Oftentimes, there is a lurking confusion about whether or not an air rifle is one and the same thing as a pellet gun. Actually, people do use these terms interchangeably to mean the same. But regardless of terms, is an air rifle the same as a pellet gun?
An air rifle is the same as a pellet gun and the terms are interchangeably used. Air rifles are long guns that have a rifled barrel that ejects projectiles due to compressed air. A pellet gun can either be a long gun or pistol with a smoothbore or rifled barrel and shoots different pellet types.
This article is going to dissect the technical differences between the two air weapons in detail to help you have a better understanding of them. If you are a newbie, you will definitely find this information very handy.
Is an Air Rifle the Same as a Pellet Gun: The Main Differences?
An air rifle is the same as a pellet gun because it typically shoots pellets. However, some air rifles do shoot only BBs and therefore referred to as BB guns.
This Crosman Full Auto R1 CO2-Powered BB Air Rifle
is a prime example of an airgun that shoots BBs. It offers both high speeds and great power. BBs and pellets are different types of projectiles.
While a pellet is more bullet-shaped with a pointed, hollowpoint, and or flathead depicting a narrow waist that finishes down into a skirt, a BB is differently shaped. It is round in design and modeled out of hard steel coated with zinc or copper for corrosion resistance. Pellets are usually made of lead or lead alloys.
Besides the ammo, another major distinction is in the barrel design. BB guns come with a smoothbore barrel in many cases. Pellet guns are offered with a rifled barrel.
So any air rifle that fires pellets by default becomes a pellet gun. Yet, there are certain air rifle models that safely shoot both BBs and pellets.
When is an Air Rifle Not a Pellet Gun?
An air rifle is not a pellet gun when just by default it does not shoot pellets but rather other types of projectiles. For example, any air rifle that shoots BBs only is not a pellet gun – instead, it’s a BB gun.
BBs are very inexpensive projectiles compared to pellets and are fun to use especially for newbies. You do not want to launch BBs in your pellet gun to fire downrange.
This could damage your air rifle which was designed to shoot only pellet ammo rather than the steel BB ammo.
Are Air Rifles Considered Firearms?
As a new entrant in the air gunning world, the question as to whether air rifles are considered firearms is a very valid one. Now, this question can be answered based on the laws of a given country.
In the US, air rifles or airguns do not constitute firearms under Federal law. This is because air guns are by function, do not release or expel projectiles through explosive action which characterizes all firearms.
For this reason, airguns are sold freely and without strict restrictions on ownership as dictated by the Federal firearms laws.
However, there are state or local authority or government laws that need to be put into consideration. Different state governments in the US do have their respective laws and regulations regarding the possession and use of air guns.
In the UK, the lines are a bit different as all airguns that produce over 12-foot pounds of muzzle energy are regarded as firearms. Therefore, shooters will need a FAC license to own such an airgun.
When it comes to Canada, again the approach to what constitutes a firearm is different. The laws there consider any airgun that fires over 495 fps and producing 4.2 foot-pounds of energy and more to be a firearm.
In Australia, things are a little bit tighter. The anti-gun laws dictate that all airguns irrespective of the amount of energy they produce, action type, and caliber; all are considered firearms that can be used for legal purposes.
They fall in the Class A firearms. So for a citizen to own one, they must get licensed and registered from the word go before they start using them.
Can Air Rifles Be Lethal?
Air rifles can be lethal if accidents occur, particularly pellet guns that shoot pellets at the speed of 500-800 fps. However, this entirely depends on the caliber of the airgun, and the weight of the pellet, and of course, the experience of the gunshot to fire accurately in the right spot.
Air rifles or pellet guns for hunting medium to the large game have killed pigs, whitetails, mountain sheep, etc. before and people are still using them for hunting.
that shoots pellets with a speed of 1000fps and giving out 700ft./lbs. of energy. This airgun has a large caliber, it’s very powerful and can cause very serious injuries in case an accident occurred.
Nevertheless, only pellet guns can be lethal. BB guns may not pose any serious threat in terms of lethality.
What are the Different Uses of an Air Rifle?
An air rifle offers many uses onboard given that they don’t require licensing. Here are some of the most common uses of air rifles:
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Plinking
Plinking is a recreational airgun shooting event that usually happens in the backyard. It involves aiming and shooting at metal or paper targets and in this case using an airgun or pellet gun.
. It’s easy to handle and use and depicts incredible shooting speeds.
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Pest Control
Air guns are also great pest elimination tools for many shooters across the world. You can hunt down small backyard pests like rats, small birds, snakes, etc., and other small-sized pests using low-powered air guns.
, a .22 rifle that boasts up to 1000fps, great accuracy, and solid construction.
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Hunting
Aside from small pest control, air rifles are proper tools for hunting both small and large game. There are specific airguns, thanks to the different calibers and power, for different sizes of animals.
has been developed to meet your hunting requirements. It’s not just a high-velocity airgun but also features a rifled and choked barrel for accurate shots.
For big game hunting, you probably want to have AirForce Texan Big Bore, .357 that gives you high stakes of downing medium to large game. The AirForce Texan offers shooting speeds of up to 1100fps and 300ft./lbs. of energy.
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Training
Newbies can be initiated into gun use first forward by training using air guns. Training how to shoot targets with air guns is easy, fast, and safe among other benefits.
Airguns do possess low amounts of recoil, do not come with many restrictions, and are extremely cheap compared to real firearms. Even better, young shooting enthusiasts can be trained with airguns. Read more uses of air rifles here.
Final Thoughts: Is an Air Rifle the Same as a Pellet Gun?
An air rifle is the same as a pellet gun if, by default, it shoots only pellets. Some air rifles can also shoot other projectiles like BBs, which means they are BB guns.
Other models of air rifles can shoot both pellets and BBs. But these hybrid air rifles are quite a few in the market.
