It won’t cost the earth

You don’t have to break the bank to kit yourself out with a decent air rifle. Mat Manning suggests some reliable options for less than £500

One of the greatest appeals of airgun shooting is its affordability. For a few hundred pounds — and sometimes significantly less — you can pick up an air rifle that should give years of reliable service.

With Christmas looming large on the horizon, it is likely more than a few readers will be thinking about buying an entry-level air rifle — either as a treat for themselves or to introduce a son or daughter to shooting. With that in mind, i’ve pulled together some of what i believe to be the best affordable airguns on the market.

even with the top spend set at £500, these guns cover quite a wide cost spectrum and the adage “you get what you pay for” certainly rings true here. nonetheless, i have used all of the airguns listed in this round-up in the field and can vouch for the fact all are capable of delivering decent performance, as long as you tailor your expectations to suit their price tags.

they may not be high-end models boasting pinpoint long-range precision and beautifully sculpted and figured walnut stocks, but these air rifles are capable of much more than simply toppling tins in the backyard. even the cheaper ones produce muzzle energy approaching the 12ft/lb legal limit, as well as being powerful and accurate enough to despatch cleanly small pests such as rats, grey squirrels, rabbits, pigeons and corvids, as long as they are set up properly and used over sensible ranges.

It is possible to buy a more-than-decent air rifle for less than £500 but you do get what you pay for