ITT: laughing at europoors

Have to disagree with you, m8. Every gun owner should own some type of air rifle. You're missing out on trigger time without one, and shooting is legal in your backyard. I use mine to teach my nephews and nieces how to shoot safely, and using lead-free pellets is also much safer for kids. I wouldn't go for a break action, though. PCP is so cheap now, that you might as well go for it.

Actually, couldn't you replace .22 with an air rifle that has similar power and ballistics? It should be just as good for marksmanship and hunting while being even cheaper on the long run.

Yes you can. They both propel same size projectiles to the same speed, mode of propulsion is entirely irrelevant, could be electric or rubber band for what you care. In fact, with powerful enough air gun, you could replace .22LR with .177 PCP.

I hope the european civil war will never come.

Attached: 1538785535607.png (615x409, 220K)

To an extent, yes, but you are missing one crucial factor, and I think it's worth mentioning so that people don't get disappointment and declare air rifles shit. That factor is ballistic coefficient. The velocity drop-off in a pellet, even some of the more aerodynamic types, is quite a bit higher than on any .22lr bullet. The reason for this is that pellets stabilize with drag, and not just the spin, if any, of the barrel. This is in contrast with a bullet from a rifle, which is stabilized inside the bore and is therefore able to be had with a more aerodynamic shape. You also have to consider that .22lr bullets are far heavier than any pellet you can shoot from a .22 air rifle. This means more energy, less drift, and a much more effective shot on a target. You also have to factor in that velocities are not really equal. Yes, you can shoot pellets at supersonic speeds, but it's disadvantageous to do so. When that pellet gets into the transonic zone, its trajectory will suffer due to the turbulence that takes place in this area. Therefore, it's much better to keep pellets at around 900ft/s. There's a lot more to air gun ballistics, but this is a start, so newcomers should temper their expectations that they will be able to replace all roles of a .22lr firearm, but again, I do think everyone should own one if they can. Air rifles are great, and I'm only going to keep buying them. I find they're a fun challenge, and a great tool to have. However, I still say PCP is where it's at. You don't need air-rifle specific optics, and your shooting fundamentals translate one-to-one. I highly recommend going that route, even if you're new. A rifle, foot pump, optics, and pellets can be had for around $300. You really can't go wrong there.

Then why is .22 still a thing? It's hopelessly obsolete in every possible way, and I've heard that there are constant shortages in the USA anyway.

Attached: Kojima's older heavy metal brother and his pet chicken are confused by your post.jpg (243x272, 51.78K)

That's only valid for Diablo style pellets. You can fire bullets like this out of air guns. Or just straight up .22LR bullets - if it fits the bore it can be fired.

Attached: 178-21-Grain_470x.jpg (470x353, 17.07K)

Because "a real gun lel" or something? People cling to the stupidest things. But yeah as far as varmint calibers go, air rifles are superior to gunpowder rifles any day.

You'd still probably need to spin stabilize them.

That's why air rifles have rifled bore. Hence the name, brainiac.

I shoot two different 22 LR classic rifles that are still functional without any problems. Ones a hundred years old, the other eighty years old, that old Glenfield is as good as you can find a bolt action in some ways, shoots like a dream. As long as they are cleaned and oiled they will continue to function just fine. The cartridge was old when those rifles were made and its even older now with no end in sight.

What bothers me with air guns is only their longevity, air seals and specs can cause problems over time. Many air guns need to be rebuild/refurbished over time, wither or not you shoot them a lot. Next thing you know you're on "equal terms' with the rimfire firearm, 20 years later you shoot a squirrel and it walks away. While I might have to put 200K rounds through my old legacy rifles to wear out the barrels, with age being of no concern with maintenance, the air gun has its issues.

Also it is better for practice in many ways because the muzzle flash, report, residue and everything else helps prepare shooters for shooting more powerful firearms. I like doing some dry firing once and a while, and an air gun is a great way to keep practicing, but too much of both will leave you a bit off when it comes time to jump back into a combat caliber handgun, or even a low power pocket pistol, or a high power rifle. Good practice for the beginner and a good supplement for the old shooter, but hardly a replacement for high volumes of firearm firing.

Also, what is a decent grade 22LR compared to a comparable air rifle? My CZ Manlicher cost me $450, a man can buy a cheap Cricket or whatever those junior kids bolt actions are called, for like $100-150.

Things to consider.

not really

Very few air rifles have fully rifled bores. And bullets are usually used in larger caliber air rifles. The heavier projectile is also a factor.