Looking for the best 17 pellet air rifles for 2025? Whether you’re a seasoned shooter, a backyard plinker, or just getting started, choosing the right air rifle can make all the difference in accuracy, power, and overall experience. With so many options on the market, it can feel overwhelming to sort through specs and features. That’s why we’ve rounded up our top 17 picks for the best pellet air rifles this year—covering everything from precision target shooting to small-game hunting—so you can find the model that fits your needs and budget.
1. Gamo Swarm Magnum PRO 10X GEN3i Inertia
Highlight: The Gamo Swarm Magnum PRO 10X GEN3i Inertia delivers break-barrel power with lightning-fast 10-shot autoloading for unmatched speed, accuracy, and performance.
Supportive Review: Fast and accurate. Great for squirrels and other small game. Awesome to plink around at targets. My first scope the crosshairs kept turning more and more sideways after every shot. They sent me a new one no problem. Make sure to tighten every screw for the scope and mounts. They come loose sometimes but ive learned to retighten every so often so i dont have to resight it. Shot thousands of pellets through it over the last year and a half to 2 years and and no problems yet except for the scope but that was a first day problem that was resolved. -Stephen
2. Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X GEN3i Inertia
Highlight: The Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X GEN3i Inertia delivers fast follow-up shots with its 10-round magazine, combining power, accuracy, and cutting-edge inertia-driven technology for a superior shooting experience.
Supportive Review: First of all I would like to state that this air rifle is absolutely amazing. The technology behind it is wonderful, not having to constantly fumble around for pellets in your pouch or tin anymore and single load the breech. I use this primarily for hunting small game, squirrel and rabbit. Where I live squirrel season is from Oct – March, and rabbit season is year round. The photo I have attached is a 10 shot group at 25yds with the Gamo master point energy in .22 cal. But this thing has liked everything I’ve thrown at it so far, from Crosman ultra mag dome, to Crosman premier HP, Crosman destroyer, and many more. Yes POI shifts happen, but as long as you’re consistent the groups I’m getting with my rifle are under an inch when you find out what techniques you’re rifle likes. Yours may vary. Primarily 14.3 – 15.43gr pellets. I did get the Gamo assortment pack, but haven’t tried the TS-22 yet. But it absolutely loves the Master Point Energy pellets. Overall this is an excellent rifle. Not as quiet as my old crosman, but it out performs it for sure. The baffle works well and most of the noise comes from the piston. I have only put a few hundred pellets through it, so it’s got a few more hundred before I consider it “broken in”. But the cocking isn’t hard, and the swarm magazine is a must now for me. I will never go back to a single breech loading pellet rifle again. Thanks for the great product Gamo and Amazon for the delivery of this fine hunting tool. -John Smith
3. Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X GEN3i Inertia
Highlight: The Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X GEN3i Inertia delivers unmatched power and precision with its break-barrel design and rapid-fire 10-shot magazine system.
Supportive Review: Revising my review. The first cock on the rifle was very stiff. I put it on a bathroom scale and used just the end of the barrel to push down. It was over 72lbs on the scale to cock it, but it has subsequently loosened up a bit. I was impressed at how accurate it was just bolting on the scope and using it. I did have to sight it in a bit and i dont use it at 100yds but its close enough to get the job done. Plenty of power in the shots, im very pleased with it. Joel R
4. Gamo Swarm Viper 10X GEN3i
Highlight: The Gamo Swarm Viper 10X GEN3i delivers power, accuracy, and rapid-fire convenience with its innovative 10-shot magazine system.
Supportive Review: I had been eyeing a Gamo for quite some time, so after doing a little research, and watching a bunch of videos, I decided on the “Swarm Viper 10X GEN3i .22 Cal”. This was the perfect choice for my purpose (varmints). When I received the rifle, I unpacked it and followed the instructions to mount the scope (all pretty typical). After familiarizing myself with the mechanics of the Gamo, I took the rifle out for sighting-in, and set up a target at 25 yards. I was amazed – “right out of the box” – the very first shot on the paper (which is often somewhat unpredictable) was within 1 inch of the bullseye targeted. After the initial shot, I made a minor (very minor) scope adjustment, and the rifle produced a 9 shot grouping of about 1 inch. I have sighted in many rifle’s, of many different calibers, over the years, but I will have to say, I have never had that kind of results – “right out of the box”. Kudos to Gamo ! -Reef
5. Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 6110063254 Air Rifles
Highlight: The Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 6110063254 Air Rifle delivers powerful velocity, quiet performance, and precision accuracy—perfect for hunting or target shooting.
Supportive Review: Mach.177 arrived in good shape within 2 days, good service. Inspected and cleaned the bore, a few clicks left and a few clicks up, was as good as I can get with open sights less than quarter size groups @33 ft. with Gamo fire pelllets and crosman heavy domes, heavies are a little lower and to the left compared to the Gamo Fire ,but that’s to be expected, both groups nicely. Cocking effort is about 3/4 but not a a bear @ 64 years old at least for me, 20- 25 shots, and I’m good. Rifle feel’s solid, not to heavy and looks good. As for the kick not too bad, no slap face or spring twang, trigger pull is smooth at about 60% pull weight for my tastes OK, average I guess, don’t feel the need to adjust just yet, maybe one day? . Heard some horror stories, on different Gamo’s and different brands as well, just haven’t seen any of that for myself Maybe not for a child or a woman, but for a man 175 pound and up It hit the mark nice a hard. Pellet count will tell in time, but as brand new from box I would recommend the Mach 1 in .117 cal or the .22 same review on it as well. -Drone
6. Gamo Swarm Maxxim 10X GEN 2
Highlight: The Gamo Swarm Maxxim 10X GEN2 delivers fast follow-up shots with its 10-round magazine, combining power, accuracy, and convenience in one of the most advanced break barrel air rifles available.
Supportive Review: I’m 74 and handling the gun has not been a problem, after about six cartridges my arms start to feel tired, I’m still experimenting with the best way to cock the gun without causing a bruise on my leg-like I said, my age has great deal to do with this issue. The gun is accurate and powerful, I’m using Gamo’s Tomahawk pellets, they compliment the gun. The scope requires some patience when sighting. I shot through 2 thick tomato cans, one behind the other and the pellet had no problem in penetrating the cans and stuck in the hardboard backing of my target backstop. Can’t wait until spring to shoot outside. My lower level is 75’ so the realistic results of my shooting are representatiVe of real world shooting. -Dan
7. Sig Sauer MPX Pellet Air Rifle
Highlight: The Sig Sauer MPX Pellet Air Rifle delivers rapid-fire semi-automatic action with unmatched realism, making it a top choice for training and fun shooting.
Supportive Review: I’m very impressed with this gun, and can’t believe that something like this is available for around 200 bucks or less! The 30-round magazines function flawlessly. The closest air/gas gun I’ve have with this type of firepower is a Crosman 1077, and that was 10 rounds! This is as close to “load on Sunday, shoot all week” that you can get with an air gun. Take your time and use the loading tool to seat the pellets and you will be rewarded with great function and accuracy.
The accuracy with the iron sights was much better than I expected of what I thought was a plinking gun. My first shots out of the box were in the y7 and 8 rings of a 25-yard Bullseye target at 25 yards! A slight adjustment, and the shots were in the black all the time, probably about a 2″ group, with several X’s. This was from a standing position, resting the barrel on my left hand that was gripping a door for stability, and just casual shooting, not benchrested or even with match pellets (I used some Daisy Lead-Free round-nose). I was frankly not expecting this kind of accuracy from what appears to be a utility plinker, and on a windy day to boot! My face hurt from grinning!
The trigger is not a match trigger, being a double-action, but it is very smooth and reproducible, and one learns where it breaks very easily, and the trigger weight is amazingly low – haven’t measured it, but it must be less than 4 pounds easily! The gun is very heavy, lots of metal, and feels like the real thing, but this makes it solidly stable when making precision shots or when you are rocking and rolling at rapid fire! You can write your name with the 30 rounds at 15 feet. I highly recommend this, it’s great fun, and it’s really a nice feeling to have such a high quality addition to one’s collection! -Douglas Wallace
8. Gamo Silent Cat Breakbarrel Pellet Air Rifle
Highlight: The Gamo Silent Cat .177 Caliber Breakbarrel Pellet Air Rifle delivers quiet power and precision, making it ideal for target shooting and small game hunting.
Supportive Review: I am not easily impressed and I do my research prior to buying something. I will say this pellet gun has impressed me so far. It arrived yesterday from Amazon along with a tin of 500 Crosman Premier Super Match lead pellets. I installed the scope and shot about 50 pellets at a target. The 50 shots allowed me to sight in the scope and get used to the recoil and trigger pull. While there’s not much recoil, there is enough to move the muzzle off target. Once I was shooting quarter sized groupings at 25 yards, I decided to start the hunt. The main reason I bought this rifle was I have have an infestation of chipmunks this year that are decimating my back yard with holes as well as tearing up my bird feeders. As of right now, I am 5 chipmunks for 5 shots at 20 yds. All have been quick, clean kills to the head.
As I am writing this, my 14 and 18 year old boys wanted to try it out. They each took out a chipmunk with one shot. So the family tally is 7 for 7 at the moment. The rifle appears loud as you shoot it due to the mechanics converting to sound and then being transferred to your jaw bone through the stock but as I am shooting chipmunks, the squirrels and birds are not being spooked. In fact on one kill, the chipmunk was head to head with a squirrel. I hit the chipmunk and the squirrel just watched – totally oblivious to what just happened to the chipmunk. This leads me to believe the gun is more quiet than many of the reviews claim. I do agree that the scope appears to be quite cheap however, I was able to zero it in and as I said above my family has taken 7 shots and have buried 7 chipmunks. The proof is in the results. I will continue shooting it to see if I experience the drift as many people complained about. As of right this moment, I could not be happier with the results. I hope this helps. -James
9. Gamo Swarm Whisper Multi-Shot Air Rifle
Highlight: The Gamo Swarm Whisper Multi-Shot Air Rifle delivers quiet, powerful performance with rapid-fire 10-shot technology, perfect for both target shooting and pest control.
Supportive Review: Wow I just received the Gamo 611006875554 Swarm Whisper Air Rifle.22 Caliber, Black a few days ago. And as a natural born skeptic I usually put more weight to the negative reviews. So I was on the lookout for shoddy packaging at first. No such thing this gun was packaged professionally. Next, I figured the scope would be a piece of junk as many opined throughout the reviews. Honestly, I am not anything near a professional regarding scopes. But I will say my 1st shot at a squirrel which had caused $1,454 in damage to my Ford Raptor was 1 shot 1 kill. The scope came out of the box up to the task of a 50 yard shot. The Gamo .22 pellets worked so well it killed the little piece of crap immediately. The gun has hefty weight and is of course louder than an average pelllet gun. But it was quiet when compared with my friends .22 crossman. I don’t know…but right off the rip this rifle impressed the hell out of me! -Clark
10. Black Ops Sniper S Pellet Sniper Rifle
Highlight: The Black Ops Sniper S Pellet Sniper Rifle delivers power, precision, and a tactical design built for serious target shooters and small game hunters.
Supportive Review: This is a great air gun The only thing I would change is the scope. Not that it’s a bad scope it’s just not a great scope. One thing I would suggest is when you get it clean the barrel. But this gun shoots just fine and I found that it’s very accurate. You may need to fine-tune the accuracy but I would do that once you get a good scope put on it. So far I shot about a hundred rounds in it. The only problem I’ve had is with certain slugs if you do get slugs make sure you get the ones that are .217 not .218. -Damon Massey
11. Umarex Fusion 2 Quiet .177 Caliber Pellet Gun
Highlight: The Umarex Fusion 2 Quiet .177 Caliber Pellet Gun delivers whisper-quiet accuracy with CO₂ power, perfect for backyard plinking and target practice.
Supportive Review: Amazon did not do a good job packing this, but the pellet rifle was not damaged. Put a 90g cartridge on it and it shot wonderful. I used crosman destroyer and piranha pellets, as well as gamo silent cat pellets. All were very accurate at 10 yards. Shots were touching kind of accuracy. Have not taken it to 25 yards yet due to weather, but I’d expect great accuracy as well. Trigger is very light, smooth, and crisp. The bolt operates nicely, and the magazines work. Your alloy pellets with plastic skirts will cause magazine malfunctions. Quiet reports. It hits hard enough to do small pest control (think mice and rats). Overall, very satisfied. The only downside is the scope it comes with isn’t a quality scope. So I recommend purchasing a better quality scope for your airgun. The included scope mounts are okay for an airgun.
Update: it doesn’t like heavier pellets at 25 yards. But it does really well with lighter pellets (7-8grns) at 20-25 yards. Getting quarter size shots when you find the pellets it likes. The can for 2 12gram co2 cartridges does work well. You just have to follow the instructions in the manual to get it to pierce both co2 cartridges, or buy the 88/90gram cartridges. It hits hard when shooting rodents and pests. Definitely recommend. -Pikato
12. Umarex unisex adult Ruger Blackhawk Pellet Gun
Highlight: The Umarex Unisex Adult Ruger Blackhawk Pellet Gun delivers powerful accuracy, durable design, and classic Ruger styling for dependable target shooting and small game hunting.
Supportive Review: This pellet gun has awesome power. I hit my first target from 25 yards with the iron sights (fiber optic) front and rear. Very accurate. I was caught by surprise how load the sound was. It sounded like I was shooting a 22 rifle. The paper target I attached to a 12”X12”X 1/4” piece of plywood. The pellets ripped slap through the plywood like it was paper.
I am really enjoying this Ruger Blackhawk pellet gun. Why buy 22LR’s anymore for critters when you can use a pellet gun with just as much power for 1/4 the cost a 22 rifle bullet. -Sharon
13. Ruger Air Hawk Break Barrel Pellet Gun
Highlight: The Ruger Air Hawk Break Barrel Pellet Gun delivers powerful, accurate shots with a classic design, making it a reliable choice for both target practice and small game hunting.
Supportive Review: Very pleased with the quality of the rifle, abs also with the customer service. My son loves the accuracy and functionality of this Air Hawk. The speed and power are great. After about two months of use, something malfunctioned. We contacted Umarex and they provided the best customer service we could have asked for. Very pleased with the purchase, the product, and the manufacturer’s customer service. All around 5 stars!
14. Gamo Wildcat Whisper air Rifle
Highlight: The Gamo Wildcat Whisper Air Rifle delivers quiet power, precision, and reliability—perfect for target shooting or small game hunting.
Supportive Review: This is a solid air rifle for the price. The scope is cheap, but what would you expect for the price. I would be carful tightening it down on the gun and on the scope, you could easily break it if you crank on it too hard. I think I tightened it to about 20 inch pounds and that seemed good.
I zeroed it at 20 yards and I dialed it in so I was hitting a quarter size target. I moved to 15 yards and it had about an inch drop.
I bought this to eliminate a pigeon problem I had and well… mission accomplished. This thing had more than enough power. As for the sound, it’s really not loud at all, except when I was using some plywood as a back stop and it sounded like I was nailing a board when it hit. Overall, I highly recommend this rifle for the price! -Jay
15. Barra TPR Pellet Guns
Highlight: The Gamo Wildcat Whisper Air Rifle delivers quiet power, precision, and reliability—perfect for target shooting or small game hunting.
Supportive Review: I love, love, love this break barrel pellet gun! My brother recommended it to me. It is very high powered and was was easy to sight in. It’s a little difficult for me to break the barrel to load the pellet. I’m a 67 year old female and don’t have good upper arm strength anymore. Gosh, I hate to admit that! lol! I have to set the stock on the ground, holding it between my knees to break the barrel down, so that I can load it. Anyone much younger probably wouldn’t have any problem. I did have a great experience with their customer service. The first pellet gun I purchased had something wrong with the scope. I couldn’t get it sighted in. I finally figured out that the front lense in the sight had become crooked and loose. I requested a replacement and before I could box it up and get it to an Amazon return center, they had already shipped another one, to me! I would highly recommend this Barra Pellet gun, if you’re looking for something accurate and high powered! -Rondie
16. Gamo 6110017154 Varmint Air Rifle
Highlight: The Gamo 6110017154 Varmint Air Rifle delivers high velocity, precision, and power, making it a reliable choice for target shooting and pest control.
Supportive Review: Nice and accurate. Powerful and fun.
I tried the ‘count the number of clicks and go to the middle’ on the scope and shoot at the target. Nope. No hits on the target.
That’s not the way to dial it in, for my scope, anyway.
Got a giant piece of cardboard, painted a botch in the center, found where I was hitting, quickly dialed it in.
Nice varmint air rifle. -Christopher D. McMillan
17. Umarex NXG APX Multi-Pump Pneumatic Youth Pellet Gun
Highlight: The Umarex NXG APX Multi-Pump Pneumatic Youth Pellet Gun is a lightweight, versatile starter rifle designed for young shooters, offering adjustable power, easy pumping, and dependable accuracy for practice and training.
Supportive Review: Gave this to our 12 y/o son for Christmas and he absolutely loves it. It’s light weight and easy for him to carry. Once his dad got the scope sighted in, he didn’t miss the target once! 10/10 recommend this product. Also, the customer service from this company is amazing. It wasn’t deliver on the day it was expected so I reached out to the company, their response was immediate and they let me know USPS was running late and it arrived the next day! Very happy with the company and the product! -Kindle
Final Words For The Best 17 Pellet Air Rifles For 2025
Choosing the best pellet air rifle in 2025 comes down to finding the right balance of power, accuracy, and overall performance for your needs—whether that’s backyard target practice, pest control, or small game hunting. Our top 12 picks highlight models that stand out for their reliability, innovation, and value, giving you a solid range of options no matter your skill level. As air rifle technology continues to evolve, investing in a quality pellet gun ensures you’ll enjoy precision and durability for years to come. If you’re ready to upgrade your setup, any of these rifles could be the perfect fit to take your shooting experience to the next level.