Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022) • Airgunmaniac

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Talking about rabbits or crop farmers is like crying.

Both in real life and fiction, rabbits can cause trouble. 

Bunny, Bunny and Bunny are all part of this story.

Bunny emerges from her hole on a sunny day.

A hungry fox rushes towards her from behind and attacks.

The fox shouts, “Today I’ll have you for lunch”

Undeterred, the Rabbit replies:“Please wait for a few more days”

Fox: (visibly flabbergasted) Wait? Wait.

Bunny: I am completing my research on ‘Why rabbits are superior to foxes and wolves’

Fox: Never! Rabbits are unable to defeat foxes!

Bunny: Drop by my place if you are still unsure about me. If you still aren't convinced, you can order lunch from me.

It's you who made it! Fox descends the rabbit hole.

Never give up.

The Wolf was the next predator.

Are they prey?

The same conversation, the same encounter with fox

The rabbit hole was also opened by the wolf.

Never came out.

Top 10 Guns For Rabbits

Bunny celebrates with her furry pal a few days after.

Asked what’s with all the joy, Bunny discloses her successful research project and the friend decides to go read it personally.

What did they find?

One corner has Thesis. A few fox bones can be found in another corner. In another corner, there are also some wolf bones.

The happy lion was actually the project manager and was enjoyingly licking her lips in the middle of the room.

What’s the moral of this story?

You guess it.

It also shows that bunnies can be annoying pests.

rabbit problem

Do not overwork the land. Start to think about your financial future and plan your potential yields.

Only a small number of rabbits and their thugs were able to consume the remaining crops.

Did you know:

  1. Is it possible for 10 rabbits to get the same amount as 1 ewe of pasture?
  2. Burrowing can lead to soil erosion, which can make agricultural land unusable.
  3. Feral Rabbits cause the destruction of crops and increase control costs for Australian crop farmers, resulting in a loss of $ 113 million annually.
  4. The rabbits' rodent-like teeth allow them to hunt for tiny seedlings before they can grow.
  5. How can rabbits indirectly contribute to the decline in native species?  

Hunt the rabbits

In order to read this article, you must have been confronted with the threat of rabbits. 

There are many ways to reduce rabbit population, including poisoning and fencing, tree wrapping, cleaning up and the use of repellents. You can also keep your dogs and trap them. 

How to Get Rid Of Rabbits 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Below is a brief explanation of the techniques.

Poisoning

Pindone and 1080 are some of the most popular poisons for eliminating rabbits.

Give the rabbits carrots before you give them poison. 

Fumigants

Here rabbit burrows can be complex and deep.

Rabbits who live in burrows inhale toxic fumes and die.

fumi 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

 

Fences that are rabbitproof

They can also be used in farms to stop rabbits from getting into them.

fence 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Trapping

In strategic locations of the bushes, rabbit traps can be placed.

rab1 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Shooting

This is an easy and quick way to get rid of rabbits.

The fun aspect of controlling pests is what makes this method so popular.

(What does a rabbit taste like? More details are available in this post.

rabbit 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

As much as rabbits are animals, they don’t deserve the suffering they undergo through poisoning, fumigation, and trapping.

Shooting can literally save lives.

It is because of this that thousands have taken up shooting to kill their rabbits.

This is the best method currently for controlling rabbits.

Air rifles might be an option to shoot rabbits.

You don't really need a gun, I believe.

air 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Air rifles are available in many different brands and styles.

I've reviewed the best 10 rabbit air rifles that you should be considering.

Here is a list with the best rabbit air rifles. 

Quick list

  1. Air Arms S410
  2. Gamo Magnum air rifle
  3. Diana 460 magnum Air rifle
  4. Beeman R9 Elite Series combo
  5. Multi-shot Diana Stormrider PCP Air rifle
  6. Hatsan 135 QE Vortex air rifle
  7. Benjamin discovery rifle
  8. Crosman nitro venom
  9. Airforce Talon PCP air pistol
  10. Air Arms pro Sport

Before we go into the details about an air rifle, let's review some facts about hunting bunnies.

Hunting tips to rabbits

According to Gerald Almy, BassProShops offers 12 tips for hunting successful rabbits. These are our top tips.

Rabbit hunting tip
  • Large farms are a popular choice for hunters. Some have the most sophisticated equipment.
    • It is best to focus on smaller farms, and less-used public hunting lands.
  • Be aware of fallen trees, overgrown hedges, and brushy ditches
  • Rabbits love to hide inside abandoned properties
    • If you find an old barn, broken machinery, or damaged sheds, you should not go.
  • Rabbits love cold spells.
    • Take the sunny slopes if the weather is good.
  • Rabbits consume more food at night and in the morning than they do in daylight.
    • These times should be included in your hunting schedule.
  • Large farms are a popular choice for hunters. Some have the best equipment.
  • It is best to focus on smaller farms, and less-used public hunting lands.
  • Look out for overgrown hedges and fallen trees.
  • Rabbits like hiding in abandoned property – If you spot any old barn, dilapidated machinery, or destroyed sheds, hang around longer than you had planned.
  • Rabbits love cold spells.
    • If you are in these conditions, you should try to reach the sunny slopes.
  • Rabbits consume more food at night and in the morning than they do in daylight.
    • These times should be included in your hunting schedule.

When you're looking for an air rifle for hunting rabbits, these are the things to keep in mind.

How to select the best rabbit hunting rifle

When making a decision about your next move, these are the most important criteria: Punching power Air rifle

Before we proceed, let's take a look at the suggestions of hunting experts.

GameMinimum acceptable caliberMinimal energy (FPE).
Small birds.177+5
Medium birds.177+7
Large birds.22+11
Squir-sized prey.22+9
Rabbit-sized prey.22+9
The prey is about the size of a raccoon..25+25
Possums are a prey for their size.25+25
Prey of Fox size.30+35
Coyotes can be a prey.30+50
Javelina-sized prey.357+90
Small deer.357+100
Medium deer.40+150
Large deer.45+200
Hog.45+200

To humanely kill a rabbit, you only need 9 FPEs of muzzle energy.

These types of killing force are possible with many mid-range air rifles. 

Caliber

Along with punching power, it is important to know the caliber of your air rifle.

You certainly don’t need a big bore air rifle for rabbit hunting.

You can save the.50 air rifles for the cape bison and hogs.

The 45 air rifles can be used by deer.

Javelina will be delighted with the.357 air rifles.

Leave the.30 air rifles for coyotes.

It is also important to not overlook the.25.

This post will provide more information about choosing the best air gun cartridge to suit your game.

How to choose a rabbit hunting rifle

The.177 has been lost, but the.22 is still there.

These two calibers are the best for hunting rabbits.

This brings us to our next point.

Accuracy

Accuracy is the ability to land the pellet exactly where it was meant.

Consider two pellets of.177 and.22 calibers. One is more precise than the other.

As the pellet flies from its gun to prey, it will likely encounter more resistance.

Depending on the distance you aim, the final landing point might be only a few inches from your destination.

The.22 caliber is therefore more easily used at close ranges.

A.177 will not significantly change the trajectory.

rabbit hunting accuracy

This means that.177 shots will be more effective for long-distance targets.

The.22 is superior to the.177 in one key area: It has more punching power. 

(For more on the differences between .177 & .22 and which jobs they do best, see this post.)

These are the facts!

Let’s dive deep into the individual rifles listed before.

A Comprehensive Review

Hammerli 850 air magnum – best CO2 air rifle for rabbit hunting

h1 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

We start with a CO2 rifle.

This is deliberate!

We want you to know that PCPs and Springers can be used for hunting.

These are highly recommended.

The Hammerli Air Magnum CO2 rifle Hammerli 85 Air Magnum is extremely powerful and offers virtually no competition.

Hardair Magazine's Dan Johnson tested and found these results when he tested the.22 model.

PelletGrainAverage Muzzle VelocityAverage Muzzle Energy
Gamo Raptor Platinmum9.7674 fps9.8 FPE
H&N Field Target Trophy Green14.66668 fps9.9 FPE
RWS Hobby11.9640 fps10.8 FPE
Crosman Premier14.3606 fps11.7 FPE
JSB Jumbo Exact14.35610 fps11.9 FPE
H&N Field Tarrget Trophy14.66609 fps12.1 FPE
H&N Baracuda Match21.14519 fps12.6 FPE

This proves that Hammerli's air gun can be used in rabbit hunting.

Take a look at this review

Below is a chart that displays the muzzle velocities for 10 shots taken with Hammerli after it was fed 14.35-grain JSB Jumbo Exact pellets.

best CO2 air rifle for rabbit hunting

Hammerli 850 Air Magnum features additional features

  •  All-weather synthetic stock – you will never need to worry about bad weather.
    • High temperatures are still a good place to hunt, as CO2 air rifles were not made for cold conditions.
  • 200 shots per refill for the 88-gram CO2 cartridge
    • What number of rabbits can 200 shots get you?
  • 8 Functions of the shot-repeater
    • If you feel the first shot didn’t get the rabbit, fire several others in quick succession to increase your chances.

Gamo Magnum – good air rifle for rabbit shooting

m1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

A.177 caliber air rifles can reach muzzle velocity at up to 1650 feet/second.

There are very few, if any. Gamo Magnum air rifle has a staggering 26.6 FPE for rabbits.

If the bullet strikes their neck or head, they will not survive.

good air rifle for rabbit shooting

The air gun features IGT Mach 1 technology.

This is why you will get a high muzzle velocity.

It's also safer to shoot and easier to cocked.

Gamo Magnum air rifle

Gamo Magnum Air rifle has additional features

  • Shock Wave Absorber recoil pad – decreases recoil by an incredible 74%
  • 6.88 lbs is comfortable for hunters of any size.
  • Accuracy of 1” groupings from 30 yards.

PyramydAir Price Check

Diana 460 magnum – best air rifle for rabbit control

41 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

You can opt for the  .177 or .22 model. Here’s the performance you expect:

CaliberPelletGrainMuzzle velocityMuzzle Energy
.22RWS Hobby Pellets11.9897 fps21.27 FPE
.22Crossman Premiers14.2807 fps20.54 FPE
.22RWS Superpoints14.3820 fps21.36 FPE
.22RWS Super H-points14.4801 fps20.52 FPE
.22JSB Exact Dome15.8777 fps21.19 FPE
.22Beeman Kodiaks21.5585 fps16.34 FPE
.177Beeman Kodiaks10.6822 fps15.91 FPE
.177Gamo Raptor PBA5.01145 fps14.56 FPE
.177Crosman Premier7.9945 fps15.67 FPE

What is stopping you from purchasing the Diana 460 Magnum product for rabbit control? I don't believe so.

Additional features of the Diana 460 Magnum Air rifle

  • Hardwood Monte Carlo Stock – a reason to brag
  • Adjustable, two-stage T06 trigger with 3.3 lbs trigger pull – makes your shooting smoother and safer

PyramydAir Price Check

Beeman R9 Elite Series combo – best air rifle for meat rabbit

r1 2 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Conceived in Germany by the Weihrauch & Weihrauch GmbH & Co but produced in North America under the Beeman brand name.

The results? Great quality!

See below the test results for the .177 model with the 8.64 grain H&N Field Target Trophy Pellets.

best air rifle for meat rabbit

We are looking at muzzle speeds up to 935 fps for the.177 model, and 740 fps for the.22.

The average muzzle energy of the.177 model is 13. FPE 

Something else you’ll love about the Beeman R( Elite is the spectacular accuracy. 

Most pellets tested with the rifle yield genuine 1” groupings.

You also get consistent shots.

Additional features of Beeman R9 Elite

  • Rekord trigger – one of the most adored in the air rifle industry – for added accuracy when firing shots
  • Mounted Mantis 4-12×40 AO Rifle Scope – sight the rabbits without strain

PyramydAir Price Check

Diana Stormrider multi-shot PCP – cheap air rifle for rabbit hunting

s1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Imagine doing this for less that 200 dollars.

That’s fair. But that doesn't mean the air rifle quality is compromised.

Diana has been a respected manufacturer of high-quality air rifles since the late 19th century.

The Stormrider does not make exceptions.

Ambidextrous beech stock will shatter your confidence.

It was also admirable the bedding quality for blued metal components.

Take a look at this review

Take a look at the results of our tests on the.177 model.

PelletGrainAverage muzzle velocityAverage muzzle energy
Gamo Raptor Platinum4.71068 fps11.9 FPE
H&N Field Target Trophy Green5.561037 fps13.3 FPE
RWS Hobby7.0977 fps14.9 FPE
Crosman Premier HP7.9958 fps16.1 FPE
JSB Exact Diabolo8.44927 fps16.1 FPE
H&N Field Target Trophy8.64939 fps16.9 FPE
H&N Baracuda Match10.65886 fps18.6 FPE

It is enough to me to hunt rabbits.

Below is a shot count versus muzzlespeed graph for the.177 Diana Stormrider. This was done using 8.44 grain JSB Exact pellets.

cheap air rifle for rabbit hunting

We noticed that the gun's initial shot is not at its peak velocity when it is at maximum pressure.

Maximum velocity is not possible for all pressures.

By firing more shots, you can lower the pressure.

Maximum velocity is around 1025 fps

Another drop in the air pressure following this peak results in a decrease in muzzle velocity.

The velocity will drop to about 750 fps when you hit shot number fifty.

That tells you it’s time to refill the air reservoir.   

Additional features for the Diana Stormrider

  • It still fires predictably, despite being a single stage trigger
  •  Maximum of 40 shots per fill – Lets you shoot and shoot without swaying your focus to other air rifle issues.
  • For stealth in a bush setting, a Loudness Rating of 2 suffices.

Hatsan 135 QE Vortex – beautiful air rifle for rabbit hunting

131 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Hatsan is beauty and power rolled into one

Who wouldn’t love:

  • Turkey's handsome and ambidextrous walnut stocks
  • Hatsan has patented a vortex-gas piston
  • Every shot is more powerful.
  • Reduces the recoil associated with heavy springers
  • This allows for smoother and more tranquil shots
  • The QE rifled barrel reduces noise by 50%
  • What is the muzzle velocity at 1250 fps for the.177 caliber Model?
  • For the.22 caliber version, muzzle velocity is 1000 fps

Take a look at this review

I could go on for days about this rifle, but I won’t!

beautiful air rifle for rabbit hunting

Benjamin Discovery – most popular air rifle for rabbit hunting 

Crosman Corporation's top range airgun for hunters is indispensable.

Most air rifles require that the rifle be pumped to 3000psi. The Benjamin reduces this pressure to 2000psi but does not decrease the air rifle's strength. 

The.22 caliber can deliver 25.7-foot-pounds energy at speeds of up to 900 fps.

This is due to the fact that it has two power sources: the PCP and CO2.

Follow these instructions to convert your PCP into CO2. 

The PCP version allows you to take approximately 25 shots per fill.

Switching to the CO2 option will give you even more shots. This is something that I love.

most popular air rifle for rabbit hunting

Another feature of the Benjamin Discovery Air Rifle is also available

  • Single-shot functionality can be just as effective if your hunter is not looking for action-filled shooting.
  • A lightweight of 5.2 lbs makes it ideal for child hunters
  • Choose brown hardwood stock for added beauty

Crosman Nitro Venom – Best Nitro Piston air rifle for rabbit hunting

This is the only air rifle on our list that uses the nitrogen piston powerplant.

Springers are easier to cock than springers.

Recoil is much lower when there is no Spring

This design is quieter and has fewer moving parts.

Best nitro piston air rifle for rabbit hunting

A nitrogen piston rifle might seem to produce less power, you might think.

You're wrong!

Crosman Premiere 7.9 Pellets give 1000 fps and 17 FPE for the testing of the.177 caliber.

The.22 caliber produces 800 fps and 20 FPE.

Take a look at this review

Crosman Nitro venom has many other features

  • Very handsome for its price range – that ambidextrous hardwood stock rocks
  • Comes with a Centerpoint 3-9×32 scope that is adequate for rabbit sighting

Airforce Talon SS PCP – most powerful air rifle for rabbit hunting

ss1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

Airforce sets the bar for pre-charged pneumatics. Their Talon SS air rifle is no exception.

The rifle's removable tank of air is of particular interest.

It doubles to become the butt of your gun.

most powerful air rifle for rabbit hunting

This means that the gun doesn't need a stock that is too large and adds weight.

It is lighter (5.25 lbs) than traditional air rifles and has a shorter barrel. It is easy to transport.

Spin-loc technology is also available on the gun. This allows you to fill your air cylinder from any place, without having it removed from the gun.

PyramydAir Price Check

Air Arms proSport – most accurate air rifle for rabbit hunting

It is not to be confused for me, but I believe it was designed specifically for field target shooters.

But it doesn’t really matter if you kill the boredom between shooting competitions to harvest a few rabbits for dinner.

most accurate air rifle for rabbit hunting

The gun is very accurate and easy to use. When used with the 8.44-grain JSB ExactDiabolo, the.177 produces a power of approximately 13 FPE.

Air Arms proSport

It weighs 9 lbs. This is quite heavy considering air rifles are only 5 pounds.

The stunning hardwood beech stock completes the look.

Air Arms pro-sport offers other features

  • Underlever design – a good break from the side lever action
  • Because of the fully shrouded barrel, it is quiet
  • Lothar Walther barrel, 12-groove rifle which accurately directs ammo towards the aim.

PyramydAir Price Check

Most Frequently Asked Questions

Can an air rifle be used to kill a rabbit                

This fact is evident throughout the whole piece.

For shooting rabbits, an air rifle is recommended.

9 FPE is the recommended killing power for rabbits.  

While firearms are still possible to use, their power is too much for rabbits.

A.22 BR Remington, for example, will give you a complete 1590 FPE.

Which purpose are you using the device?

Unless you have a bitter rivalry with the rabbits, you can simply show your strength. 

Which one is better: 22 or 177 airguns?        

I talked about the different factors that must be considered when hunting rabbits by air rifles. I also discussed the differences between the.22 rifle and the.177.

It’s all about power and accuracy.

This is an extremely general guideline.

  • With the.22 Air rifle, you can have more killing power
  • You might consider the.177 Airgun if you're looking for a longer range of shooting.

Because of my years of experience, the ".22", I prefer it.

Can a .177 pellet gun kill a rabbit?

Yes. The story can be read, but you should also take a look at the test results for the.177 Diana Stormrider.

PelletGrainAverage muzzle velocityAverage muzzle energy
Gamo Raptor Platinum4.71068 fps11.9 FPE
H&N Field Target Trophy Green5.561037 fps13.3 FPE
RWS Hobby7.0977 fps14.9 FPE
Crosman Premier HP7.9958 fps16.1 FPE
JSB Exact Diabolo8.44927 fps16.1 FPE
H&N Field Target Trophy8.64939 fps16.9 FPE
H&N Baracuda Match10.65886 fps18.6 FPE

It is only the muzzle energie, which is listed to your right, that really matters.

Experts have proved that 9-foot pounds can kill rabbits. A.177 pellet gun has the ability to kill rabbits.

What hunting pellet is best for rabbits?

Being more of a subjective question, I’ll give a personal expert opinion.

22 is the highest caliber.

When I shoot an animal, I don’t want it to be just wounded.

I always feel I’ve done it when I incapacitate the rabbit with one blow of the ammo. 

I’m always afraid that the .177 ammo can penetrate the rabbit and pass out through the other side without doing much harm.

But that’s me. Are we to be afraid?

Certainly, yes. Coz experts as well as I have proven beyond doubt that.177 can humanely execute rabbits.   

Which air rifle kills rabbits best?                

You might also be interested in my air rifle.

Because I've tried it and have seen its good and bad sides.

This is the Air Arms Pro-Sport.22 model.

This item will set you back approximately 600 dollars. Pocket-friendly indeed!

(Check out this article for more information about the best air rifles on the market)

What is the minimum FPS needed to kill a rabbit?        

FPS does not alone determine the killing force of ammunition.

The muzzle power is key to killing force.

FPS must be compared with the weight of ammunition in order to calculate the muzzle energy.

You can get a pellet with high speed and low weight.

Even if the rat is killed,

A pellet of the same velocity may be enough to kill a rabbit if it is sufficiently heavy.

Can 600 fps kill rabbits?

As we have already mentioned, the answer to both questions is yes and no.

Is it legal for rabbit shooting?                

The UK government considers rabbits pests.

The question is: Is it legal to control pests that can cause damage to crops? Certainly, yes.

In many jurisdictions, rabbits are not protected.

The shooting element can make laws differ from one country to another.

1954 Pest Act says that landowners are required to keep wild rabbits off their land. This can be accomplished by using gassing, trapping or snaring, fencing, ferreting, or other methods.

Gun ownership laws regulate who can and can't shoot. 

You can also shoot rabbits as a hobby or pest control.

Not all countries and states see eye-to-eye – and therefore the laws vary.

To make sure that you aren't caught, it is important to check the laws in your locality.

Conclusion

Hunting rabbits by shooting is legal and enjoyable.

You shouldn't shoot rabbits. Instead, allow them to rot.

Wild rabbits can also be eaten. Wild rabbits can be very tasty and nutritious.

It is simple to prepare for hunting season with the right information and equipment. 

rabbit3 1 The Bunny Buster: Best Air Rifle For Rabbits (Reviews and Buying Guide 2022)

These facts were already covered at the beginning. These equipment and gear might prove useful for you:

  • Waterproof boots
  • Hat
  • Hunter orange vest
  • Gloves
  • Socks
  • Vinyl-faced canvas field trousers
  • Durable hunting coat
  • An air rifle or a firearm
  • Ammo to accompany the weapon
  • Case for an air rifle
  • Airgun cleaning kit
  • Hunting license
  • Knife
  • Flashlight
  • Map and Compass
  • Fully charged smartphone
  • Game bag

Take it easy, and obey the law.

You should only eat what you can.

It is important to maintain self-control, no matter how many shots you take with your rabbit rifle.

You aren't there to eliminate the rabbit population.

I sign off gently.

Two men were hunting when one of the two saw the rabbit. 

“Quick,” said the first, “shoot it.” 

“I can’t,” said the second. “My gun isn’t loaded.” 

“Well,” said the first, ”You know that and I know that, but the rabbit doesn’t.”

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