PNEUMATICS

An air gun earns its place in a hunter's kit for jobs where a shotgun or rifle is too loud or too much gun. Crows near the feeder, rats in the outbuilding, pigeons in the grain store – these call for a quiet, precise shot at close range rather than raw power. An air gun is also the cheapest way to keep your eye sharp between hunting seasons, without burning expensive cartridges or upsetting the neighbours.

What you'll find in this section

The section holds four product types: accessories, pistols, rifles and pellets. Each solves a different part of the job, from mounting a scope to matching the right pellet caliber to your gun.

Accessories

The largest group here is accessories. It covers scopes with mounts, CO2 cartridges, cleaning felts, target traps and other small parts an air gun needs to be properly usable. A scope matters most when shooting at longer range in low light – crows or martens near a feeder at dusk will not wait for good visibility.

Air pistols

Air pistols suit close-range work – in the yard, in an outbuilding, near the house, where a shotgun is not practical or not allowed. They also make a good tool for training grip and aim before autumn, when you need to react to a pest quickly and accurately.

Air rifles

Air rifles give you more range and accuracy than a pistol – useful when the target sits 15 to 30 metres away, say on a roof or at the edge of a garden. Fitted with a scope, a rifle becomes a serious tool for longer shots without the noise that would scatter the rest of the flock.

Pellets for air guns

Without the right pellets for air guns, the gun itself does not amount to much. Pellets differ by caliber (4.5 mm, 5.5 mm and others), shape and weight, and these factors shape both trajectory and impact force directly. It is worth keeping a few types on hand, since guns often shoot better with one pellet type than another.

How to choose an air gun for hunting-adjacent use

Start with distance and target: a pistol for close work in the yard, a rifle for longer range and accuracy in the field. From there, look at caliber and power – 4.5 mm is widely available and cheaper, 5.5 mm delivers more impact for a heavier pest.

Caliber should match the job. A smaller caliber flies flatter and further, a larger one stops a bigger animal at close range more reliably. Before buying, check which pellet size a given model actually takes, since not every gun accepts both.

Noise is also worth thinking through. An air gun is quieter than a shotgun but rarely silent, and some models offer extra sound reduction, which helps when a pest returns repeatedly and you do not want it scared off after the first shot.

Brands you'll find in this section

This section carries several brands that hunters have relied on for years. UMAREX makes pistols such as the TDP 45 cal. 4.5mm, alongside rifles and pellets like the Cobra and Mosquito lines, so one manufacturer can supply an entire setup from gun to ammunition. BERETTA and WALTHER offer compact pistols such as the Elitte II and the CP99 Compact, both suited to close-range work in the yard or an outbuilding. PERFECTA and HÄMMERLI cover the rifle side – the MOD. 45 and the HUNTER FORCE 900 COMBO ship as complete sets with a scope included, so you do not need to buy optics separately. BORNER is known for pellets and BBs, and the Premium BB line works in both pistols and rifles depending on caliber. When picking a specific model, check whether the maker also sells matching accessories for that same gun, since this simplifies future purchases and lowers the chance of buying the wrong caliber pellets.

CO2 cartridges: 12 g or 88 g

Guns that run on CO2 need a steady supply of cartridges, and this section stocks two sizes. The smaller 12 g cartridge is common in pistols and suits shorter sessions – one cartridge typically lasts a dozen or so shots, depending on the model and the temperature. The larger 88 g cartridge, sold by both UMAREX and BORNER, suits longer sessions or more powerful rifles, where each shot draws more gas. CO2 systems perform worse in cold weather than spring-piston mechanisms, since low temperatures reduce gas pressure - worth knowing if the gun sees use in autumn or winter, exactly when pest control matters most. Before a longer session, check that the cartridge is full, since a half-empty one gives inconsistent shot power and can undo the accuracy you worked to zero in with a scope.

Optics and accuracy over longer sessions

A scope is almost always worth adding, because hitting a precise spot at 15-20 metres with open sights is hard. A properly mounted and zeroed scope saves both time and pellets, which matters most when you only get one shot at a pest before it is gone.

Before first use, the scope needs to be zeroed to the specific gun and pellet type, since trajectory depends on both. Once zeroed at a set distance, follow-up shots stay predictable even as light conditions change.

Care between uses

An air gun stored in an outbuilding or a car picks up dust and moisture, and the barrel and mechanism need regular cleaning with felts to keep their accuracy. Keep a spare CO2 cartridge on hand so the gun is never without power right when a pest shows up at the feeder.

This section brings together accessories, pistols, rifles and pellets – if you are not sure which combination fits your situation, write to us and we will gladly advise.