All you need to know about Air Rifles

1) Spring rifles (break barrel, underlever, sidelever)

• How it works: a spring drives a piston. Break barrel rifles are cocked by “breaking” the barrel; under- or sidelevers keep the barrel fixed (often more accurate).
• Recoil: noticeable from the spring/piston — consistent shooting position is crucial for accuracy.
• Gas piston: less vibration, less prone to fatigue than a steel spring; still technique-sensitive.
• For whom? Recreational to sport use. Powerful break barrels are fun for plinking but harder for true precision shooting.

2) CO₂ and pump rifles

CO₂: simple, affordable (no pump/tank needed). Keep in mind temperature and cooling during rapid fire: pressure drops, point of impact lowers. Match-grade CO₂ rifles may have a regulator for stable pressure.

Pump rifles: fixed barrel, you set the power by the number of pumps (single shot). Low recoil, little new development, but still well-loved.

3) PCP (Pre-Charged Pneumatic)

• How it works: a valve releases a burst of compressed air (200–300 bar); virtually recoil-free and quiet.
• Filling: with hand pump or air tank (watch for inspections/safety).
• Regulator: keeps pressure consistent per shot → more stable point of impact.
• Magazine: often 8–10 shots; 50–80 shots per fill is typical (depends on model/settings).

Power (Joule) = pellet energy (mass) at a given velocity. Muzzle velocities are often measured with a specific pellet weight; change the weight and both speed and Joule change.

• Ranges (indicative): spring rifles ~15–24 J, PCP often ~35–45 J. Extreme PCPs can exceed 300 J (large calibers).
• Sound: a crack can occur near the sound barrier; silencers on PCPs work well since the mechanism itself is quiet.

Basics

• Safety catch: always on “safe” when cocking/loading; fire only when ready and the range is clear.
• Pellets: insert carefully (lead deforms). Break barrel → directly in chamber; under-/sidelever → via loading port; PCP/CO₂ often use a magazine.

Pellets & environment

Always use a pellet trap (14×14 cm steel is common). Prevent ricochets; soft backstop (e.g. sand) helps. Lead is toxic — wash hands after shooting and clean up properly.

Trajectory (short)

After leaving the barrel: air resistance slows it down, gravity pulls it down. Expect drop at longer distances. Calibrate your scope per distance and pellet type.

Zeroing in 6 steps (example at 10 m)

1. Set up a stable position (table + sandbag/rest), target ~1×1 m with an A4/A3 sheet and a clear line (vertical or horizontal).
2. Zoom in, focus (AO/objective), ensure relaxed sight picture.
3. Fire a 3-shot group; determine average offset from your line.
4. Remove turret caps; adjust windage (L/R) or elevation (U/D). Calculate clicks per mm/10 m (example: ~3 mm/click/10 m).
5. Repeat group + adjust until centered on the line.
6. Repeat for the other axis. Reset turret scales to “0.”

Parallax (briefly)

• If the reticle shifts relative to the target when moving your eye → parallax.
• Fix: adjust eyepiece/AO correctly and look straight through the tube (dark edges = off-center).

Key terms

• Point of aim vs. point of impact: where you aim vs. where the pellet lands.
• Kill zone: tolerance around point of aim (e.g. ±5 mm).
• Point Blank: range where you hit within kill zone without adjustment.
• OZR (Optimum Zero Range): best zeroing distance to maximize point blank.

What influences point blank?

• Scope height: lower mounts = more favorable point blank.
• Velocity & pellet design/weight: faster & more aerodynamic = longer point blank.

How to determine practically

1. Zero at a logical distance (e.g. 15–30 m, depending on setup/use).
2. Measure impact vs. aim at multiple ranges (5–40 m) with 3-shot groups.
3. Chart differences in a graph or list to derive corrections (mildots/mm).

• Purpose: quick reference for close-range adjustments and spotting parallax.
• Mounting: ideally low and angled at 45° beside the barrel, so it doesn’t block the scope.
• Zeroing: set for a short reference distance; use laser only as a quick check — aiming is done with your reticle.

• Beginner & precision: PCP with simple scope, sandbag rest, pellet trap.
• Plinking & budget: spring rifle (gas piston is more comfortable), expect practice for consistency.
• All-round home use: CO₂ is fine — just account for temperature and rate of fire (pressure drop).

Not sure? Contact our customer service — we’ll help with setup, pellets, and optics.