If you’re looking for a high-quality air rifle without spending a fortune, you’re in the right place. With so many options, finding the perfect balance of power, accuracy, and value can be tough. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best air rifles under $1,000 in 2025. Whether you’re into target shooting, hunting, or just some backyard plinking, these picks deliver top-notch performance without breaking the bank. Let’s dive in!
1. Benjamin Bulldog Hunting Rifle
Highlight: Up to 3 effective shots per fill, velocities up to 760 fps (air compressor not included)
Constructive Review: Excellent hunting rifle. Shooting at firearm velocities It’s not going to disappoint. Well made. Bought this for hunting. Destroys single loaders. 5 round repeater is perfect. Super silent, animals do not spook.
Highly accurate and powerful enough for one-shot kills on large bucks. Completely mushrooms the 115-grain hollows I like to run through the rifle. What else can you want? I run 9mm through it because it’s cheaper than .357 and I’m getting 1000 fps using 9mm 115 grain hollow. I pay 20$ for a box of 100.
If you get ammo on Pyramid Air every third box is free. Cheap cheap cheap ammo. I’ve run 1000 rounds through my gun with no problems. The hand pump works for me. I put negative reviews on things fast. I’m hard to make happy.
This made me very very happy. I can’t believe the quality. I’ve dropped this on concrete and it didn’t damage the rifle at all. UPDATE: had this for two years. Haven’t had one issue. Holds air as it did when I first bought it. I have left it fully pumped for months at a time.
Loses 100 psi after 4 weeks charged. It’s not wearing out. Just need to touch up the black paint!!!! Awesome price now. I paid 1000 when it first came out and I don’t regret it at all. It’s heavy. The barrel weighs s bit. ABS plastic takes a beating. No cracks!!
Update: Still getting a lot of use. Cheap fun that you are going to miss out on. If I was buying rounds for a firearm I’d be spending big money. Not me I buy $20 for 100 pellets and it’s buy three get one free.
Update,
Still happy.!!! -Methew
Trending Review: I received this gun today and spent about 5 hours with it. I own 3 other air guns. Two spring pistons, and a CO2 pistol. This is a different animal. The power astounds me. I set it up with a bipod, Bugbuster scope, and a tactical light.
Spent 4 shots sighting it in with JB Kings. I have not tried the Monster Nosler Bullets it comes with. Yes, I said bullets because that is exactly what the Noslers are. >357 bullets, not pellets. They must have massive power because the JB Kings are amazing. I have the hand pump. With that, I will get a good workout every day. Maybe someday a compressor, but you’re talking $1,000 or better for one of those.
The looks have grown on me already, the classic one-liner about these types of guns surely applies.
“Phased Plasma rifle in the 40-watt range” Arnold of course, as the Terminator. That is what this gun reminds me of whenever I see it.I also am surprised at the weight. Not bad at all, well balanced on the shoulder for me. It feels good, looks awesome, and has unbelievable power.
I recommend you quit messing with BB guns and invest in a real weapon. I did, and I am happy that I did.
Update:
I have fired quite a few rounds through this rifle. It is dead-on accurate, and more powerful than I even thought before. Shooting into 1/8″ plate, It makes a huge dent, and the slug completely mushrooms to the size of a quarter, amazing. This weapon will destroy the overly destructive groundhogs we have around here. If I had to make a one-word review it would be “wow “. Power is nothing without accuracy, this rifle has both.Update #2: This rifle is superb! And though, I am clumsy, I dropped the rifle, knocked it off the back of the cart actually, and it hit the scope, broke one of the flip-up covers, but it still shoots dead on. Wow, I guess that’s good for the scope rep too. A Leapers UTG True Hunters Scope. Amazing rifle. I suffer from extreme “buyer’s remorse”, but absolutely none on this purchase.
Update: October 1,5 2017. Well, I have two “big bore” air rifles, this Bulldog and a Sam Yang Recluse. Let me tell you, this Bulldog wipes the floor with the Recluse. More power, more shots per fill, and much more accuracy. I wish I had never purchased the Recluse, I would much rather have two of these Bulldogs. Completely satisfied with this gun.
Additional pictures are of some Jackolantern “carving” from 52 yards! -MichMan
Reassuring Review: Awesome airgun. Powerful. Accurate. I selected this rifle over some of the more expensive ones because of the wide range of slugs it can shoot using the same magazine. And obviously, because it is less expensive. ($2000 for an FX airgun is just a little too hard to justify. They are, after all, just airguns.)
I have fired 81 gr up to 163 gr slugs using the original magazine. You can fire even heavier slugs with the addition of a single shot tray placed in the magazine well. I have seen slugs up to 220 gr fired accurately with this rifle.
It is easy to modify and upgrade this rifle yourself. (check out pit bull airguns for parts and service). It’s almost like they designed this airgun to be easily modified. Mounted a vortex scope, extended air reservoir, and stronger hammer spring. Now I get about 15 shots before the pressure drops to 2000 psi. Still effective for small games at that pressure also. Simple to top off with an air tank and back in business.
Having received the rifle this last spring I have not had the chance to hunt any big game yet, but the destructive ground squirrels on my property have come to fear me!
A little bulky and heavy towards the front of the gun. A bi-pod attached to the included rail system easily fixed that issue.There are higher quality rifles out there for a much higher price. But I have not found any magazine-fed airguns that allow a wide range of slugs to be used. Most use just 81.2 gr pellets. Which is fine if all you want to do is target shoot or scourge small animals. But the bulldog can, and has, been used for games as small as squirrels and as large as deer, antelope, wild boars, and larger African game. (Albeit with additional modifications.).
I would like to see the cocking handle made out of steel rather than aluminum. With the upgraded hammer spring, the aluminum handle works hard.
Overall, very happy with the rifle. Good value for the money. Can handle almost all but the biggest North American game. With the 5 shot mags that change out quickly,y you could even give zombies a run for their money during the apocalypse. -Jason
2. Hatsan Blitz Full Auto PCP Air Rifle
Highlight: Advanced polymer, pistol grip, elevation adjustable comb, adjustable butt pad. three for stock accessory rails.
Constructive Review: I’ve owned Hatsan products before and knew that Quality Control is not their best attribute. They have innovative ideas and decent prices.
I was hoping that since this product cost over $1,000 the quality control may be a little better, but came to find out that this one was no different. One of the two screws holding in the trigger is only halfway in and stripped. There are also a couple of stripped screws on the upper receiver. When I contacted the seller they offered a refund but could not offer another version of the gun. I decided to hold on to it because of the scarcity, but don’t be surprised if you get a product that has stripped screws and rust.
As far as the functionality, I took it upon myself to thoroughly go over the gun and correct all of their mistakes. The gun works flawlessly so far. I’ve put maybe a thousand rounds through it without an issue.
For those wondering I have found that around 50 grains is a sweet spot regardless of the shape of the projectile. All of the Slugs that I have tried have worked but I need to confirm accuracy at long distances. -Josh Greene
Trending Review: The air gun came to me with an empty air tank which is not the normal way to ship a new air rifle. The air gauge is defective and does not show the correct pressure reading from the air compressor readings. The bolt
Spring is so strong and stiff that it is almost impossible to lock the bolt back in the cocked position. In semi-auto mode the pellets jam on the first shot when the bolt closes only halfway on both the large and small capacity magazines bought from Amazon.
The recommended Hatsan Blitz Pellets jam between the receiver and the magazine and there is no way to easily remove the magazine or the jam. Never got to try full auto. -Carl 1.
Reassuring Review: This gun rocks. I had to send the first one back because the mag jammed and could not remove it. The new one is excellent.
It fires 16 30-caliber pellets in under a second. You cannot miss it. It comes close to penetrating a new 2×6. very accurate. -Boatnik
3. Benjamin Armada Air Rifle
Highlight: Multi-shot capable, delivers speeds up to 1000 fps.
Constructive Review: The TLDR: A great first PCP rifle for advanced users looking to get into PCP rifles. Modestly priced, has good accessories, and has plenty of aftermarket mods available.
The long-winded version is below.
After finally deciding to buy a PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) rifle, and a lot of research, I decided the Armada was the right rifle. It is a Marauder air rifle with an AR-style stock instead of wood. All the internals are identical to a Benjamin Marauder.
I purchased mine in .25 cal, which is louder and less efficient than the .22 or .177 counterpart out-of-the-box stock but what it lacks in the aforementioned fields it makes up in power! This air rifle packs some serious varmint-stopping power.
Out of the box, I’d have to say it is a little heavier than anticipated but overall it is manageable. (Don’t expect a small light daisy rider! This is a full-on rifle!)
The included scope has a good sight picture and holds its accuracy. It’s nothing special but it gets the job done and I don’t foresee needing to change it. The bipod works well for what it is. All in all a good package deal.I will say that if you are using a hand pump for ANY PCP rifle, get used to a workout! From empty (near 0 psi) it takes well over 100 pumps (with increasing resistance) to get the unit up to 3000 psi and if you shoot it as it comes from the factory, expect to have to “top off” the air after every few mags. It takes about 50 pumps to go from 2000 to 3000 psi. So my advice is if you’re gonna make the jump into PCP rifles, buy a $300 mini HPA pump and save your shoulders and back. If you get a .22 or .177, you will have to top off less because it takes less air per shot but you’ll still need to fill the thing somehow!
The magazine is a nice alternative to single-shot rifles but having to cock the bolt back farther than normal (for cycling the rifle) is a little awkward and can be a pain. I wish it was a push-button release instead of using the bolt to hold it. You have to pull back to get it to the “unlock” position. Once you get the hang of it, it’s not bad, just different.
The accuracy is very good. I have read online that this unit can hit a good group at out to 100 yards. I unfortunately do not have the backyard to test this but I will say I can stack pellets on each other at about 100 feet. Which is all that I need it for.
As far as sound, it’s louder than the .22 or .177 because of the increased barrel size and decreased room in the moderating baffles. There are plenty of modifications you can do to make this air rifle super quiet. I highly suggest looking up marauder (mood) modifications. Not only are there a plethora of ways to make this already quiet rifle even more quiet, but there are some great (if not awesome) mods that can increase shot count, consistency, and accuracy. There are DIY mods for the mechanically inclined and “drop-in” mods for people who don’t want to tinker. Do know that if you mod your rifle, it does void the factory warranty. So you can’t say I didn’t warn you. Luckily these things are easy to work on!
I have modded my rifle and now it performs greater than great! I get a better shot count and way less noise. The impact of the pellet hitting the target is louder than the shot itself and even then, the shot only sounds loud because your face is right next to the rifle.
Downrange, a person coughing sounds louder…
All in all, I would highly suggest this rifle but know that this isn’t a daisy pump rifle, this is a serious pellet projecting machine! -MidnightAK
Trending Review: Friggin Amazing!… Highly recommend the .25 caliber — I have shot .177 and .22 and there is NO comparison if you want some knockdown power for hunting small game. With full charge @2900psi – this will kill a bunny at 100 yards and then some. Instant, humane kill at 50-75 yds every time, even with lower (approx 2400psi) pressure.
I have fired about 200 target rounds thus far ( and taken a few bunnies as well) using H and N hollow grizzlies…… not a problem one. I have some different types of pellets coming in the mail and look forward to trying different ammo.
A note to lefties: ( LEFT HANDED PEOPLE)
As shipped- it is a right-hand bolt. It is stupidly simple to switch the bolt over to the left hand— but beware, may void your warranty. Might be best to order it left-handed.
It IS Heavy — more so than a real m-4 — if it is too much, try a smaller scope and drop the bipod…
To honor my recently passed father, — I hit the range today with this and a few other weapons in tow —- I was shooting a 5.56 rock river AR @ 100 yds — basic AR — normal hits and misses and a few flyers here and there…. As a base— I am pretty good at 100 yds -300 yds with an AR platform rifle. I qualified as an EXPERT in Army BT …
( based on 300 meter pop up targets)
I powered up the Armada ( I have a remote tank – highly recommend) and proceeded to knock the sh%T out of targets that the m-4 scared a lot — but never dominated.
I decided to see just what it could do — moved out to 200 yds
The targets were orange clay birds…
( 2700psi) constant off tank –
at 200 yds after considerable adjustment on the scope, broke everyone with force…. one shot each ….if it is anything, it is consistent!
I would not even remotely recommend hunting small game with this @ 200 yards, but if you can get a; lock’ within 100 yards..good as dead.
Never use petro-based lubes!
( dieseling may sound cool—- but NOT Needed here! Use this rifle as intended and you will be happy)
Be patient with the bolt action— after around 250 total shots — smooth as silk. The break-in is a bit rough.
OKAY – the big ugly question :
Is it good for home defense?
As a vet of the USA ( reg Army) – I will say this: I would not want to be on the wrong end of this at close (-30 ft) range. That said- if you really want to protect your home/self …. no replacement for displacement. Get a nice 9mm or 380 side arm and be done with it. If you are good with rifles….. the AR .223/5.56 or .308 platform can’t be beaten…..ammo is cheap and plentiful for now, anyway.
Practice Practice Practice!!
Worse case? If I grabbed this first and shot someone in my house- I doubt they would present much of a threat after the fact……not dead, but certainly re-considering any harm they intend as I reach for my service .380…….then, as we say here in my state -I stood my ground…done.
I understand some people live in states/countries where they can’t own an AR or pistols… This Armada might be a good alternative — but to be honest- if you need to go to PCP for home protection —- get a .357 bulldog or better. — there is NO argument about its knockdown power. ( 400 lb hogs et al )
I have heard and read bad things about the scope that comes with this Armada —non-sense!! I think user error is the problem.
RTFD …….( read the f88cking directions!…_)
The .25 Armada is a wonderfully quiet and spooky accurate varmint rifle — very happy to add it to my collection! -Carlo
Reassuring Review: I use this 10-shot bolt action pellet rifle on a small ranch for nuisance varmints. Once I got it sighted in, using the scope that was provided, this gun is dead accurate – even at some distance (50 – 75 yards). I do notice it is often necessary to fire a second shot to finish the animal off but I probably should adjust my aim.
Another thing I like is this pellet gun is quiet compared to others I’ve used. Not silent by any means but no loud ‘crack’. Also, I estimate I can shoot four or five, 10-round clips through the weapon before needing to refill the high-pressure tank.
A couple of additional notes/suggestions:
-This weapon needs to be filled to 3000psi. I understand there are local places (like a scuba shop) that can do this. Being we are in a remote location I had to purchase a high-pressure pump and a smaller scuba-like tank. It was a significant expense but well worth it considering the amount I shot it.-I’ve found some copper-coated pellets that work great and don’t impart lead into animals that may feed on a carcass.
-After being so happy with the deadly accurate 10-shot Armada, I purchased an automatic Marauder – the Marauder was far more expensive and was TERRIBLE. Pellets would jam or not feed at all. -Dave from Cary
4. Benjamin Akela BPA22W Air Rifle
Highlight: TURKISH WALNUT STOCK – Balanced, adjustable cheekpiece.
Constructive Review: I had to come in and change my review. Initially, I was afraid I had received a bum gun as it came with 0 air, and when I tried to fill it all the air leaked right out of the barrel. After doing some research, it turns out that as of late Crosman can no longer ship rifles out with any air in the tank. Because of this, the valve was not seated.
Once I knew this I took my Scuba tank and forced a rush of air in there, with THE GUN COCKED (VERY IMPORTANT TO COCK IT). Now it is holding air indefinitely and I love this gun. It is extremely accurate, the stock is beautiful, and it is very quiet but still packs a nice strong shot.
I mounted a Hawke Frontier on it and the combo is awesome. The power adjuster seems to work well to although i haven’t had a chance to check it on the crony. Having owned many bullpups, this one is on par with my Wildcats. The Wildcat did have a bit nicer stock, but they both shoot very well, and given the choice I would save the 4 to 500 bucks and buy the Akela first. -Papa O
Trending Review: Very well done, beautiful wood, fit and finish. The price is very good compared to the prices of some of the high-end makers. Accuracy is superb. reliability excellent. Holds air great. (Got comments down below regarding leak fixes for those in need).
Put a UTG Bugcatcher scope on and you’re ready to drive tacks (once you sight in the scope). My only complaint is that they need to produce a composite stock version and hurry up with .30 and .35-cal versions. I will buy a larger caliber when they become available. Hopefully, they will have stock options like black composite and camo composite even if it raises the cost a bit.
I read one review where the customer has one that is not holding air. I ordered a woodstalker and had to remove the gauge, apply new Teflon tape, and tighten the gauge. It still leaked a little so I repeated this and torqued down on the gauge.
It took a couple of tries, but the Woodstalker is holding air just fine now. Ordered a Kratos and it holds at 2600 instead of 3000. I have to remove the gauge and do the same to it. Read several complaints on this issue.
There are DIY videos on YouTube. You can fix this yourself if you are so inclined. My Akela has never leaked. All the same, that’s 2 out of 3 that I bought that did leak. -James
Reassuring Review: Always wanted a bullpup air rifle so decided on this one as it was offered for a great price.
Quality build, very comfortable to hold and shoot, outstanding accuracy, very good shot count, more than enough power for small game hunting, outstanding warranty and customer support (parts, etc), quiet enough to be “backyard friendly” overall just a nice PCP.
I am very happy with this rifle and it has served me very well since I bought it. -J. M.
5. Barra Air Guns 400e Fully Automatic Electric BB Rifle
Highlight: Highly accurate BB guns featuring patent-pending technology. Maintain velocities between 410 and 440 FPS. Rate of fire 500-600 RPM for tactical, high-speed fun!
Constructive Review: Features that I liked
All metal construction. Consistent velocity and fpe across shot strings. Accuracy is as advertised. Comfortable platform. Very quiet. Multi-shot (50-round advertised magazine). Built-in M-Lock slots. Weaver rail for scope mount. LIPO Battery power. Automatic mode.Suggestions for the manufacturer
If I could, I would have allowed some other way to fill the magazine besides the auto-loader, which is cumbersome and I was not actually able to fill the magazine to 50 rounds. I managed 42 with multiple tries.My report on operation and testing:
Data was gathered using FX Radar Crony. I could not believe my eyes when I ran the numbers showing up on my FX crony. I ran a 5-shot string and a 42-shot string and the fps averages were virtually identical!! I then ran a 5-shot string fpe and a 27-shot fpe and the numbers there were also too close with negligible differences. Using Umarex Steel 5.29 gr BBs and shooting a 5-shot string, High velocity was 398 fps. The low was 389 fps. The average velocity was 394 fps with an SD of 3.03 fps. My 42 shot string results were virtually identical but SD was 2.08 fps. The energy delivered over a 27-shot string was an average of 2.51 fps with an SD of 0.0314!!!The consistency in velocity and energy was virtually flat across each shot string. No fall-off with shots fired. This outstanding BB rifle exceeded the original 380 to 410 mfg spec with a consistent average of 394 fps flat out. Max velocity was 398 fps. The rifle is a little heavy since it is all metal but it shot 1-inch groups at 28 feet consistently!!! In Auto mode, it was pretty close in accuracy. I installed a Rex compact 1.5×5.1×24 red dot scope. The magazine is advertised as 50 BB capacity but realistically max I could get into the magazine was 42 BBs. BBs were Umarex 5.29 gr Steel. The batteries were Zeee 2200 mhr 3S LIPO and they performed flawlessly. This is a 5-star performer. It is quiet and is the most accurate BB gun I own. I would rate this rifle 5 Star all the way.
ADDITIONAL THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Several; weeks after my purchase of the 400e I still think it is a great BB rifle. With several shooting sessions behind me, I have learned a few things that I thought were worthwhile writing about and that others should know.First and foremost, I was unaware of what a LiPo battery was; only that it delivers a lot of power for the money and is used extensively by Airsoft and other hobbyist in their rifles, cars, drones, etc. Here are a few things that I have learned about the care and feeding of LiPo batteries that I did not know beforehand. (1) For the safe and long-life health of a LiPo battery, you should make a point of checking the charge level, the individual balance between each of the cells of your battery, and each cell’s internal resistance. Checking your battery requires a much more functional balance charger than the basic one (although the basic balance charger will do the job, it will not tell you how good or bad your battery is… only that the cells are charged). A good LiPo Balance Charger will give you more details in most cases. Alternatively, a LiPo Battery Checker will do the same but it will not charge your battery.
(2) LiPo batteries should be charged in a fireproof safety bag. Although you do not need one, if the unexpected happens, you will wish you had used one when charging your battery.
(3) Storing a LiPo battery fully charged on a shelf is OK if it is in a safe storage bag, but storing a ‘fully charged’ LiPo battery for extended periods will decrease its overall life span. If you have several or many LiPo batteries for your 400e to use either through rotation or as ‘on-the-shelf backups, you will need to store these batteries at a lower voltage by discharging them to the recommended storage level. A good LiPo Battery Checker can generally do this discharge safely for you.
(4) when I purchased my 400e I knew none of the above! I do not regret my purchase. I love the rifle and took the necessary steps to add a better charger, testing equipment, and safe charging/storage bags to ensure that I could continue to use my 400e safely. Knowing that taking some extra time before and after shooting sessions to check my battery’s health will ensure longer battery life.
While I am no LiPo battery expert, I think I would have made a more informed purchase had I researched a little more thoroughly beforehand. Hopefully, the above will help other potential buyers understand the ‘extra’ care involved in using a LiPo battery. There are lots of excellent videos on YouTube on the care and use of LiPo batteries to get you up to speed on how to make the most of your purchase. Amazon and other suppliers do carry the additional items to check and maintain your LiPo batteries. Hope this helps. Hopefully, others might join in with their experiences and advice for novice potential buyers. -Radduci
Trending Review: This rifle is a ton of fun to shoot as it is to add accessories to it. I already added a strap and red dot sight with attached laser. Although it does not include the battery, neither do airsoft guns. Anyone who has used airsoft will know exactly how to enjoy this rifle. RC guys probably already have the batteries laying around somewhere.
The loader is a bit fidgety but if you know how to manipulate the movement, you can load it pretty easy. Its not a simple press, over and over. You have to lean and maneuver it before pressing the loader in small batches of BBs. Easy to learn once you get the hang of it. However, a loader re-design is in order.
I don’t recommend it for varmint control. Perhaps mice, but not much more than that. Its good for target practice or plinking. Its quite accurate at about 30 yards. In my experience, without a scope at that distance is more than sufficient to get some accurate shots in semi mode. Your mileage may vary in rock & roll mode, but its fun over accuracy.
If you don’t have the cash to spend on this rifle, save up and try again. Its more fun than you expect. Even if you don’t shoot often, this rifle looks like it means business, even when not in use. -Syntheus
Reassuring Review: Very realistic. Has a great look and feel and seems like a quality product. Opened up the package, filled up the clip with BBs, plugged in a lipo and test-fired a few rounds in both semi and full.
Not a hiccup. Speedloader is the new style with the metal plunger that works great. I like the extendable stock and flip-up sights. Showed up a day early too. 100% happy. -Bertha
Final Words For Top 5 The Best Air Rifles Under 1000$ In 2025
Finding the right air rifle under $1,000 doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With so many great options available in 2025, there’s something for every shooter, whether you’re into hunting, target practice, or backyard plinking. Hopefully, this guide has helped you narrow down your choices and find the perfect balance of power, accuracy, and value. Have a favorite air rifle we didn’t mention? Drop a comment and let us know—we’d love to hear your thoughts! Happy shooting!