The 5 Best Air Rifles For Off-Grid Survival

Benjamin Trail XL 1100. Image source: AllOutdoor.com

When selecting an air rifle for survival or simply small-game survival hunting, it is extremely important to choose one with both sufficient muzzle velocity and pinpoint accuracy. Therefore, it is imperative that you invest in a high-quality air rifle from a manufacturer with a longstanding reputation for producing air rifles that are both very durable and highly accurate.

But, with so many different manufacturers and models on the market today, how do you determine which air rifle to buy? Well, to start with, you should be aware that air rifles are categorized by the method they use to propel the pellet and that, for small game hunting purposes, air rifles that employ either spring pistons or gas pistons are the best choice. Those that use pumps or Co2 cartridges do not produce sufficient muzzle velocity. Those that employ a pre-charged air chamber are inconvenient because you have to use a pre-charged scuba tank, carbon fiber tank, or a specialized bicycle-type pump to fill them. The five air rifles listed below are all from well-known manufacturers and they all employ either a spring or gas piston to propel the pellet.

1. Gamo Hunter Extreme SE Air Rifle – The Gamo Silent Hunter SE is a special edition, single shot, .177-caliber air rifle that is capable of reaching a muzzle velocity of 1,650 fps using PBA pellets and a muzzle velocity of 1,250 fps using standard lead pellets. Also, this air rifle features a Monte Carlo stock with a raised cheek piece made from beech hardwood and a ventilated, rubber, recoil pad. In addition, it features a rifled steel barrel sleeve with a bull-barrel configuration, a single-cocking spring piston, break-barrel action requiring 58 lbs. of cocking force and an automatic cocking safety system. Plus, it also has an adjustable, 4.5-pound, trigger pull with a manual trigger safety and a 3 to 9 x 50mm air rifle scope with an illuminated, glass-etched reticule. A single-piece scope mount is included. Suggested retail: $449.99.

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Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle

2. Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle – The Gamo Whisper Silent Cat is a single-shot, .177-caliber air rifle that is capable of reaching a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps using PBA pellets and a muzzle velocity of 1,000 fps using standard lead pellets. It features a weatherproof, synthetic stock with a rifled steel barrel sleeve covered with a fluted, polymer jacket with an integral noise reduction system that, Gamo says, is capable of reducing the noise of the pellet exiting the barrel by up to 52 percent. It has an adjustable, two-stage trigger pull with a manual trigger safety and a 4 x 32 air rifle scope with a single-piece scope mount. Fiber-optic front and rear open sights are included. Suggested retail: $269.95.

3. Benjamin Trail XL 1100 Air Rifle – The Benjamin Trail XL 1100 is a single-shot, .22-caliber air rifle that is capable of reaching a muzzle velocity of 1,100 fps using PBA pellets and a muzzle velocity of 950 fps using standard lead pellets. Also, this air rifle features a very ergonomic, hardwood thumbhole stock with a rubber recoil pad and a rifled steel barrel. It also features a two-stage, adjustable trigger pull, a manual trigger safety and a center point 3 to 9 x 40mm air rifle scope. A single-piece scope mount is included. Suggested retail: $349.99.

4. Benjamin Trail NP2 Air Rifle – The Benjamin Trail NP is a single shot, .22-caliber air rifle that is capable of reaching a muzzle velocity of 1,100 fps using PBA pellets and a muzzle velocity of 900 fps using standard lead pellets. This air rifle features a very ergonomic, hardwood thumbhole stock with a rubber recoil pad and a rifled steel barrel with an integral sound suppression system. It features a single-cocking, break-barrel, second-generation, nitro piston gas spring (Benjamin Trail says it’s 15 percent faster than the previous version with double the effective shooting range). It also has a two-stage, adjustable clean break trigger with a manual trigger safety and a center point 3 to 9 x 32mm air rifle scope. A single-piece scope mount is included. Suggested retail: $299.99.

5. Crosman Nitro Venom Air Rifle – The Crosman Nitro Venom is a single-shot, .22-caliber air rifle that is capable of reaching a muzzle velocity of 950 fps using standard lead pellets. This air rifle features a very ergonomic, hardwood thumbhole stock with a rubber recoil pad and a rifled steel barrel with an integral sound suppression system. It also features a two-stage, adjustable trigger with a manual trigger safety and a center point 3 to 9 x 32mm air rifle scope. A single-piece scope mount is included. Suggested retail: $199.99.

While there are more expensive hunting air rifles on the market, the five air rifles listed above were all chosen because they deliver sufficient muzzle velocity for hunting small game along with pinpoint accuracy. In addition, each of the air rifles features an adjustable, two-stage trigger and they all include a variable power scope, which is a must-have item for hunting. Lastly, they span a broad range of prices that are specifically designed to fit most any budget. By choosing any of the air rifles listed above, you are certain to receive a high-quality firearm that will provide many years of service and will serve you well for the purpose of hunting small game.

Related:

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What air rifles would you add to this list? Share your tips in the section below:

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