PART 1
Whether you’re a seasoned air gun owner or a complete novice, one thing will always remain true regardless of your experience is that you’ll always have questions regarding your hobby. Whether you’re looking for your latest purchase or simply want to know what an air gun is and whether you can own one, you’re able to find that information fairly easily thanks to the World Wide Web.
That said, very rarely are all the answers to your questions available from a single source. With that in mind, we here at Just Air Guns will be looking to change that by accumulating some of the most asked questions within the air gun world and giving you a succinct answer to ensure walk away with all the knowledge you need to know!
WHAT IS AN AIR GUN?
While a seemingly self-explanatory question, there is a vast amount of conversation online in regard to what an air gun is. Many people seem to confuse air guns with airsoft guns, otherwise known as BB guns, and others, somehow, think Airguns are real firearms.
Unlike their real counterparts which rely on gunpowder and internal explosions to propel a projectile, air guns depend on pressurised air instead. Most air guns do this through the use of CO2 capsules. These capsules are oftentimes attached to an air gun internally, with each pull of the trigger releasing a small burst of CO2 to propel a pellet from the barrel. Alternatively, some air guns require you to make use of a pump that pressurises the barrel.
HOW DO AIR GUNS WORK?
As previously mentioned, air guns propel their projectile by pressurising the barrel. This is achieved in three ways — either via CO2 cartridges, by ‘pumping’ the air gun, or via a PCP air tank.
If you have an air gun powered by carbon dioxide, you place the pellets into the air gun and attach the carbon dioxide cartridge before you start shooting. The first trigger pull punctures the cartridge and releases a burst of pressurised air that launches the pellet forward. Each trigger pull releases an additional burst of air that lets you continue firing the air gun, but some air guns don’t work that way.
If you own an air gun that pressurises the barrel via pumping, the process is simple in that a number of ‘pumps’ are needed before taking each shot.
PCP air guns are somewhat similar to those that run on C02 cartridges. PCP, an abbreviation for pre-charged pneumatic, make use of an external air tank that holds pressurised air.
WHICH AIR GUN IS BEST?
If we had a pound for each time someone searched this question, we’d be multi-millionaires. The truth is, no air gun is the best, and only you can decide which air gun is best for you specifically. When looking at which air gun is best for you, think to yourself whether you want to use your air gun for hunting/pest control or target shooting.
Once you know what you want to use your air gun for, you can then start narrowing choices down. Alternatively, once you know what you want to use your air gun for, contact our dedicated team to get some advice!
WHICH AIR GUN PELLETS ARE THE BEST?
Again, like the question ‘which air gun is best’, this question is dependant on the intended use of your air gun. That said, it is much easier to narrow down this question as it simply boils down to which type of pellet you’d use. The type of pellet you use affects the speed, power, and accuracy of each shot you take, so it’s a vital factor you can’t afford to ignore.
When hunting small game, wadcutter pellets is the usual choice because their design stops them from over penetrating. By utilising a pellet that won’t leave the target, you unload all of the pellet’s kinetic energy on the target to increase its stopping power.
Domed pellets are an excellent choice if you plan to shoot targets at a distance, and the aerodynamic design makes them perfect for long-range shooting. If you would like to use your air gun to handle pests and wildlife, pointed pellets could be the right solution for your situation. Pointed pellets work well because they penetrate through thick fur and are effective at eliminating pests that get onto your property.
Hollowpoint pellets work well for hunting because they expand in the air and deliver a powerful blow to the animal you are shooting. For the best results, you need to use a high-powered air gun so that the pellet expands appropriately. High-velocity pellets are the right choice if you want pellets that move through the air at the fastest possible speed.
HOW LONG CAN I LEAVE CO2 IN MY AIR GUN?
Due to the way in which air guns pressurise the barrel when using C02 cartridges, the answer to this question is fairly straightforward. When you take your first shot after inserting a C02 cartridge, the air gun pierces the cartridge to allow the C02 within to enter the barrel. Due to this, even if you are not shooting, the C02 will slowly leak out of the cartridge, and probably deplete itself within a 24-hour period.
If you are looking to buy cartridges in bulk and want to know how long they will last in general, the answer again is simple – provided the cartridge is not pierced, it will stay pressurised for years.
JUST AIR GUNS
Address: Just Air Guns, Trimex House, Pier Road, Feltham, TW14 0TW
Website: www.justairguns.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0330 999 5224