Muzzle velocity
The muzzle velocity provided by the rifle - that is, the speed of the bullet as it exits the barrel.
All other things being equal, a higher bullet speed provides greater range and accuracy, and also simplifies aiming at long distances: the bullet flies along a smoother trajectory and requires fewer adjustments in height, and the influence of side winds decreases with increasing speed. On the other hand, this indicator directly affects the price of the rifle; and in some countries, legal restrictions on the ownership of pneumatic weapons are also related to the muzzle velocity of the bullet.
As for specific values, in the weakest modern rifles the initial speed does not exceed
150 m/s, and in the most powerful it can be
300 - 350 m/s or even
more(remember, the speed of sound is 330 m/s). In general, for recreational shooting at short distances, this parameter is not particularly important, and detailed recommendations for choosing pneumatics for more specific situations can be found in special sources. Let us only note that in AEG electric drives (see “Type”) the initial speed extremely rarely exceeds 150 m/s, but this is done solely for safety reasons: such “weapons” are intended for military-tactical games and initially involve shooting at people, and the high speed would be unsafe for players even with protective equipment.
It is also wor
...th considering that this indicator is not strictly defined. In any type of pneumatic it depends on the weight of the bullet (the lighter the faster); therefore, in the characteristics it is usually customary to indicate a certain average velocity for standard ammunition (usually weighing 0.5 g, in AEG - 0.2 g). In addition, in multi-compression rifles the actual speed of the bullet is determined by the degree of inflation, in gas-cylinder rifles it is determined by the ambient temperature, and in PCP models it is possible to achieve higher speeds than declared by replacing the air with a special gas (for example, helium). Nevertheless, this characteristic makes it possible to evaluate the capabilities of the rifle and compare it with other models, including those that differ in type.Barrel
The type of barrel installed in a rifle.
This parameter is specified according to the type of the inner surface of the barrel, the options can be as follows:
—
Rifled. A barrel with spiral grooves applied to the inner surface. This is the most popular option among modern air rifles — in fact, the term “rifle” itself comes from the helical rifling in the barrel. Thanks to the internal rifling, the bullet flying out of the weapon twists around the longitudinal axis, which ensures a stable trajectory and improves shooting accuracy. The only disadvantage of this type of barrel is its poor suitability for working with balls: there are relatively few rifled rifles compatible with these types of ammunition, and it is best to use special balls made of lead or other soft material with them (traditional steel balls wear out the rifling a lot). However, this point cannot be called a serious drawback.
—
Smooth. A barrel with a flat inner surface, without rifling. One of the main practical advantages of such a design is its "omnivorousness": smooth barrels can be used for both bullets and balls (although the specific type of ammunition used depends on the rifle model). In addition, a flat surface is noticeably simpler and cheaper to produce than a rifled one. The main disadvantage of such weapons is their rather low accuracy, since the projectiles fired from them are not stabilized by r
...otation. Smooth-bore rifles are intended mainly for recreational shooting at short distances; it is also worth noting that such barrels were originally used in airsoft guns, in particular, AEGs (see "Type").Type of ammunition
The type of ammunition that the rifle is designed to use.
— Bullets. In this case, a bullet is a projectile of a directional shape, with a clearly defined front and back. The specific shape of such projectiles may be different, but they all have a number of common features. Thus, any bullet with the same initial speed flies further and hits more accurately than a ball. And lead or another soft metal is usually used as a material, which gives a number of advantages. Firstly, bullets work great with rifled barrels (see "Barrel"): the edges of the bullet fit neatly into the grooves on the inner surface (many bullets are even able to slightly expand at the moment of firing, for the most dense placement in the barrel), the projectile effectively spins and stabilizes, while the wear of the rifling is minimal. Secondly, bullets flatten when hitting a more or less hard surface - this minimizes the risk of ricochets and allows the use of such ammunition even when hunting fairly large game. The only disadvantage of bullets is their higher cost than balls.
— Balls. Most models using this type of ammunition are intended for airsoft and are AEGs (see "Type") or spring-piston ("spring" in airsoft jargon) rifles. The balls in this case are plastic, large in size, which reduces the penetration ability and minimizes the likelihood of injury. Traditional air rifles for this type of ammunition are very rare. They use metal balls - usually made of steel with or without a...copper or zinc coating, less often made of lead. Such shells are very inexpensive and have good penetration, but are noticeably inferior to bullets in terms of convenience and efficiency. Firstly, the balls themselves are less accurate, they have a greater spread and lose speed faster. Secondly, the hard metal makes it difficult to use with rifled barrels, which, again, further reduces accuracy. Thirdly, due to the same hardness, steel balls often ricochet. The last two points are not relevant for the lead balls mentioned, but they are much less common than steel ones. So, in general, this type of ammunition can be recommended for recreational shooting at short distances - up to 10, less often up to 20 m.
— Lead bullets/balls. Rifles that accept both bullets and balls. For more information on each type of ammunition, see above, but here we note that the main option in this case is still bullets; balls should be considered a backup option. As a rule, such "omnivorous" rifles are supplied with separate magazines for different types of projectiles.
Magazine capacity
And in models like AEG (see “Type”) and other airsoft weapons, the capacity is indicated for the standard magazine supplied in the kit; in this case, the magazine, as a rule, is removable, and if desired, it can be replaced with another one that differs in capacity. It is worth noting here that airsoft magazines are usually divided into “bunkers” (high capacity) and “mechanics” (low capacity). Mechanas typically hold up to 150 pellets, and some of these magazines have the same capacity as real weapons. This variety is appreciated by lovers of realism and experienced players. In “bunkers,” in turn, the capacity is already hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of bullets. They are convenient for beginners and undemanding airsoft players, but a serious drawback of such magazines is noise - the balls, hanging in the main compartment of the “bunker”, turn it into a rattle, making it difficult to move covertly.
Barrel length
The working length of the rifle barrel is from the chamber where the bullet is loaded to the muzzle. The shortest barrels found nowadays have a length
of just over 200 mm(and in some AEGs even
less than this value); the longest reach
500 – 600 mm.
There is a stereotype that the muzzle velocity directly depends on the length of the barrel. In firearms, this is true — but not in pneumatics. Firstly, in such rifles, the initial velocity depends on a number of other indicators — pressure, the quality of the barrel treatment, the efficiency of the valves, etc. on the first 20 – 25 cm of the barrel, then the gas pressure drops noticeably. The exception is PCP rifles, in which the longer barrel really makes it easier to achieve high speeds. However, again, so many additional factors affect the final result that models with the same barrel length can differ markedly in initial speed.
The second common stereotype is that a longer barrel improves accuracy and accuracy. This is true in the context that a longer barrel allows for a greater distance between the front and rear sights, making it easier to aim carefully. Technical accuracy does not depend on the length, but on the quality of the barrel processing.
Summing up all of the above, we can say that the length of the barrel for an air rifle is more of a reference than a really significant paramete
...r, and when choosing, it is better to focus on more "close to life" characteristics — first of all, directly claimed muzzle velocity.
