Aimed shooting: TOP 5 air rifles

The secret of the success of pneumatics under the sign of the American brand Crosman is affordability and reliability, which is fully confirmed by the example of the Fire NP break-through rifle, which is in demand among diverse segments of the population.

In the factory version, the model is equipped with a gas spring that pushes the bullet with an initial flight speed of up to 365 m/s. In practice, a similar figure is achieved when using cartridges of 4.5 mm caliber weighing about 0.5 g. In parallel with the increase in the severity of the bullets, their flight speed sags, but the striking ability increases.

The butt of the model is plastic, as, indeed, all other structural elements, with the exception of a steel barrel 450 mm long with rifling inside. The shooter's hand is provided with a comfortable grip on the pistol grip, and a stock with a rubber back helps to support the rifle on the shoulder, which absorbs the already mild recoil. The only link that causes criticism is the sound moderator simulator at the tip of the barrel, due to the presence of which the model often strives to “peck its nose”.

Inside the trigger guard of the Crosman Fire NP, the trigger hook is accompanied by a manual safety. As a bonus , the model is equipped with a 4x optical sight with a lens diameter of 32 mm. In this configuration, the rifle still captivates with its accessibility and is suitable for recreational and sports shooting at an amateur level.

The rifle from the German brand Umarex has been at the peak of popularity for several years in a row, occupying the first lines in various ratings of spring-piston type pneumatic weapons.

Umarex Hammerli Hunter Force 900 Combo has a single-shot design, and the rifle is reloaded by breaking the underbarrel lever. Its use in the design of the model has a positive effect on the accuracy and accuracy of fire, because the barrel itself is motionless. From accidental shots, the shooter will protect the automatic trigger safety (trigger lock button).

The initial speed of the bullet in this model reaches 250 m / s, and when a gas spring is installed, it grows to 305-320 m / s. Due to the stock made of natural beech, the rifle has a solid weight (about 4 kg), so you can’t shoot from it for a long time. However, the advantage of this solution is a small return, which, in addition, is dampened by a rubber damper on the butt. Minus - the varnish on the bed is afraid of scratches.

As ammunition, the rifle fires 4.5 mm lead bullets. And the prefix Combo in the model name indicates the presence of a Hammerli 6x42 optical sight out of the box. The constant magnification of the sight increases its "survivability". The brainchild of the Umarex does not require serious modification and is considered one of the best air rifles sharpened for beginner shooters. It is equally well suited for hunting small game, and for recreational purposes (shooting at tin cans, champagne bottles, coins, etc.).

An improved modification of the popular Turkish-made Hatsan 125 series of air rifles has several important features in comparison with its closest relatives, which elevates the model to the rank of the most advanced instance of the line.

Perhaps the main trump card of the weapon is the equipment with a gas spring. A number of accompanying advantages emerge from this: less recoil, a quieter sound of a shot, a long resource and about 32 J of muzzle energy. The Hatsan MOD 125TH Vortex is one of the most powerful spring-piston rifles on the market. It's no joke, the bullet leaves the barrel of the model at a speed of up to 380 m / s, which is an order of magnitude greater than that of the notorious Makarov pistol (315 m / s).

The butt of the rifle is made of impact-resistant plastic with a shock-absorbing rubber butt pad and the possibility of installing special spacers for lengthening. In addition, it has a hole for the thumb of the right hand, which significantly improves the grip of the weapon. To top it off, the model is equipped with a revolving handle, and the icing on the cake is the Quattro Trigger with improved trigger adjustment and an automatic safety in its arsenal. All ergonomics of the rifle is sharpened purely for right-handers.

The Hatsan MOD 125TH Vortex is reloaded after each shot, which is done by breaking the barrel. To do this, you will need to make some efforts, which not every fragile girl who asked to shoot can cope with. This shortcoming is completely leveled by the high accuracy of fire and the excellent build quality of the rifle. And its serious power is clearly hinted at by belonging to the category of weapons "Supermagnum" - air rifles of the most productive class.

The Turkish Hatsan Bullboss rifle is designed according to the bullpup scheme, i.e. with the shutter shifted closer to the shooter's shoulder and with the trigger pulled forward. A weapon of this arrangement is shorter than traditional analogues without compromising the length of the barrel, which in this particular case is 585 mm.

The model uses for firing pre-pumped compressed air from a cylindrical tank with a volume of 255 ml with an operating pressure of about 200 bar. On a full tank of this, it is possible to make up to 70 shots with an initial bullet flight speed of over 350 m / s (the muzzle energy index when fired reaches 36 J). The tank is hidden under the barrel and is equipped with an external pressure gauge. You can pump it up with air without removing it from the rifle using the complete pump, which is included in the Hatsan Bullboss extended delivery kit.

An important feature of the weapon, which distinguishes it from its peers, is the soundmother integrated into the barrel with the QuietEnergy system, which reduces the volume of the shot by about half. The store is designed for 10 bullets of 4.5 mm caliber. The cocking type of the rifle is a side lever that rotates the ammunition drum for the next shot. Also at the disposal of the shooter is a Picantine rail for mounting an optical sight(for 11 and 22 mm optics mount).

Due to the minimum recoil in conjunction with the weapon, you can use almost any optics without worrying about its failure. Convenience in handling the rifle is added by the automatic safety put into service by Hatsan Bullboss, along with a system of various adjustments (descent, cheek and butt plate). In the middle segment of pneumatic weapons, the model has a special honorable role, and the mass of fans of the rifle only confirms the positive qualities of its character.

The Raptor 3 Compact Plus is a bright representative of the domestic weapons school from the kind of bullpup PCP rifles, in the design of which the cocking device and the magazine are located behind the trigger mechanism.

Due to the structural features of the rifle, the 350 mm barrel is placed directly above the “body” of the model with a total length of 620 mm. Under the barrel you can find a reservoir with compressed air, the volume of which in the Plus version is 220 cm³. A full refill is enough to shoot about 120 4.5 mm bullets, which, for a minute, is 10 full magazines of 12 rounds each. Their initial departure speed (up to 350 m/s) remains stable, regardless of the standard pressure gauge readings. A special “thank you” for this opportunity should be given to the pressure reducing valve, which was introduced into the design in order to stabilize the air pressure.

The butt stock of the rifle is made of ash wood, painted in black or brown tones. The shape of the handle of the model allows you to fire from various positions, up to shooting "on the move" from the car window. In order to protect yourself and those around you, it is highly advisable to use a manual safety when handling weapons. Also in the Raptor 3 Compact Plus, a delayed shot mode is implemented - the rifle can be removed from the cocking using the magazine lock button on the port side.

On the receiver of the model there is a full-size rail with a Weaver / Picatinny profile, which provides for the installation of an optical or collimator sight. Due to the minimum recoil paired with a rifle, you can pick up optics of almost any kind. And although the price tag on the Raptor 3 Compact Plus cannot be called democratic, it is practically impossible to find equal to it in terms of the balance of qualities and the convenience of hand-held shooting.