There are many reasons why you may need a best break barrel air rifle in your home. It may be for your security, for fun, or for the safety of your domestic animals. Whatever reason that maybe, it is an excellent choice to have an air rifle in your home.
You see, sometimes you may be surrounded by a situation that needs you to act swiftly without caring. And if you have to care, then care about yourself and relatives. What do you do when surrounded by enemies who desire nothing but your head yet you have a solution-air rifle? What if it is your domestic animals that are in danger?
Well, you may not always want to shoot to kill, but you can also shoot to scare. Okay?
And what if you are not armed? Of course, you submit to the will of the enemy. However, that is not what you may want, that is why I will discuss the best break barrel air rifle and allow you to choose the best according to your needs. Why should I discuss them? You see, though you may need an air rifle, getting to the market to find a variety of them may throw you into total confusion. Don’t be a victim. Nevertheless, you need to know what this gadget is so that you can proceed to determine if you need it or not.
Break Barrel Air Rifle Comparison
Rifle | Weight (lbs) | Barrel length | Length | Max Velocity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6.95 | 18.7" | 44.8" | 1000 | See Price | |
9.7 | 19.5" | 48.25 | 1500 | See Price | |
5.28 | 18" | 46" | 1200 | See Price | |
7.4 | 18.63" | 44.25" | 1200 | See Price | |
7.5 | 19" | 45" | 800 | See Price | |
7.8 | 17.7" | 44.3" | 1000 | See Price | |
6.5 | 18" | 43" | 1200 | See Price |
If you do not have much time, here is the summary for you:
Best break barrel air rifle for long range shooting
- Ruger Blackhawk Combo Air Rifle
- Crossman Benjamin Trail NP XL Air Rifle
Best youth break barrel air rifle
- Ruger Explorer Youth .177 Caliber pellet Airgun
Best quiet break barrel air rifle
- Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle
Best break barrel air rifle for target shooting
- Crosman Optimus Break Barrel Air Rifle
- Ruger Blackhawk Combo Air Rifle
Best break barrel .22 air rifle for hunting
- Ruger Blackhawk Combo air rifle
Most accurate break barrel air rifle
- RWS .22 Pellet Model 34 Combo Rifle
Most powerful break barrel air rifle
- Benjamin Trail NP XL Air Rifle
What is a break barrel air rifle?
Break barrel air rifles are well-known air guns that are designed to use a power plant which allows the chamber to be compressed. To be able to cock the gun, you should break the barrel down to load it with the pellet. After that, you can break the barrel back to its position for use. Though steel is the material used to make the gun, it is incredibly soft to handle.
See me break the barrel of the air rifle
How powerful is the gun?
Of course, you need to consider how powerful your gun is regarding the shooting, right? This is one of those guns that will require an only one-time shot. You need to load the gun with enough pellets and arm yourself with enough strength, and you will be ready to make a good shoot.
The guns are known to produce a minimum power of 60 FPS to a maximum of 1500 FPS. That being said, it is good to learn how to operate the gun before using it. Inside the gun frame is a spring that makes some movement. To any new user, the spring can cause much frustration, but with the know-how of the gun’s operation, that ceases to be an issue.
As we have discussed earlier in this article, different needs will lead you to buy the break barrel air rifle. Nevertheless, every gun has been designed to function best in some areas that other.
Most break barrel air rifles are used for pest control, target practice, plinking or small game hunting. A perfect gun must first of all be powerful, durable, and must give you extreme performance.What makes a best break barrel air rifle?
Air rifles can be fun and rewarding when used in the right way. They’re also easy to fire when you know your gun. Before making a purchase, you’ll need to research as much as possible and understand what makes a good break barrel air rifle that’ll suit your needs.
But with so much choice in the market what key features must you look out?
You must pick a best break barrel air rifle that fits you. The gun must not be heavy nor be too light. The length should give you comfort as you hold it ninety degrees to your body. The length and weight must give you a feeling of articulateness and quality.
There’s a common misconception that the barrel length is equal to accuracy or range. Sometimes barrels that are too long can be an obstruction to high performance. If the quality of the barrel is good, then you can expect a high performing rifle.
In fact, CQB rifles with 200mm barrels are better in accuracy and range than DMRs with 500mm inner barrels.
Changing a barrel for a longer or tighter one will not yield better performance. A tight barrel will only help with air efficiency but is prone to jamming frequently. The key to looking out for here is the inner finish and straightness of a barrel.
Your break barrel rifle should also be durable with material that is all-weather. A break barrel made of stainless steel or brass has better accuracy and range than aluminum barrels.
Even under several tests, stainless steel and brass barrel outperform aluminum barrels. By no means, don’t buy an aluminum barrel!
You’ll need a powerful BB that can shoot lead pellets with a velocity range from 1000 FPS with 117 calibers to 1250 FPS with PBA. The higher the velocity a rifle provides, the more the energy for reaching the target.
However, note that FPS alone is not a standard that can be used to know what makes a good break barrel air rifle! A 245fps with 0.28g bbs can shoot well than a rifle with 450+fps.
Various other factors make a good rifle...
Never miss a shot! Your rifle should give you 99.9% accuracy and a 4X magnification scope. The scope should come with a graduated distance indicator. This indicator will help account for the pellet’s drop when shooting longer distances. A good scope should increase accuracy.
A good break barrel air rifle should also come with a noise moderator. Some of the rifles come with a non-removable dampener that can reduce noise up to 52%. Such rifles can be used in your backyard for plinking without raising alarm with neighbors.
One last thing that is worthy to mention. Avoid rifles that have big recoil since they affect pellets. A break barrel that does not recoil can shoot multiple pellets and give you excellent results.
List of Best Break Barrel Air Rifle Reviews
1. Ruger Blackhawk Combo Air Rifle
The Ruger Blackhawk is an air rifle that is richly featured to give you the best of moments on your shooting activities. To begin with, the rifle features a high shooting velocity of up to 1000FBS with 177 caliber lead pellets a feature that makes it one of the best long-range break barrel air rifle.
You do your shooting activities all through the year? The Blackhawk Combo air rifle is designed with a composite material that withstands all kind of weather around the year. With this, you will be able to go about your shooting undertakings comfortable even during the harsh weather conditions.
Comfort is key when it comes to having a successful shooting session. This airgun is designed with an ergonomic stock and grip to offer the user with the best of comfort while using it.
The rifle also comes with an attractive feature of a nitrogen-filled 4x enlargement scope that is resistant to shock, water, and fog. On this, you should take note that with the varying flight patterns of the various types of lead pellets you will need to re˗zero the scope for each lead pellet type.
Every serious rifleman out there needs a rifle that will guarantee them maximum accuracy while taking their shots. From some customer reviews by individuals that have used the Ruger Blackhawk Combo air rifle, it offers maximum efficiency when the shooting instructions are followed accordingly.
This Ruger Blackhawk also has a negative side; it comes with a big recoil that affects the pellet while shooting. To reduce the effects of this, you can always take your shots from an artillery hold position.
2. Crosman Benjamin Trail NP XL Air Rifle
Looking for a reliable break barrel air rifle that will offer you all that you need for a satisfactory hunting session? The .22 Benjamin Trail NP Xl will be an excellent option for you. Featured with a 1500 FPS velocity (one of the most powerful break barrel air rifle on the market), this rifle is pretty suitable for small game hunting and for getting rid of invasive pests in your backyard.
With the break barrel style, the rifle is also designed with a nitrogen gas piston that empowers it to make quick, powerful shots. Further, the stock featuring the thumbhole style gives the gun an impressive overall appearance.
Though the rifle is not 100% quiet, it has a credit of being 70% smoother compared to other break barrel rifles in the market. With this, you can enjoy your shooting moments without being a nuisance to your neighbours. Note that the usage of a lightweight pellet whose velocity is more than that of the sound could result in unusually loud shots due to sound barrier breakage.
With a 3-9x40 mm AO optic from the centre point the rifle that comes with an adjustable objective you won have trouble while trying to get clean shots for your target.
After blowing all the horns and whistles about this break barrel rifle, it is also important to note that it also has a negative side of it. For instance in features, long trigger pull that makes it appropriate for adult use only while being unsuitable for young shooters.
3. Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle
If you are looking for an air gun that is well featured to suit your shooting needs adequately the Gamo Whisper air rifle is the way to go. Featuring a stock that is properly balanced the rifle offers the best of comfort to the user needs for an enjoyable shooting experience. More to that is an adjustable cheek rest feature to enhance users comfort.
Another exciting feature of this air rifle has the capability of shooting 177 caliber premium pellets at a 1200FPS velocity. With the regular pellets the gun gets to shoot at a speed of 1000FPS.
To reduce the recoil effects on the shooter while shooting the rifle is featured with a recoil absorption made of rubber that controls the force of the firing cycle. That way the velocity is increased with vibration being reduced in turn.
If you engage in shooting activities all-round the year; the Gamo whisper rifle has got your back. Designed with a sturdy black synthetic material the gun can endure all kind of weather without being exposed to wear and tear. This capability also enhances the longevity of the rifle, in turn, giving the user value for their money.
The leading whisper technology that is designed along helps the hunter to enjoy smooth action by making their shots unexposed to irritating varmints. This capability also makes this rifle to feature in the category of the best quiet break barrel air rifle. Additionally when the Gamo Whisper rifle is adequately sited the user is assured of experiencing maximum safety.
One unpleasant side of this rifle is that the user is not able to make direct shots out of the box without adjusting the trigger.
4. Crosman Nitro Venom .22 Break Barrel Rifle
If you are a serious hunter looking for a great break barrel rifle for your hunting activities, the Crosman Nitro Venom rifle can be a great option for you. It features a velocity of up to 950FPS with the alloy pellets and 800FPS with lead pellets.
The rifle also comes with the Picatinny optic rail design that gives the hunter an opportunity to enjoy flexibility and versatility while on their hunting adventures. With the feature, you can be able to change scopes from one rifle to the other without much struggle. Most importantly this Picatinny design enables the hunter to have plenty of mounting space when it’s time to hit their target.
Talk of power, the Crosman venom .22 rifle comes with a maximum power of 21-foot-pounds of energy that makes it best when it comes to taking down small games in a single shot. For instance, the rifle can hit targets like squirrels and turkeys at 30˗40 yards away. This feature qualifies this rifle to be one among the most powerful break barrel air rifles in the gun market.
You don’t want to send an alert to your entire neighborhood every time you are out to hunt in your backyard. To avoid this, you are going to need a silent rifle for your hunting activities; this rifle takes quiet shots enabling the hunter to go about their hunting encounters without causing any distractions.
Nevertheless, as much as this break barrel has outstanding features, it also has a few shortcomings. Firstly, its scope lacks a parallax adjustment and also it cannot be modified easily.
5. RWS Model 34 Combo .22 Pellet Air Rifle
The RWS .22 Model has been one of the top-selling RWS rifles over the years thanks to its outstanding features meant to suit the needs of any vigorous shooter. Designed with a wooden stock from hardwood and an ambidextrous construction the rifle offers the user maximum comfort to enjoy a less stress free shooting moment.
This incredible airgun comes with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer which undoubtedly is an assurance of longevity to the buyer. Also the proven robust break barrel system the rifle possesses in an additional guarantee of long-term service to the user.
Not to forget, this rifle is designed with unique features to meet your shooting needs whether you need one for hunting or getting rid of stubborn pests in your garden. More to that is the fantastic capability of easy cocking that comes with the rifle by enabling the hunter to open and charge the gun in a single stroke.
Accuracy is a crucial factor to look at when it comes to getting a gun for your shooting needs. The RWS .22 Pellet features front and rear sights to enhance accuracy while shooting. The rifle being scope able, it is an ideal choice for all hunting practices and also for people with less experience in shooting.
One more thing that makes the rifle a great option is; it gives the buyer sufficient value for their money based on its amazing features.
The negative side of this rifle is that it doesn’t work for children since it is fairly long for the adults that are not so tall.
6. Hatsan 95 Air Rifle Combo
Other than an attractive appearance the Hatsan 95 air rifle stands out in quality. This .177 caliber rifle provides accurate velocity tests since its factory tests are done using lead pellets unlike the prevailing trend with other manufacturers that use other light quality pellets during testing.
For shock absorption, the rifle comes with a shock absorbent rubber-butt pad that repels all the shock effects that result from taking a shot. Note that the gun is particularly suitable for hunting small animals and is a bit heavy thus not recommended for children use. However, you can always mount the gun for ease of use and to avoid using too much effort while shooting.
Safety is another factor that the Hatsan air rifle manufacturer had in mind during its construction. To increase safety, the rifle comes with a drop safety interlock to reduce the chances of unintended firing in case the gun drops accidentally.
If you love the style, this can be an excellent buy for you. It comes with a beautiful, creative construction that makes it quite eye captivating and suitable for anyone looking for an attractive rifle for their shooting sessions. It features a glossy gold colored trigger and a mounting framework designed with dovetails with an extension stop made with metal.
Though this Hatsan rifle has got all the fantastic features, it is a bit disadvantaged by its remarkable weight of 8.4lbs. This, in turn, affects the mobility of the shooter and also limits the rifle to adult use only.
7. Crosman Optimus Break Barrel Air Rifle
The Crosman Optimus air rifle stands out as being one among the most potent break barrel air rifle available in the rifle world. It comes with a velocity of up to 800fps with pellet velocity and 950fps for the alloy pellet velocity. This feature makes it an ideal choice for any hunter looking for the best break barrel air rifle for target shooting.
Apart from its incredible design the rifle also comes with the lightweight feature meant to give the hunter an easy time while out on long hour hunting moments. The lightweight feature also makes it convenient for use even with your young ones. However, you should note that the young ones should only handle the rifle just under adult supervision to avoid deadly accidents.
Every hunter looks forward to making perfect shots while on their hunting adventures. To give the user an exciting hunting experience this rifle comes with adjustable rear sights and an optic front rear for taking perfect shots.
For an eased user experience this rifle features a light cocking mechanism that makes it easy for the hunter to cock their gun when it’s hunting time. With this, the shooter will be able to enjoy long shooting sessions without getting overly exhausted.
Though a high-quality rifle some customers that have purchased the product have had issues with its scope in that they are not able to aim at their desired targets with the expected ease.
Comparing break barrel with other types
1. Break Barrel Air Rifle Vs. PCP Air Rifle
If you are looking for a rifle that can save your time when reloading and one that is best quite ever during shooting, then the PCP air rifle is the best choice for you. Depending on your preferences, you can choose to have the reservoir filled at all times so that you can always be ready for prompt response. To have the reservoir at a pressure of 2000-3000psi, several pump strokes must be applied.
To be able to cock the gun, you should break the barrel down to load it with pellet. After that, you can break the barrel back to its position. These guns are known to produce a minimum power of 600 FPS to a maximum of 1500 FPS. The Break barrel does not depend on the pumps, you only need to energize your arm, and you are ready to go. Nevertheless, as discussed in this review, new users should know the spring found in the gun can frustrate them when shooting, therefore, some expertise is needful.
Should I use the gun for hunting? The fixed barrel design that comes with a PCP makes the riffle an excellent choice for the hunters.
2. Bolt Action vs. Break Barrel Air Rifle
This rifle is mainly used for hunting small game to large game that’s caught on a safari. It dates as far as the early 19th century and is manually operated by manipulating the bolt directly through a handle.
Unlike the bolt action guns of the Mauser family that used box magazines that lined up cartridges vertically in a chamber making them heavy and awkward for use in a prone position, the modern rifles of the bolt action are much lighter with detachable magazines. The modern semi-automatic version is exceptionally accurate, making it a snipers choice.
This rifle has two significant variations: the shotgun and the handgun.
- How does the bolt action rifle work?
The bolt action is manually operated. It has a turn-bolt system that handles the cartridges in and out of the rifle. This system requires the shooter to do an upward ‘turn’ movement to unlock the bolt from the breech and cock the firing pin.
A bolt action has four movements that require a shooter to operate the rifle from a prone position. When fired, it has one stage of recoil on the rear as the bullet exits the muzzle.
Compared to other manually operated rifles, the bold action allows powerful cartridge chambering.
The bolt action designed for the .223 Remington is capable of delivering powerful magnum cartridges of 7-10 lbs. without altering the weight of the weapon. This makes it very stable for shooting elephants, deer, wolfs, and other big game.
This rifle has a less chance of malfunctioning since it has a short lock time and fewer moving parts. Owing to this fact, the bolt action is a low maintenance rifle and can be repaired faster than other manually operated rifles.
The bolt action is simple and most reliable for precision shooting with only one moving component – the bolt. It’s easier to control
On the other hand, the break barrel air rifle’s mechanism is different from the bolt action rifle.
You’ll need to break down the barrel to load the pellet and then break the barrel back into position. This mechanism uses a spring power plant to compress the chamber.
The break barrel has a velocity range of 600FPS to 1500FPS making it an excellent choice for shooting targets.
What features make the bolt action a reliable rifle for game hunting?
There are plenty of reasons why you’d want to own an air rifle rather than have a regular fire firearm in your household.
If you’re a novice and looking for a big game hunting rifle, the bolt action rifle presents an excellent choice. It’s powerful and has a remarkable balance of strength. It also offers more accuracy, is more reliable and has value for the money.
3. Break Barrel Air Rifle vs. Pump
The Pump-action rifle is not a very common type of a rifle. It comes in three variants: the rifle, shotgun, and grenade launchers. To cycle the fore-end in the pump action with a new round of ammunition, you’ll need to move the fore-end forward and backward.
This is how the pump works…
Instead of a handle, the pump’s bolt system is operated by a movable fore-end. The tubular magazine is filled with two or more cartridges which are fed individually. To begin the operating cycle, the shooter is required to pull back the fore-end to the rear of the rifle. This back-and-forward motion cycles the action.
Once loaded, pump action allows the shooter to freely choose shotshells. The shooter can mix various types of loads without using high energy.
Unfortunately, pump rifles don’t indicate that they’re out of ammunition and it’s possible to have an empty chamber after a complete cycle.
However, the semi-automatic shotgun version of the pump relies on some of the energy used to propel a bullet down the barrel to reliably cycle.
So, after every shot, the fore-end must be pumped to eject a spent shell.
The Zlatoust RB-12, the Valtro PM5 and the Remington 7600 series of pump-action shotguns and rifles use detachable box magazines.
For instance, the CLGY1000KT variable pump air gun has a velocity of 800 FPS - 1000 FPS and a rifled steel barrel. It best uses alloy pellets to deliver shots and accurately has a 17-BB magazine for quick follow-up shots.
This airgun is made of fiber optic sights weighing under five pounds with an all-weather synthetic stock with a 4x 15mm scope.
Like all standard air rifles, the pump is reliable even when exposed to adverse weather conditions making it the most dependable for military combat.
The pump can cost you about $200-$500.
To find out if the pump-action fits you, we can compare it with a .22 pellet model 34 combo break barrel air g. This rifle is made of hardwood making it comfortable and well balanced to handle. A feature that makes this rifle easy to target.
The .22 caliber features 11mm scope rail with an adjustable open rear sight. .22 caliber also has a 2 stage adjustable trigger and is a top-selling RWS air gun. This break barrel is best used for pest control and small game hunting.
As with any other rifle, the pump has pros and cons as we shall discuss here.
When it comes to purchasing either of these rifles, consider your dominant eye as this will determine if you’ll purchase a right-handed or a left-handed rifle. The pump action has excellent accuracy with a safety feature.
This being the case, a good choice would be a pump action rifle which features great accuracy and allows you to use either right or left eye functions.
4. Break Barrel Vs. CO2 Air Rifle
The vaporizing pressure produced by the Co2 affects the internal pressure of the rifle. The rifle relies on 88-gram or 12-gram CO2 cartridge for powering. Nevertheless, the pressure generated by the Co2 is exceptionally high to drive the pellets to a distance of 600-700 feet per second. Hunters can use the rifle to fire small species. Not only that, but the rifle can also be used for plinking, training, target shooting. They achieve this when the reservoir holds sufficient air that is well compressed.
Shooting should only be done when the temperature is at 70°C or more.
The break barrel is designed to use a nitro piston which makes it easy to manage the recoil and is accurate in shooting.
5. Break Barrel vs. Underlever Air Rifle
The Break Barrel presents you with a choice of power plant. This is in the form of spring piston, pre-charged pneumatic, a gas piston in addition to a variety of caliber collection.
This rifle features two-stage adjustable triggers and a ventilated rubber butt pad. The break barrel is one of the most durable air rifles with all-weather synthetic stocks.
When you use alloy pellets, the break barrel gives you a high velocity. For instance, the .177 caliber break barrel has a speed of up to 1250fps. It has a spring piston power plant and comes with adjustable trigger, scope, and mounts.
This break barrel is most accurate with nitrogen filled 4x magnification scope. The scope is both shockproof and waterproof making it reliable for use in foggy weather conditions. The cocking effort is less than 30 pounds.
The .177 caliber is capable of fitting into a low budget and comes with excellent features. The break barrel is most suitable for vermin and small game shooting.
Unlike the break barrel, the underlever air rifle is the easiest to use among spring guns. The underlever can shoot accurately though it doesn’t have a pronounced torque.
The underlever the extra weight hangs below the barrel. The weight is crucial as it reduces the recoil while in use. The long scopes of this rifle are more accessible to mount as they come with a sliding compression chamber.
The Gamo CF-X underlever spring rifle is a grand shooting air gun with an 8-32x56mm scope that allows maximum light transmission. The safety lever is in front of the trigger and can be pulled back to engage at any moment.
This rifle is a natural shooter especially when the wind is calmest. It can shoot with the best group measuring 0.773 inches for the best 5-shot group at 40-yard range. The rotating breech has a groove machine that guides the pellet in the barrel and forces you to use your finger to guide the pellet every time.
The underlever has a smooth synthetic stock that provides low-friction for the cocking linkage. It’s also durable and if well maintained can last for a long time. Here are some benefits and drawbacks that come with buying this rifle.
Unlike the break barrel, the underlever has been designed for use with ease of use in mind. If you’re looking for a great start, go for an underlever rifle as it’s straightforward to use and is very suitable for beginners.
It’s also an excellent entry for adult rifles and gives excellent value for the money.