Complete Analysis Of Compressed Air Rifles

The history of air guns dates back to the mid-16th century, when European gunsmiths developed rifles that did not use gunpowder and were relatively silent. Pre-compressed air home rifles (known as PCPs), used for smaller and larger fighter jets, could fire a 12.8 mm ammunition at over 300 m / s. Like most of the firearms, these evolved of the hand of the warlike conflicts.The rifles has good rifle scope.

The Austrians used them against Napoleon during the Tyrolean rebellion in the late eighteenth century. These repeating rifles fired .44 caliber lead ammunition, with an effective range of up to 130 m. However, loading problems, coupled with the instability of deposits (sometimes exploited), made these weapons impractical for mass production, and gunpowder rifles inexorably became the weapon of modern conflict.

Entering the twentieth century appeared the first modern rifles of spring or piston to balines, generally used in the North American fairs for shooting to the target. The calibers employed were considerably reduced, going from .5 to .22 weapons. After the Second World War, the German gunmen censored by the military restrictions imposed on their country, were dedicated to the design of arms of compressed air.

It was so that by 1984, these rifles considered as a "toy weapon" became a tool, when cataloging the sport shooting as an Olympic discipline. At present, several factories are engaged in the production of these weapons. The technological development led to the reappearance of the PCP, the improvement of the spring or piston, and the emergence of carbon dioxide rifles (acronym is CO2).

Types of rifles

Spring or piston: these weapons are characterized by the brittle barrel. They are relatively inexpensive, since not having an advanced loading system reduces manufacturing costs. Their accuracy is acceptable, and using them properly does not generally require immediate maintenance. They have some respect in the community of sports shooters, as they represent the "old school", an almost rustic weapon that evokes something handmade in its construction and use.

These rifles, like most compressed air rifles, come in 4.5mm, 5.5mm and 6.35mm caliber. The output speed of the barrel, on average, will be around 220 m / s at 4.5 mm, 180 m / s at 5.5 mm and 140 m / s at 6.35 mm. This aspect depends on the quality of the materials used by the manufacturer and usually mark the price of arma.El operation of these models is through a piston, splintering the gun to load, a spring pushes back and Prepare to shoot.

Upon actuation of the trigger, the spring is released, it pushes the piston forward, generating an important air force ends up shooting the pellet from the gun barrel, while the piston returns to its place to a new refill. It is recommended to fire the weapon only if in the barrel, since using vacuum could severely damage the piston head, as it will collide violently against the bedroom where it should be hosted the pellet.

After years of use, these guns may lose some power due to spring wear. Depending on the brand, the replacement is usually cheap and replacing it is a simple job for any gunsmith.

PCP or pre-compressed air

PCP rifles are currently the elite of shooting with compressed air. Undoubtedly, they provide the highest speed of exit of the barrel and have a precision millimeter, although they are somewhat noisy (some models have built-in suppressors).

If you want to practice sport hunting, the PCP is the best system, as current models can accumulate a significant amount of air (see Weekend No. 457, October 2010, page 80). The firing principle is similar to that of spring rifles. Pre-compressed air in a tube (generally below the barrel) is released by a valve when the trigger is pressed, pushing the ball that locks the air chamber.

The modern rifle valves allow you to regulate the amount of air that is injected into each shot, allowing you to lose some power, but getting more shots or vice versa. The speed of these rifles is quite high, with values ​​that can exceed, on average, 340 m / s in 4.5 mm, 270 m / s in 5.5 mm and around 220 m / s in 6.35 mm . Although complex, maintenance of a PCP rifle is quite simple, limited to general cleaning with a compressed air cartridge. Depending on the ammunition used (quality, characteristics, shape), remains of lead remain in the barrel, since a low-quality bullet is misshapen and sometimes does not finish to fit the pipe. There are several ways to fill the air tank, but the most efficient and inexpensive is a pump inflator similar to that of bicycles.

Carbon dioxide

Also known as CO2, this form of propulsion is the most expensive, as it uses compressed gas cartridges to load the weapon. In addition, depending on the weather can provide lower or higher performance, as the density of the fluid varies. For example, on a hot day, the velocity of the ammunition will be higher, and vice versa on a cold day, causing possible problems in the aim.

Sometimes the gas is so sensitive that the temperature differences between morning and afternoon often mark changes in the point of impact of the ammunition and total gas cartridge performance. On the other hand, they are significantly noisier than their PCP pairs for the power they develop, so their use in sport hunting or pest control is more restricted.

CO2 guns are used successfully in Olympic shooting competitions, since under optimum and regular conditions of temperature and pressure, they tend to be very precise. However, the field varies greatly in power. On a cold day, output speeds will range between 210 m / s in 4.5 mm, 190 m / s in 5.5 mm and 150 m / s in 6.35 mm, conditions in which the cartridge will last More shots. On a hot day, the speeds increase considerably, reaching 270 m / s in 4.5 mm, 240 m / s in 5.5 mm and 180 m / s in 6.35 mm.

Although it seems an advantage, these temperature variations are problematic for accuracy, since with higher speeds the impact will be higher and the opposite with low speeds. The maintenance of these weapons does not vary too much from the other rifles. Keep in mind that the o'ring of the load valves can be damaged over time, but they are quite cheap to replace.

Buy according to use

Each of the charging modes exceeds the others in direct comparison and will perform better in different conditions. As we said, maybe using a CO2 gun for small game is not the most appropriate (this does not mean that it is not effective), although it will respond better in the interior. In the same sense, a spring rifle is an ideal option for all uses, although it is not notable for its power, unless they are very high-priced models.

Finally, a PCP rifle is an ideal weapon for all uses, although it is expensive and requires accessories. Therefore, it is important to consider the scope and mode of shooting to practice, since the wide variety of options can lead to an erroneous decision when purchasing a compressed air.

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