Muzzle velocity
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.Sighting device
The type of sight the rifle is originally equipped with. Note that many models allow the installation of other sights — in addition to standard sights or to replace them. And the optics or collimator can initially be combined with a mechanical sight (front sight + rear sight), which in such cases plays the role of a spare. However, these features are not available in every rifle, so when choosing, it is best to focus on the type of complete sight.
Nowadays, in addition to the traditional
sighting bar with a front sight, in air rifles you can find diopter,
optical and
collimator sights, and in some models regular sights are completely
absent. Here are the features of each of these options:
— Aiming bar and front sight. Devices in the form of a front sight and a rear sight, which has the form of a horizontal bar with a slot; when aiming, you need to combine these devices so that the front sight is visible exactly in the middle of the slot and flush with its edges. Such sights are extremely popular in modern pneumatics: they are as simple as possible, inexpensive, compact and reliable, besides they do not depend on batteries and are quite resistant to shock and shock. In addition, the front sight with a bar is not as restrictive as an optic or a collimator, and is better suited for shooting at moving targets. The main dis
...advantage of this option can be called the fact that effective aiming requires a certain skill — after all, you need to control not only the aiming itself at the target, but also the relative position of the front sight and the slot. On the other hand, this moment can turn out to be a virtue — in particular, when learning to shoot: having learned how to shoot effectively with such devices, the shooter will feel quite confident with other types of sights. It is also worth noting that the front sight does not give any magnification — this makes it difficult to shoot at small and/or distant targets; however, again, this feature is not always a clear disadvantage.
— Diopter sight. A kind of mechanical sighting devices (that is, front and rear sights), using the diopter principle of operation. The rear sight in such devices is a plate with a small hole through which the shooter looks at the front sight. Such a rear sight is easier to use than a traditional slotted rail, especially for beginners: even without special skills, the shooter subconsciously chooses the position of the eye in which the front sight will be in the centre of the hole (as it should be when aiming). In addition, the small aperture gives a slight zoom effect and enhances target definition, which is especially important at longer distances. On the other hand, diopters noticeably limit the view, are poorly suited for low-light conditions and are easily clogged with various contaminants. Therefore, this type of sight is used extremely rarely in pneumatics — mainly in powerful long-range rifles, mainly for sports purposes.
— Optical sight. Traditional optical sights in the form of a "spyglass" with a reticle applied in the field of view of the shooter. Initially created for high-precision long-range shooting, mainly at fixed targets; in the same role are used for pneumatics. However not every air rifle with optics is a powerful long-range weapon — there are also relatively “weak” models. But even such pneumatics can be a good training tool for high-precision shooting: a small distance in this case can be compensated for by a small target size. On the other hand, optics significantly affect the price of the rifle and require careful handling. Of its features, it is also worth noting that such sights necessarily have a certain magnification; due to this, they allow you to better consider small targets at the same time limit the field of view. It should also be borne in mind that optics are not well suited for offhand shooting and require careful insertion: the eye must be exactly on the optical axis of the sight, otherwise the aiming point may not coincide with the point of impact.
— Collimator sight. The working part of a collimator sight is a glass window onto which a luminous aiming mark is projected using a special optical system — a dot, crosshairs, a circle with a dot, etc. Sights of this type usually do not have magnification and are intended for shooting at short distances, including on moving targets and offhand. So in application, the collimator is similar to the front sight with the whole; and its key advantage lies in ease of use: no need to combine the front sight and the slot, just find the aiming mark in the window and aim it at the target. At the same time, unlike optics, it is not necessary to keep the eye strictly opposite the centre of the sight: the parallax effect (see "Adjusting parallax") in collimators is very weak, if not absent at all. The main disadvantage of this type of sights is that they require batteries to operate; in addition, collimators are noticeably more expensive than traditional mechanical sights, and also require more careful handling (although they are still less delicate than optics).
It's worth noting that these attachments are especially popular with airsoft guns like most AEGs (see "Type"): collimators are great for fast-paced fights.
— Is absent. The absence of any sighting devices in the original delivery set — there are only mounts for installing such devices. See below for more details on the different types of fasteners; here we note that such equipment does not allow the use of a rifle “out of the box”, however, it makes it possible to choose a sight for it at your discretion, without relying on the choice of the manufacturer. This is especially true if you plan to use optics — nowadays a wide variety of such sights are produced, for different tasks and usage scenarios. Actually, most air rifles without a scope are designed just for the installation of optics, although the possibility of using collimators is often also allowed; and in airsoft pneumatics, removable front sights with rear sights are also used.
It is worth noting that spring-piston rifles and models with a gas piston have a specific double recoil, which not every sight is able to transfer — even if it can be used with powerful firearms. So when looking for optics or a collimator for such pneumatics, you should be especially careful — for it you need to choose sights that were originally designed for such rifles.Lens diameter
The diameter of the front lens (objective) in the optical sight, which is equipped with a rifle.
For sights of this type in general, see "Aiming Device". And the diameter of the lens depends primarily on the amount of light entering the scope. Thus, other things being equal, a larger front lens produces a clearer and brighter image; this is especially noticeable in low light. On the other hand, a larger lens is noticeably more expensive, and it also affects the weight and dimensions of the sight; and in bright daylight, the difference from the “smaller” optics may not be fundamental. In addition, recall that the actual image quality is determined by a number of other factors; as a result, high-end optics with a relatively small front lens may well be more effective than a large low-cost model.
In view of the foregoing, it is worth paying attention to the diameter of the lens in cases where the sight is planned to be used in low light conditions — in a dense forest, at dusk, etc. In this case, it is worth considering not only this indicator, but also other features of the optics (and it is best to focus on practical reviews). If the rifle is bought for recreational use in the daytime in good light, the size of the lens will be a purely reference parameter: in such conditions, almost any optical sight works normally.
Scope mount diameter
The diameter of the mounts that the complete optical sight of the rifle is equipped with. For optics in general, see Sights. And the diameter of the mounts is the diameter of the rings in which the tube of the sight is fixed. These rings are mounted on brackets, with which the entire structure is attached to the rifle.
In the vast majority of cases, the diameter of the rings is a purely reference parameter that does not affect the choice. Before buying a rifle, this data may be needed if the "household" already has another optical sight, which may be used instead of the standard one. And even in such cases, usually, it is easier to use the "native" mounts of a spare sight than to install it in the rings from the complete optics.
Also note that the vast majority of pneumatics with optical sights use mounts of a standard diameter — 25.4 mm. Other values (for example, 19 mm) are extremely rare.
Barrel length
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.
