This big HAM air rifle trigger pull weight review is a summary of the results achieved over no less than 134 standardized, consistent product reviews.
Hard Air Magazine has published the world’s largest number of structured air rifle reviews. They have all been undertaken using the same standardized test protocol by a small range of careful, experienced testers, using the same high-quality Lyman Digital Trigger Pull Gauge.
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Lyman Electronic Digital Trigger Pull Gauge
So the results of any one HAM test are comparable with any other.
This means that the trigger pull weights published here give you the best possible guide to what to expect from your air rifle.
There’s a ton of data here, so I’ve summarized as much as possible using charts with some overall comments. The full data set is also included in the voluminous table at the foot of the post. The tables can be sorted and arranged as you desire for detailed exploration.
I hope that this will be both useful and interesting!
The Big HAM Air Rifle Trigger Pull Weight Review – Test Protocol
First things first. Let’s explain what we do and how we do it.
The most important single thing is that all HAM tests are conducted with the gun as received from the manufacturer or US distributor. We do not adjust any triggers prior to a review.
This means that – in many cases – the trigger pull weights could be either lowered or increased to your preference by careful, knowledgeable adjustment. We don’t cover that.
Secondly, the trigger pull weights shown here are the average value from multiple tests (usually 7 or 9) with each gun. The data is recorded on the published test targets and calculations are made from there.
Finally, the pull weights are recorded in Pounds and Ounces. For simple presentation, I have converted all the data to Ounces for ease of charting. However you will notice that the “Y” (vertical) axis of our charts is shown in increments of 16 Ounces. In other words, each horizontal line represents 1 Lb. For example, 32 Oz is 2 Lbs, 7 Lbs is 112 Oz etc.
The Big HAM Air Rifle Trigger Pull Weight Review – Summary Chart
First, let’s take a summary look at the pull weights from all 134 reviews (that’s well over 1,000 individual trigger pull weight measurements).
We can see that HAM has tested air rifles with average pull weights all the way from 5.0 Oz (the Daystate Red Wolf) up to 187 Ozs (11 Lbs 11Oz) for the Benjamin Wildfire.
Well, that’s not completely true! You’ll see the Ruger 10/22 CO2 air rifle listed with a trigger pull weight of 71 Oz (4 Lbs 7 Oz). However that was with the gun fired in single action mode. Using double action, the pull weight exceeded the 192 Oz (12 Lbs) maximum capacity of the Lyman gauge. So it’s actually unknown…
When thinking about trigger pull weights, lower is not necessarily better. Particularly if a low trigger pull weight makes the gun unsafe, or if the shooter cannot control the gun safely.
We must stress that NONE of the tested air rifles have had an unsafe trigger, even with the lightest tested. However, lower pull weights require an experienced and competent shooter to avoid unintentional discharges from operator error.
Broadly, I’ll go out on a limb and say that pull weights below around 2 Lbs are really most suitable for competition use by experienced shooters. Above 2 Lbs but below 4 Lbs would be suitable for plinking and general use by most competent people. From about 3 to 6 Lbs pull weight would be more suitable for hunting or, maybe, inexperienced learners.
Note that the spreadsheet software used to produce these charts adds a few product names on the “X” (horizontal) axis. These are representational, as there’s insufficient space to display them all. So please don’t think they are the only models tested!
The Big HAM Air Rifle Trigger Pull Weight Review – CO2 Guns
Now we’ll look in detail at the CO2-powered air rifles tested by Hard Air Magazine. Why? Well, there’s a relatively small number of them and it’s an easy way to learn how to read the charts.
So we see that the Umarex 850M2 (below) has the lowest average trigger pull weight of any CO2-powered air rifle tested by HAM. It was 41 Oz (2 Lbs 9 Oz).
Many of these CO2 models use a “double action” mechanism whereby the trigger pull both rotates the magazine and fires the gun (although they are often incorrectly marketed as being “semi auto”.
The SIG MCX, MCX Gen 2 and Rattler Canebrake all share this system, along with the Winchester M14, Crosman 1077 and Ruger 10/22 air rifles.
The Big HAM Air Rifle Trigger Pull Weight Review – Piston Guns
Next we look at piston guns – powered by spring/piston and gas ram actions. Here, Diana dominates the lowest pull weights. Below we see the trigger adjustment screws for the Model 54 Airking Pro.
We measured an average of 17 Oz (1 Lb 1 Oz) for the Diana Panther 350 N-Tec, 18 Oz for the 34 EMS and 18.9 Oz for the 54 Airking Pro.
At the other end of the scale, the Umarex Octane stood out with its 115 Oz (7 Lb 3 Oz) pull weight. But – overall – the average pull weight of 53.0 Oz (3 Lb 3.9 Oz) for all the piston guns tested was lower than I had anticipated before starting this exercise.
The Big HAM Air Rifle Trigger Pull Weight Review – PCPs
Reflecting new introductions into the airgun market over the last 10 years, the majority of HAM reviews have been for PCP air rifles.
Here the two lowest trigger pull weights – both 5.0 Oz – are registered by the Daystate Red Wolf (above) and Renegade models. These both have electronic triggers.
The Ataman BP17 measured 8.4 Oz, the Weihrauch HW110 TK 8.5 Oz and the KalibrGun Snipe 2 9.0 Oz. These are all conventional mechanical triggers.
At the other end of the scale, the standout SIG MCX Virtus with 180.4 Oz (11 Lb 4.4 Oz) and the Benjamin Wildfire with 178.0 Oz (11 Lb 11 Oz) both use a similar “double action” system to the heavy-pull CO2 models.
The Big HAM Air Rifle Trigger Pull Weight Review – Data Table
| Manufacturer | Model | Average Trigger Pull Oz | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Arms | Galahad | 29.5 | PCP |
| Air Arms | HFT500 | 34.0 | PCP |
| Air Arms | Pro Sport | 21.0 | Spring |
| Air Arms | S410 TDR | 18.0 | PCP |
| Air Arms | S510 Extra FAC Superlight | 27.0 | PCP |
| Air Arms | TX200 | 31.0 | Spring |
| Air Venturi | Avenger | 28.0 | PCP |
| Air Venturi | Avenge-X | 32.8 | PCP |
| Air Venturi | Avenger Bullpup | 32.7 | PCP |
| Air Venturi | Bronco | 48.8 | Spring |
| American Air Arms | Evol Mini | 12.9 | PCP |
| American Tactical | Nova Freedom | 42.0 | PCP |
| American Tactical | Liberty | 51.0 | PCP |
| Ataman | BP17 | 8.4 | PCP |
| Barra | 1100z | 27.1 | PCP |
| Barra | 250z | 31.0 | PCP |
| Beeman | 1051GP | 80.4 | Gas Ram |
| Beeman | 1358 Bullpup | 104.9 | PCP |
| Beeman | Longhorn | 70.0 | Spring |
| Beeman | Chief | 59.0 | PCP |
| Beeman | Mach 12.5 | 98.0 | Spring |
| Beeman | QB78S | 43.0 | CO2 |
| Beeman | R9 Elite | 44.0 | Spring |
| Benjamin | Bulldog | 67.0 | PCP |
| Benjamin | Discovery | 61.7 | PCP |
| Benjamin | Fortitude | 89.0 | PCP |
| Benjamin | Gunnar | 38.7 | PCP |
| Benjamin | Marauder | 47.7 | PCP |
| Benjamin | Maximus | 93.0 | PCP |
| Benjamin | Trail NP2 | 101.0 | Gas Ram |
| Benjamin | Wildfire | 187.0 | PCP |
| Black Ops | Sniper | 72.0 | Spring |
| Brocock | Compatto | 15.6 | PCP |
| Brocock | Concept Lite | 47.8 | PCP |
| Brocock | Sniper XR Magnum | 50.0 | PCP |
| BRK | Ghost HP | 34.3 | PCP |
| Brocock | Pathfinder | 38.5 | PCP |
| BSA | Meteor Super | 45.5 | Spring |
| BSA | R-10SE Re-Test | 28.0 | PCP |
| BSA | R-10SE | 31.0 | PCP |
| Crosman | Challenger 2021 | 38.8 | PCP |
| Crosman | Regulated Marauder | 42.0 | PCP |
| Crosman | 1077 Wood | 142.0 | CO2 |
| Crosman | 3622 | 72.0 | PCP |
| Crosman | Prospect | 58.5 | PCP |
| Daystate | Delta Wolf | 10.2 | PCP |
| Daystate | Red Wolf | 5.0 | PCP |
| Daystate | Regal XL | 18.0 | PCP |
| Daystate | Renegade | 5.0 | PCP |
| Daystate | Huntsman Revere | 17.0 | PCP |
| Daystate | Wolverine R | 16.8 | PCP |
| Diana | 54 Airking Pro | 18.9 | Spring |
| Diana | 34 EMS | 18.0 | Spring |
| Diana | Outlaw | 27.0 | PCP |
| Diana | Chaser Rifle | 56.0 | CO2 |
| Diana | Panther 350 N-Tec | 17.0 | Gas Ram |
| Diana | Stormrider | 49.0 | PCP |
| Diana | Stormrider Gen 2 Regulated | 29.8 | PCP |
| Diana | Two Forty | 61.5 | Spring |
| Diana | XR200 | 9.5 | PCP |
| Epic | TWO | 13.1 | PCP |
| Evanix | Rex | 77.0 | PCP |
| FX | Crown | 30.0 | PCP |
| FX | Crown Continuum | 21.4 | PCP |
| FX | Dreamlite | 17.8 | PCP |
| FX | Impact | 29.0 | PCP |
| FX | Royale 400 | 15.8 | PCP |
| FX | Streamline | 15.2 | PCP |
| FX | Wildcat | 16.0 | PCP |
| Gamo | Coyote | 32.0 | PCP |
| Gamo | Mach 1 Pigman Edition | 41.0 | Gas Ram |
| Gamo | Swarm Maxxim | 39.1 | Spring |
| Gamo | Whisper Fusion Pro | 51.0 | Spring |
| Gamo | Whisper G2 | 52.0 | Spring |
| Gamo | Whisper | 82.0 | Spring |
| Hatsan | BT Big Bore Carnivore | 55.5 | PCP |
| Hatsan | Galatian QE | 97.1 | PCP |
| KalibrGun | Cricket 2 | 17.0 | PCP |
| KalibrGun | Cricket 2 Tactical | 24.9 | PCP |
| KalibrGun | Snipe 2 | 9.0 | PCP |
| Kral | Puncher Armour | 83.0 | PCP |
| Kral | Puncher Mega | 56.0 | PCP |
| LCS | SK-19 | 15.6 | PCP |
| Remington | Express | 55.0 | Spring |
| Reximex | Throne Compact Gen 2 | 50.0 | PCP |
| RTI | Prophet | 28.1 | PCP |
| Ruger | 10/22 Air Rifle (fired single action) | 71.0 | CO2 |
| Ruger | Air Hawk | 46.0 | Spring |
| Ruger | Yukon | 83.0 | Spring |
| RWS | 34 Meisterschutze Pro Compact | 22.0 | Spring |
| Seneca | Aspen | 42.0 | PCP |
| Seneca | Dragonfly | 75.0 | Multipump |
| SIG SAUER | ASP20 | 42.0 | Spring |
| SIG SAUER | MCX | 139.0 | CO2 |
| SIG SAUER | MCX Gen 2 | 109.0 | CO2 |
| SIG SAUER | MCX Virtus | 180.4 | PCP |
| SIG SAUER | Rattler Canebrake | 136.0 | CO2 |
| Springfield Armory | M1A | 56.0 | Spring |
| Stoeger | XM1 Ranger | 33.8 | PCP |
| Stoeger | X5 | 50.0 | Spring |
| Sumatra | 2500 | 55.0 | PCP |
| Umarex | 850 M2 | 41.0 | CO2 |
| Umarex | Canex | 79.0 | CO2 |
| Umarex | Emerge | 75.0 | Gas Ram |
| Umarex | Forge | 100.2 | Spring |
| Umarex | Fusion | 45.0 | CO2 |
| Umarex | Fusion 2 | 58.0 | CO2 |
| Umarex | Gauntlet | 50.0 | PCP |
| Umarex | Gauntlet | 42.0 | PCP |
| Umarex | Gauntlet 2 | 58.0 | PCP |
| Umarex | Gauntlet 30 | 58.0 | PCP |
| Umarex | Iconix | 135.7 | PCP |
| Umarex | Komplete | 25.6 | PCP |
| Umarex | NGX APX | 120.0 | Multipump |
| Umarex | Notos CRK | 62.6 | PCP |
| Umarex | Octane | 115.0 | Gas Ram |
| Umarex | Synergis | 55.8 | Spring |
| Umarex | Zelos | 27.9 | PCP |
| Walther | LGV Competition Ultra | 45.0 | Spring |
| Walther | Parrus | 86.0 | Gas Ram |
| Walther | Terrus | 44.0 | Spring |
| Weihrauch | HW100 | 11.1 | PCP |
| Weihrauch | HW100 Sporter Carbine | 12.9 | PCP |
| Weihrauch | HW100 BP Carbine | 14.7 | PCP |
| Weihrauch | HW110 TK | 8.5 | PCP |
| Weihrauch | HW30N Special Edition | 51.1 | Spring |
| Weihrauch | HW50S | 42.0 | Spring |
| Weihrauch | HW80 | 50.0 | Spring |
| Weihrauch | HW90 | 27.5 | Gas Ram |
| Weihrauch | HW95 | 25.0 | Spring |
| Weihrauch | HW97K | 41.0 | Spring |
| Western Airguns | Rattler | 36.0 | PCP |
| Western Airguns | Sidewinder | 24.0 | PCP |
| Winchester | M14 | 120.0 | CO2 |
The post The Big HAM Air Rifle Trigger Pull Weight Review appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
