Best .177 Air Rifles Available for the Money (Accurate & Powerful)

When the Markham Rifle Company produced the first spring piston air rifle, in 1886, it was a wooden design meant for use as a youth training gun. Two years later, the company that was to later become Daisy produced the first all-metal air rifle, making their BB gun a household name. And as they say, “the rest is history”!

What Is a .177 Air Rifle?

This is an air rifle that shoots .177 caliber pellets, and this is the lowest caliber currently in use. More or less, the caliber is the size of the internal barrel diameter of a gun, so, ammunition is sized accordingly to fit.

What Do You Use a .177 Air Rifle For?

Folks, usually, use a .177 air rifle for just plinking in their backyard or for target shooting competitions. However, they are also great for eliminating pests like squirrels and rats. They are fairly accurate air rifles when it comes to hitting a target.

What to Look For in a .177 Air Rifle

Type

There are several types of .177 air rifles to choose from. It just depends on what you’re looking to use it for. Are you looking for speed and power, which you get with a nitro piston or are you looking for excellent accuracy, which you get in a spring-powered? Is the air rifle for small animal hunting or just plinking and target practice in the backyard? Also, is the air rifle for a first time shooter? See our section below for the types of air rifles out there.

Sights

Air rifles usually come with, at the very least, the standard fixed front and rear sights. However, most air rifles, today, also have built-in accessory rails so that you can add optics and there are many models that come with scopes to sweeten the deal. There are lots of options for sights and scopes that you can buy separately to upgrade your air rifle.

Sound

A spring-powered air rifle is louder, when fired, compared to a gas-piston air rifle, which typically uses a sound suppression technology. So, it’s not ideal for backyard shooting or a skittish first shooter. Because of this fact, the gas-piston air rifle has become more popular worldwide. If you’re teaching a youth to shoot, noise level is definitely something you need to consider. Also, if you plan on using it to plink in your backyard and don’t want to disturb the neighbors.

Material

When it comes to shooting and carrying an air rifle, you might just look at what it’s made of. Some are heavier than others and this could affect your accuracy when shooting. Does it have a wooden or plastic stock? Is it an air rifle with a full-metal construction? Also, consider who you’re buying it for and what weight would be comfortable for them to carry and use.

Our Recommendations

Umarex Legends M1A1 BB Rifle

Pick up more than history when you pick up the full-auto Umarex Legends M1A1 BB Rifle! Not only is this one of the coolest historical replicas done, it feels right, it looks right, and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. This open-bolt wonder features a 30-round magazine that houses two, 12-gram CO2 cartridges and is equipped with sling mounts for your favorite historical sling. Sometimes called the “Chicago Typewriter,” you’ll recognize this historical gun shape from both wartime history and the big screen. It’s so much fun to shoot, you might just want to get an extra magazine or two.
Pros

• It is an accurate historical replica of the Chicago Typewriter.
• It is equipped with sling mounts for your favorite historical sling.
• You get realistic blowback action when you fire.

Cons

• It’s not as powerful since it only has a 435 fps.
• It’s going to be heavier than other models.
• It has quite a recoil when fired.

Remington Model Break Barrel Air Rifle

The Remington Model Break Barrel Air Rifle is perfect for your next trip to the range. The included 4x32mm scope combined with the two-stage adjustable trigger makes it easy to hit your target with accuracy and consistency. It’s powered by the Nitro Mag gas piston, which makes the air rifle 70 percent quieter and 25 percent more accurate. The .177 caliber Remington style air rifle will fire a lead pellet up to 1,000 fps and an alloy pellet up to 1,200 fps. It has a rifled steel barrel with a high gloss, ambidextrous checkered hardwood stock with a dovetail mounting rail.
Pros

• It is 25% more accurate even with the higher fps.
• It has a gas piston, which makes it 70% quieter.
• It has a dovetail mounting rail and includes a 4x32mm scope.

Cons

• With the higher fps, you’re still sacrificing some accuracy.
• The Nitro Mag piston is more difficult to repair than a spring.

Ruger Targis Max Break Barrel Air Rifle

Maximize your small game hunting and target shooting with the Ruger Targis Max Break Barrel Air Rifle. This hard hitting air rifle is designed by Umarex Airguns with the outdoorsman in mind and was made for getting out in the woods. The foundation of the Targis Max is its ergonomic all-weather stock. Both the stock wrist and the forend have checkered rubber grip inserts for a sure grip in the hot or cold or wet or dry. The stock is also fitted with a comfortable rubber recoil butt pad. Topping off its stock is the industry’s only integral scope rail. The exclusive Umarex Nucleus Rail provides a sure and steady mounting platform for the included 3-9X32 Adjustable Objective scope. It also helps to minimize the rifle’s sound output and provides vibration distribution. Maximizing stealth is built into the Targis Max with the SilencAir non-removable suppressor, which provides noise reduction for years of quiet shooting performance.
Pros

• Checkered rubber grip inserts ensure a secure grip in all weather.
• A non-removable suppressor is built-in to reduce noise.
• It has an integral scope rail for the included 3-9x32 scope.

Cons

• The higher fps can sacrifice accuracy.
• This is a heavier air rifle, which can limit mobility.
• It can be harder to cock until it gets broken in.

Beeman Single-Shot Air Rifle

Shooting the Beeman Single-Shot Air Rifle couldn’t be easier as there’s no pumping necessary! Simply load up two, 12-gram CO2 cartridges, put a round in the chamber, and you’re ready to shoot. This air gun features an ergonomic thumbhole stock with a pistol grip for a stable, comfortable hold and you can adjust the single stage trigger and rear sight to your preference. Also, customize the rifle with the Weaver/Picatinny rail located in front of the foregrip. The Beeman Single-Shot Air Rifle is a great air gun for plinking cans in your backyard or shredding paper targets.
Pros

• It’s a very simple and user-friendly air rifle.
• It has a pistol grip for a comfortable hold.
• It has a Picatinny rail for accessories.

Cons

• The lower fps makes it less powerful.
• It doesn’t include a scope.

Gamo Swarm Magnum G2 Air Rifle

The revolutionary Gamo Swarm Magnum G2 Air Rifle is the world’s only ten-shot break barrel air rifle. Ideal for hunting and pest control, the 10x Quick-Shot Technology enables you to shoot up to ten pellets without reloading. Simply break the barrel and fire for lightning-quick follow-up shots. With Inert Gas Technology, it will send .177 caliber pellets at 1,300 fps from its fluted, polymer-jacketed steel barrel. It has a tough all-weather, molded synthetic stock with a no-slip texture design on the grip and forearm and a Custom Action Trigger. The stock also features a Shock Wave Absorber Recoil Pad with up to 74-percent recoil absorption. Also included with the 45 3/10” overall air rifle is a 3-9×40 air rifle scope with rings and a Recoil Reducing Rail.
Pros

• The 10x Quick-Shot Technology lets you shoot up to ten pellets without reloading.
• The stock has a recoil pad with up to 74% recoil absorption.
• A rifle scope is included with a recoil reducing rail.

Cons

• The higher fps can reduce accuracy.
• This air rifle is on the heavier side of the spectrum.

What Are the Types of Air Rifles

Air rifles have evolved into powerful, quick and accurate air rifles that offer features and accessories that you might find on a real firearm. These are definitely not your grandfather’s BB gun!

Pre-Charged Pneumatic Air Rifles

A pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle is loaded with compressed air, using a variety of methods, before it’s shot. The air rifle consists of a hollow tube that is filled with compressed air of around 3,000 psi and once it’s filled, it’s ready to shoot. Pulling the trigger opens the firing valve and releases the pressurized air in the barrel and the ammunition is propelled forward by the force of the pressurized air. A small amount of the air and pressure is reduced inside the air reservoir after each shot. The air reservoir can be filled with a hand pump, scuba tank, carbon fiber tank or, most often, a high-pressure PCP rifle compressor.

Spring Powered Air Rifles

A spring-powered air rifle has a charging mechanism that consists of a spring and piston that’s compressed when the barrel is cocked. On breaking the barrel, the spring coils up and locks into place, ammunition is loaded and once the barrel is locked straight, it’s ready to fire. Pulling the trigger releases the spring and forces the piston forward to generate the energy necessary to propel the ammunition forward.

Co2 Powered Air Rifles

A CO2-powered air rifle follows the same principle as the PCP rifle because it also uses air to propel the ammunition out of the barrel. The difference is that they use CO2-filled cartridges as their power source, which provide enough power to shoot repeatedly without having to refill. The cartridges are pretty easy to load and only a specific amount of gas is released during each shot, allowing you to keep shooting. With CO2-powered air rifles, semi-automatic shooting is also possible with some models.