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Your first air rifle should be easy to shoot, cheap to feed, and honest about what it does. The good news is that a beginner gun doesn’t have to be a toy, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The catch is that “air rifle” covers three very different power plants — break-barrel spring guns, CO2 repeaters, and multi-pump pneumatics — and each one asks something different from you before you ever pull the trigger.
This guide walks through a dozen picks that are in stock right now, sorted by how they’re powered and what you’d actually use them for. It also covers the stuff nobody tells you to buy up front: a target that stops your pellets, and a tin of ammo that fits your barrel. Pick the gun that matches how you like to shoot, and you’ll spend more time shooting and less time fighting the thing.
How the three types actually differ
A break-barrel spring or gas-piston rifle is the classic backyard gun. You crack the barrel down, that cocks it, you drop in one pellet, and you’re ready. No batteries, no CO2, no pumping — just you and the gun. The downside is the cocking effort and a bit of a learning curve, because these guns move as the piston fires and they punish a sloppy hold.
CO2 rifles run off a little cartridge you screw into the gun. They’re the easiest to shoot fast, since there’s no cocking between shots, but you’re buying cartridges forever and the power drops off in cold weather. Multi-pump pneumatics are the middle path: you pump the forearm a few times to set the power you want, load, and fire. More pumps, more punch. They’re quiet, they’re forgiving, and they’re the traditional way a lot of people learned to shoot.
What to buy alongside the gun
Two things turn a new air rifle from a frustration into a hobby: something to shoot at and something to shoot. A resetting steel target gives you instant feedback without walking downrange to check paper, and a BB trap keeps pellets from skipping off into the neighbor’s yard. Match the target to your gun’s power — some resetting targets want a certain velocity to flip, and every steel target has a caliber and speed it’s rated for.
Pellets matter more than beginners expect. Two tins of the same caliber can group very differently out of the same barrel, so a variety pack is a cheap way to find what your gun likes before you commit to a full tin. Buy the ammo that matches your caliber, and if the gun shoots both BBs and pellets, know that pellets are almost always the more accurate choice.
Safety and the boring-but-important stuff
An air rifle is not a toy, and the pellet doesn’t know it came out of one. Always point it in a safe direction, treat it as loaded, and set up a backstop that can actually stop what you’re shooting. Steel targets and traps have a maximum velocity they’re built for — shoot something too hot at them and you get ricochets and dented steel.
Wear eye protection every time. Spent BBs and pellet fragments bounce, and a trap that catches them is worth the small cost. If you’re new to all of this, start close, shoot slow, and work on the same hold every time — consistency is what makes an air rifle accurate, not raw speed.
Best Air Rifles for Beginners
1. Gamo Varmint Breakbarrel .177 Caliber Pellet Air Rifle
This is about as classic as a beginner break-barrel gets. It’s a .177 that’s plenty capable for backyard pest control and target work, and it comes with a 4x32 scope and mount so you’re not buying optics separately. It’s a spring-piston gun, so you cock it by cracking the barrel, drop in one pellet, and fire.
At about 43.3 inches long and 5.47 pounds, it’s a full-size rifle, not a compact — good for a teen or adult, a bit much for a small kid. The anti-beartrap mechanism keeps the barrel from snapping shut on your fingers while you load, and there’s a manual safety. Break-barrels reward a relaxed, consistent hold, so expect a short learning curve before your groups tighten up.
Best for: A first serious backyard rifle for someone who wants scope-included, one-pellet-at-a-time simplicity.
Listed at $129.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
2. Umarex Marlin Lever Action Rifle .177 Caliber BB Gun Air Rifle
If the fun of shooting matters as much as the paper you punch, this one earns its keep. It’s an officially licensed Marlin with a working lever action, and it shoots .177 steel BBs at up to 300 fps. That’s on the gentle end of the scale, which is exactly what makes it easy for a new or younger shooter to enjoy without flinching.
The fill port holds a 650-round BB capacity, so you’re not reloading every few shots — you top it off and go plinking. It’s got an adjustable rear sight, textured grips, a manual safety, and a lightweight polymer stock with a faux-wood finish. This is a plinker, not a pest gun, and it’s a good bet if you want cowboy-gun fun over raw power. Stock is thin at the moment, so grab it if it’s the one you want.
Best for: Low-key plinking and lever-action fun, especially for a younger or first-time shooter.
Listed at $42.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.
3. Crosman 1077 RepeatAir Semi-Auto .177 Cal CO2 Air Rifle - 12 Shot Mag
The 1077 is the gun to hand someone who just wants to shoot without cocking or pumping between rounds. It runs on a 12-gram CO2 cartridge (which isn’t included) and reaches velocities up to 780 fps in .177, feeding from a 12-shot rotary magazine. Semi-auto means one trigger pull, one shot — no reset motion.
It’s light at 3.7 pounds and 39.5 inches long, with a rifled steel barrel that keeps pellets on target at backyard distances and a water-resistant synthetic stock. The trade-off with any CO2 gun is that you’re buying cartridges over time, and cold weather saps power. But for fast, fun, low-effort shooting, this is one of the easiest guns on the list to just pick up and enjoy.
Best for: Fast, no-effort backyard plinking where you don’t want to cock or pump between shots.
Listed at $78.10 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
4. Birchwood Casey Gallery Resetting Airgun Target
A resetting target is the single best upgrade to your first shooting session, because it tells you instantly whether you hit. This one has 1.75-inch paddles on a twist design with no welds to break — you knock them down, and they auto-reset without walking downrange or messing with cords.
Birchwood Casey says it needs a moderately powerful airgun of about 500 fps or faster, and it’s built for .177 lead pellets only — not BBs, and not rimfire or centerfire. The paddles are solid 3/16-inch steel on a welded frame, and there’s a foot rest to push the legs into hard ground. If your gun clears that 500 fps mark, this is a clean, satisfying way to practice.
Best for: Instant hit-or-miss feedback for .177 pellet rifles running about 500 fps or faster.
Listed at $17.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
5. KNINE OUTDOORS Resetting Shooting Target
This resetting set is the more flexible target of the two here, because it’s rated for both .22 and .177 airguns. The knock-down targets are 1.77 inches and made from 3mm heavy-duty steel, on 6mm wire stands with an added ground brace so they don’t tip over under fire.
It assembles to about 11 inches wide by 13 tall by 8 deep, so it’s compact enough to carry to a friend’s place or set up straight out the back door. KNINE says to keep at least 25 feet of distance and to never use centerfire ammo on it. If you own — or plan to own — a .22 air rifle as well as a .177, this saves you buying a caliber-specific target.
Best for: Shooters running either .177 or .22 who want one portable resetting target for both.
Listed at $19.97 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
6. PCP Air Rifle Maintenance Guide: Cleaning, Care & Performance for Beginners
This one isn’t a gun — it’s a book, and it’s here for the shooter who’s already eyeing the next step up. PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) rifles are the high-performance end of air guns, and they come with real upkeep: filling from a tank or pump, seals to look after, and cleaning routines that keep them shooting straight.
If you’re not buying a PCP yet, you can skip this. But if a PCP is on your someday list, reading up before you spend the money is a lot cheaper than learning the hard way. It’s a printed reference aimed squarely at beginners, so it won’t drown you in jargon.
Best for: The beginner planning to move up to a PCP who wants to understand the upkeep first.
Listed at $9.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
7. Atflbox BB Trap Target with 20pcs Paper Targets and Resetting Metal Shooting Target
A BB trap solves the problem every new shooter runs into: where do all these pellets go? This all-metal trap catches spent ammo for easy cleanup and comes with 20 paper targets (5.5 inches) plus two rotating metal target styles, so you get both paper scoring and reactive shooting in one box.
Atflbox says the steel handles air guns under 800 fps, so check your gun’s speed before you point a hot magnum at it. It’s small at about 5.5 by 6 by 4.7 inches, sets up without tools, and works indoors or out. For close-range plinking and keeping your shooting area tidy, it’s a cheap, sensible buy. Wear eye protection when you use it.
Best for: Close-range plinking with guns under 800 fps where you want to catch spent ammo and shoot paper.
Listed at $21.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
8. Gamo Swarm Whisper Air Rifle, .22 Caliber
This is the step up for a beginner who wants a break-barrel but doesn’t want to load a pellet every single shot. The Swarm Whisper feeds from a 10-shot rotary magazine that indexes a fresh pellet each time you break the barrel, so you get repeater speed with spring-gun simplicity.
It uses Gamo’s IGT gas piston instead of a metal spring, which means less vibration, a smoother cocking stroke, and reliable performance in the cold. The integrated Whisper dampener keeps the muzzle blast down for backyard-friendly noise, and it ships with a 4x32 scope and mounts for the 11mm dovetail rail, plus a rubber recoil pad. It’s a full-size .22 at 48 inches and 5.43 pounds, so it’s a proper field gun, not a starter plinker.
Best for: A quieter, repeating .22 break-barrel for the beginner ready for a real field rifle.
Listed at $164.00 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
9. Crosman 760 Pumpmaster Air Rifle Kit
The 760 is the gun a lot of people learned on, and it’s still one of the smartest first buys here. It’s a multi-pump .177 that shoots both BBs and pellets, and you set the power yourself: pump it a few times for close plinking, more for a bit of reach. That adjustability is exactly what makes it forgiving for a new shooter.
It’s light at around 3 pounds — easy for a younger shooter to hold steady — and the kit comes with Copperhead 1500 BBs and 250 pellets to get you started without a separate ammo run. No CO2 to buy, no batteries, just pump and shoot. Stock is running low right now, so don’t sit on it if this is your pick.
Best for: A forgiving, adjustable-power first rifle that comes with ammo and needs no CO2 or batteries.
Listed at $79.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.
10. Gamo Air Rifle Pellet Combo Pack - .177 - Hunter/Magnum/Match
If you bought a .177 rifle, buy this before a full tin of anything. It’s four pellet types in one box — Magnum, Hunter, Master Point, and Match — with 250 of each for a 1,000-count supply. Every pellet weighs the same 7.6 grains, so the only thing changing between them is the nose shape, not the weight. That makes it a clean apples-to-apples test.
The point is simple: run each type through the same target at the same distance and let the groups tell you which one your barrel likes. Match pellets are for tidy target work, Magnum for more punch, Hunter for the field, and Master Point for penetration. Cheaper than guessing wrong on a full tin.
Best for: Any .177 owner who wants to find the pellet their barrel shoots best before buying in bulk.
Listed at $17.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
11. Gamo Air Rifle Pellet Combo Pack - .22 - Hunter/Magnum/Match
This is the same find-your-favorite idea for the .22 crowd. The box holds 950 pellets across four styles: 200 TS-22 at 22 grains for longer shots, plus 250 each of Hunter, Magnum, and Master Point at 15.43 grains. That spread lets you feel the difference between a heavy, long-range pellet and the lighter general-purpose ones out of your own gun.
A .22 pellet moves slower than a .177 but hits harder, and the right nose shape for your barrel and your task is worth finding early. Shoot them side by side and keep the one that groups best. Only a couple of these are in stock at the moment, so grab it while it’s there if you shoot .22.
Best for: The .22 shooter sorting out which pellet weight and shape their rifle prefers.
Listed at $23.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.
12. Daisy Powerline 35 Multi-Pump .177 BB/Pellet Air Rifle - Camo
The Powerline 35 is another affordable multi-pump that shoots .177 BBs or pellets, which makes it a flexible first gun. Like other pump guns, you decide the power by how many times you pump the forearm — fewer for close, careful shooting, more for a bit of reach. That built-in control is what makes multi-pumps so beginner-friendly.
It loads pellets for accuracy or BBs when you just want to plink cheap, and the camo stock is a nice touch if it’s headed to the farm or field. There’s no CO2 to buy and nothing to charge. If you want a straightforward, low-cost gun to learn the fundamentals on, this fits the bill.
Best for: A low-cost, adjustable-power first gun for a shooter who wants both BB and pellet flexibility.
Listed at $66.14 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my first air rifle be .177 or .22?
For a beginner, .177 is the easier and cheaper place to start. It shoots flatter and faster, the ammo is everywhere, and most starter targets are built for it. A .22 pellet is slower but hits harder, which matters more for pest control and field use. If you’re mostly plinking and learning, go .177; if you know you want more thump downrange, a .22 like the Gamo Swarm Whisper is a fair first gun too.
Do I need a scope, or are the sights enough?
For close backyard plinking, open sights are fine and honestly good practice. A scope helps once you’re shooting past a few yards or trying to group tightly. The nice thing is that a couple of guides here — the Gamo Varmint and the Swarm Whisper — already include a 4x32 scope and mount, so you don’t have to figure out optics separately on your first buy.
What’s the difference between spring, CO2, and multi-pump for a beginner?
Spring and gas-piston break-barrels cock by breaking the barrel and take one pellet at a time — no consumables, but there’s a learning curve to the hold. CO2 guns like the Crosman 1077 are the easiest to shoot fast, but you buy cartridges and lose power in the cold. Multi-pumps like the Crosman 760 and Daisy Powerline 35 let you set the power by how much you pump, need nothing but ammo, and are the most forgiving to learn on.
What do I need to buy besides the gun?
At minimum, a backstop and the right ammo. A resetting steel target or a BB trap keeps pellets from wandering and gives you instant feedback — just match it to your gun’s caliber and speed. A pellet variety pack lets you find what your barrel shoots best before you commit to a full tin. And eye protection every time, no exceptions.
Can I use any target with any air rifle?
No — targets are rated by caliber and velocity. The Birchwood Casey gallery target wants about 500 fps or faster and .177 lead pellets only. The Atflbox trap is built for guns under 800 fps. The KNINE set handles both .177 and .22. Shooting a target with a gun that’s too hot for it causes ricochets and damage, so check the rating against your gun’s speed first.
There’s no single best beginner air rifle — there’s the one that matches how you like to shoot. Want dead-simple with no consumables? A multi-pump like the Crosman 760 or Daisy Powerline 35. Want to shoot fast without cocking? The CO2 Crosman 1077. Want a real field gun you’ll grow into? A break-barrel like the Gamo Varmint or the repeating Swarm Whisper. Whatever you pick, buy a proper target and a pellet variety pack with it, wear eye protection, and start close. The fundamentals you build on a cheap gun carry straight over to an expensive one.