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So you want to buy a PCP air rifle, do you? But you don’t want to waste your money on something that’s no use to you?
Maybe a break-barrel or a C)2 air rifle would be better for you, have you considered that?
Well, maybe you’re right – maybe a PCP is the right thing for you. If you’re SURE that’s what you want, then read on for some of my recommendations and a bit of info on chosing the right air rifle for you.
| Model | Calibre | Power | Relative Price | Weight | Shot Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beeman QB Chief | .177, .22 | Up to 1,000 fps (.177), 800 fps (.22) | Inexpensive | 2.7 kg (6 lbs) | 50 (.177), 35 (.22) |
| Umarex Gauntlet | .177, .22, .25, .30 | Up to 1,150 fps (.177), 1,000 fps (.22), 900 fps (.25), 850 fps (.30) | Moderately expensive | 3.6 kg (8 lbs) | 70 (.177), 60 (.22), 45 (.25), 25 (.30) |
| FX Impact M3 | .177, .22, .25, .30, .35 | Up to 20 ft-lbs (.177), 30 ft-lbs (.22), 47 ft-lbs (.25), 75 ft-lbs (.30), 150 ft-lbs (.35) | Expensive | 3.2 kg (7 lbs) | 110-145 (.177), 110-145 (.22), 70-95 (.25), 45-75 (.30), 30-50 (.35) |
| Benjamin Marauder | .177, .22, .25 | Up to 1,100 fps (.177), 1,000 fps (.22), 900 fps (.25) | Moderately expensive | 3.4 kg (7.5 lbs) | 32 (.177), 16 (.22), 16 (.25) |
| Air Arms S510 XS | .177, .22 | Up to 20 ft-lbs (.177), 30 ft-lbs (.22) | Expensive | 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs) | 90-100 (.177), 80-90 (.22) |
| Webley Raider 10 | .177, .22 | Up to 12 ft-lbs (.177), 11.5 ft-lbs (.22) | Moderately inexpensive | 2.9 kg (6.4 lbs) | 60-70 |
| Hatsan AT-44 10 | .177, .22, .25, .30 | Up to 1,070 fps (.177), 970 fps (.22), 870 fps (.25), 730 fps (.30) | Moderately inexpensive | 3.6 kg (8 lbs) | 130-180 |
Beeman QB Chief
The Beeman QB Chief is a budget-friendly PCP air rifle that offers accuracy, power and reliability. It has a hardwood stock, a two-stage adjustable trigger, a 21.5 inch rifled barrel and a 136cc air cylinder that can be filled up to 2000 psi. It comes with a single-shot tray and a 10-shot rotary magazine. It can shoot up to 50 shots per fill in .177 caliber and up to 35 shots per fill in .22 caliber.
Pros
- Affordable and easy to use
- Accurate and consistent
- Good power and shot count
- Lightweight and well-balanced
Cons
- No regulator or shroud
- No iron sights or scope included
- Limited fill pressure and capacity
The Beeman QB Chief is a great choice for beginners and backyard shooters who want a simple and effective PCP air rifle that won’t break the bank. It delivers good performance and quality for its price range.
Umarex Gauntlet
The Umarex Gauntlet is a value-packed PCP air rifle that features a regulated and shrouded barrel, a synthetic stock, an adjustable comb, a single-stage trigger, an 11mm dovetail rail and a 13 cubic inch air tank that can be filled up to 3000 psi. It comes with a single-shot tray and a 10-shot rotary magazine. It can shoot up to 70 shots per fill in .177 caliber, up to 60 shots per fill in .22 caliber and up to 25 shots per fill in .25 caliber.
Pros
- Regulated and consistent
- Quiet and backyard friendly
- High power and shot count
- Adjustable and comfortable
Cons
- Heavy and bulky
- Trigger is not very crisp
- Magazine is hard to load
- Scope is not included
The Umarex Gauntlet is an excellent option for target shooters and hunters who want a versatile and reliable PCP air rifle that offers high performance and features for a low cost. It is one of the best regulated PCP air rifles on the market.
FX Impact M3
The FX Impact M3 is a premium PCP air rifle that boasts of innovation, technology and customization. It has an aluminium chassis, a dual regulator system, a smooth side lever action, an adjustable match trigger, a Picatinny rail and a 580cc carbon fiber bottle that can be filled up to 250 bar. It comes with a single-shot tray and an 18-shot rotary magazine. It can shoot up to 110 shots per fill in .177 caliber, up to 130 shots per fill in .22 caliber, up to 75 shots per fill in .25 caliber and up to 55 shots per fill in .30 caliber.
Pros
- Dual regulated and tunable
- Smooth and fast action
- Accurate and powerful
- Customizable and modular
Cons
- Expensive and complex
- Heavy and long
- Requires maintenance and care
- Scope is not included
The FX Impact M3 is a dream come true for enthusiasts and professionals who want a state-of-the-art PCP air rifle that can do it all. It is one of the most advanced and adaptable PCP air rifles ever made.
Benjamin Marauder
The Benjamin Marauder is a popular PCP air rifle that combines quality, performance and affordability. It has a hardwood stock, a choked and shrouded barrel, a two-stage adjustable trigger, an 11mm dovetail rail and a 215cc air reservoir that can be filled up to 3000 psi. It comes with a single-shot tray and an 8-shot rotary magazine. It can shoot up to 32 shots per fill in .177 caliber, up to 30 shots per fill in .22 caliber and up to 16 shots per fill in .25 caliber.
Pros
- Quiet and stealthy
- Accurate and precise
- Adjustable and user-friendly
- Durable and well-made
Cons
- No regulator or power adjuster
- Heavy trigger pull out of the box
- Limited shot count in higher calibers
- Scope is not included
The Benjamin Marauder is a solid choice for shooters who want a proven and dependable PCP air rifle that offers great accuracy and quietness. It is one of the best-selling PCP air rifles in the world.
Air Arms S510 XS
The Air Arms S510 XS is a refined PCP air rifle that delivers elegance, accuracy and power. It has a walnut stock, a fully shrouded barrel, a two-stage adjustable trigger, an accessory rail and a 288cc air cylinder that can be filled up to 250 bar. It comes with a single-shot tray and a 10-shot rotary magazine. It can shoot up to 90 shots per fill in .177 caliber, up to 80 shots per fill in .22 caliber and up to 40 shots per fill in .25 caliber.
Pros
- Beautiful and ergonomic
- Accurate and consistent
- Powerful and regulated
- Smooth and easy to operate
Cons
- Expensive and exclusive
- No iron sights or scope included
- Magazine is a bit fiddly
- Fill probe is proprietary
The Air Arms S510 XS is a superb option for shooters who want a classy and elegant PCP air rifle that offers outstanding accuracy and power. It is one of the finest PCP air rifles in the world.
BSA Ultra SE
This is a mean-looking bullpup style gun (a bullpup is a style that puts the trigger in front of the action). It has a synthetic stock, and that bullpup look makes it seem like it is the business.
It does come in different liveries, including natural wood and dark green.
It has a rotary magazine with ten shot capacity and is a total of 32″ in length – part of the design allows for improved manoeuvrability.
Being small, it might suit smaller or, indeed, younger shooters. It lacks the customisation of some guns, and the ambidextrous stock doesn’t suit everyone (ironically), but this is still a great gun.
Pros:
- Affordable and easy to use
- Accurate and consistent
- Good power and shot count
- Lightweight and well-balanced
Cons:
- No regulator or shroud
- No iron sights or scope included
- Limited fill pressure and capacity
The BSA Ultra SE is a budget-friendly PCP air rifle that offers accuracy, power and reliability. It has a hardwood stock, a two-stage adjustable trigger, a 11mm dovetail rail and a 180cc air cylinder that can be filled up to 200 bar. It comes with a single-shot tray and a 10-shot rotary magazine. It can shoot up to 80 shots per fill in .177 caliber and .22 caliber.
Webley Raider 10
This is a pretty gun. A natural wood stock, QGS moderator, a whopping 42.5″ long. It’s great. But how does it handle?
Webley, formerly Webley & Scott, are a British company although their guns are now manufactured abroad. They know how to make ’em – this gun doesn’t feel unwieldy despite the length, and it is well balanced for comfortable shooting.
It recharges easily with a push probe valve, to about 190 Bar, which should give you in the region of 60-75 shots depending on the calibre you’re shooting. Although the magazine only takes ten pellets, it does come with a spare, so you don’t need to reload every tenth shot.
It’s phenomenally accurate at 25 yards and retains a tight grouping up to 35 yards, so hunting at any reasonable range will be a breeze.
At this price, you really can’t go wrong in my opinion.
Pros:
- One of the most silent air guns
- Nice weight and good power
- Comes with an extra magazine in the box
- Walthar barrelled
Cons:
- Issue with the magazine
- Stock scratches very easily
- Filling probe bit poor
- No iron sights or scope included
The Webley Raider 10 is a great pre-charged pneumatic air rifle from Webley in Turkey. The Raider 10 features an easy-to-remove, quick-fill air cylinder and an in-built pressure gauge, so you always know how much air is in the cylinder.
The steel barrel is precision rifled and screw cut with a ½ inch UNF thread for easy fitment of a silencer. This model features a thumb-hole synthetic stock, which is very comfortable to hold and finely balanced. The Webley Raider 10 rifle has an anti-knock feature, which helps prevent gas loss when it’s bounced or knocked.
The two-stage adjustable trigger can be finely tuned for a crisp let off, and the side handle cocking lever is smooth through cocking and reloading. The auto safety makes this a very safe rifle. The 10-shot magazine helps with fast and easy reloading, and is simple and easy to use.
There are other great features, too, like the detachable air cylinder and grooved breach for 11mm and 22mm scope mounts. And the anti-double-load feature, which is incorporated into the rifle, prevents pellets from getting jammed in the barrel. The breech is grooved for both 11mm and 22mm scope mounts for great flexibility.
Hatsan AT-44 10
Loud – that’s a good way of describing this airgun. It really is loud. Out of the box, it doesn’t come with a suppressor, but thankfully the Hatsan AT-44 does have a threaded end to the muzzle so you can fit one. Good luck hunting bunnies without! Seriously.
Other than that, this is a great air rifle. It shoots nice tight groupings at 30 yards; I’m talking less than an inch.
Hatsan is a Turkish brand, known for their power. They’re known for shotguns and springers, so this PCP is a bit of a triumph for them I guess. Interestingly, the gauge is right at the business end, at the front of the air cylinder, which makes it feel like a man’s job to check how much you’ve got left. The nice thing is that it’s removable, so you can take a spare.
Pros:
- Regulated and tunable
- Smooth and fast action
- Accurate and powerful
- Customizable and modular
Cons:
- Expensive and complex
- Heavy and long
- Requires maintenance and care
- Scope is not included
The Hatsan AT-44 is a premium PCP air rifle that boasts of innovation, technology and customization. It has an aluminium chassis, a dual regulator system, a smooth side lever action, an adjustable match trigger, a Picatinny rail and a 180cc air cylinder that can be filled up to 250 bar.
It comes with a single-shot tray and a 10-shot rotary magazine. It can shoot up to 110 shots per fill in .177 caliber, up to 130 shots per fill in .22 caliber, up to 75 shots per fill in .25 caliber and up to 55 shots per fill in .30 caliber.
What is a PCP air rifle?
PCP stands for pre-charged pneumatic. This simply means that the air rifle is pre-charged with compressed gas and that gas is let off in discrete amounts to propel the pellets out.
The basic principle is the same as any other air rifle. A springer, for instance, uses the kinetic energy of you cocking the gun by pulling the lever or pumping the slide or folding the barrel, to squeeze a piston back along a sealed chamber, thereby compressing the gas in that chamber. This is just like when you take a bicycle pump and pump it with your finger on the outlet.
A PCP, however, derives its energy from an external source, such as a SCBA cylinder full of compressed air. These may need to be refilled at your local gun shop, or you may have your own compressor to recharge spent cylinders.
Is a PCP better than a springer?
The obvious downside of a PCP air rifle is that it isn’t self-contained. You need a method of filling it and not only that – you also need a method of refilling the method of refilling it! I.e. you need a compressed air cylinder and a source of compressed air such as a gun shop or a compressor.
Compare that to a gas-piston air rifle: you may get your new Crosman Nitro Venom or whatever, bring it home, and as soon as you take it out of the box you can cock it, load it and fire it. No need to charge it up. No need for any accessories. Just plug-and-play.
On the other hand, consider this – you’re out in the field, stalking some bunnies. They’re 40 yards away; you think you can make the shot. Pew! Dang, a miss. Can you take another shot? The bunnies didn’t even notice the first one – will they notice you re-cocking your break barrel? Because they almost certainly won’t notice you if you had a PCP. You’ll just take that second shot with no fuss whatsoever.
You get the picture.
There are pros, and there are cons to each style of airgun.
A springer never runs out of energy, whereas you only have a limited number of shots on a charge with a PCP.
A PCP has less recoil than a springer.
Springers are more affordable than a PCP.
So, what is the answer?
The answer is: yes, no and maybe. They each have different applications, but all else being equal than either than perform fantastically either at the range, in the field, or for pest control.
Personally, I like to have a springer on hand and use a PCP most of the time.
[why not both meme]
What about CO2?
Ah, yes, of course. CO2 – not my favourite, to be honest. I am probably jaded because my first CO2 air rifle was bought at a flea market for pennies. It had broken seals everywhere and didn’t work well – I would get about ten shots from an 88g CO2 cartridge if I was lucky. If I was unlucky, I’d freeze my fingers.
In terms of initial cost, CO2 beats PCP hands down. A CO2 air rifle will almost always cost less than a PCP, not to mention that you don’t need any charging gear, nor a cylinder, and you can get CO2 cartridges by mail-order. They are quite expensive, at about $7 per 88g cartridge, so it works out at about 3-4c per shot if you can get 200 shots per cartridge (which most guns can achieve).
The downside is that the pressure of the compressed CO2 varies with temperature, although my basic physics tells me otherwise.
If it is pressurised at 68F, then the absolute temperature needs to drop by 50% for the pressure to drop to 50%.
That means, I think that it needs to hit -194F for the pressure to half. Hey, maybe I’m wrong! But that suggests that if it goes to -40F and you’re outside, shooting your CO2 powered gun, you’re a lunatic.
Sorry, that was a bit of a diversion from the main topic.
Another drawback to CO2 guns is that they generally have a lower power than PCP or even springers, so they aren’t ideal for hunting. I would definitely opt for PCP for hunting over CO2.
Should I get a PCP air rifle?
If you want a high-performing air rifle, then a PCP is a good choice. They offer high accuracy, high reliability and high power that you don’t always get from a springer or a CO2 airgun. The downside is the higher cost, and the ancillary equipment needed to keep charging up the air. You can, of course, opt to use a hand pump or stirrup pump for some models, but it’s a bit of a workout!
Really, it’s up to you – a good quality springer will deliver almost as much punch and is cheaper to get started with, but there are pros and cons to either style. Choose wisely! Otherwise, you’ll have to buy another (if you’re anything like me, you’ll buy several more)
Thanks for reading
Jos