Are you in the market to purchase an air rifle? When you went to your local retailer, did you stand there wondering what caliber is right for you?
Choosing the right air rifle caliber is dependent on your purpose. If you want to target practice, .177 is the best choice. Hunting small game and pest control, choose a .22 caliber. Looking to get yourself a deer or a hog, you need to step up your game and get at least a .357.
Before you can make a choice, you have to determine how you want to use your air rifle. Do you want to become a competitive shooter or just target practice? Are you trying to rid your yard of pests or varmints? Or are you a little more serious and want to hunt big game? You will need to answer these questions before you make your final decision.
…but first, let’s find out a little more about air rifle calibers.
What calibers are available
- .177
- .20
- .22
- .25
- .30 and .303
- .357
- .45, .50 and up
That doesn’t tell you much so let’s look at each caliber a little closer to help you make your choice.
.177
Walk into any store selling air rifles and you will see more .177 caliber airguns than any other. Why is that? It has something to do with the rounds being small, lighter and cheaper to make. So the customer gets more pellets per tin.
There is another reason as well. Due to the physics of shooting a smaller pellet at high speeds. The trajectory of the pellet stays pretty flat, especially at shorter distances, making this air rifle perfect for target shooting. The killing power of a .177 air rifle is not as robust as the higher calibers. So, more people target practice with these rifles than any other caliber.
It doesn’t hurt that it is the only caliber used in shooting competitions worldwide. For these shooting competitions, the competitors have to shoot a target ranging in size from 1/4 inch to 2 inches through a hole in a steel plate. The smaller the pellet, the easier it is to hit your target. Ha, go check how small a 1/4 inch circle is and tell me if you can hit that at 25 yards.
Back to the killing power of a .177. There are two issues with using this caliber of air rifle for hunting.
First, because the pellet is so light and can reach speeds of 1100 fps and more. The pellets start to wobble when they reach the speed of sound compromising the accuracy of the shot. (Because they are waiting for the boom) So no sniping squirrels from 200 yards with these guns.
The second reason is also due to the weight of the pellet. When shooting small animals with this pellet, it is moving incredibly fast. Unless the pellet strikes a bone, it will likely pass through the body of the animal. This type of wound will cause a long, slow, and painful death.
Suggested Game Size
.20/5mm
Kind of like Hannah Montana, this caliber is supposed to have the best of both worlds. Can you tell I have daughters?
The .20 caliber came about as a compromise between the .177 and .22 calibers. In theory, it has a flat trajectory like the .177 and the punch of a .22 for hunting. So it should be a varmint killing machine.
It hasn’t gained the popularity like many thought they would. There are fewer options to purchase, and the majority are expensive because only the high-end brands are making a few models.
You will notice if you purchase one, the pellets come in packaging that has the 5mm before the .20. This labeling is a good indicator that this caliber is more popular in Europe than the United States. Must have something to do with our aversion to the metric system.
In reality, the creators of the .20 caliber were from Racine, Wisconsin. The .20 caliber struggled to gain popularity because its ammunition was proprietary and the rifles were expensive in 1947. Consumers struggled with the possibility of not being able to buy pellets in the future for such a pricey purchase.
Suggested Game Size
.22
The .22 is the choice of most small game hunters. It is still accurate. The pellets are readily available and come in numerous options. I feel like it is the All-American air rifle. Most kids I knew growing up got a .22 long rifle for Christmas or a birthday at some point. Maybe that is a mid-western thing. No matter, a .22 feels right.
Are you considering a .22 long rifle vs. a .22 airgun. This article is our gift to you.
Back to why we are here…
A .22 pellet is heavier than a .177, so it has the punch behind it to kill the target quickly and humanely. I have a Benjamin Trail with a nitro piston, and it will take down a raccoon at 60 yards. It still has a high velocity, but it is the weight of the pellet that causes the knock-down force.
I will say that is on the max end of the range. Most .22 air rifles have a maximum effective range of 45to 50 yards.
As far as accuracy goes, while the trajectory of a .22 is not as flat as a .177, it still gets the job done. On the longer shots, the .177 will be far more accurate. The weight of a .22 pellet and slightly slower velocity will cause it to drop faster toward the end.
This is why .177s are for target shooting, and .22s are for hunting. There always has to be a compromise when dealing with physics.
Suggested Game Size
.25
In theory, the .25 should be one of the most popular air rifles for hunters. It has the force behind the shot. It can help you take down larger animals. So as the adage goes, bigger is better. Hold that thought.
There is an issue. The .25 caliber rifles aren’t able to achieve the high velocities like the smaller air rifles, coupled with the extra weight of the pellet; accuracy is lacking.
You will need to be at 50 yards or less to hit your target with this size air rifle. However, because of the heavier pellet, you will be able to take down much larger animals. Coyotes become an option in this caliber. You can read more about taking down coyotes in this article: What experts say about hunting coyotes with air guns.
Once people get hooked on air rifles by plinking targets and shooting pests and varmints, they will want to up their game. This is where the .25 finds its home. Due to the higher cost, it is not really an entry-level air rifle so many people will shy away until they look to upgrade.
Suggested Game Size
.30 and .303
Things start to get serious now.
At this caliber, air rifles are considered big bore airguns. You will be able to take down animals up to 45lbs and a decent range.
When you start into the big bore air rifles one of the major problems is that the air guns begin to get heavy. These rifles are primarily used for hunting, so chances are you will be walking much more. Since the .30 and .303 are on the low end of the big bore scale they are much lighter than most.
Animals in the 45-pound range are going to be moving more and faster than larger animals. To have a successful hunt, you will need an air rifle that you can get up and sighted quickly. A .30 or .303 will give you that ability.
With an air rifle in this caliber, you will still be able to take care of pests and small game. But you will have the benefit of being able to take down the larger game if the opportunity presents itself.
Suggested Game Size
.357
At this level of air rifle, things change. The cost goes up dramatically, and your intentions change. This size air rifle is for serious hunters who want to take down deer and wild boar in the 130lb range and it can, but…
Unlike a .357 gunpowder propelled projectile that has a range into the hundreds of yards. A .357 air rifle is good to about 60 or 70 yards, but man, it packs a punch with around 240 ft lbs of energy.
I say it is for the serious hunter because you will have to stalk your prey like a wildcat. You will need to get up close and personal to get a good shot. As we all know sneaking up on a deer or a wild boar is not an easy task. To me, this is a category a bow hunter might get into. It’s for people looking for a challenge.
Depending on the hunting laws in your state you may be able to sit in a deer stand. Check out the graphic in this article for information on air rifle hunting in your state. Hopefully, an unexpecting deer walks under your stand so you can take a shot and bag a trophy.
Suggested Game Size
.45, .50 and up
These big bore air rifles can easily take down animals in the 200lb range, but as with all air rifles, you will have to sacrifice something. That is the maximum effective range.
Most of the big bore air rifles are going to be pre-charged pneumatic (PCP)s systems that will generate a ton of knock-down force. The limiting factor is the weight and surface of the pellets. They will cause a larget hole in the target and humanely kill any animal it hits. Your maximum length of shot will be around 150 yards.
Some of the manufacturers market their big bore air rifles for a range of targets, from pest control to large deer. Can you imagine what will be left of a squirrel that gets popped with a .50 cal?
The most significant advantages of big bore airguns are that in 49 of the 50 states you don’t need a license to purchase an air rifle. The other advantage is, ammo is cheap compared to gunpowder rounds. Your talking pennies versus dollars per round.
Suggested Game Size
Air Pistols
You may have noticed that we never really mentioned pistols.
Air pistols are good for target practice and shooting very small pests. Maybe plinking away at soda cans.
I think an air pistol would be an excellent marksmanship training tool. Any bad habits will be significantly magnified when using a lighter weight pistol that requires extreme accuracy to hit a target.
Even the larger caliber air pistols lack the force to take down small game. Physics and physical design limitation do not allow for the necessary conditions to exist to generate results similar to rifles.
There are a lot of high-quality air pistols available on the market. The significant advantage of carrying an air pistol is the ease of use. You can holster it up and take it with you while taking a peaceful walk through the woods.
Suggested Game Size
Final words
Before you purchase an air rifle, online or from a big box retailer, have an idea of your intentions. If you are going to target practice by yourself or with kids you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get what you need.
The range of prices and options is incredible, and you will quickly find an air rifle to fit your needs.
If you are looking for the lower caliber rifles and pistols, you can find these at many retailers, like Cabela’s or Wal-Mart. If you want something above .22 caliber, I recommend ordering online, where the selection is much better.
Want to know specifically what I think is best? I put together an article for what I think the best beginner airgun setup is.
Remember to shoot straight and be safe.