If you are looking for the Best Air Rifles for Rabbit Hunting, this buying will help you get the best the market has to offer.
Rabbit hunting can either be done for fun or for pest control. There is no better feeling than taking out this small game and savoring every part of it. The best thing about rabbit hunting is that these creatures are plentiful.
You can hunt them all year round, season after season. Besides, rabbit hunting offers a great way to spend your free time in those seasons when there are few options for hunting.
Today, you don’t have to carry a pack of dogs for rabbit hunting. With an air rifle for rabbit hunting, you can go out on that solo hunt and still be successful.
With that in mind, let’s now look at the best air rifles for rabbit hunting available on the market. Let’s get started.
Best Air Rifles for Rabbit Hunting-Our Top Picks
1) Gamo Varmint Air Rifle .177 Cal
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When it comes to rabbit hunting, you can never go wrong with the Gamo 6110017154 Varmint Air Rifle. The air rifle shoots .177 PBA Platinum alloy pellets at a maximum velocity of 1250fps. This velocity is enough to take down a rabbit at close or mid-range. If you are a beginner or youngster, this is your ideal air rifle. It functions with a break barrel, and spring-powered cocking system. It has a 30lbs cocking effort, which isn’t that difficult. Additionally, the air rifle has an automatic manual safety and a two-stage adjustable trigger for added safety. The tough all-weather ambidextrous stock is suitable for use in all weather conditions. It is designed to fit every shooter to provide a comfortable shooting experience. Better yet, it aligns perfectly with the scope to enhance your target acquisition. With this air rifle, you don’t have to buy a scope. It comes with a 4×32 shockproof scope with mounts. The scope will improve your accuracy and make sure that you get better rabbit views. The rifle also has a lightweight design, so it’s easy to carry in the field. Features
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2) Gamo Wildcat Whisper Air Rifle
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This Gamo Wildcat Whisper Air Rifle is the perfect air rifle for rabbit hunting thanks to its quiet operation. The air rifle uses whisper noise reduction technology to give you the quietest shooting experience. It won’t spook the rabbits in case you miss your first shot. The air rifle has a single cocking break barrel which makes it easy to use and an automatic cocking safety system for added firing safety. The ambidextrous all-weather stock is comfortable to hold and has a rubber recoil pad to absorb recoil. The air rifle offers unparalleled shooting accuracy. It has a ridged polymer jacketed steel barrel and a shockproof 4×32 scope which help you take out rabbits with ease. Besides, it shoots .177 caliber pellets at 1,300fps which is enough to kill a rabbit at close or mid-range. At 5.64 pounds, the air rifle is fairly light, easy to carry, and comfortable to hold for long hours. You’ll have an easy time carrying it in the field as you search for rabbits. Features
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3) Crosman Air Rifle
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This Crosman Air Rifle is a high-powered air rifle that shoots .22 caliber pellets. It has a maximum firing velocity of 950fps with alloy pellets which is enough to kill a rabbit on the first shot. The air rifle is not only powerful but also eye-catching. It features a stylish, ambidextrous hardwood stock. It is easy to shoot and easy to cock. It comes with a two-stage adjustable trigger which requires a relatively light force to cock. The rifle comes with a micro-adjustable rear sight for greater shooting accuracy and a fiber optic front sight for accurate shooting at long range. To add to the accuracy, the Optimus air rifle comes with a CenterPoint 4x32mm precision scope making it one of the best air rifles for rabbit hunting. The air rifle weighs only 0.05 pounds. It is one of the lightest air rifles on the market. The lightweight design makes it easy to carry and comfortable to shoot with. It makes a great air rifle for target shooting and pest control, besides rabbit hunting. Features
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4) Ruger Blackhawk .177 Cal Pellet Rifle with 4x32mm Scope
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5) Daisy 880 Powerline Air Rifle Kit
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If you are new to rabbit hunting, you should go with the Daisy 880 Powerline Air Rifle Kit. It is a great shooting kit with a powerful BB/pellet rifle that’s easy to use. Additionally, the kit is budget-friendly. The pneumatic pumping mechanism makes it easy to pump and fire. For beginners and youth trainees, you won’t find any better alternative, especially at this price. At only 1kg, the air rifle is light and easy to carry. The air rifle shoots both .177 caliber pellets and BBs. If you prefer to shoot BBs, you get a 50BBs magazine for fast faster follow-up shots. When it comes to the maximum velocity, the air rifle shoots BBs up to 750 feet per second and 715fps for the pellets. For greater shooting accuracy, this kit includes a 4×15 scope. The scope helps you identify the rabbits with ease, even when hunting in low-light conditions. It also features a fiber optic front sight and an adjustable rear sight for added accuracy. Features
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6) Umarex Ruger Targis Hunter Max Pellet Gun
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The Umarex Ruger Targis Hunter Max Pellet Gun is popular among small game hunters due to its great accuracy and high power. The hard-hitting air rifle is made to give you the best shooting performance at close to medium ranges. Made with the outdoorsman in mind, the air rifle is very sturdy and durable. It has an ergonomic, all-weather stock for use in extreme weather conditions. The stock wrist and fore-end feature a checkered rubber grip insert for a snug, non-slip grip even in wet conditions. The comfortable stock also has a rubber butt pad to absorb shock and sling studs for attaching to the adjustable nylon sling included. The hard-hitting break barrel air rifle fires .22 caliber pellets with a maximum speed of up to 800 fps. This is enough to take out a rabbit on the first shot. For greater long-range accuracy, the scope has a 3-9×32 adjustable objective scope which helps identify your targets easily. The air rifle is fairly light and portable. It features a 5-chamber SilencAir sound dampener which minimizes downrange noise and maximizes stealth. The quiet operation is important when hunting as it won’t spook the rabbits. Features
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See Also
- 8 Best Hunting Air Rifles
- 8 Best Scopes for Pellet Guns
- 9 Best Scopes for Gamo Air Rifles
- 6 Best Gamo Air Rifles
- 8 Best .177 Hunting Air Rifles
Choosing the Best Air Rifles for Rabbit Hunting
- Caliber
The common calibers for rabbit hunting are .22 and .177. Both calibers have their pros and cons. The .22 caliber pellet delivers more muzzle energy. It is larger in size and heavier which makes it slower in velocity.
If an accurate shot is placed, this caliber pellet delivers an instant and cleaner kill. It is suitable for shooting rabbits at close to mid-range.
The .177 caliber pellet is faster than the .22 pellet. It offers a flatter trajectory suitable for shooting at distant targets. Its main drawback is the lower muzzle energy. Both calibers are applicable for rabbit hunting and the caliber to choose largely depends on your preference.
- PCP vs Spring Powered
The benefit of getting a break-barrel spring-powered air rifle for rabbit hunting is you won’t require charging equipment. You also get a self-contained air rifle at an economical price.
However, spring-powered air rifles offer one shot only. You fail to make an accurate shot on your first attempt and the rabbit runs away. You’ll also have to deal with heavy recoil.
On the other hand, a PCP air rifle has its second pellet ready for faster follow-up shots. It’s more accurate due to lower recoil. For the best rabbit hunting experience, try to look for a PCP air rifle. The only drawback here is the high cost.
- Velocity
The other important factor you should consider when looking for the best air rifle for rabbit hunting is the maximum velocity. Get an air rifle that delivers the correct FPS depending on your shooting environment.
Rabbits move very first. You’ll need a gun with a velocity of 800fps at the minimum. This is enough to take out rabbits at close to mid-range.
- Design
It is also important that you look at how the air rifle is designed. While these features have little to do with how the air rifle shoots, they are important for your overall comfort when shooting.
You’ll want an air gun that fits snugly on your hands. It should have a checkered stock for a secure, non-slip grip. The stock should also be ambidextrous, all-weather, and padded to absorb shock.
Best Air Rifles for Rabbit Hunting FAQs
- Is it legal to hunt rabbits?
Yes. In most states, rabbits fall under the pest category. Therefore, it’s legal to take them down as a means of pest control. It is also legal to hunt rabbits as a way to pass time as you look for some tasty free meat.
- How many FPS do I need to kill a rabbit?
FPS alone isn’t enough to kill a rabbit. Unlike small pests like mice, squirrels, and rodents, rabbits are much bigger in size. Therefore, you’ll need a pellet with higher FPS and muzzle enough to take out a rabbit on the first shot.
- Which is better, .177 or .22 air rifles?
Both. If you are hunting rabbits at a distance, go for the .177 caliber pellet. It offers higher FPS suitable for mid to long-range hunting.
On the other hand, go for the .22 caliber pellet if you require more muzzle energy and killing power. It provides a humane kill on the first shot.
Conclusion
If you are an avid rabbit hunter and you haven’t thought about getting an air rifle for rabbit hunting, I hope that this post has now changed your mind.
Air rifles for rabbit hunting are powerful, accurate, and enjoyable to shoot. Use this buying guide and get yourself a new air rifle for hunting rabbits this hunting season.