Guide to buying your "first" Airgun
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Vector Air

    • Jul 1, 2022
    • 32 min read

Guide to buying your "first" Airgun

Here is our non-exhaustive guide to buying your first airgun. This is also a great guide for those getting back into shooting from a hiatus or for those who are looking to move to airguns from the more expensive target sports like shotguns.


In this blog, we will be separating into multiple sections where you will be able to jump to different sections based on your requirements and choices. Each section will contain a small bit of text to highlight why it is important to choose correctly and be realistic with your choice.


Calibre

A bit of background is to establish your calibre requirement. One of the largest questions we see is "what calibre shall I choose". This question is not without its issues, as quite often the average new shooter has only ever used .22 air guns. However, .177 is now the most popular calibre. This does not mean that .22 is outdated, it just has a different set of features. Below is the grid of strengths and weaknesses of both calibres that should help you define your choice. However, a rough guide is:


Pest Control at less than 30m: .22

Target Shooting at less than 40m: .177

Hybrid Shooting: .177 with heavier/hunting pellets

.177


Strengths

  • Travels faster and flatter - This means .177 is geared towards target shooting as there is less of an arc and the pellet travels further overall.

  • Cheaper per pellet.

  • Commonly more shots in a multi-shot magazine as more can fit in.

Weaknesses

  • Not as efficient at dispatching quarry, head-shots are needed in most cases for a clean shot.

  • A lower weight results in a higher wind influence meaning long-range shooting (~50m) needs more skill to shoot.

  • Smaller pellets mean they can be fiddly to load for those with dexterity issues.

  • Lower shot count compared to .22 pellets as more air is required to achieve the same power of a .22 pellet.

.22


Strengths

  • A larger projectile means energy can transfer more efficiently to the target, this means .22 is better designed for pest control where headshots are harder.

  • A larger pellet is easier to handle for those with dexterity issues.

  • A heavier pellet is more resistant to wind influence meaning long rage shots (~40m) are easier to make.

Weaknesses

  • The larger and heavier munition is subject to air resistance meaning the pellet moves slower and has a greater arc leading to shorter-range shots.

  • Pellet Arc normally means high magnification scopes are inefficient as pellet drops out of range.

  • Expensive per pellet.

  • Fewer pellets per mag due to larger size.

As you go through this guide you will be asked to select .177 or .22 so have in your head which one you are going for as you progress through this guide


The Great Decider - Budget

Now many moons ago, it was considered rude to ask how much someone earns. This was based on a bit of a sly movement from employers during the industrial revolution to try to ensure workers did not revolt about wages. Today we live in a world that still hangs on the coat tails of this archaic notion, however without addressing this rather large elephant in the room, it is hard to give a correct recommendation.


So there are 8 main selections to adhere to here that outline a buying decision. We will assume that a small sum of money is less than £500, a large sum of money is less than £1000 and a very large sum of money is less than £2000. Please do not take offence to these statements as if you cannot afford to run it, all we are doing is inadvertently becoming the bad retailer because we have gotten you into a position you are not comfortable with.


<£500 with no expendable income per month - I have a small sum of money now, I don't have an expendable income


<£500 with an expendable income of ~£50p/m - I have a small sum of money now, with a small expendable income income


<£1000 with no expendable income per month - I have a large sum of money now, I don't have an expendable income


<£1000 with an expendable income of ~£50p/m - I have a large sum of money with a small expendable income


<£1000 with an expendable income of ~£100p/m - I have a large sum of money with a good expendable income


<£2000 with no expendable income per month - I have a very large sum of money now, I don't have an expendable income


<£2000 with an expendable income of ~£50p/m - I have a very large sum of money with a small expendable income


<£2000 with an expendable income of ~£100p/m - I have a very large sum of money with a good expendable income



 



Small initial with no running cost

You have selected the following option:

<£500 with no expendable income per month - I have a small sum of money now, I don't have an expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.


Spring Rifle

Many would suggest using a Co2 gun to get the extra usability however the cost of Co2 can be quite a high overhead if expendable income is an issue.


Based on your selection you will be best suited to opt for a spring rifle, these are very similar to the ones you may have used as a child. These can come in many forms from spring or gas ram technology as well as being single-shot or multi-shot guns.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time spring rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


 

Small initial with low running cost

You have selected the following option:

<£500 with expendable income of ~£50p/m - I have a small sum of money now, with small expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.


Based on your selection you have the ability to select one of 3 options, they each have their pros and cons that may well help inform your decision. We will list them below in order of ascending running costs this means the first option would be ideal for those who may be shooing very often whilst the last one is more aimed at those who are looking for something to use sparingly:





Spring Gun

Spring rifles are the most cost-effective way of starting shooting. they do not require any overheads to run besides that of the pellets. They normally are limited to single-shot guns, however, some do feature self-indexing magazines allowing for more rapid shooting than traditional springers. Click here to see the Spring Gun Buying Guide


Budget PCP

A budget PCP has been very prevalent in the trade recently. Upon their first release to mass-market, PCPs quite often were over £800! This of course priced them out of usability for those looking for a budget gun. However we have now seen many manufacturers develop affordable PCP rifles, some that which even be less than £300! Now with the price of the gun and scope, you will not have a great deal remaining for filling equipment, so in this price guide we will assume you will be looking to use a PCP pump, this is a manual device that fills your gun directly. Filling takes 1.5 pumps per shot (on average) and can be quite tiring. It is recommended to use a pump for topping up rather than filling from empty. If the idea of a pump sounds too exhausting, you may be able to find a second-hand air tank on eBay. Just ensure it is in test (no more than 5 years from the date on the cylinder) and that it has a suitable valve for airguns with a bleed valve.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time PCP rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product.


PCP Pump

A PCP pump is a high-pressure but low CFM air pump. They quite often appear as Stirrup pumps that require 1.5 pumps per shot, so a 60-shot gun requires 90 pumps from empty to fill. There are many selections of pumps available but we recommend 3-stage pumps as these don't require as much work. It is also safe to say that most airguns will require a QD adapter for your fill probe when filling with a PCP Pump instead of a tank so always secure a Foster Fitting Quick Detach Coupling just to be safe.

And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



Co2 Rifle

Co2 in principal is the easiest rifle choice, the guns tend to be able to be replicas due to the ability to hide Co2 in the weapon, they also are quite affordable thanks to the lower running pressure than PCP. The issue many face with Co2 is the running cost, that is not to say it's a lot but it can be if you get trigger happy. Shooting every day can result in high Co2 purchasing costs, especially on 88g Co2 models.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time CO2 rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

It is worth noting that most Co2 guns are 177 as 22 can be too heavy for co2 guns to throw at any meaningful speed unless purposely designed by the manufacturer for the UK market.


Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Co2 (+ Adapter)

Co2 is the Gas used in these Co2 Rifles. It is relatively cheap and very abundant. In airguns, it is often found in the guise of 12g capsules with the slightly more expensive 88g capsules. In 20°C weather at sea level, you would expect to get somewhere in the region of 30 shots per 12g cylinder. 88g tends to be in the 100 shots. This works out at 0.02p per shot with 12g and 0.06p per shot on 88g cylinders. As you can see over a long period, switching to 12g co2 is a lot cheaper. On 88g rifles, you can use adapters to convert them to run on 12g capsules, we would recommend this however some research may be required to find the correct adapter as not all adapters work in all guns.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



 

Good initial with no running cost

You have selected the following option:


<£1000 with no expendable income per month - I have a large sum of money now, I don't have an expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.


Based on your selection you have the ability to select one of the options, they each have their pros and cons that may well help inform your decision.




Spring Rifle

Based on your selection you will be best suited to opt for a higher-end spring rifle, these are very similar to the ones you may have used as a child but made to a high standard. These can come in many forms from spring or gas ram technology as well as being single-shot or multi-shot guns.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time spring rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



Mid-Range PCP

Mid-Range PCPs are every gun shop's bread and butter, they are plentiful and quite often appear in very appealing packages. We would always recommend looking at gun packages in this price range In this sort of range you would be expecting to require a silencer if it is not already included in the package.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time PCP rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product



Compressor

If you are looking for no overheads we highly suggest investing in a compressor, this way you do not have to worry about paying for tank fills or the 5-year tests that are required by law. You just connect your gun, fill and then go.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.



 



Good initial with low running cost

You have selected the following option:


<£1000 with expendable income of ~£50p/m - I have a large sum of money with small expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.

Based on your selection you have the ability to select one of 3 options, they each have their pros and cons that may well help inform your decision.





Spring Rifle

Based on your selection you will be best suited to opt for a higher-end spring rifle, these are very similar to the ones you may have used as a child but made to a high standard. These can come in many forms from spring or gas ram technology as well as being single-shot or multi-shot guns.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time spring rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below


Mid-Range PCP

Mid-Range PCPs are every gun shop's bread and butter, they are plentiful and quite often appear in very appealing packages. We would always recommend looking at gun packages in this price range In this sort of range you would be expecting to require a silencer if it is not already included in the package.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Compressor

If you are looking for no overheads we highly suggest investing in a compressor, this way you do not have to worry about paying for tank fills or the 5-year tests that are required by law. You just connect your gun, fill and then go.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below


Mid/High Range PCP

Mid to High Range PCPs are where things get interesting, as a sole rifle in this price range you are likely to be finding regulated guns meaning that they tend to have a high shot count. You may also now be entering into the realm of named barrel manufacturers like BSA, Weirauch, and even Walther Lothar.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Air Tank

If you are looking for no overheads we highly suggest investing in a compressor, this way you do not have to worry about paying for tank fills or the 5-year tests that are required by law. You just connect your gun, fill and then go.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.



 



Good initial with moderate running expense

You have selected the following option:


<£1000 with expendable income of ~£100p/m - I have a large sum of money with good expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.

Based on your selection you have the ability to select one of 3 options, they each have their pros and cons that may well help inform your decision.


Option 1: High-End Spring Gun





Spring Rifle

Based on your selection you will be best suited to opt for a higher-end spring rifle, these are very similar to the ones you may have used as a child but made to a high standard. These can come in many forms from spring or gas ram technology as well as being single-shot or multi-shot guns.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time spring rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



Mid-Range PCP

Mid-Range PCPs are every gun shop's bread and butter, they are plentiful and quite often appear in very appealing packages. We would always recommend looking at gun packages in this price range In this sort of range you would be expecting to require a silencer if it is not already included in the package.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Compressor

If you are looking for no overheads we highly suggest investing in a compressor, this way you do not have to worry about paying for tank fills or the 5-year tests that are required by law. You just connect your gun, fill and then go.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



Mid/High Range PCP

Mid to High Range PCPs are where things get interesting, as a sole rifle in this price range you are likely to be finding regulated guns meaning that they tend to have a high shot count. You may also now be entering into the realm of named barrel manufacturers like BSA, Weirauch, and even Walther Lothar.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Air Tank

The most budget friendly option for filling your airgun is to use an air tank. If you are unable to purchase a compressor, a tank is defiantly a great option. Fill numbers vary gun to gun but a good rule of thumb is 250 shots per litre of tank.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



Co2 Rifle

Co2 in principal is the easiest rifle choice, the guns tend to be able to be replicas due to the ability to hide Co2 in the weapon, they also are quite affordable thanks to the lower running pressure than PCP. The issue many face with Co2 is the running cost, that is not to say it's a lot but it can be if you get trigger happy. Shooting every day can result in high Co2 purchasing costs, especially on 88g Co2 models.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time CO2 rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


It is worth noting that most Co2 guns are 177 as 22 can be too heavy for co2 guns to throw at any meaningful speed unless purposely designed by the manufacturer for the UK market.


Co2 (+ Adapter)

Co2 is the Gas used in these Co2 Rifles. It is relatively cheap and very abundant. In airguns, it is often found in the guise of 12g capsules with the slightly more expensive 88g capsules. In 20°C weather at sea level, you would expect to get somewhere in the region of 30 shots per 12g cylinder. 88g tends to be in the 100 shots. This works out at 0.02p per shot with 12g and 0.06p per shot on 88g cylinders. As you can see over a long period, switching to 12g co2 is a lot cheaper. On 88g rifles, you can use adapters to convert them to run on 12g capsules, we would recommend this however some research may be required to find the correct adapter as not all adapters work in all guns.



So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.





 



High initial with no running cost

You have selected the following option:


<£2000 with no expendable income per month - I have a very large sum of money with no expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.


Based on your selection you have the ability to select one of the options, they each have their pros and cons that may well help inform your decision.


Option 1: High-End Spring Gun



Spring Rifle

Based on your selection you will be best suited to opt for a higher-end spring rifle, these are very similar to the ones you may have used as a child but made to a high standard. These can come in many forms from spring or gas ram technology as well as being single-shot or multi-shot guns.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time spring rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



High-Range PCP

Mid-Range PCPs are every gun shop's bread and butter, they are plentiful and quite often appear in very appealing packages. We would always recommend looking at gun packages in this price range In this sort of range you would be expecting to require a silencer if it is not already included in the package.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time PCP rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product



Compressor

If you are looking for no overheads we highly suggest investing in a compressor, this way you do not have to worry about paying for tank fills or the 5-year tests that are required by law. You just connect your gun, fill and then go.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.




 



High initial with low running cost

You have selected the following option:


<£2000 with expendable income of ~£50p/m - I have a large sum of money with small expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.


Based on your selection you have the ability to select one of 3 options, they each have their pros and cons that may well help inform your decision.





Spring Rifle

Based on your selection you will be best suited to opt for a higher-end spring rifle, these are very similar to the ones you may have used as a child but made to a high standard. These can come in many forms from spring or gas ram technology as well as being single-shot or multi-shot guns.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time spring rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below


High-Range PCP

Mid-Range PCPs are every gun shop's bread and butter, they are plentiful and quite often appear in very appealing packages. We would always recommend looking at gun packages in this price range In this sort of range you would be expecting to require a silencer if it is not already included in the package.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Compressor

If you are looking for no overheads we highly suggest investing in a compressor, this way you do not have to worry about paying for tank fills or the 5-year tests that are required by law. You just connect your gun, fill and then go.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below


Professional Range PCP

Mid to High Range PCPs are where things get interesting, as a sole rifle in this price range you are likely to be finding regulated guns meaning that they tend to have a high shot count. You may also now be entering into the realm of named barrel manufacturers like BSA, Weirauch, and even Walther Lothar.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Air Tank

The most budget friendly option for filling your airgun is to use an air tank. If you are unable to purchase a compressor, a tank is defiantly a great option. Fill numbers vary gun to gun but a good rule of thumb is 250 shots per litre of tank.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.



 



High initial with moderate running expense

You have selected the following option:


<£2000 with expendable income of ~£100p/m - I have a large sum of money with good expendable income

If this is incorrect click here to head back to the previous choice


Below will be a set of buttons that you can select your choice with, they will open a new tab with the recommended products. Once you have selected the one you are after come back here to follow on to the next section.

Based on your selection you have the ability to select one of 3 options, they each have their pros and cons that may well help inform your decision.






Spring Rifle

Based on your selection you will be best suited to opt for a higher-end spring rifle, these are very similar to the ones you may have used as a child but made to a high standard. These can come in many forms from spring or gas ram technology as well as being single-shot or multi-shot guns.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time spring rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below


High-Range PCP

Mid-Range PCPs are every gun shop's bread and butter, they are plentiful and quite often appear in very appealing packages. We would always recommend looking at gun packages in this price range In this sort of range you would be expecting to require a silencer if it is not already included in the package.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Compressor

If you are looking for no overheads we highly suggest investing in a compressor, this way you do not have to worry about paying for tank fills or the 5-year tests that are required by law. You just connect your gun, fill and then go.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below


Professional Range PCP

Mid to High Range PCPs are where things get interesting, as a sole rifle in this price range you are likely to be finding regulated guns meaning that they tend to have a high shot count. You may also now be entering into the realm of named barrel manufacturers like BSA, Weirauch, and even Walther Lothar.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for this option is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


Air Tank

The most budget friendly option for filling your airgun is to use an air tank. If you are unable to purchase a compressor, a tank is defiantly a great option. Fill numbers vary gun to gun but a good rule of thumb is 250 shots per litre of tank.


And before you ask no; shop compressors like those you can buy from machine mart are designed for a high CFM, this is the amount of air they can move to run power tools. As a result, their pressure is normally lower. The big shop compressors are capable of 150 psi MAX.

That isn't enough to even open the one-way valve in an airgun. High-pressure compressors are the opposite of a shop compressor, they move very little amounts of air but at a lot higher pressure as they are required to fill an airgun, they are capable of running up to 4350 PSI, nearly 30 times the pressure a shop compressor can reach.


So you hopefully have now selected your rifle now it's time to go to the Next Step.


If you haven't decided yet, read on to your next option below



Co2 Rifle

Co2 in principal is the easiest rifle choice, the guns tend to be able to be replicas due to the ability to hide Co2 in the weapon, they also are quite affordable thanks to the lower running pressure than PCP. The issue many face with Co2 is the running cost, that is not to say it's a lot but it can be if you get trigger happy. Shooting every day can result in high Co2 purchasing costs, especially on 88g Co2 models.


The absolute minimum we would suggest for a first-time CO2 rifle purchaser is to opt for purchasing:

The above sections are linked below, we recommend scrolling down and reading all of below for a proper guide.


The Rifle

Select your calibre choice using the buttons below. Please note that stock of calibres may not be accurate until clicking into the product


It is worth noting that most Co2 guns are 177 as 22 can be too heavy for co2 guns to throw at any meaningful speed unless purposely designed by the manufacturer for the UK market.


Co2 (+ Adapter)

Co2 is the Gas used in these Co2 Rifles. It is relatively cheap and very abundant. In airguns, it is often found in the guise of 12g capsules with the slightly more expensive 88g capsules. In 20°C weather at sea level, you would expect to get somewhere in the region of 30 shots per 12g cylinder. 88g tends to be in the 100 shots. This works out at 0.02p per shot with 12g and 0.06p per shot on 88g cylinders. As you can see over a long period, switching to 12g co2 is a lot cheaper. On 88g rifles, you can use ada

 

Extras you will need


Scope

Once you have decided on your calibre choice, the next option is to decide on your scope choice. For Spring guns we would always advise using an etched reticule as wire reticules can detach when subject to recoil.


Scopes differ by a few key factors, the chief one is the focal plane type. This is the FFP (first focal plane) or the SFP (second focal plane). This is purely based on how the scope behaves when zooming in. On an FFP scope, the reticule changes size as you zoom, this means that your holdover marks (the lines in a scope) stay relative to your target. This essentially means that at both a low mag and a high mag the same lines are used to find your target; for example, if you know that your scope is zeroed at 25m but to hit a 50m target you have to move to 1 line down, with a first focal plane this is the same line regardless of zoom. With a second focal plane, you have to learn how many lines down your ranges correspond to. With this, first focal plane scopes tend to be used for hunting when the first shot has to be correct. second focal planes are used more for target shooting, where you know the exact distance and can compensate.


The second factor of the scopes is their optic specification. This is the magnification level and light transmission, these are the result of both the optical quality, diameter of the scope tube, length of the scope and the size of the end lens. Essentially to have a higher quality scope you want a higher number end lens the "44" in the 4-16x44 as well as a larger tube the "diameter" the standard is the 30mm for scopes (the 1" is the old standard) these 2 factors contribute to the "light transmission" rate, this number changes based on many factors, hence why it is never really stated on scopes.


Your scope power is the numbers before the X so the "4-16" in the 4-16x44. This is the number of "times power" of the scope. If you imagine your eyes see at 1X power, this number amplifies your eyesight by the factor displayed. Therefore if you are shooting small targets far away, you would want a higher second number so you can clearly see the target. However, a higher magnification can mean target acquisition is harder as the scope is more sensitive to movement. Imagine trying to thread a needle with longer arms, you are naturally less steady. It is also worth mentioning that buying a high magnification scope when your rifle is not able to reach that far is a recipe for disaster as you will not be able to adjust your scope enough to cope with the drop-off without opting for adjustable mounts or shimming


Finally, you may have seen the GT or IR variant of the scopes, all this means is that the reticule of the scope is illuminated (a red dot in the middle or fully illuminated crosshairs) this helps with the target question in a lower light situation, essentially speeding up how fast you move from rest to ready to shoot. If you only shoot during the day, this may not be a necessary option for you, however, it is nice to have.


So a good rule of thumb is:

  • Pest/hunting: FFP scope

  • Target: SFP scope is fine

  • Hybrid: FFP is better, but an SFP will do


Ammunition

Ammo is always a bit of a hard choice, quite often you will be recommended pellets for your rifle, however, this can sometimes cause more harm than good as the recommendation may not actually like the barrel of the gun. However it is recommended to lead your barrel in, this is the process in which the barrel must go through to become fully functioning. It differs from barrel to barrel but we recommend at least 1000 shots in which you can zero your scope and learn your gun through this time.


As with fingerprints every barrel is different, you can have 2 exact same guns next to each other and they will prefer different pellets. So once your gun has leaded in, you should secure yourself a pellet sample pack and test each pellet with a different target at your zero distance (normally 25m) this will give you a broader spectrum of what pellets you can rule out and what your gun favours.


Targets

When zeroing your scope we recommend a nice large target in which you can allow wide shots to be more visible. This quite often can be a piece of cardboard. but a suitable backstop is required. These guns quite easily can go through fence panels so we would suggest a solid backstop like metal or concrete to adhere to the law. If this is something you don't have we would recommend the use of a pellet catcher and paper target holder, just make sure you buy the same size targets as the catcher holds.


Carrying Equipment

The law states that any weapon carried in public for any reason must be covered by some form of gun bag or case. This is not a plastic bag or cardboard box. Therefore we always recommend at least a gun bag of some sort. Not only do you comply with the law, but you are also going to improve the life of your gun. Always check your gun length and width to see if it will fit in your bag. If you are unsure when purchasing, ask your RFD to see if they would recommend anything for the set-up you choose. We would always recommend spending as much as you can on a bag or case as this is the thing that protects your gun.





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