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The AirGun Centre Ltd.
A new nationwide survey conducted by The AirGun Centre has revealed how airgunners across the UK really think, buy and shoot, offering rare insight into one of Britain’s most active shooting communities.
The study, one of the largest of its kind, gathered responses from 2,784 airgunners across the UK and uncovered a mix of serious market insight, strong opinions and some unexpectedly humorous confessions.
Among the headline findings, 63% of respondents said they believe .22 calibre is better for hunting, while nearly 70% said PCP rifles are their main choice - confirming their position as the dominant platform in modern airgunning. However, springers remain popular, accounting for over a quarter of primary rifle use.
Buying behaviour also revealed clear priorities. When asked what matters most when choosing an air rifle, reliability came out far ahead, receiving over half of all votes. Brand reputation ranked second, while price, weight and noise level followed behind. Accuracy, perhaps surprisingly, ranked lowest - suggesting many shooters assume accuracy as a given.
The survey also highlighted how personal the sport remains. Over half of airgunners said they follow a pre-shooting ritual, ranging from practical checks and breathing exercises to lucky clothing and music. Some respondents admitted to far more unusual routines, such as asking their rifle to be good and singing in an Elmer Fudd voice - underlining how individual shooting habits can be.
Personality showed up elsewhere too. 17.5% of respondents said they name their air rifles, with traditional names like Betsy, Betty and Bertha dominating, alongside more colourful entries such as "The Beast", "Carl Plinkington" and "Smackmaster3000".
Practical habits were another standout area. Nearly two thirds admitted they clean their rifle more often than their car, while target shooting emerged as the most popular type of shooting, followed by pest control, garden plinking and hunting.
Not all confessions were flattering. One in five shooters admitted to exaggerating the size of their groupings, while the most common embarrassing moment reported was forgetting pellets or bringing the wrong calibre altogether.
Where people shoot was also more evenly split than expected. Around a third mainly shoot at clubs or ranges, with garden shooting and private land close behind. Pest control still accounts for a significant share, highlighting the continued practical use of air rifles across the UK.
When asked what they wish others would stop doing at the range, one complaint dominated above all others: talking. From loud chatter to full monologues, respondents said unnecessary noise was the biggest disruption to concentration, followed by bragging and unsolicited advice.
The full survey results, including detailed breakdowns, charts and verbatim responses, are available to read at: https://www.theairguncentre.com/blog/airgun-questionnaire-results/
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