Air Assault: 10 of the Most Powerful Airguns

You are in for a surprise if you think air rifles only shoot BBs at 200 or 300 feet per second (fps).

While many commonly seen models do just that, other specialized variants launch heavy, large-caliber projectiles at high enough velocity to deliver some impressive downrange power. Here’s a quick look at some of these amazing mega air rifles.

AirForce Texan

AirForce Airguns says this is the most powerful production air rifle in the world. It shoots .45-caliber lead projectiles at up to 1,000 fps for over 500 foot-pounds of energy. This is a single-shot, precharged pneumatic with a sidelever action and a 490-cubic-centimeter pressure tank equipped with a built-in pressure-relief device. It will effectively contain up to 3,000 psi of pressure. (877-247-4867; airforceairguns.com)

Sam Yang Dragon Claw

Here’s a high-value offering from Sam Yang. This “Dual Tank” model is a precharged pneumatic air rifle with 3,000-psi, 500-cubic-centimeter dual air tanks and a built-in pressure gauge. It is supplied with a fixed front sight, a fully adjustable rear sight and the ability to mount a compact scope. With a .50-caliber, 210-grain projectile, Pyramyd’s tests showed that this gun will fire 20 rounds on one charge, propelling the first shot at 669 fps and the last at 456 fps. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Evanix Tactical Sniper

The appearance of this precharged pneumatic repeater brings to mind a sniper rifle mounted in a modern chassis. Available in .22, .25, .30, .357, .45 and .50 caliber, the trigger and cheekpiece are adjustable, as is the length of pull from 11.5 to 16.5 inches. It’s also equipped with a 3,000-psi tank that has a 300-cubic-centimeter capacity and a built-in air pressure gauge. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Benjamin Bulldog

Here’s a space-age-looking air rifle from Benjamin. This precharged pneumatic airgun is capable of launching 95-grain, .357-caliber projectiles at up to 900 fps. With a 170-grain bullet, the maximum energy delivered is a respectable 200 foot-pounds. This bullpup design accepts AR-style optics that can be easily mounted on the 26-inch-long Picatinny rail. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Air Arms S510 Xtra FAC Sidelever PCP

Made in England by Air Arms, the S510 Xtra FAC is a precharged pneumatic rifle that delivers .177-caliber pellets at 1,050 fps. The blued steel gun is available with a beech or walnut stock. It’s a 10-shot repeater with adjustable power, and the 231-cubic-centimeter air tank has a built-in pressure gauge. Pyramyd also offers .22 and .25 versions. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Sam Yang Recluse

This precharged pneumatic Dual Tank rifle shoots .357-caliber projectiles. In tests by Pyramyd, the first 76-grain shot left the barrel at 925 fps. The 21st and last shot measured 683 fps, which is still quite fast. Like the other offerings from Sam Yang, the gun has 500-cubic-centimeter, 3,000-psi air tanks and a built-in air gauge. The rear sight is adjustable, and the gun is set up with 11mm dovetails to accept a compact scope. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Evanix Rainstorm II PCP

Evanix makes the Rainstorm in  .22, .25, .30 or .357/9mm. It has a 3,000-psi tank with a built-in air gauge that can fire up to 26 .177-caliber projectiles. Of course, heavier bullets decrease the number of shots from a single air charge. The buttpad is vertically adjustable, and the two-stage trigger has a pull weight of about 2 to 3 pounds. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Sam Yang Big Bore 44 909 Light Hunter

There is a lot of value in this .45-caliber, single-shot air rifle. This Dual Tank model is a precharged pneumatic but has two 3,000-psi air tanks for a total 500-cubic-centemeter capacity. It also comes with a fixed front sight, an adjustable/removable rear sight, and an 11mm dovetail to mount a compact scope. Pyramyd Air tested the Sam Yang Light Hunter and fired 18 shots with 166-grain bullets, getting velocities from 745 fps to 574 fps. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Sumatra 2500

Reminiscent in appearance of a lever-action rifle, the Sumatra is a .22- or .25-caliber repeater. This precharged pneumatic Dual Tank model has a large, 500-cubic-centimeter air tank and comes with two 6-shot rotary clips. There are 13 power settings so that the shooter can adjust the power and conserve air for more shots. It has an adjustable two-stage trigger, and the manufacturer says it is capable of firing 20 shots on the highest power setting. (pyramydair.com; 888-262-4867)

Hatsan Big Bore Carnivore

This precharged pneumatic rifle comes in either .30 or .35 caliber with a magazine capacity of seven and six rounds, respectively. The Carnivore delivers up to 12 powerful shots downrange while generating energy at 75 foot-pounds in .30 and 100 foot-pounds in .35.  It’s also equipped with Hatsan’s Quiet- Energy technology, which reduces shot noise by 50 percent, making the Carnivore quieter than many big-bore airguns. (hatsanusa.com)

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