While modern air guns differ significantly from their historic ancestors, the essential features remain similar: compressed air is stored until the trigger is pulled and then used to propel the projectile down the barrel. There are four main categories of air gun, based on how the projectile is powered:
Spring piston guns, commonly known as springers, have been around for centuries and are still a popular choice for those looking to get into the sport of target shooting or hunting. They are quiet and have low recoil, making them a great introduction to the sport. They are also inexpensive to shoot, costing only a few pennies per pellet when using BBs.
These guns rely on a spring-powered mechanical piston that must be cocked before each shot. They are simple in design and easy to maintain, although they can suffer from barrel droop, which reduces accuracy and performance.
More recent inventions are gas spring air rifles, which use a mechanical piston but replace the spring with a pressurized gas power spring. Cocking the gun causes the piston to compress the gas even more, which is then released when the trigger is pulled. These air rifles are more complex and require more precision to manufacture.
Many newer models of PCP air rifles have moved away from traditional lead ammunition to high-performance, lead-free pellets. This is due to the health risks associated with lead, which can poison almost every organ and system in the body. These pellets have a flat front portion called the head, which is available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and a cylindro-conoidal rear portion called the skirt. This shape increases the surface area in contact with the bore to reduce friction, and helps stabilize the pellet in flight. air guns