When most people hear the term “air gun”, they think of a kid in a cowboy hat holding a BB gun, or Ralphie from the Christmas Story being warned he’ll shoot his eye out. However, there is much more to the world of airguns than just a 10-pump pellet shooter. These quiet, accurate, and versatile weapons are used for target shooting, hunting, pest control, and even in the Olympics.
By standard definition, an air gun is any firearm that uses compressed gas to fire a projectile. Most areas have laws that require an individual to go through the same process required to own a traditional firearm in order to possess and use an air gun. Often this requires an individual to pass a background check, and may include age restrictions as well.
Originally, early air guns used bellows that mechanically pressurized gasses and acted like a primitive blowgun to propel and accelerate projectiles. Later in the 1800s, they switched to a piston-powered design that was similar to a rifle’s internal mechanism. The piston was cocked by hand to compress the spring, and at the time of firing, the spring pushed forward to shoot the BB or pellet down the barrel.
Modern air guns can have a variety of powerplants, depending on the model and application. However, the majority of the guns on the market are still spring-piston models. They are generally low-powered, and are designed to be cocked for long periods of time without wearing out the piston or spring. These guns are very popular with target shooters because they don’t require the need to lubricate the spring with grease, and they are easy to maintain. airguns
