Best Break Barrel Air Rifle: Reviews to Save You Money

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”! Since that time, BB guns 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!

Best break barrel air rifle comparison

• Crosman Benjamin Prowler Nitro Piston Air Rifle
• Gamo Swarm Maxxim G2 Air Rifle
• Ruger Targis Max Break Barrel Air Rifle
• Umarex Syrix Break Barrel Air Rifle

What is a break barrel air rifle?

Basically, a break barrel air rifle is just what its name says. The barrel splits or “breaks” in half so that you can load the ammunition and prime the rifle for firing. Once you lock the barrel back into a straight position, that compresses the charging mechanism and you’re ready to go. Just pull the trigger and it releases the gas-piston or spring to send the ammunition down the barrel and out of the muzzle. So, you have two types of break-barrel rifles: Spring-powered and Gas-piston.

What to look for before buying

• Types of Air Rifles:
  

  - Pneumatic (pcp) 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: 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: 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.

• Velocity: The velocity that the ammunition travels from the barrel is measured in feet per second (FPS) and, generally, the higher it is, the more you’re going to pay for the air rifle. Be aware that the FPS is also based on the weight of the ammunition that you’re using. Sometimes, with a higher FPS, you lose a certain amount of accuracy, so, it may not be ideal for target practice or pest control. However, the higher the FPS, the more powerful the air rifle, which is pretty good for home defense without having to get an FFL.
• Noise Level: 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.

Comparing break barrel with other types

• Break Barrel vs PCP: In comparison to break-barrel air rifles, the bottom line is that a PCP rifle is going to be more expensive, especially, since it requires other equipment to make it work. You have to have a way to fill the air reservoir. On the other hand, because of its power, this type of air rifle can actually shoot large caliber bullets like a .46, .58, or even .72. It also has very little recoil and is pretty quiet compared to a break-barrel.
• Break Barrel vs CO2: In comparison to break-barrel air rifles, this type of air rifle is perfect for youth because cocking a break-barrel can be a little difficult and they are usually pretty lightweight. Also, the repeatability is a big draw for air gun users. However, you do have to buy the CO2 cartridges to keep you shooting and these air rifles tend to be a little less rugged and durable, if not maintained.