If you’re in the market for a .22 caliber air rifle, you’re in the right place. Whether you need one for hunting, target shooting, or backyard fun, picking the right rifle can make all the difference. With so many options, it can be tough to know which one to choose. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best .22 cal air rifles—breaking down power, accuracy, and overall value to help you find the perfect fit. Let’s dive in!
1. Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X GEN3i Inertia
Highlight: 10X GEN3i technology includes our revolutionary horizontal inertia-fed magazine integration.
Constructive Review: I’ve always liked a little target practice now and then, nothing serious. When the kids were smaller BB guns were fine but I wanted something a little more powerful. I have neighbors that are close enough that I would not want them shooting “real” firearms so I won’t do that to them, either. An air rifle like this seemed a reasonable compromise.
I like the Swarm G2 for the iron sights as well as the scope. Both needed a little tweaking for accuracy but once set, both are great. For me, that’s also part of the fun.
It is fun to plink cans and other targets. Where a typical BB will sometimes get caught in a soda can, the .22 pellets just pass through and sometimes don’t even knock over the can. So I had to upgrade my targets to tin cans and even then they get shredded. I have a target set out about 40 yards and can hit 2-inch groups… most of the time. I think that’s me and not the gun.
The only downside is that I waited until 2020 to purchase something. For future readers, every firearm and projectile – 22LR, 556/223, even .22 pellets are in short supply and/or priced extremely high. I lucked out and got this air rifle at a good price but now I see them at over $300! Yikes. Magazines are hard to come by, too. Again, I was lucky and now have some spares.
Loading the 10-round magazines can be tricky. The pellet needs to be set “just right” so it doesn’t fall out. I’ve had a few just fall out – no jams but a few dry fires. I suspect it’s me and my technique more than the mechanics since I’ve never had an air rifle like this. Just more fun to figure it all out.
I don’t know how well this will work against the Zombie Hoards but perhaps I’ll be able to take care of that pesky woodchuck that was in the garden. I don’t need to hunt down toilet paper (at the time of this writing there’s plenty in stock but you never know) but as the apocalypse continues to rage we might have to survive on chipmunks, pigeons, and the occasional neighbor’s cat. -James Drury
Trending Review: A few observations, I have had it a few days now, and what I found out so far. Take 100 pellets and just shoot, don’t try and zero the sights. I tried zeroing it in. got frustrated and considered returning it.
have fun, let grandkids shoot, wife neighbor. use the cheapest you can find.
take 2nd set of 100 and learn to hold. a soft rest and light against the shoulder worked great. @250 or so pellets I can now shoot 1/2 dollar size groups @25yards. it is getting better every mag full. The out-of-the-box stock scope was closed. sight in@25 yards, not 20 or 20. easier math
The 10-shot mag is brilliant. flawless so far. pumps easy. I am 62 and manage just fine, neck surgery, and 3 separated shoulders.
for the math 1/4″@100 yards is 16 clicks for 1″ at 25 yards. the stock scope could be better. might replace. I don’t know.
I already see I will need 2 or 3 mags when I am squirrel hunting. probably 3.
overall it is light took it out for a walk picking up trail cams. killed a couple of trees. easy carry w/sling
Disappoints-
1) thought it came with iron sights. gen3i does not.. pics show a gen2, buyer beware
2) does not come with any pellet targets or slings. pellets would have been nice,
3) no mount for a sling, you will need a looped sling on both ends to carry but the end may drill for a swivel.The packaging was fine, even came with 2-star wrenches, yes star, not Allan, a good thing came with it.
scope mounts easily enough. load mag pump shoot, just that easy
enjoy all. -Maryland
Reassuring Review: I have had rats in my yard as well as my house. We took care of the rats in the house but had witnessed multiple rats in our yard. I have a large amount of traditional guns, but I live in an area where you cannot legally fire a typical gun.
Being that air rifles are not considered “guns” in most US states and the fact this gun is also quiet enough to not raise alarm with my neighbors, it is perfect for killing rats and other vermin in my yard. Currently, rats are my only enemy for this rifle.
I one shot to kill them from about 25ft. I have some groundhogs I just discovered and from my target testing, it will be hard to hit them precisely at 100ft.
It may take them out, but I am still working on dialing in my scope to ensure I hit them where it matters, at least until I dial in this scope at the distance I plan to dispatch them. Back to the rats though. It kills these mofos instantly one shot aiming at the base of their head at 20-25ft (iron sights, I don’t use my scope right now).
The pellets I am using did not puncture its body so I think the kinetic energy alone was enough to shut the lights off. For the price, it’s a pretty cool gun. The optics cover for the front of the scope does not come off while attached because the hardware on the gun is in the way. That is my only complaint. -Just a Jones
2. Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X GEN3i Inertia
Highlight: Shot technology enables you to shoot up to ten pellets without reloading. Single cocking system.
Constructive Review: I gave 4 stars because my buddy got an air rifle and he is a 22cal from a different brand He went through 1/8″ metal and my magnum didn’t with the same pellets. We both paid just about the same for them too!
I’m still very happy with my Swarm magnum tho. I love its loading system. I got an extra magazine for mine so 20 rounds to shoot faster is awesome. These air rifles are awesome and do have the ability to unalive just about anything I’d say if hit right.
So be careful. An adult item not for kids. They are also very hard to cock so be warned if you are disabled or something like me. I had to get creative on how I pump it. But it’s a good thing because young children can’t do it. -Lazullentus.
Trending Review: They advertise “Lightning-quick follow-up shots” which to me is false advertising. To me, a follow-up shot is a shot that can be taken within a second or two without taking your sights away from down range / your target.
This is an absolute misnomer in the context of this rifle because YOU HAVE TO CHARGE IT BETWEEN EACH SHOT by breaking the barrel again. So, even with the very helpful 10-round magazine, no actual follow-up shots are happening, just plainly another shot.
Speaking of the break barrel, it is quite stiff out of the box. As a 250-lb guy who is strong enough to do a few pull-ups, I must be doing something wrong with my technique because it is much stiffer than I was expecting, and far stiffer than my other rifle.
Hoping it loosens up over time. I eagerly popped in a full mag, charged one shot up (with difficulty), discovered that I had to break the barrel between each shot, and promptly put the rifle away back in its case. -Sushi-Grade Pork
Reassuring Review: First of all, wow. This rifle has phenomenal power. I’m new to the world of modern air rifles, and I was quite surprised by just how hard this rifle punches- and kicks for that matter. Not that it kicks as hard as even a .22 powder rifle, but I was still surprised to feel the recoil on my first few shots.
So far, I have put 50 H&N Barracuda Hunter Extreme 18.52 grain hollow point pellets through the rifle, and I’ve got it pretty well-sighted in. I didn’t want to use a bench since I won’t be using a bench in the real world, and it feels like the recoil might be adding some inconsistency into the equation. But then again, it’s still very accurate and I haven’t gotten it properly broken in yet, much less settled on the most accurate and consistent pellet type.
The rifle is much louder than I expected, but I am not experienced enough with modern air rifles to make any determination or comparison as to how loud it “should” be.
What I can say is that I bought this to eliminate pigeons in my backyard, and I went WAY overboard. I wanted something that would instantly and ethically dispatch a pigeon, and a well-placed shot with this would more than achieve that goal. But as I am in a neighborhood, this may be too much power and also be a bit too loud to just start plinking like I had expected. I feel a bit naive, and that I didn’t do adequate research for my specific purpose, but that should not take away from the quality or amazingness of this rifle.
I’ve now read reviews of this thing taking out coyotes, and I do not doubt it one bit. Highly recommend it for its intended purpose of hunting! Plinking pests in the backyard might warrant further consideration. -Sean I.
3. Gamo Swarm Maxxim G2
Highlight: Low Profile Multi-Shot Break Barrel.
Constructive Review: I bought this Gammo .22 Cal after my tried and proven Ruger .177 finally gave up. I mainly use the air rifle in a residential neighborhood to eradicate squirrels. The Rugar did an ok job but I wanted something with a little more power.
Pros and cons:
Pros: This air rifle packs a punch; I can usually dispatch a squirrel with a single shot at distances of 100+ feet. The accuracy is good. With a good hold, trigger control, and follow through, I can cover 3 shot groups at 75’ with a ½ dollar and many times with a quarter. This is plenty accurate for what I need. The balance of the air rifle is good. The optics are an adjustable 3-9 scope. No parallax adjustment and no focus adjustment for different distances but for the money, it’s what I expected. The air rifle does come with a clamp-on rail system and the kit includes the rings. The trigger isn’t too bad for what this is (some take-up and creep but once you get a feel for it, the trigger is consistent). I like the composite stock. It’s “grippy” enough. I’ve never had the benefit of a 10-shot magazine and will say that it is nice not having to reload and fumble with a pellet for each shot.
Cons: The cocking barrel is operated with a heavy spring. I have to place the butt on the ground and operate the barrel cocking with two hands. I am however small at 5’8” and 130 lbs. I’d be confident that larger people could operate it with one hand. I also appreciate how quiet the air rifle is. I missed a squirrel at about 30’ and it didn’t even flinch.
The biggest complaint is that the owner’s manual is of NO BENEFIT. The manual contains too many inaccuracies, and it just does not provide useful information to properly set up the air rifle. For instance, the 10-shot magazine instructions are useless. Nothing to help know which way the pellets go in (point first or base first) and nothing to show how to insert the magazine into the breach. There is nothing in the manual on the trigger adjustments. Although there is a small Allen head where you’d expect it to be for adjusting the trigger, there are no details and nothing to indicate the proper size Allen wrench or whether it is SAE or metric.
Overall I’m very happy with the air rifle and look forward to running out of targets very soon. -captain moore
Trending Review: I bought a 22 Gamo Maxxim 2 to kill groundhogs that are eating our plants in the backyard.
(3rd update – The loading mechanism broke after about 30 days (so I couldn’t return the rifle to Amazon). Called Gamo, and they sent me a new loading mechanism at no cost to me after I described the issue, I put it on the rifle just now and just hit the soda can 35 yards away, rifle seems to be working okay. I suspect the loading mechanism frequently breaks in these rifles–anyway I’m satisfied, to me Gamo handled this issue well. I do have some doubts about the loading mechanism beyond a couple hundred shots. Therefore revising from five stars to four. Still a good rifle. Just not looking forward to revisiting this issue.)
My previous air gun was an old .177 bb gun that shot about 330 fps. This rifle puts that one to shame. I bought the .22 version of the maxxim. I watched a YouTube video that considered many different air rifles and in that video, this rifle was the best for me. I’ve put about 100 pellets through the rifle, mostly Gamo Red Fire pellets, which I have found to be very accurate and lethal. I bought an H&N Baracuda Hunter Extremes which have Philips head screw pattern hollow points. I’ve only shot one pellet this way.
(update 8/3/2022. I love this rifle, it has dispatched several groundhogs. It is accurate and fun to shoot. However, it frequently fails to load a new pellet (and there is no indicator to show that a pellet has charged, or that there has been a failure to advance the magazine) which has led to me dry-firing the rifle multiple times. You have to get in the habit of double-checking the pellets-left indicator number to make sure it has gone down when you have recharged the rifle.)
Accuracy and trajectory: From 19 yards to 39 yards I do not offset my crosshairs. On my old bb gun, the BB would drop about 4 feet at 39 yards. This rifle with gamo red fire pellets was the death of most of a family of groundhogs. Two kills yesterday at about 20 yards. One kills the previous day at 34 yards. I don’t consider myself a great marksman but I don’t see any place in my backyard that’s safe for animals I want to kill. At 39 yards I’m putting clean holes through 1/2″ boards. I shot a pen I used as a target, offhand, from 39 yards, with one shot. I’m not saying all my shots are that good, but I can choose where on a groundhog body I want my shot to hit at 35 yards.
Other info: The cocking force is pretty serious. This rifle is not for kids. People are saying 30 lbs? People consider me strong but I have to strain to charge the weapon. I can do it and I could have done it when I was 17. I’m just saying it’s not something just anyone can do. I like the magazine idea. I bought an extra magazine but by accident, I bought the 177 magazine instead of the 22 so I have been using the rifle with only one magazine and I have no problem with that. A follow-up shot is not always easy to get off because it takes several seconds to recock the weapon and aim it.
Setup: I had to read the instructions and watch a YouTube video or two to figure out how to put the scope on and zero it. My scope is not dead on, I am mentally challenged in the scope zeroing department. I had to figure out roughly where the rifle was shooting and make sure it was close to the crosshairs but I’m still pretty challenged. But I do know where the pellets are going to the extent that I can kill a groundhog, not to the extent that I can win a competition. It took me a while to get comfortable with how you load the magazine and how you put it on the weapon. The noise is not too bad. It’s subsonic and the report is not that loud. My neighbor who is my friend did not appear to know I’d been shooting it, although I had taken several shots with it before I talked with him. Not as loud as a 22lr. If you forget you’ve pumped the rifle the pump disengages the second time so that prevents mistakes, which is good. The directions say it is potentially a problem to put two pellets in if you forget and repump the rifle, which could be a problem, and I’m not sure if that has happened to me. Whenever I think I might have made a mistake charging it I shoot it at a target, not a groundhog. The other potential problem is that you pump the rifle when the magazine is empty, leading to an empty chamber and potentially dry firing. I am not certain but I may have dry-fired the rifle a few times due to mistakes in this regard, although I understand that can be extremely bad for the rifle. But so far it’s still powerful and accurate. I saw reports that sometimes pellets fall to the ground and do not get loaded from the magazine into the barrel, but I have not seen this happen to me. Possibly fake news.
Power: The power is less than a 22LR. I have targets I shot with a 22LR and this and generally the bullets go deeper. But this thing is lethal. I would not shoot a deer with it except in a survival situation but someone on YouTube claims to have killed a deer from 46 yards.
My wife doesn’t like real guns but she doesn’t mind air rifles.
I am curious how far I can walk this rifle out. My backyard ends 39 yards from my shooting position and I don’t know where I can go to shoot, so I’m not sure if I’ll find out. I’m pretty sure I can hit a target out to 60 yards without too much difficulty. -Peter
Reassuring Review: I bought this air rifle at a friend’s recommendation. I trust his advice. This air rifle packs a wallop.
It penetrated a 7/8″ thick bound 184-page book to page 125 and the pellet mushroomed handsomely. Easily a 5-star rifle but I gave it 4 because after the first shot, I was going to cycle the barrel to advance another round when I noticed a retaining pin for the tilting loading mechanism protruding about 2/5th of the way out on the left side at an angle less than 90°.
That couldn’t be a good thing, I thought. I unloaded the magazine and gently peened that pin back through the hole with a small but stout aluminum flashlight until I got it reset correctly. Then with the magazine still removed I cycled the rifle several times to make sure the pin stayed in place. It did.
That was a worrisome event for me. Inexplicable why that pin, which is a tight fit and apparently under pressure, ever moved in the first place. I chalk it up to a one-off event and will watch it to see if it doesn’t happen again. That loose pin cause minor cosmetic damage that doesn’t affect the gun’s operation. If that doesn’t happen again, I’ll upgrade to a 5-star rating. This is a mighty fine air rifle for the price. -Dale C. Flowers
4. Umarex Ruger Targis Hunter Max Pellet Gun Air Rifle
Highlight: Designed with the outdoorsman in mind and was made for getting out in the woods; Features an ergonomic all-weather stock.
Constructive Review: Very good Varmit gun, it’s pretty heavy and very well built. It’s not loud either but it is noticeable to neighbors.
There’s an automatic safety that pushes toward you when you prime the pump, you must tick it off each time before a shot. I’ve gotten accurate shots up to 100 feet, the scope is a pain in the ass to zero though.
It has fake knobs that screw off to adjust a flat plastic piece that is soft and will get damaged if you use pliers to adjust. The iron sights are easy to adjust and are pretty accurate, even though my rear is canted slightly it’s much more reliable than the scope.
It’s a good scope, don’t get me wrong. It just doesn’t stay zeroed for long and is a pain in the ass like I said. You’re probably going to need a second shot occasionally because of this and I’ve taken to reloading very fast after I get a hit, just in case I have to put a more fatal shot in. It has plenty of power to kill, just don’t rely on the scope if it’s zoomed in very far you will need to re-zero anytime you change anything. -Daleo
Trending Review: This air rifle is very well made, and it looks and feels very solid, modern, and sexy! The sight and scope were both very low right out of the box, but after about 20 rounds, both are spot on. The strap comes in very handy because it is not a light gun, and being able to put it on your shoulder is a big plus. I am not sure about this gun without the silencer but don’t expect it to be super quiet. It kind of sounds like a nail gun.
It is a marvelous piece! Glad I bought it. I am working from home and when I get a bit bored, I would go to my backyard plinking a few rounds. Fun! -Jack Y
Reassuring Review: My first real air rifle. I’ve had all the cheap .177 cal from Daisy to Crossman. But this thing is a beast.
It has so much bang for the buck. Everything on this rifle is top-of-the-line. My one complaint is that it isn’t as quiet as I thought it would be.
That could be because I don’t know much about these. But I have 22’s that don’t make as much noise. It’s loud. I’ve heard that they quiet down after shooting them. But I just spent two hours sighting it in and it’s still pretty loud. But I’m super stoked about this rifle. -Vinson Johnson
5. Gamo 611006875554 Swarm Whisper Air Rifle
Highlight: The Whisper Technology makes this gun quiet, and you will appreciate the reduced recoil thanks to the buttpad equipped with the Shock Wave Absorber.
Constructive Review: I had some doubts when I unpacked the rifle, it came very neatly packaged as a matter of fact, it’s lightweight compared to other rifles that I own but as soon as I had the first shot I knew that I had a winner.
It packs a tremendous punch and it’s very silent which is a very important factor for me. Very consistently precise @ 25 yards using lead pellets 18 gr. I’m glad that I ordered a better scope, got a 4 x 16 40 at a good price and it’s worth the money.
Perfect for backyard shooting. I had to upgrade my target plywood board, it went through 1 1/2 inches of hard plywood very clean. Love the magazine for the 10 shots, very easy and fun to use, so I ordered already 5 more magazines. The trigger it’s perfect, I recommend this rifle it is worth every single penny. -Ed
Trending Review: We bought this air rifle for target practice. It works great for my husband and adult son, but I’m not able to break the barrel to cock it. Maybe if my arms were longer, I just can’t get leverage on it.
The spring is very strong and it delivers a powerful shot without having to continuously buy cartridges. The build seems very sturdy and it should last for years.
The included scope works great for shooting targets that aren’t too far away. None of us see all that well, so we’re not able to test out the distance capabilities just yet.
The rifle and scope together seem to be very accurate at the range we’re using. My son took his first shot ever with a rifle and hit the target perfectly, which says a lot about its accuracy.
I would recommend it to anyone looking for a decent air rifle at a decent price. -Charlie
Reassuring Review: I HAD a problem with those pesky little red squirrels. They were getting into my motorhome and just being destructive little pests.
I went for this pellet rifle because of the reviews and some YouTube videos. From what I learned is that Gamo makes a good product and even their less expensive models are really good.
While I haven’t shot a top-of-the-line model, I am totally satisfied with this one. It’s plenty of power enough for a small game and accurate enough to ensure a well-placed shot.
The 10-shot mag allows faster follow-up shots and has so far worked flawlessly. I went with the .22 cal for a little more thump and I have to tell you, I don’t have any more red squirrels to bother me. -Shannan
6. Hatsan Edge Spring Combo Air Rifle
Highlight: Micro adjustable rear fiber optic sight; Fixed red front fiber optic sight.
Constructive Review: This is my way favorite air rifle. It is light and powerful and easy to cock. Got the factory scope and trigger on this one. Way out shoots my Gamo big cat.22 I got some aftermarket toys coming on this one. It is powerful, light, shoulders well, and is accurate.
A joy to haul around and have fun with. Great trigger pull and is well made with a good scope. This is the only 5 I gave. This is an add-on from my previous review. Bought one for my son in .177. He said thanks Dad I spend more time shooting now than playing video games. That was my goal. He tells me he shoots dimes at 30 yards. I just got my .25 yesterday.
Have not mounted a scope yet. Shot nickle groups at 10 yards with iron sights. Beware!!! once you start buying airguns you might not be able to stop. I have heard of people owning 50. I just started and own 8 and 1 on the way. I know I don’t own the expensive ones. But to get started this is a good choice.
I decided that I like shooting so much I have a PCP Benjamin Discovery on the way. I have owned real rifles all my life. Muzzle-loaders too Have killed deer and elk. I cannot shoot them from my kitchen and down the hallway. I shoot in my house and backyard. Daily. Tons of fun. -carl
Trending Review: I have a Benjamin Trail NP ( JUNK ) also a Beeman Siver Kodiak x 2. ( Great gun ) for $99.95 at Walmart. Great value! Dead on accuracy with the 1.77 or .22 barrel Next I have a Crosman TR77 Nps. Not dead on but very good!
Now for the Hatsan Striker Edge 22 cal. The craftsmanship is beyond great! It looks and feels like a quality high-powered rifle. The trigger is not as good as the Quattro but much better than the triggers on my other guns. When target shooting, I can get three touching in a dime size and with the other three included in a quarter size. While shooting my first squirrel, I took the headshot ( straight on ). While skinning it, I could see the small entry hole just below the eye. The pellet traveled through the head, all the way down the neck, and finally stopped just before coming out of the shoulder hitting bone all of the way. I was using Crosman Premier pellets. This gun shoots them accurately. No need to pay three times as much for the same results. It is now my favorite pellet gun. It was selling at Amazon for $119.83 and Amazon was offering $30.00 off if I would get their GE Visa card and another $10.00 gift card. I filled out a short form on each and in ten minutes was approved. I ended up paying $78.83 in total.
Oh! I almost forgot. I took away one star because I was unable to adjust the back open sight down without bottoming out for a 20-yard sight in. In other words. It wouldn’t allow for sighting in for anything below twenty yards. I didn’t try to see it in above that. I just then decided to put the scope on. There was also a problem there but a smaller one.
There are two scope stop adjustments. One is forward and the second is too far forward. It came from the factory with the stop placed as far back as it can go. I had little choice but to put the scope on in that position. The scope works in that far back position but once the scope rings were positioned as far back as they could go, I then had to also slide the scope back through the rings almost back leaving only 1/2 inch to play with. Hope that you have a long neck to get up close enough to focus. It is a shame because the quality of the gun itself is amazing. They just messed up on the backsight and the holes for the scope stop. -James
Reassuring Review: I bought two of the Striker Edges, one for each of my sons. They were less expensive (nearly half) than my Gamo Fusion Pro.
I was very surprised with the better quality, balance, and quietness as compared to my Gamo. If I could do it again I would have bought 3 of the Hatsans, instead of my Gamo. Since I have gotten these I have tried to get one of my boys to trade with me and they won’t do it. lol, They seem to shoot better, doesn’t have that irritating loud spring noise my Gamo has!
They are shorter and lighter weight too. Style is more like a true rifle than a big plastic toy-feeling barrel like the Gamo Fusion Pro I have. -craig
Final Words For The Best 22 Cal Air Rifles In 2025
Finding the best .22 caliber air rifle comes down to what fits your needs—whether it’s power for hunting, precision for target shooting, or just an all-around great rifle for plinking. Hopefully, this guide helped narrow down your choices and made your decision a little easier. No matter which one you go with, a good .22 air rifle is a solid investment for both beginners and experienced shooters. Happy shooting!