20 TWENTY QUESTIONS

It's all too easy to head to the range, pop into your local gun shop or even flick through the pages of Airgun Shooter and let yourself be seduced by some of the rifles on show. But what works for one shooter doesn't make it right for the next, and what looks good on paper may not turn out to fit you so well.

So what is right for you? If you're an experienced shooter, you'll know the answer. But if you're a relative newcomer to airguns then I believe there are a few things you should be aware of that need careful consideration before purchasing a new rifle.

I've come up with a list of 20 questions that should help. It's not exhaustive by any means, but should at least be a good starting point.

I'm not trying to answer any of these for you, because shooting is all about doing the right thing for you alone.

“WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE WILL NEED TO SUIT YOU AND THE STYLE OF SHOOTING YOU ENJOY”

1 WHICH POWERPLANT?

One of the most fundamental decisions that needs to be made is what type of powerplant you need. Most air rifles generate the pressure needed to shoot a pellet using one of three methods, the best-known being the springer.

Spring-powered airguns use a mainspring and piston to generate power. They're self-contained, they're cheaper to buy and run because there's no need to splash out on charging equipment. And having a constant source of power means the rifle is always ready for action.

Gas-rams work similarly to spring-powered guns, but instead of a coiled mainspring they feature a gas strut, like those used to take the weight of an open car boot