# Please explain a bit of airgun terminology **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615 "2007-02-17T14:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/21 "2007-02-18T16:22:49Z")
Three things you need to know about air rifle accuracy: Any air rifle that shoots at over 900 fps or so is getting into the transonic region where some of the air moving over the projectile will be trying to break the sound barrier. This is VERY averse to accuracy. To avoid this, higher powered air rifles need to use heavier projectiles. To a limited degree, different brands and flavors within a brand offer a range of weight. To go a lot heavier though, the calibre needs to increase, hence the existence of .20 ,.22 and .25 calibre calibre air rifles. If you are looking for performance on larger critters, consider not getting the .177 calibre with the impressive velocity number. You will obtain better accuracy, and the heavier pellets will retain more energy at longer ranges. Next, the single stroke cocking rifles, whether break barrel, under-lever, side lever, etc. are all spring powered rifles. A spring is compressed on cocking, and upon firing, this drives a piston that provides extremely high pressure air to propel the projectile. They almost all have the downside that the recoil while small, is difficult to manage. The problem is that after doing their main job, the piston rebounds and produces a forward recoil…so the gun recoils first in the normal direction, then a fraction of a second later, it recoils in the opposite direction. And all this happens before the pellet has moved a scant inch. There has been one spring powered gun that avoided this by using two contra-moving pistons to cancel the recoil, but you are unlikely to encounter this. Essentially, spring powered rifles MUST be held a loosely as possible. Any attempt to restrain the recoil will not be consistent from shot to shot, and accuracy will be horrible. This takes a fair bit of practice, especially if you are experienced with (powder driven) firearms, which generally require a secure hold for accuracy, and to avoid painful recoil related injuries. I suspect that this may be the issue with the safari hunter mentioned above. Someone who shoots high powered rifles on a regular basis is not likely to appreciate how light a touch is needed for a springer. Note that this issue is avoided with straight pneumatic powered “pump up” rifles. There are also expensive pre-charged pneumatics that use a tank to store enough air for several shots. The multi-pump guns are less convenient and straight pneumatic guns have a significantly louder report than spring guns. (the pressure in a spring gun drops dramatically before the pellet leaves the barely) Since low noise is one of the factors that leads to the use of an air rifle rather than a firearm, this may be an important consideration. Finally spring powered air rifles are very particular about lubrication type and quantity. Petroleum based lube in the compression chamber will ignite under the high pressure produced. (dieseling) this leads to excess, transonic, velocity, and inconsistency from shot to shot, so is detrimental to accuracy. Especially the cheaper guns are often shipped with excessive oil in the compression chamber which will take several hundred shots to clean up…so don’t expect an inexpensive gun to shoot to it’s potential until it has "broken in’. One drop of special chamber oil every few hundred shots will be needed after that, and still the first few shots after oiling may have poor accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/22 "2007-02-18T16:26:51Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] The biggest problem is disposing of the stinking coon corpses. Any suggestions? [/QUOTE] Yard-a-pult. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/23 "2007-02-18T17:24:40Z")
[QUOTE=Kevbo] Three things you need to know about air rifle accuracy: Any air rifle that shoots at over 900 fps or so is getting into the transonic region where some of the air moving over the projectile will be trying to break the sound barrier. This is VERY averse to accuracy. To avoid this, higher powered air rifles need to use heavier projectiles. To a limited degree, different brands and flavors within a brand offer a range of weight. To go a lot heavier though, the calibre needs to increase, hence the existence of .20 ,.22 and .25 calibre calibre air rifles. If you are looking for performance on larger critters, consider not getting the .177 calibre with the impressive velocity number. You will obtain better accuracy, and the heavier pellets will retain more energy at longer ranges. Next, the single stroke cocking rifles, whether break barrel, under-lever, side lever, etc. are all spring powered rifles. A spring is compressed on cocking, and upon firing, this drives a piston that provides extremely high pressure air to propel the projectile. They almost all have the downside that the recoil while small, is difficult to manage. The problem is that after doing their main job, the piston rebounds and produces a forward recoil…so the gun recoils first in the normal direction, then a fraction of a second later, it recoils in the opposite direction. And all this happens before the pellet has moved a scant inch. There has been one spring powered gun that avoided this by using two contra-moving pistons to cancel the recoil, but you are unlikely to encounter this. Essentially, spring powered rifles MUST be held a loosely as possible. Any attempt to restrain the recoil will not be consistent from shot to shot, and accuracy will be horrible. This takes a fair bit of practice, especially if you are experienced with (powder driven) firearms, which generally require a secure hold for accuracy, and to avoid painful recoil related injuries. I suspect that this may be the issue with the safari hunter mentioned above. Someone who shoots high powered rifles on a regular basis is not likely to appreciate how light a touch is needed for a springer. Note that this issue is avoided with straight pneumatic powered “pump up” rifles. There are also expensive pre-charged pneumatics that use a tank to store enough air for several shots. The multi-pump guns are less convenient and straight pneumatic guns have a significantly louder report than spring guns. (the pressure in a spring gun drops dramatically before the pellet leaves the barely) Since low noise is one of the factors that leads to the use of an air rifle rather than a firearm, this may be an important consideration. Finally spring powered air rifles are very particular about lubrication type and quantity. Petroleum based lube in the compression chamber will ignite under the high pressure produced. (dieseling) this leads to excess, transonic, velocity, and inconsistency from shot to shot, so is detrimental to accuracy. Especially the cheaper guns are often shipped with excessive oil in the compression chamber which will take several hundred shots to clean up…so don’t expect an inexpensive gun to shoot to it’s potential until it has "broken in’. One drop of special chamber oil every few hundred shots will be needed after that, and still the first few shots after oiling may have poor accuracy. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the instruction, **Kevbo**. Good stuff and I appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/24 "2007-02-18T17:28:12Z")
[QUOTE=crazyjoe] Yard-a-pult. [/QUOTE] I once “yard-a-pulted” (sorta) a dead coon to the vacant lot across the street. Not fer enough though though. 😃😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![TheBaptiste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f6c823/32.png) [@TheBaptiste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBaptiste)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/25 "2007-02-19T04:29:22Z")
I had a RWS 48 22. when I was 12 or 13. The cocking action is actually pretty easy and the power is awesome!. With a nice scope it was [Mona Lisa Vito]“dead on balls accurate”[/Mona Lisa Vito] too. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/26 "2007-02-19T10:48:05Z")
[QUOTE=Gary T] I’m intrigued by the side-cock (= side lever?) design. I assume there’s a lever that’s hinged so that it swings out to the left or right of the gun. But I can’t see any hint of such mechanism in the pictures I’ve seen. I’m curious how long the lever is, where it sits at rest, how one accesses/grips it, etc. Could someone be kind enough to provide a description, better yet illustrations, of just how these work? [/QUOTE] If you compare the pictures of the RWS 48 from [Barn Owl’s link](http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=VE1GUFY2J0THQCWQNWRCCOQK0BW0GIWE?id=0012699210377a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=air+rifle+%2B+rws&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=air+rifle+%2B+rws&noImage=0&_requestid=15010&_requestid=1041) and the [link posted by enipla]([http://www.darrellsairguns.com/rwsrif.html#Model](http://www.darrellsairguns.com/rwsrif.html#Model) 48) you’ll see that the lever is on the right side of the gun and extends from right over the trigger til just past the rear sight. ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/27 "2007-02-19T12:14:15Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] The biggest problem is disposing of the stinking coon corpses. Any suggestions? [/QUOTE] Just like the fisherman dose it, you bag up the carcass and put it in the freezer until garbage collection day. Don’t forget to mark it properly! ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/28 "2007-02-19T13:57:24Z")
[QUOTE=Kevbo] Three things you need to know about air rifle accuracy: Finally spring powered air rifles are very particular about lubrication type and quantity. Petroleum based lube in the compression chamber will ignite under the high pressure produced. (dieseling) this leads to excess, transonic, velocity, and inconsistency from shot to shot, so is detrimental to accuracy. \*\* Especially the cheaper guns are often shipped with excessive oil in the compression chamber which will take several hundred shots to clean up…so don’t expect an inexpensive gun to shoot to it’s potential until it has "broken in’.\*\* One drop of special chamber oil every few hundred shots will be needed after that, and still the first few shots after oiling may have poor accuracy. [/QUOTE] I’ve been re-reading your post (I told you it was good stuff), and wonder if the Model 48 at ~$300 would be considered a “cheaper gun.” I wouldn’t be surprised if it is. After all, the price of guns seems to go from next to nothing to astronomical. Then there’s the accuracy of breakbarrels. I think my son in law based his statement on the supposition that just by pumping the gun, you can easily jostle the scope and cause it to go out of alignment. True? Finally, I get the distinct impression you are, at the very least, a gun enthusiast and a writer as well. Also true? P.S. It will be easy for me to hold the gun loosely. I’m not a hunter, so a tight grip isn’t automatic with me. I’ll keep it in mind every time I aim the thing. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/29 "2007-02-19T14:10:42Z")
[QUOTE=naita] If you compare the pictures of the RWS 48 from [Barn Owl’s link](http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=VE1GUFY2J0THQCWQNWRCCOQK0BW0GIWE?id=0012699210377a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=air+rifle+%2B+rws&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=air+rifle+%2B+rws&noImage=0&_requestid=15010&_requestid=1041) and the [link posted by enipla]([http://www.darrellsairguns.com/rwsrif.html#Model](http://www.darrellsairguns.com/rwsrif.html#Model) 48) you’ll see that the lever is on the right side of the gun and extends from right over the trigger til just past the rear sight. [/QUOTE] I was a little concerned that I might have to make the pull with one or two fingers. But from your description, it seems like I can get my whole hand on the lever. True? ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/30 "2007-02-19T14:16:12Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] I was a little concerned that I might have to make the pull with one or two fingers. But from your description, it seems like I can get my whole hand on the lever. True? [/QUOTE] Yes. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/31 "2007-02-19T14:18:45Z")
[QUOTE=Gbro] Just like the fisherman dose it, you bag up the carcass and put it in the freezer until garbage collection day. Don’t forget to mark it properly! [/QUOTE] Next time, I’m going for a much longer yard-a-pult, 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/32 "2007-02-19T20:04:13Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] Then there’s the accuracy of break barrels. I think my son in law based his statement on the supposition that just by pumping the gun, you can easily jostle the scope and cause it to go out of alignment. True? [/QUOTE] Yes, if you mount a scope to the receiver of a break barrel air rifle, then the barrel to sight alignment varies a bit from shot to shot. The hinge usually has adjustments to take up the slop to minimize this. The problem is avoided when using open sights, as both the front and rear sights are attached to the barrel. And speaking of scopes…Important: A scope for a spring powered air rifle must be specially designed to handle the bi-directional recoil impulse. A scope that would work fine on a heavy recoiling center-fire rifle will not survive on a springer. [QUOTE=BarnOwl] Finally, I get the distinct impression you are, at the very least, a gun enthusiast and a writer as well. Also true? [/QUOTE] A gun enthusiast for sure, but I’ve only had one article published in an obscure hobby magazine (“Soaring”) But I am a huge reader, which strongly influences my writing style…and I am probably heavily influenced by gun writers Jack O’Connor, Charles Askins, Bart Skelton, and outdoor humorist Patrick F. MacManus. Dopers that recall my postings prior to when I got a spell checker linked up to my browser (Aspell/Opera) wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking I could write for a living. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/33 "2007-02-19T21:01:10Z")
[QUOTE=Kevbo] Yes, if you mount a scope to the receiver of a break barrel air rifle, then the barrel to sight alignment varies a bit from shot to shot. The hinge usually has adjustments to take up the slop to minimize this. The problem is avoided when using open sights, as both the front and rear sights are attached to the barrel. And speaking of scopes…Important: A scope for a spring powered air rifle must be specially designed to handle the bi-directional recoil impulse. A scope that would work fine on a heavy recoiling center-fire rifle will not survive on a springer. So please recommend a medium priced and a low-priced scope for my Model 48- if you don’t mind. A gun enthusiast for sure, but I’ve only had one article published in an obscure hobby magazine (“Soaring”) But I am a huge reader, which strongly influences my writing style…and I am probably heavily influenced by gun writers Jack O’Connor, Charles Askins, Bart Skelton, and outdoor humorist Patrick F. MacManus. Dopers that recall my postings prior to when I got a spell checker linked up to my browser (Aspell/Opera) wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking I could write for a living. [/QUOTE] You write quite well. Please let us know when you publish again. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/34 "2007-02-20T03:26:01Z")
xyz ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/35 "2007-02-20T03:27:19Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] You write quite well. Please let us know when you publish again. [/QUOTE] Eh, it might be a good long while. [QUOTE=BarnOwl] So please recommend a medium priced and a low-priced scope for my Model 48- if you don’t mind. . [/QUOTE] My experience is limited. I’ve been very happy with the[compasseco 2-7x32AR](http://www.compasseco.com/index.php?action=item&id=317&prevaction=category&previd=13&prevstart=0) but my experience is limited. It is a good scope, but there well may be better. I have it mounted on a TechForce 99 brought from China by the same importer. This is among the higher powered springers, so it should work OK on anything. Sorry for no specific recomendation on an inexpensive air rifle. There are some deals, and the quality varies it seems, from month to month. If you are willing to pay for assurd quality, buy an English, German or expensive Aemrican (which will not be made in America, I’m afraid) air rifle. There ARE some good deals Comng out of china, but as I say the quality is spotty, so I wouldn’t risk any reputation I might have on them. You pays your money, and you takes your chances. And I can’t get Aspell to work on \*\*this \*\* PC, so you are seeing the real deal here. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/36 "2007-02-20T03:29:46Z")
Heh, so much for the new server helping the double posting issues. You can’t defeat the hamster union THAT easilly. **POWER TO THE WORKERS!** ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615/37 "2007-02-20T03:52:43Z")
[QUOTE=Kevbo] Heh, so much for the new server helping the double posting issues. You can’t defeat the hamster union THAT easilly. **POWER TO THE WORKERS!** [/QUOTE] Thanks for the recommendation! That one is quite sufficient, I think. And the spelling was fine. Don’t be so self conscious. What’s more, it looks like the mods deleted the double post. You must be living right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-a-bit-of-airgun-terminology/392615.md?page=1)