Comparison Umarex Morph 3X vs Crosman RepeatAir 1077

The muzzle velocity provided by the rifle - that is, the speed of the bullet as it exits the barrel.

All other things being equal, a higher bullet speed provides greater range and accuracy, and also simplifies aiming at long distances: the bullet flies along a smoother trajectory and requires fewer adjustments in height, and the influence of side winds decreases with increasing speed. On the other hand, this indicator directly affects the price of the rifle; and in some countries, legal restrictions on the ownership of pneumatic weapons are also related to the muzzle velocity of the bullet.

As for specific values, in the weakest modern rifles the initial speed does not exceed 150 m/s, and in the most powerful it can be 300 - 350 m/s or even more(remember, the speed of sound is 330 m/s). In general, for recreational shooting at short distances, this parameter is not particularly important, and detailed recommendations for choosing pneumatics for more specific situations can be found in special sources. Let us only note that in AEG electric drives (see “Type”) the initial speed extremely rarely exceeds 150 m/s, but this is done solely for safety reasons: such “weapons” are intended for military-tactical games and initially involve shooting at people, and the high speed would be unsafe for players even with protective equipment.

It is also wor...th considering that this indicator is not strictly defined. In any type of pneumatic it depends on the weight of the bullet (the lighter the faster); therefore, in the characteristics it is usually customary to indicate a certain average velocity for standard ammunition (usually weighing 0.5 g, in AEG - 0.2 g). In addition, in multi-compression rifles the actual speed of the bullet is determined by the degree of inflation, in gas-cylinder rifles it is determined by the ambient temperature, and in PCP models it is possible to achieve higher speeds than declared by replacing the air with a special gas (for example, helium). Nevertheless, this characteristic makes it possible to evaluate the capabilities of the rifle and compare it with other models, including those that differ in type.

The type of barrel fitted to the rifle.

This parameter is indicated by the type of the inner surface of the barrel, the options may be as follows:

— Rifled. Barrel, on the inner surface of which spiral grooves are applied. This is the most popular variant among modern air rifles — in fact, the term "rifle" itself comes from the screw rifling in the barrel. Thanks to internal rifling, the bullet emitted from the weapon twists around the longitudinal axis, which ensures a stable trajectory and improves shooting accuracy. The disadvantages of this type of barrel can only be attributed to poor suitability for working with balls: there are relatively few rifled rifles compatible with these types of ammunition, while it is best to use special balls made of lead or other soft material with them (traditional steel balls wear out a lot rifling). However, this point cannot be called a serious drawback.

— Smooth. Barrel with a smooth inner surface, without rifling. One of the main practical advantages of this design is "omnivory": smooth barrels can be used for both bullets and balls (although the specific type of ammunition used depends on the model of the rifle). In addition, a flat surface is noticeably easier and cheaper to manufacture than a grooved one. The main disadvantage of such a weapon is its rather low accuracy, since the projectiles fired from it are not stabilized due t...o rotation. Smoothbore rifles are designed primarily for recreational shooting at short distances; it is also worth noting that such barrels were originally used in airsoft drives, in particular, AEGs (see "Type").

The type of ammunition the rifle is designed to use.

— Bullets. In this case, a bullet is called a directional projectile, with a clearly defined front and rear. The specific form of such projectiles may be different, but they all have a number of common features. So, any bullet at the same initial speed flies further and hits more accurately than a ball. And the material is usually lead or another soft metal, which provides a number of advantages. Firstly, bullets work great with rifled barrels (see "Barrel"): the edges of the bullet clearly fit into the grooves on the inner surface (many bullets are even able to slightly expand at the time of the shot, for the most dense fit in the barrel), the projectile is effectively spun and stabilized, while the wear of the rifling is minimal. Secondly, the bullets flatten out when they hit a more or less hard surface — this minimizes the risk of ricochets and allows the use of such ammunition even when hunting fairly large game. The disadvantages of bullets include perhaps a higher cost than that of balls.

— Balloons. Most of the models that use this type of ammunition are designed for airsoft and refer to AEG's (see "Type") or spring-piston ("spring" in airsoft jargon) rifles. The balls in this case are plastic, large in size, which reduces penetration and minimizes the likelihood of injury. Traditional air rifles for this type of ammunition are very rare. They use metal balls — usually steel with or witho...ut copper or zinc coating, less often lead. Such projectiles are distinguished by a very low cost and a good penetrating effect, however, they are noticeably inferior to bullets in terms of convenience and efficiency. First, the balls themselves are less accurate, they have more spread and lose speed faster. Secondly, hard metal makes it difficult to use with rifled barrels, which, again, further reduces accuracy. Thirdly, due to the same hardness, steel balls often ricochet. The last two points are not relevant for the mentioned lead balls, but they are much less common than steel ones. So in general, this type of ammunition can be recommended for recreational shooting at short distances — up to 10, less often up to 20 m.

— Lead bullets / balls. Rifles that allow the use of both bullets and balls. See above for more information on each type of ammunition, but here we note that the main option in this case is still bullets; balls should be considered as a fallback. Usually, separate stores for different types of projectiles are supplied with such "omnivorous" rifles.

And in models like AEG (see “Type”) and other airsoft weapons, the capacity is indicated for the standard magazine supplied in the kit; in this case, the magazine, as a rule, is removable, and if desired, it can be replaced with another one that differs in capacity. It is worth noting here that airsoft magazines are usually divided into “bunkers” (high capacity) and “mechanics” (low capacity). Mechanas typically hold up to 150 pellets, and some of these magazines have the same capacity as real weapons. This variety is appreciated by lovers of realism and experienced players. In “bunkers,” in turn, the capacity is already hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of bullets. They are convenient for beginners and undemanding airsoft players, but a serious drawback of such magazines is noise - the balls, hanging in the main compartment of the “bunker”, turn it into a rattle, making it difficult to move covertly.

The working length of the rifle barrel is from the chamber where the bullet is loaded to the muzzle. The shortest barrels found nowadays have a length of just over 200 mm(and in some AEGs even less than this value); the longest reach 500 – 600 mm.

There is a stereotype that the muzzle velocity directly depends on the length of the barrel. In firearms, this is true — but not in pneumatics. Firstly, in such rifles, the initial velocity depends on a number of other indicators — pressure, the quality of the barrel treatment, the efficiency of the valves, etc. on the first 20 – 25 cm of the barrel, then the gas pressure drops noticeably. The exception is PCP rifles, in which the longer barrel really makes it easier to achieve high speeds. However, again, so many additional factors affect the final result that models with the same barrel length can differ markedly in initial speed.

The second common stereotype is that a longer barrel improves accuracy and accuracy. This is true in the context that a longer barrel allows for a greater distance between the front and rear sights, making it easier to aim carefully. Technical accuracy does not depend on the length, but on the quality of the barrel processing.

Summing up all of the above, we can say that the length of the barrel for an air rifle is more of a reference than a really significant paramete...r, and when choosing, it is better to focus on more "close to life" characteristics — first of all, directly claimed muzzle velocity.