Shopping for 177 Caliber Air Rifles
Air guns in 177 caliber are useful for several types of shooting, from precision target shooting to small game hunting. With a little practice, a 177 air rifle is very precise and can be a ton of fun for plinking. No matter what you are looking for, there is a 177 air rifle for sale on eBay to meet your needs.
What are the types of affordable 177 air rifles?Generally, 177 air guns are broken into categories by the firing mechanism. There are several different types used by air guns:
- Spring-Piston - A spring is pushed into a locked position. When the spring is released, it drives a piston forward which pushes a burst of air down the barrel.
- CO2 - Compressed carbon dioxide (usually from a 12-gram cartridge) powers the gun. These are usually very easy to cock and often are semi-automatic firing.
- Single-Stroke and Multi-Pump Pneumatic - These guns are powered by an on-board air reservoir that can be filled with one or more pumps of the action.
- Precharged Pneumatic - The air reservoirs in these guns are filled from an external source, like a high-pressure air-pump or air compressor.
- Gas Ram - These are similar to spring-piston air guns, but use a lever instead of a spring.
Some air guns are 177 pellet guns and others fire round BBs of the same diameter. Others can fire either type of round. BBs tend to be a bit less expensive than pellets. Guns firing BBs generally have larger capacity magazines. BBs tend to penetrate targets better since they are usually made of steel. Pellets tend to be more accurate than BBs. Because pellets are most often made of lead, there is usually less risk of a ricochet. Pellets are usually heavier, and so typically have more impact energy.
What brands of air rifles for sale are available?There are several manufacturers with a variety of air rifle price points. Here are some common air rifle makers you might see:
- Crossman - One of the largest air gun manufacturers in the world, Crossman has been making air guns since the early 1920s.
- Daisy - Famous for their BB guns, the Red Ryder model is an iconic model of a Daisy air rifle.
- Gamo - With over 50 years of experience, Gamo specializes in high-powered air rifles for small game hunting.
- Umarex - One of the leading manufacturers of air guns, Umaxrex has many licensed replicas of famous firearms available.