Are airguns today the 22lr of previous generations?

They haven’t yet took off in popularity. When they do, prices are sure to follow.

The development of them really has been something to behold. When I was a yute, the best hunting air gun was a Benjamin or Sheridan .22 pumper. They were and still are darn cool.

BLACKHAWKNJ said:

As the population expands and open spaces shrink, more people living in closer proximity, I think air guns are a somewhat better way to practice shooting. My town in Central NJ rammed through a no firearms discharge ordnance in 1972 so shooting in your own back yard is forbidden, what you do inside your own four walls is still legal, but I'm sure some busybody would complain about the noise, there is the problem of ventilation, etc. And on a cold, miserable rainy/snowy/icy stay at home day......

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Good point.

I can't remember a time when I didn't have an airgun (I'm 65). Currently I have a break barrel .177 pistol for shooting in the basement and a Diana 48 .22cal springer rifle. The Diana slings a midweight pellet out at about 900fps and it's very accurate.

I also own a bunch of 22s but this year started to look at other air rifle and pistol options to avoid regulation and keep shooting. Not sure there is any trend setting going on though. When the big retailers start devoting more square footage to air rifles you will know they are taking off.

I'm pulling out the air guns today.
The local farmers are starting to burn off their fields to prepare for the next season and the rats, possums and other vermin will be trying to take shelter at my place... .

Lets hope we don't get like Great Britain where air gun power is regulated.

I fell into the rabbit hole of air guns years back. I do not have any regrets saying my air guns cost me more than my most expensive rifles by a factor of 4 or more in a number of cases.
The difference is that I shoot the air guns almost every day in my back yard while it takes a 20 minute ride to get to the range to go powder burn.
At 50 yards and sometimes more, I can keep up with any powder burner and have made a few bucks in bets with guys that started off laughing at my air guns until I challenged them to a shoot off and took their cash.

Mousegun said:

At 50 yards and sometimes more, I can keep up with any powder burner and have made a few bucks in bets with guys that started off laughing at my air guns until I challenged them to a shoot off and took their cash.

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No betting here but I have been know to bring an airgun or two with me when I shoot at real ranges. Invariably some folks ask what it is, thinking it’s suppressed. If I offer or they ask to try it they usually have that smug I’ll try the toy look going in. Coming out they have this SHOCKED face and start asking questions when they realize it’s not some Walmart toy or Daisy Powerline they had as a kid. They usually blurt out a “holy sh%#” on the first trigger break. .

Like I said they are not a replacement for all the things .22LR can do by a long shot but from a purely target shooting/enjoyment standpoint I think they trump 90% of the .22LR’s on the market.

I have a younger cousin who grew up with access to ANY firearm, grew up with all class III stuff and has shot more interesting stuff then the VAST majority of folks will ever even see.

We go shooting when he visits. One of the times he was here I brought an air pistol and rifle for ME to shoot while he played with some of my more exotic toys. 15 minutes in he had taken over the air pistol and rifle and was literally giggling. He said it’s the most fun he’s had shooting ever.

Not including the Marksman BB pistol of my youth (which I still have, btb) I got started in adult air guns in the '80s when Beeman was at his zenith. Have the R7 in .177, then the HW-77 in .22 (which Beeman said wouldn't work because it would be underpowered, but he'd be glad to sell me his 5mm model that would), and I added a a Crosman Titan Nitro in .22 just a few years back. Don't shoot them a lot, mostly to put down vermin in the backyard. Springers taught me to really concentrate to get good groups. When I tell people that shooting a firearm precisely takes a lot of work they look at me like I'm a little crazy, but it does. Springers have the advantage of always being ready to load, cock and go. No fuss, no muss. Works fine, last a long time.

I'm thinking a .25 PCP would be a handy thing in trying times.

Are airguns supplanting 22 rimfire? I don't think so. Apples and oranges. In most cases, airguns are used for legal reasons, in house shooting, noise control or cost of ammo. If none of those reasons are applicable, then 22 rimfire is much easier and effective.

I shoot an air rifle in my backyard as a trainer because it is illegal here to shoot powder burners, what the law here defines as "firearms", in residential areas. But if I had the space and legal means to do so, I would rather shoot my 10/22.

But the reverse is also true. The 22 rimfire cannot replace airguns for some people. The universe of airguns has its own separate worlds. Some people love springer air rifles and appreciate the mechanical craftsmanship of heirloom rifles. Others are PCP fanatics that spend large sums of monies on high tech precision gear. And of course there are the airgun competitors like the 10 meters.

So although there is some overlap between the two, like shooting targets or pests close range, the two are very different.

I dont think so, but I do think they're a generation away from it.

I'm an absolute .22 fanatic, and got caught with my pants down this year. I was going to stack .22 from January to about july, but covid and riots put a huge wrench in that plan.

Then in my youtube reccomended I got a video from the airgun championship from the London Olympics iirc. I had no idea they actually made accurate air pistols so I got researching. Ordered a crosman 2300 custom and just took delivery of it this week. I'm excited as all get out to try it in my backyard, and not have to drive 40 minutes to go shooting. If I really really enjoy it, I'll put out the money for a pardini pcp pistol.