# Should You Buy an Air Rifle for Survival?



## James Dome (Feb 13, 2016)

Many times through the years I have stumbled into prepper articles or discussions about the best firearms to have for SHTF. There are always different perspectives and I myself have shared my own opinions about what I think are the top 5 firearms every prepper should have. Naturally this assumes firearms are available to you legally and you don't have any ethical problems with the thought of using them if needed for their intended purpose. Training in the proper use and safety of these firearms should go without saying.

read more:Should You Buy an Air Rifle for Survival?


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Just my opinion of course, but I would skip the Air and go straight to the AR. If you live in a communist State……. Then leave while you still can.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

Yes ,,,,,,,,,,,,, air rifle is good to have ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you can hunt quietly ,,,,,,,,,,,, and they are very good for practice shooting ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and they are good to keep unwanted objects off of your property " not as good as a 410 with a load of rock salt " ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

No, spend the money on more sub sonic 22 ammo for the rifle you already own.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I have a cheap Crossman pump that I've had for years. It shoots plenty hard enough to take out small game at a decent distance. I considered buying a better quality air rifle, but on my list of needs and wants it falls fairly low. IMO there is a place for an air rifle simply because they're cheap, fairly quiet, will (should) work error free for years and years, and perhaps best of all, years of ammo can be bought and stored for next to nothing.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

I like air rifles for the stealth factor and ammo is cheap. I have been pleased with .177 and .22 with small game although I favor the .22. I also prefer the spring piston ones. I have to admit I am not fan of co2 cartridges, air reservoirs or pumps. This place does some nice work on them. Air Gun Tuning | Servicing | Parts | Flying Dragon Air Rifles and I kind of favor this particular one XISICO BAM XS25 | RWS34 Clone | Break Barrel | Flying Dragon Air Rifles. Opinions will vary.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

air rifles are down farther on the list following a decent stockpile of ams & ammo for defense/hunting - but they should be on the list .... definitely a must if your potential SHTF group will include pre-teens - great starter rifle and hunting small game as a chore is always a win win ....


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

A 177 springer for small game and pests, ammo is available easy

25 cal springer for larger pests and game, will need a stock of ammo

A 45-50 cal pre charged for everything else. But you will need to invest in a hand pump as these are usually charged with scuba tanks. These will kill things up to buffalo size. These use CF rifle lead bullets, you could cast these yourself.

For survival? Maybe not. But handy to have and quiet.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Some of the good Air rifles they make now will darn sure kill small game. Beats using up your .22's.


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## Oddcaliber (Feb 17, 2014)

Accurate,quite,deadly on small game. Cheap and available ammo. During the shortage all I could find were pellet! Get one.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

An air rifle would have it's uses in a bug in situation. Bug out? I'd opt for something with a lot more punch.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

James Dome said:


> Many times through the years I have stumbled into prepper articles or discussions about the best firearms to have for SHTF. There are always different perspectives and I myself have shared my own opinions about what I think are the top 5 firearms every prepper should have. Naturally this assumes firearms are available to you legally and you don't have any ethical problems with the thought of using them if needed for their intended purpose. Training in the proper use and safety of these firearms should go without saying.
> 
> read more:Should You Buy an Air Rifle for Survival?


Crucial if your hunting small game like rabbit, and dont want to give away your position! But depends on your scenario! If you gotta bug out, your probably only leaving with one rifle! And I don't think you would even consider the air rifle over the benefits of a high powered rifle?!?!


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

whenever somebody asks - "Should I buy X?" I think, If you can afford it, why not... it might come in handy


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I really want one of these:

powerful,500fpe,air_rifle


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

For small game the air rifle is a great choice. And they are great fun to shoot to.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

Only if your 12


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

jro1 said:


> Crucial if your hunting small game like rabbit, and dont want to give away your position! But depends on your scenario! If you gotta bug out, your probably only leaving with one rifle! And I don't think you would even consider the air rifle over the benefits of a high powered rifle?!?!


I don't think people give the "quiet" factor enough consideration .... it's going to be deadly quiet out in a post SHTF world - none of usual modern noise and people won't have their home distraction noises ..... throw in empty stomachs and you'll have a regular convention by popping away with a .22 much less a shotgun .... just another case of not breaking OPSEC unnecessarily ....


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

I've strongly considered an air rifle for many reasons. They can take small game quite well, make much less noise, and ammunition is stupid cheap. Plus, depending on the design, you could have an option that outlasts traditional firearms once ammunition shortages became a real thing. Most of these things shoot lead, don't need any explosive propellant, and don't require a casing or primer ignition. Casting your own ammo would be a cinch compared to most options.
The only thing that's held me back is unfamiliarity. I don't know enough about them yet to know if I'm eye-ballin' a kid's toy, or if I'm going way overboard with pneumatics. Somewhere in the middle would be good, but still so many options. More research is needed.


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

Of course you should have an air rifle. Many reasons to have, including inexpensive to own and use, and effective for hunting small game.


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## SittingElf (Feb 9, 2016)

> Yes ,,,,,,,,,,,,, air rifle is good to have ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you can hunt quietly


Only if you use subsonic pellets. Anything over 1100fps is going to have a sonic crack and make you easily identified.

I own an air rifle and use subsonics. Quiet and accurate. Plan to use for squirrels, birds, and rabbits in SHTF times. Not much use for anything else.

When I get back to the USA next week, I'll shoot a video with a decibel meter and show the difference between the sonic and subsonic pellets. The sonic pellets can make the air gun sound like a .22LR from a distance.


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## Mosinator762x54r (Nov 4, 2015)

Yeah I have one in the arsenal. Mixed use. Currently a trainer for my son so he can get used to iron sites in the back yard without kicking up trouble with the neighbors. Ammo is cheap. You can stockpile tens of thousands of rounds for $50. It's good for very small game. And quiet. It's never going to be anything more than that. And just like anything else its gonna break down at some point. I can't imagine trying to get a seal or a proper grommet in SHTF...but yeah...have one. It's not a terrible investment.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Mosinator762x54r said:


> I can't imagine trying to get a seal or a proper grommet in SHTF...but yeah...have one. It's not a terrible investment.


You're not thinking like a pioneer.
The Lewis and Clark expedition brought along some Girandoni air rifles.
From wiki:
"Contemporary regulations of 1788 required that each rifleman, in addition to the rifle itself, be equipped with three compressed air reservoirs (two spare and one attached to the rifle), cleaning stick, hand pump, lead ladle, and 100 lead balls, 1 in the chamber, 19 in the magazine built into the rifle and the remaining 80 in four tin tubes. Equipment not carried attached to the rifle was held in a special leather knapsack. It was also necessary to keep the *leather gaskets* of the reservoir moist in order to maintain a good seal and prevent leakage.
The air reservoir was in the club-shaped butt. With a full air reservoir, the Girardoni air rifle had the capacity to shoot 30 shots at useful pressure. These balls were effective to approximately 125 yards on a full air reservoir. The power declined as the air reservoir was emptied."


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

Can you shoot? There is a lot of suspect chatter in your post, like this: "Training in the proper use and safety of these firearms should go without saying."
Then why did you say it, if it goes without saying?
PS: I can shoot a Beretta in ways that you probably don't think about. You are not just telling everyone in general, you are telling me, to be trained, and I am.

Here is something that I will tell you, train for 100 yard shots with a pistol, and then you will be like me. No one trained me for that, I did it myself.
PS: I have had an air rifle and pistol in my time, they are great for their intended purpose.


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## Plumbum (Feb 1, 2016)

Its not a bad idea as long as its spring or pump pressured and does not requrie a scuba tank to fill. As a kid a hade a "powerful" .25cal Weably I used for rabbits and birds, at up to 30y it was just as effective as a .22lr. I looked at a big game air rifle last year but they require thanks to fill, use real hunting bullets and cost like $3000 so they are worthless as a prepp.


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

For being banned this dude has garnered 3 pages. Impressive!

All I have to say on the subject is...


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