Topic: The Most Powerful Air Rifles of 2023 (Read 74 times)
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Key Features
Pros
Cons
I’ve hunted deer, hogs, and javelina with this rifle, and the overall performance has been impressive. This gun is fairly lightweight for a big-bore air rifle and carries well for long slogs through rough terrain. The accuracy is spot on in the 50 to 80-yard range I typically prefer, but it can reach out farther when called on to do so. The Hammer lives up to its name regarding terminal performance, and I’ve seen the proprietary Umarex 510 grain slug cleanly anchor some big hogs.
The Umarex Hammer is a .50 caliber rifle designed to accelerate a greater mass faster using proprietary technology from the co*pany’s Lightspeed valve. The design of this air management system, coupled with a .510 caliber, 550-grain lead slug, is capable of generating over 700 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. The cocking action of the Hammer is very light and requires about 2 pounds of effort to operate. This short, effortless action actuates a two-shot shuttle magazine for fast follow-up shots when required.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
My top pick for a crossover rifle that performs well for both small-game and predator hunting is the FX Impact air rifle. This bullpup design has a lot going for it, and the frame is rugged and lightweight, with an adjustable stock that accepts standard AR pistol grips. The air storage is a 480cc removable carbon fiber (other options available) tank that can be charged to 3600 psi, and the design allows extra bottles to be packed and changed in the field.
The sidelever action is one of the quickest, most tactile, and smoothest cycling that I have used, and reliably indexes the magazines every time. What really seals the deal for me though, is that the modular design lets the shooter swap out barrels, magazines, and probes to optimize the gun for different types of hunting. The hunter can use the .22 barrel for a rabbit hunt, then swap to a .25 barrel that has a liner optimized for slugs to do a long-range prairie dog shoot, then swap again for the .30 caliber barrel to hunt predators.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
I’ve been shooting the Hatsan Piledriver in the .457 and .50 caliber versions for a few years now, and have used it to take several deer, hogs, javelina, and exotics. This year Hatsan added the .62 caliber version to the lineup, generating over 750 ft-lbs with a 650-grain hollow point slug. This gun is a great performer with respect to accuracy, power, and reliability.
The PileDriver .62 is a bullpup configuration, but it is still a big gun. However, the .62 caliber clipped 4 inches off the 33-inch standard barrel bringing the overall length to 42 inches, and reducing the weight to a tad over 9.5 pounds. The synthetic thumbhole stock has an adjustable length of pull and cheekpiece. It uses a 480 cc carbon fiber tank to deliver up to five shots. The single-action gun cycles with a smooth side lever action, and loads quickly through easy access to the loading port. It also has Hatsan’s two-stage Quatro trigger, which is crisp, with a medium pull out of the box, and can be adjusted.
The AirForce Texan big bore air rifles have beco*e the most popular of the big bores over the last few years, and there are several reasons for this. The bottle for a buttstock design and inline valving are well proven in the field. The guns are adjustable and lend themselves to customization and personalization. They are also very well made and available in several calibers, including .257, .308, .357, .457, and .50. The performance of the Texan, with respect to both accuracy and power, is rock solid. I’ve used mine to take several species of North American big game. The most powerful version of this gun out of the box is the Texan LSS .50-CF, which is a .50 caliber gun generating over 800 ft-lb. The rifle features a 490 cc and 250 BAR tank that delivers three to four shots per fill. That’s moving a 620-grain slug at 620 fps for about 805 ft-lb. I find that the Texan’s excellent trigger helps wring the most accuracy out of the Lothar Walther barrel and the rifle as a whole.
Airguns of Arizona is a major U.S. retailer that is especially well known as an importer of high-end European guns. But a few years ago, they began manufacturing a big bore rifle called the Bushbuck. To my eye, this is the best looking big bore rifle on the market. It is a bolt action sporter style rifle in .452 that is dressed in a laminate stock with stippling on the forestock and grip, with an adjustable cheekpiece. This rifle is solidly built and weighs in at 10.2 pounds with an overall length of 49.5 inches and a 30-inch barrel. My Bushbuck is the co*pact version. It is 43.5 inches long with a 22.5-inch barrel. After a point, I am usually willing to trade off some power for a more co*pact gun. The 285 cc air reservoir fills to 4500 psi using an unobtrusive under-barrel tube that helps maintain the rifle’s sleek lines, while providing two to four shots per fill. The single-shot Bushbuck has two power settings and generates over 600 ft-lb in the high setting. I’ve carried and used this gun on both North American and South African hunts, and it is a capable rifle for any non-dangerous game.
A .177 pellet is not suitable for deer hunting. It is best used for small-game hunting and recreational shooting.
As we discussed earlier, not all rifles of the same caliber produce the same amount of energy. In general, a .22 caliber air rifle is suitable for varmints and small game.
The AEA Zeus in .72 caliber is the most powerful co*mercially available air rifle, and it has the largest caliber widely available. However, there are rare .82 caliber rifles also available through custom makers.
The most powerful air rifles are quite different, but there are similarities connecting them all. I would be happy using any one of them when out after deer or hogs, though my preference would change based on the specific situations and conditions. All of these rifles are accurate, generate more than sufficient power, and have an acceptable shot count for big game hunting. But air usage, number of shots, sound level, anticipated range, and size and weight of the gun are variables each hunter needs to assess based on their own needs and preferences.
Other factors to consider are, how will you keep the gun filled? Will you get a co*pressor or refill tanks at a local paintball or dive shop? Can, or will, the local shop in your area charge the tank up to over 4500 psi? It’s a lot easier to keep a gun charged at 3600 psi than 4500. Can you reduce the power if hunting in an area where limited range is advantageous, or so as to reduce air usage? Is noise an issue, and do you need to have the lowest possible sound signature? Will most hunting be from a blind or a stand, or will you spend hours covering large tracts of land on foot?
Each shooter needs to weigh the importance of these variables to find what suits them best. I can honestly say that — my own personal preferences and biases aside — any of these rifles could be a perfect big game rifle depending on what you like and what’s important for you and your intended uses.
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