shop.
All the equipment needed to connect your air rifle to a compressed air cylinder can also be found with us. From valves to pressure gauges, and from filling hoses to various filling adapters and quick couplings.

Air rifle maintenance

An air rifle is a mechanical device, and every mechanism requires maintenance from time to time. For a conventional air rifle, such as a spring-powered rifle, the most important maintenance is the careful lubrication of the hinge points and the application of gun oil to bare and blued parts, such as the action and the barrel. Salts and acids in skin oils and sweat can cause these parts to rust. By wiping the parts with a cleaning cloth and some oil after each use, your air rifle will remain as good as new. Air rifles with an unvarnished wooden stock can also benefit from some stock oil. Additionally, the barrel can be cleaned occasionally.

Cleaning, lubricating and protecting

Cleaning an air rifle barrel

Cleaning the barrel is something that does not need to be done often. Unlike firearms, a corrosive build-up will not form inside an air rifle barrel, as there isn’t any gunpowder used that could leave acidic deposits. Just lead and air pass through the barrel. Cleaning is done sporadically, and some shooters—even top competitors—never clean the barrel at all.

It depends somewhat on the manufacturer, but some air rifle makers deliver the barrel heavily oiled so that it is well protected during transport and storage. For this reason, the barrel is best cleaned immediately after purchase, so you do not first expel all the oil and grease, which would certainly affect accuracy. A new and well-cleaned barrel provides a perfect foundation for breaking in the barrel with your favourite pellets (see also ‘Do I need to break in a barrel?’ under ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ at the bottom of this page).

If you do feel that your barrel needs cleaning, run cleaning patches or wads through the barrel that have been moistened with barrel cleaner. Push them with a cleaning rod from the breech (where the pellet enters) to the muzzle, repeating the process with a new patch or wad each time until they come out clean. You can also use a cleaning cord that is pulled through the barrel with a string. Wads can also be shot through the barrel, but keep in mind that you need to retrieve them to assess how dirty or clean the barrel is. Additionally, a wad provides little resistance to allow the piston to land gently, so -especially with powerful air rifles- we strongly recommend using a cleaning rod or cleaning cord.

Oiling an air rifle barrel

NEVER oil the barrel of your air rifle by pouring oil into it. Many people let oil run in from the muzzle to “lubricate” the barrel. Firstly, this is unnecessary, as the very thin layer of lead residue in the barrel already provides sufficient protection for a regularly used air rifle. Secondly, when using a spring or gasram, the oil can run into the rifle’s cylinder. The high pressure of the piston can cause the oil to explode—a phenomenon known as dieseling. This produces an extra loud report and a lot of smoke.

Impressive to some, but extremely bad for your air rifle. The explosion is uncontrolled; sometimes it is strong, sometimes weaker, causing pellets to strike high or low. Normally, the piston lands on a cushion of air, but with dieseling it is violently slammed back, which at best can damage the piston seal and at worst can destroy the piston and break the spring.

If you absolutely want to oil the barrel, for example if you are storing the air rifle for a long time and are worried about rust, apply a very small amount of oil to a felt cleaning wad and push or shoot it through the barrel. It is recommended that the air rifle is then stored lying down rather than barrel up.

Oiling the air rifle piston

In the past, pistons had leather seals that were sometimes oiled through the transfer port (the small hole where the air exits). Ideally, the air rifle should have been disassembled for this, but at the time it was common practice, and it is probably from that era that the idea of lubricating an air rifle through the transfer port has persisted. Even then, it was not ideal, and nowadays it is definitely not recommended, as any oil or grease in front of the piston can ignite under the immense pressure - dieseling.

Additionally, all piston seals today are synthetic, so they should not be lubricated at all. The key point -and it is important to remember- is that oil and grease should only be applied behind the piston seal. And even then, very sparingly. In front of the piston seal, the surface must remain completely dry to prevent dieseling. In practice, this is only necessary after a full overhaul. Normally, you keep your air rifle closed, and no extra lubrication is needed.

Which oil and grease to use in an air rifle?

If you completely disassemble an air rifle, it is important not to overdo it with oil and grease. Really, oil and grease are only needed as a thin layer between contact surfaces. Anything in excess, every blob or drop, will simply accumulate and collect dust and dirt, forming an abrasive paste. Too much oil and grease is therefore simply harmful.

The cylinder must be completely free of oil in front of the piston head. Even a small amount of oil or grease will cause dieseling, a detonation that destroys accuracy. The piston itself can be lightly greased on the sliding surfaces, and the same applies to the spring. Not blobs, but truly minimal. A tip is to rub the grease between your hands until they are slightly greasy, and then work it into the parts you want to grease. We often use a molybdenum disulphide-based grease for this. It has a greyish colour. You can also use this grease sparingly on the contact surfaces in the trigger mechanism. Gun grease is generally better able to withstand high loads than gun oil.

Silicone grease is less suitable for metal parts but is used where plastic components are subject to friction. Silicone still reduces friction, thereby extending the lifespan of the treated parts. Grease based on mineral oil can sometimes soften plastic parts, which is why silicone grease is better for these areas, whereas mineral grease is better for metal parts. Silicone grease is also used on rubber components, such as O-rings and, for example, barrel seals. It prevents the rubber from drying out and keeps O-rings flexible and airtight.

Gun oil should be used as sparingly as grease, mainly on and in all pivot points. Where grease is better on sliding surfaces, oil is the perfect lubricant for pivots, as its low viscosity allows it to penetrate deeply between the contact surfaces (pins). For metal components, again use high-quality mineral oil, while plastic and rubber parts benefit most from silicone oil.

And once more: use everything sparingly. Apart from the thin layer between the parts, everything else is unnecessary, and excess oil and grease become a magnet for dirt.

Maintenance of O-rings on a PCP air rifle

PCP air rifles are the most sophisticated air rifles mechanically and they are also fitted with numerous O-rings that ensure an airtight seal. These O-rings should be treated with silicone grease to keep them supple. This extends their lifespan and ensures they continue to provide a perfect seal.

Replacing a seal (barrel seal)

In a break barrel air rifle, you push a pellet into the barrel, after which the barrel closes and presses against the action. A good airtight seal between the barrel and the mechanism is of course very important, which is why there is a sealing ring, usually called the seal. Because it is clamped between the barrel and the action, the seal will, over time, become slightly flattened from constant pressure and the rubbery material will harden somewhat. A worn seal will eventually allow air to escape and, in the worst case, cause some play between barrel and action, significantly reducing accuracy. For this reason, the seal must be replaced periodically.

This is actually very simple; the seal sits in a groove around the barrel opening and can be removed with a knife, small screwdriver, or a thick needle. Usually, it comes out in one piece, but sometimes it has degraded and comes out in fragments. The only thing to be careful of is not to damage the surrounding metal of the barrel.

Make sure the groove is thoroughly cleaned before pressing the new seal into place. If necessary, the seal can be lightly greased with a suitable lubricant. We recommend silicone grease for this. If your old seal was truly worn, you will notice an increase in velocity with the new seal, and tighter shot groups. This is the cheapest form of tuning you can do, but really it should simply be considered part of regular maintenance.

Other often asked air rifle questions (FAQ)

Is dry-firing (without a pellet) harmful to my air rifle?

That depends somewhat, but as a golden rule: do not do it. In a conventional spring-powered or gas-ram air rifle, the piston moves forward. The only reason it is not damaged is the cushioning provided by a pocket of air in front of the piston, which prevents the piston from striking the end of the cylinder directly. This layer of air is created by the pressure built up behind the pellet. Think of the difference between a bicycle pump with nothing attached and a pump placed on a valve of a tyre that is already inflated. In the first case, you push straight through to the bottom, whereas in the second case, you feel a springy resistance from the air.

Without a pellet in the barrel, there is no counter-pressure and therefore no air cushion to absorb the impact. It will probably not cause damage after the first dry shot, but over time it can lead to breakage or cracking of components.

With a PCP air rifle or CO2 rifle, it is the opposite. These can generally be dry-fired, provided there is pressure in the air reservoir. Without counter-pressure, the valve can be damaged as it slams hard into its seat.

Firing a felt cleaning plug is often done when cleaning the barrel, and while it is technically possible with a low-powered air rifle, we do not recommend it for high-powered air rifles. Cleaning plugs offer very little resistance, making it almost equivalent to dry-firing. A PCP rifle can, in principle, fire a cleaning plug as long as there is sufficient pressure in the reservoir. However, we still recommend using a cleaning rod in combination with the plug, so you can inspect it for fouling, which is difficult if the fired plug cannot be recovered.

Smoke comes out of the barrel of my new air rifle, is that normal?

It can happen that, with a new air rifle, a little smoke comes out of the barrel during the first few shots. This is leftover oil from the manufacturing process that comes out of the barrel.

It can also be caused by oil or grease that remained in the cylinder or compression tube during assembly. The built-up pressure can ignite that oil, which is called’“dieseling’, and produces smoke in addition to a loud bang. This dieseling is not harmful as long as it does not continue for long. It gradually decreases after a few shots as more of the leftover oil burns off. This can also be observed in the accuracy of the air rifle.

However, if an air rifle continues to smoke and occasionally bangs loudly, it is likely that oil has entered the chamber via the barrel. Continued dieseling can be very damaging to the seal, piston, and spring. In that case, we recommend having the air rifle disassembled and degreased.

How do I mount a scope?

You mount a rifle scope on your air rifle using mounting rings (all our mounts can be found here). When choosing the mounts (this is what we call the mounting rings), you need to take three things into account:

Diameter – It is very important to measure the diameter of the scope tube correctly, so that you can order mounts with the correct diameter. Too small, and the mounts will not fit around the scope tube or distort it; too large, and you will not be able to secure the scope. The diameter of the mounts must therefore match the tube exactly.

Rail attachment – The mounts must be compatible with the scope rail on your air rifle. This could be a Weaver/Picatinny rail, but also a dovetail rail with two grooves. You must pay attention to the spacing between the grooves, as there are several types. It is important to choose the correct rail attachment for a play-free and solid mounting.

Height – Often you can choose from different heights for the mounts. This prevents a scope with a large objective from being pressed against the rifle system. The larger the objective lens (the lens you look ‘out from’), the higher the mount needs to be for the scope to clear airgun. Sometimes the scope also needs to sit higher to still allow loading of the pellet. However, it is important to choose the lowest possible mounts so that the central line through the scope is as close as possible to the central line through the barrel. This ensures the most accurate shooting and minimises deviation if the rifle is slightly tilted during shouldering.

For all the mounts we sell, we provide a dimension drawing so you know exactly what to expect. For example, if you have a scope with a 60 mm objective, you know that the distance from the base of the mount to the centre of the mounting ring must be at least 30 mm (slightly more, because you want a little play). Conversely, if you used the same mount set for a scope with a 30 mm objective, the distance would be 15 mm between your air rifle and the scope.

Once you have chosen the mounts, it is time to attach them to your air rifle. Here are some points to consider:

Mount the rings as far apart as possible. The greater the distance between them, the more stable the scope will be. For example, if you hold a stick with both hands in the middle, someone pulling at the end can twist it easily. Hold the stick at the ends, and twisting is much harder and requires significant force to do so. Therefore, mount the rings as close to both ends of the scope as possible, meaning they are as far apart as possible. Sometimes a stop pin prevents this, which we will explain shortly.

Before tightening the mounts to the rifle, check that the eye relief between your eye and the ocular (the lens you look through) of the scope is correct. Do this by loosely fastening the mounts so that the scope will not fall off the rifle but can still be moved. Then slide the scope forwards or backwards until you have a full and stable view without blurry or black edges.

The rear mount may have a pin or screw that fits into a hole in the rifle system. This is a stop pin that prevents the mount from shifting due to the recoil of a shot. It is important to use this hole and then move the scope within the mounts to achieve the correct eye relief.

To secure the mounts: first, clamp them firmly to the scope rail of the air rifle. Then clamp the scope itself into the rings, as we’ll explain now. First, ensure your rifle is perfectly level, not tilted. Then rotate the scope, so it is perfectly aligned and level on your rifle. This is a very important step and deserves careful attention. Only then tighten the rings, making sure they are tight but not overly so. Because of their large surface area, they require just sufficient clamping force. Over-tightening can deform the scope tube.

And that’s it: your scope is mounted, and you are ready to sight it in, that is, adjust or zero it. More about that can be found in the next question.

How do I zero my scope?

Zeroing a scope on your air rifle is officially called “sighting in” your rifle, and it’s really straightforward.

It’s useful to start with a target at a short distance, so the deviation is smaller. For example, if you put a pellet trap with a paper target at 50 metres, you might miss the target entirely without knowing which direction to adjust. Start with about 10 metres instead. A handy trick: place a piece of cardboard behind the target to help determine which way you are missing if your rifle is significantly off and still misses the target.

Support the air rifle on a table with a sandbag, a shooting rest, or even a cushion under the fore-end. Fire three to five shots, aiming at the centre of the target. You should see a cluster of holes somewhere on the target. This won’t be exactly in the centre yet, but the holes should be close together. How tight the group is depends mainly on the rifle and your shooting technique—it has nothing to do with the scope itself.

It’s now easiest if you can fix your air rifle in place. It must remain steady while you adjust the scope. Adjust the scope as follows: align the reticle with the centre of the target again and secure your rifle. Use the top turret on the scope to adjust the reticle vertically (up or down) until it matches the height of the centre of the cluster that you just shot. Use the side turret to adjust the reticle horizontally, centring it over the cluster. That’s it—your reticle now points exactly where your pellets will hit. Your scope is now sighted in. Repeat if you’re not sure if you’ve kept the air rifle steady enough.

If you shoot at a different distance later, the pellets will hit higher or lower. Adjust this by turning the top turret, following the same process. At longer distances, deviations will be magnified, so if you sighted in at a short distance, but plan to shoot further away, there may still be a small offset. However, because you started at a short distance, you will at least hit the target, making adjustments at longer ranges much easier.

Should a new air rifle still be broken in?

Breaking in a new air rifle is often called “sighting in,” but sighting in actually refers to adjusting your aiming aids (see above). Confusing, isn’t it?

The actual breaking in—meaning the settling of the internal components—applies mostly to spring-piston and gas-ram rifles, where performance can change slightly after a period of use. The power may increase a little, and pellet velocity can become more consistent. This can happen, for example, because a piston seal seats better, preventing air from escaping and thus increasing energy, or because leftover assembly oil burns off during dieseling, improving overall consistency.

Should I break in a barrel?

A new barrel is completely free of lead deposits inside. In itself, that is already a recipe for accuracy, but a barrel often becomes just a little more precise after a period of breaking in. It’s sometimes referred to as ‘leading in a barrel’, and that is exactly what you do: by breaking it in, you create a very thin, smooth layer of lead on the inside of the barrel.

You break in a barrel by shooting a certain number of pellets of the same type. There is no fixed rule for the amount. Some air rifles are consistent after 50 pellets, others after 500. If you want to try a different pellet, it may also require a certain number of shots before your rifle becomes consistent with that pellet. This usually has to do with slight differences in lead composition or fit. The lead deposition in the barrel needs to stabilise under the new conditions. For that reason, it is advisable to shoot the same pellets initially and only evaluate new pellets for accuracy after you have shot with them for a while.

In most cases, the lead layer in an air rifle barrel is self-regulating. The thin layer of lead that forms when using the same pellets will grow to a certain thickness and then stop. Any excess lead residue will be scraped out with the pellets. At that point, the barrel is properly broken in and at its most accurate. You do not need to do anything further until accuracy might start to decline for some reason.

How far does an air rifle shoot?

This is one of those questions that is understandable, but tricky to answer. The total range of an air rifle is very different from its effective range. So ‘how far an air rifle shoots’ actually has two different answers. Even then, these answers are not simple, because numerous internal and external factors come into play—some variable, some not.

You might notice that we are hedging a little and circling around the edges of the question. That’s intentional: the truth is, there is no single definitive answer, but we can give you insight into why that is. And with that insight, you essentially do get an answer - just not the one you might have expected, but one that is useful.

Among the variables are calibre, power source, and the power itself. To give you a rough idea: an average spring-powered air rifle is effective up to around 20 metres (assuming very accurate shooting), but the pellet can still travel several hundred metres. At that point, it no longer has any real energy behind it, but that is how far it can go if you miss your target and have no backstop in your garden.

A PCP is harder to define, as power variations within this group are enormous. When considering effectiveness for hunting, which is what PCPs are used for in some countries, the general guidance is 30 to 40 metres. This is purely to ensure a humane shot, because the pellet of a powerful PCP can be effective at much greater distances; it is accuracy that limits the effective range, and at that level of accuracy, the shooter is usually the limiting factor.

The effective range of a PCP is therefore constrained by external factors, but under the right conditions, it can be extremely large. PCP air rifles are commonly used on 100-metre shooting ranges. If we consider the total range of a PCP, it can be simply impressive: the world record for long-distance shooting with a PCP is almost 2 kilometres!

What is the best air rifle for 100 metres?

The best air rifle for shooting at targets at 100 metres is a PCP, a pre-charged pneumatic air rifle. Only these rifles are powerful enough to propel a projectile at sufficient speed over such a distance. Mechanically, a PCP is also the most stable type of air rifle, with minimal movement. It has significantly less recoil than a spring-powered rifle and virtually no vibrations. All of this contributes to very steady shooting, which is essential for achieving optimal accuracy, especially at long range.

In addition, the best air rifle for 100 metres does not have open sights, such as a rear notch and front post, but instead is fitted with a scope rail, such as a dovetail or Weaver/Picatinny rail. At a distance of 100 metres, a scope is essential for precise aiming. Other sighting systems are simply too rudimentary and not refined enough. So, the best air rifle for 100 metres is a PCP, preferably equipped with a scope. For ultimate stability and accuracy at this distance, you should shoot supported—using a mounted bipod or resting on a shooting rest or sandbag.

What is a regulated air rifle?

A regulated air rifle is one that delivers the same pressure with every shot. To explain, let’s start at the beginning. A spring-powered rifle produces the same force with each shot, but a pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) rifle does not, at least initially. Every time you pull the trigger, a small amount of air escapes from the rifle’s air reservoir. As a result, the pressure in the reservoir decreases with each shot, meaning subsequent shots are less powerful. You may find that the first few shots group closely together, but as the reservoir empties, the rifle’s power diminishes and pellets will strike progressively lower.

This is solved by a regulator, which controls the amount of air released per shot. Think of it like a water tap: the more you close it, the weaker the stream of water. A regulator works in the same way.

For example, if you have an air reservoir at 300 bar and a regulator set to 140 bar, each shot will receive 140 bar of pressure. Every shot will have the same power until the reservoir pressure drops below 140 bar, at which point the impact point gradually lowers and it’s time to refill.

With an adjustable regulator, you can control the power yourself. Setting it lower (allowing less pressure through) gives more consistent shots per fill; higher power uses more air and therefore yields fewer shots. Some air rifles have a fixed, non-adjustable regulator. In these, the power is set at a single level and cannot be changed. The number of consistent shots per fill is always the same with such rifles. The advantage of an adjustable regulator, is that you can adjust the power to match the ammunition perfectly.

Do you sell air pistols?

Yes, we certainly do sell air pistols. In fact, we have many available. What you are referring to is a break barrel air pistol or compressed air pistol. Its operation is essentially the same as an air rifle, but in the form of a pistol rather than a rifle.

Air pistols are available in several types and with different power sources. Due to their shorter barrel, they are more suited to short distances than long-range shooting.

How much is a joule?

A joule indicates how powerful an air rifle is. Joule is a unit of work, or more precisely, energy transfer. Just like fpe (ft.lb). Energy is needed to move a mass—in this case, the air rifle pellet. The air pressure is converted into the movement of the pellet. The higher the air pressure, the more energy is transferred, and the faster and harder the pellet is propelled. Essentially, the energy from the compressed air is converted into the motion of a previously stationary pellet.

One joule is equal to the work needed to move an object 1 metre using a force of 1 newton. Or in other words, the force required to accelerate a mass of 1 kg at 1 metre per second². So, 1 joule equals 1 Nm. Force and work are related but not identical: force alone is static, and energy is only involved when that force causes movement. This is exactly what is needed in an air rifle: more energy results in more power behind the pellet.

A CO2 air rifle is limited in power because CO2 becomes liquid above a certain pressure. The gas in the cartridge therefore has a limited pressure, making roughly 16 joules the maximum achievable for a CO2 air rifle.

A spring-powered or gas-ram air rifle must be cocked manually. To keep it physically manageable, the most powerful rifles in this category have a power of around 45 joules.

For pre-charged pneumatic rifles (PCPs), the situation is different. These have no intrinsic limiting factors, and some PCPs exceed 1000 joules. However, at such high power, only a few regulated shots are possible before the air reservoir is depleted. Most PCPs are therefore designed with a power between 40 and 100 joules, making them far more practical and efficient. 1000 joules is simply not realistic for regular use.
To convert joules to fpe or vice versa: 1 fpe = 1,3558 joules and 1 joule = 0,7375 fpe (ft.lb).

Which calibre for which distance?

There is a lot of overlap, so when asked which calibre of air rifle pellet is suitable for which distance, we can only provide some general guidance.
For indoor shooting at 10–15 metres, .177 is usually best. Outdoors, due to the wind, a .22 pellet is often more stable at distances between 10 and 30 metres.

Larger calibres are primarily the domain of pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) rifles. A larger calibre pellet requires more power to achieve the correct velocity. For example:

.25 mm is commonly used for shooting at around 50 metres.

.30 mm is popular for 100-metre shooting. This calibre is also widely used by certified pest controllers up to 50 metres.

9 mm and larger calibres are rarely used, but are sometimes employed for hunting (where permitted) and extreme long-distance target shooting.

How do I fill my PCP?

The very first question many people ask when buying a PCP (pre-charged pneumatic air rifle) is how to fill the air reservoir. “How do I get my rifle up to pressure?”

Since a PCP is usually quite an investment, many shooters first look at a hand pump as the most economical option. A hand pump can be taken anywhere (unlike a compressor), and it doesn’t need refilling like a diving cylinder. A hand pump certainly has those advantages, but keep in mind that the more powerful the air rifle is, the longer and harder you will need to pump. From experience, we know that many shooters quickly grow tired of this within a week, as it often takes longer than expected, has to be done more frequently than expected, and is physically definitely more demanding than expected.

In practice, most PCPs are filled with a diving/charging cylinder. You can have such a cylinder filled locally, or at home if you own a moisture-filtering compressor. A compressor can also be used to fill the rifle’s reservoir directly, but for convenience, most shooters prefer a diving cylinder to take with them. Or spare reservoirs for the air rifle. To fill, you simply connect the cylinder to the rifle using a fill set (consisting of a bottle connection, valve with pressure gauge, hose and rifle adaptor), slowly open the valve, and your reservoir will be filled within moments.

What is a bullpup?

A bullpup is a short rifle with the barrel length of a full-sized rifle. This means you get the benefits of a long barrel (long sight radius, greater accuracy, improved stability), while still enjoying the handiness of a compact air rifle. In short, it is compact.

Normally, the stock with cheek piece is followed by the action and trigger, and then the barrel. In a bullpup, the action is placed further back into the stock, with the cheek piece on the action, effectively moving the entire barrel assembly backwards. This results in a much shorter overall length. The trigger is then relocated forward, beneath the barrel, by means of a linkage system.

What is a choked barrel?

A choked barrel is one that narrows slightly towards the muzzle. This constriction helps to correct any minor deformation of the pellet or slight variations in diameter. Since all pellets pass through the same narrowing, they leave the barrel with a uniform diameter and shape, which increases accuracy. Uniformity leads to consistency, and consistency results in tighter groupings on the target.

It is important to note that with air rifles, a choked barrel is really only suitable for pellets, not for slugs. Pellets, with their soft head and skirt, can be compressed to fit through the choke, whereas slugs are solid and therefore not compressible. In the best case, a choke will only slow down a slug, while in the worst case it can cause the slug to become stuck in the barrel. For that reason, a choked barrel is intended purely for pellets.

What is the most powerful air rifle?

Where air rifles powered by CO₂, a spring, or a gas ram are limited in their maximum power due to their design, this does not apply to PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) air rifles. These are the most powerful air rifles available, with some models producing over 1000 joules.