Some of The Most Asked Questions on Air Guns

Whether you’re a seasoned air gun owner or a complete novice, one thing that will always remain true regardless of your experience is that you’ll always have questions regarding your hobby. Whether you’re looking for your latest purchase or want to know what an air gun is and whether you can own one, you can find that information relatively quickly, thanks to the World Wide Web.

That said, very rarely are all the answers to your questions available in one place. With that in mind, we here at Just Air Guns will be looking to change that by accumulating some of the most asked questions within the air gun world and giving you a brief answer to ensure you walk away with all the knowledge you need to know!

What Is an Air Gun?

While a seemingly self-explanatory question, there is a vast amount of conversation online regarding what an air gun actually is. Many people seem to confuse air guns with airsoft guns, otherwise known as BB guns, and others, somehow, think airguns are real firearms.

Unlike their real counterparts, which rely on gunpowder and internal explosions to propel a projectile, air guns depend on simple pressurised gases instead. Most air guns use CO2 (carbon dioxide) capsules, which are often attached to an air gun internally. Each pull of the trigger releases a small burst of CO2 to propel a pellet from the barrel at high velocities. Alternatively, some air guns require you to use a pump that pressurises the barrel.

How Do Air Guns Work?

As previously mentioned, air guns propel their projectile by pressurising the barrel with some kind of gas. This is typically achieved in one of three ways — CO2 cartridges, by ‘pumping’ the air gun, or via a PCP air tank.

If you have an air gun powered by CO2, you place the pellets into the air gun and attach the carbon dioxide cartridge before you start shooting. The first trigger pull punctures the cartridge, releasing a burst of pressurised air that forces the pellet out of the barrel. After that, each trigger pull releases an additional blast of air that lets you continue firing the air gun, but some air guns don’t work that way.

If you own an air gun that pressurises the barrel via pumping, the process is simple: a number of ‘pumps’ are needed before taking each shot. PCP air guns are somewhat similar to both CO2 and pumping systems. PCP, an abbreviation for pre-charged pneumatic, make use of an external air tank that holds pressurised air ready for use.

Which Air Gun Is Best?

If we had a pound for each time someone searched this question, we’d be multi-millionaires. The truth is simple: no air gun is the best, and only you can decide which air gun is best for you and what you want to do with it. When considering which air gun is best for you, consider whether you want to use your air gun for hunting/pest control or target shooting.

Once you know what you want to use your air gun for, you can then start narrowing your choices down. Looking for suggestions? Feel free to contact our dedicated team of experts to get some advice!

Which Air Gun Pellets Are the Best?

Like with the question ‘which air gun is best’, the response is again dependent on the intended use of your air gun. That said, it is much easier to narrow down a correct answer. When you boil it down, the type of pellet you should use is dependant the speed, power, and accuracy of the shots you will need to make. It’s a vital factor you can’t afford to ignore.

When hunting small game, wadcutter pellets is the usual choice because their design stops them from over-penetrating. By utilising a pellet that won’t leave the target, you unload all of the pellet’s kinetic energy on the target to maximise its stopping power.

Domed pellets are an excellent choice if you plan to shoot targets at a distance, and the aerodynamic design makes them perfect for long-range shooting. However, pointed pellets could be the right solution for your situation if you want to use your air gun to handle pests and wildlife. Pointed pellets work well because they penetrate through thick fur and are effective at eliminating pests that find their way onto your property.

Hollowpoint pellets work well for hunting because they expand in the air to deliver a powerful blow to the target animal. However, for the best results, you need to use a high-powered air gun so that the pellet expands significantly enough to make a difference. High-velocity pellets are the right choice if you want pellets that move through the air at the fastest possible speed.

How Long Can I Leave CO2 in My Air Gun?

Due to how air guns pressurise the barrel when using CO2 cartridges, the answer to this question will be pretty straightforward. When you take your first shot after inserting a CO2 cartridge, the air gun pierces the cartridge to allow the CO2 within to enter the barrel. Due to this, even if you are not shooting, the CO2 will slowly leak out of the cartridge and probably deplete itself within a 24-hour period.

If you are looking to buy cartridges in bulk and want to know how long they will last in general, the answer again is simple – provided the cartridge is not pierced, it will stay pressurised for years.