What Is An Air Rifle?

Put simply, an air rifle is a type of gun that uses compressed air or gas to fire pellets (rather than gunpowder). In the UK, these are low powered (under 12 ft/lb) and typically fall into one of four systems: PCP, spring powered, CO2, or gas ram.

Air rifles are not classed as firearms if they stay within legal power limits and are mainly used by hobbyists and for pest control.

Air Rifle Systems

As mentioned earlier, there are typically four types of air rifle you can buy in the UK: PCP, spring-powered, CO2 and gas ram. We’ll now take a quick look at each one and how they work.

PCP Air Rifles

PCP stands for “pre-charged pneumatic”. These air rifles have built in air tanks filled with regular breathable air. The pressurised air is used to fire pellets with minimal effort between shots, making them ideal for those wanting speed and consistency.

PCP rifles are generally more expensive and are often chosen by serious hobbyists or competitive shooters. The main downside is the need for an external air source (like a pump or scuba tank) to refill the reservoir. That said, a single fill can provide anywhere from 30 to 400 shots depending on the model – making them less effort than springers.

Spring Powered Air Rifles

Spring powered air rifles are among the most popular in the UK. They work by using a coiled spring and piston to compress air inside the chamber. When you pull the trigger, the spring releases, propelling the pellet forward.

These rifles are often the most affordable, making them a top choice for beginners. However, many experienced shooters also favour springers for their reliability and simplicity. Since they don’t require gas canisters or external pumps, they’re always ready to go. You literally just cock and shoot.

CO2 Air Rifles

CO2 air rifles use disposable carbon dioxide capsules instead of regular air. They’re easy to use and great fun, particularly for casual plinking or target shooting.

You can expect around 60 shots from a 12g CO₂ capsule and up to 170 from an 88g tank. The key downside is that the capsules are single use and not refillable. It’s also important to only use CO2 canisters with these rifles, since using other air sources can damage the gun and be unsafe.

Gas Ram Air Rifles

Gas ram rifles (also called gas piston rifles) operate similarly to springers but use a sealed gas-filled cylinder instead of a coiled spring. The result is smoother cocking and reduced recoil.

They offer the traditional feel of manual cocking with less physical strain, making them a good middle ground. However, repairs to gas rams can be more involved compared to simply replacing a spring. However, you don’t have to worry about this if you’re ordering from us, since all rifles come back by our lifetime guarantee.

Learn more: Types Of Air Rifles

Which Air Rifle System Is Best for a Beginner?

Most beginners start with spring powered air rifles, since they’re usually the most affordable option and give you a traditional shooting experience. You cock the rifle, aim and fire. 

They’re simple and don’t require any extra equipment like pumps or gas canisters (except for pellets or any other optional accessories like scopes, bipods etc). 

That said, PCP air rifles (pre-charged pneumatics) are becoming increasingly popular with beginners, since they’re more convenient to shoot (you don’t need to manually cock the rifle between each shot). 

It’s more of a “point and shoot” experience, and there are now some excellent affordable PCP models available that suit beginners very well. Give us a call if you’d like the latest recommendations on those. 

In the end, it comes down to what you’d prefer:

• Do you want the traditional feel and lower upfront cost of a spring-powered rifle?
• Or the ease, speed and modern convenience of a PCP?

There’s no wrong answer, it’s just about what will suit you best.

How To Decide Between .177 or .22

When buying an air rifle, you’ll need to choose between two common pellet sizes: .177 and .22. Whichever you pick, make sure you buy the right pellets to match, since you can’t use .22 pellets in a .177 rifle and vice versa.

For beginners, we usually recommend .177

It’s faster, flies straighter, has less recoil (especially in springers) and is better for learning accurate target shooting. That’s why it’s also used in Olympic and competition shooting.

.22 is heavier and hits harder, which some prefer for close-range pest control. However, for most newcomers, .177 is the better starting point.

And that’s not to suggest that .177 is only for beginners – many experienced shooters prefer them for the reasons given above. 

But again this all comes down to preference. You certainly won’t look silly turning up to a club with a .22 as a beginner. 

Learn more: .177 vs .22: Air Rifles Compared [speed, accuracy, power etc]

What Are Air Rifles Used For?

There are a lot of different reasons why people get into air rifle shooting. Some absolutely love it as a hobby – it’s a great way to pass time in the evenings or at the weekend. It gets you out the house, off the computer/TV and around others who love shooting too. 

Others enjoy target shooting and improving their accuracy. 

Some people like plinking in their back garden, while others use air rifles for pest control, such as dealing with rats or squirrels. 

There are also people who take part in competitive shooting, whether at clubs or various air rifle events that take place throughout the year.

Do You Need a Licence for an Air Rifle?

Nope, in England and Wales, you don’t need a licence to own an air rifle, as long as it stays under the legal power limit of 12 ft/lb (or 6 ft/lb for pistols). 

This isn’t something you’ll have to worry about if buying from us at The AirGun Centre as we don’t sell any that are over the legal limit. 

You do however, need to be over 18 to buy one, and there are laws around how and where they can be used.

That being said, in Scotland, things are different. And you do need an air weapon certificate, even for low powered air rifles under the 12 ft/lb limit. So if you live in Scotland, you’ll need to apply for a licence before owning or using one legally.

If your air rifle goes over the 12 ft/lb limit anywhere in the UK, it’s classed as a firearm and does require a Firearms Certificate (FAC).

What Is the Difference Between an Air Rifle and a Regular Rifle?

The main difference between air rifles, like we sell, and regular rifles is in how they fire projectiles. 

Air rifles (whether it’s PCP, springers etc.) use compressed air or gas to shoot pellets.  

Whereas regular rifles use gunpowder to fire bullets. 

Because of that, air rifles are usually much quieter, less powerful and don’t have the same legal restrictions. 

They’re great for target shooting and small pests, whereas regular rifles are used for things like big game hunting or in the military.

It’s also worth mentioning that air rifles are not considered self-defence weapons. In the UK, using any kind of firearm (including air rifles) for self defence can land you in legal trouble. They’re designed for sport, hobby shooting, and pest control. Not for personal protection.