How to choose an air rifle? Airguns. Characteristics, photo

Nowadays, in the windows and catalogs of specialized weapon stores, pneumatic weapons from different countries and companies are represented. It has a different purpose: for exercises and amateur recreational shooting, airsoft, as well as for underwater and traditional hunting. Many people, first encountered with this type and assortment of weapons, often do not know how to choose an air rifle. Which is understandable, because hunting or fishing are not one-day, one-time hobbies, it's more a way of life. Therefore, the choice of equipment for this hobby should be treated seriously and competently, so that in a hurry the acquired expensive thing does not dust anywhere in the far corner.

Who needs it?

All arms lovers are conventionally divided into two categories: those who already have it, and those who are only going to acquire it. For the second group, the question "how to choose an air rifle" is very relevant. The newcomer may object: "What's the difference? I'll go to the hunting store and get the first gun I liked. " However, not all so simple. It should be understood that any weapon is an extension of its owner. There must be harmony between them. For example, you can take any rifle with good fighting characteristics. To one person it perfectly fits: the butt densely lies on the shoulder, the length of the arms corresponds to the length of the hands of the owner, and the weight will turn out to be ideal. But the other will be all at random: the bed is not like that, and the overall dimensions are uncomfortable, and ... yes, you never know what else. As a result, despite the good characteristics of the rifle, the owner will not be able to receive satisfaction from its use. Therefore, when choosing pneumatic weapons (as well as any other), one should not only pay attention to tactical and technical characteristics, but also "feel" it, so that it becomes your true friend for many years.

It is not necessary to hope that the seller-consultant will tell you a worthy option. At best, he will be able to tell you about TTX or structural systems. However, most likely, he never even fired from him, much less was not on the hunt. That in that case he can advise you - remains a mystery. Or maybe another option: the seller will see an easy sacrifice in you and "stale" you stale, not in demand goods, because it also needs to be sold. Therefore, if you are a beginner, take with you to the store an experienced companion who can tell you the advantages and disadvantages of this or that thing. Now let's consider what to look for when choosing a weapon.

How to choose an air rifle?

Now the market offers a large selection of long-barreled weapons, both domestic and foreign production. However, one should know that all these instances differ not only in the manufacturer, but also in the features of the constructive systems on the basis of which they are created, in caliber and in power. The caliber is the first parameter to pay attention to, because it determines the purpose of the rifle. To date, on the shelves of shops you can find pneumatic weapons with three versions of the caliber: 4.5, 5.5 and 6.35 mm. The first type is intended for entertaining shooting and training. Such weapons are quite popular among consumers due to the affordable price. This caliber for shooting in nature or at the dacha is considered the safest, since such rifles are low-power. However, it should be understood that using even the weakest weapon, it is necessary to adhere to safety rules.

A 5.5 mm caliber rifle is a pneumatic for hunting small animals and birds. If you plan to trade a rabbit, a rabbit, a squirrel or a duck, then this particular specimen should be preferred. The next kind of caliber (6.35 mm) is not very popular with us, since a license is required to purchase such weapons, and the price is much higher.

What else should I pay attention to

When choosing a pneumatic rifle for hunting or fishing, be sure to focus on the power of the weapon. The price of products is closely related to this parameter. In the tactical and technical characteristics, power is rarely indicated, but the initial speed of the bullet is always indicated there. This parameter is the main one for hunting and sports pneumatics. But if the weapon will be used in a dash, then this characteristic does not matter.

The next important criterion of choice is weight. It affects the convenience of shooting and the accuracy of hitting the target. For beginners, who decided to purchase pneumatics, it should be borne in mind that the easier a weapon, the more it gives a vibration when firing. And heavy weight leads to fatigue of the shooter, especially when walking with a rifle for a long time. So, to use pneumatics in the dash from the stop, you can buy a heavy copy. And for shooting with hands it is better to buy a relatively light rifle. If it is preferable for you to fire from a shelter or a car, the weight in that case is not the determining factor. Then pay special attention to the way the weapons are loaded. It will be more convenient to use a multi-charge air rifle. Now consider the features of the structural systems of "airways".

Spring-piston pneumatic weapon

What are these rifles? The constructive system of such weapons is built on the basis of a powerful spring, pushing the piston when shot. This compresses the air in a special compressor chamber and creates a pressure pushing the bullet. Such rifles are easy to handle, they do not require additional devices.

At first, in the absence of skills to use such products, there may be slight discomfort associated with breaking the barrel for cocking a fighting spring. However, the shooter for a few days gets used to this feature of spring-piston rifles. You can also purchase weapons with a side or underbarrel lever of the platoon. In such models, the barrel is more static, and the accuracy and accuracy of the shooting is significantly higher than that of the critical ones. In addition, these rifles can be used together with bipods, which is very convenient when hunting from ambush. Among the spring-piston models there are weapons of high power. However, it should be borne in mind that such rifles have, respectively, a greater return, and they also lose the accuracy of the firing. In addition, such a pneumatic for hunting requires specialized optics, which significantly affects the overall price of the kit.

Multi-compression pneumatic rifles

This type of long-barreled pneumatic weapon differs substantially from spring-piston systems in that it is equipped with a storage tank and a pump that are designed to pump compressed air. Such rifles are characterized by great stability in shooting and low recoil force, and, accordingly, greater strength. The multi-compression system allows the shooter to independently select the shot power. The disadvantage is the insignificant limiting speed of the bullet's flight, so for a real hunting such weapons are practically unsuitable.

Rifles on CO ₂

At the heart of this system is a compressed gas cylinder - CO ₂ . In spite of the fact that such pneumatics have their advantages (for example, shooting in a semi-automatic mode, and also a minimum return), this variant is absolutely unsuitable for hunting. Low power and, albeit slow, but constant evaporation of the gas at low temperatures make it irrelevant for hunting in the winter. And the constant need to replace gas cylinders causes a considerable discomfort for beginners.

Pneumatics with pre-inflation

This weapon is widely used by athletes. The design of these rifles is similar to the design of weapons with CO ₂ . The difference is that instead of a can, a special high pressure tank is used here, into which compressed air is pumped . Such a sports air rifle is a very powerful weapon. At the same time, the speed of the bullet can be easily and quickly regulated, which does not require special skills and even the beginner will understand. A small number of movable mechanisms makes a return on firing practically imperceptible. The disadvantage of the pre-inflation system is the need to purchase sufficiently expensive and large-scale equipment for pumping under high air pressure. And, of course, the use of a tank with oxygen requires additional security measures.

Well, on this the analysis of the question of how to choose an air rifle can be considered complete. Now we will consider some models of pneumatics of both domestic and foreign manufacturers.

Products of Izhevsk Plant

Since its launch in mass production (mid-90s) and up to now, the IZH-60 air rifle is one of the most popular models among weapons of this class. The manufacturer positioned the mentioned model as a sports equipment intended for initial training, as well as mastering operational skills. This rifle became the most popular Russian pneumatics on the foreign market. IZH-60 has a modern design combined with ergonomics, compactness, and low cost. The formation of the weapon design was mainly affected by the side arm of the platoon, the working cylinder removed into the butt, the presence of the sender, and also multiple adjustments. The design of the lateral arm, which cocked the rifle backwards and forwards, provided the weapon with a non-negotiable trunk, which excluded the possibility of backlashes, and, accordingly, positively affected the accuracy. The IZH-60 rifle is produced single-shot; The lead bullet has a length of 7 mm, diameter 4.5 mm. According to the technical documentation, with a shot, the initial flight speed is 150 m / s, in reality this parameter is slightly lower, about 140 m / s. This weapon is more suitable as a training rifle rifle for teenage athletes. Short-tailed butt perfectly suits adolescents and is not very convenient for an adult. Low power makes the IZH-60 rifle unsuitable for hunting, but it remains sufficient for firing at targets from a ten-meter distance.

Copy of Dragoon's sniper rifle

This air rifle SVD is manufactured by the famous company Aftermath. The weapon is meant for airsoft, but for hunting it is not suitable because of the relatively low power (the speed of the bullet flight is only 122 m / sec). The pistol grip and fore-end are made of transparent plastic. The clip is designed for 200 balls (weighing 0.2 grams). The air rifle SVD has a folding butt. The trunk and all internal mechanisms are made of metal, it became necessary to ensure trouble-free operation of a very powerful spring. The rifle can be equipped with bipods and an optical sight.

Magnum Pneumatics

DIANA 350 - this German rifle is a classic model of the "Magnum" class. This weapon is characterized by high quality of performance, reliability and, of course, accuracy. The pneumatic Magnum DIANA 350 rifle has a rather large capacity, the speed of the bullet is 320 m / s, and the caliber is 5.5 mm. Can be shared with an optical sight. The model is specially designed for hunting, shoots heavy bullets, however for successful shooting it is recommended to practice well, because due to the weight of the bullet and high power there is a strong return. However, all weapons of this class have similar technical characteristics, so when choosing a rifle, it is better to try all the options and choose the one that will be convenient for you.

Pneumatics of the famous Spanish manufacturer Industrias El Gamo

Air rifles Hunter are representatives of weapons of the "Magnum" class. In the hunting stores of our country, you can find models in the name of which there is a letter "F", for example: Gamo 1250 F Hunter. This letter means that this rifle was weakened by the manufacturer, so that its capacity would not go beyond the limits prescribed in the legislation of the Russian Federation. However, most hunters repair drilled in the factory pistons and use the original Gamo combat spring, thereby increasing the power of the air rifle. As a result, it is capable of firing a bullet at a speed of 400 m / s. This very powerful weapon was liked by many hunters. In addition to the high speed of the bullet, it shows good consistency, and in combination with proprietary optics it is able to produce truly phenomenal performance in shooting. To drawbacks can be attributed a powerful return, so that when shooting requires a good grip of weapons. However, with practice and time, the shooter adjusts and can knock down a penny from a hundred meters. The weight of the rifle under consideration is 4.2 kg without optics, so it's better to shoot from the stop, it will be a very tiring occupation from the hands.

We strengthen the air rifle

Many hunters and athletes prefer that their weapons have more power, and accordingly, the speed of the bullet. For this, the following steps are taken: the sealing of the dispatcher is improved and the fighting spring is changed to a more powerful one. To achieve the goal, small grooves are made in the threaded connections of the dispenser and rubber sealing rings are installed. The spring is best to choose a suitable length and diameter (from more advanced types of pneumatics). In addition, the use of heavier bullets is recommended, which also leads to an increase in speed.

Conclusion

If you decide to purchase an air rifle, you should allocate for yourself the main tasks of weapons: sports training, sports games, precision shooting or hunting. After this, compare the technical characteristics of the respective models. It should be noted that with the right choice of weapons that fully meets all the requirements, there will be nothing to regret.