Most Powerful Multi-Pump Air Rifles
In this article, we will outline five of our favorite Multi-Pump Air Rifles, their ideal uses, strengths, weaknesses and some valuable information to assist you with your existing air gun or help you decide upon a rifle that best suits your needs.
Our Favorite Multi-Pump Air Rifles Compared Head-to-Head
Here is a list of our favorite multi-pump airguns with each one listing their ideal purpose, strengths and weaknesses and some helpful information to assist you when deciding which gun best suits you.
.177: 800 FPS
.22: 630 FPS
.177: 800 FPS
.177: 1100 FPS FPS
.22: 800 FPS
.177: 600 FPS
.177: 800 FPS
.177: 800 FPS
.22: 630 FPS
.177: 800 FPS
.177: 1100 FPS FPS
.22: 800 FPS
.177: 600 FPS
.177: 800 FPS
Reviews of our favorite Multi-Pump Air Rifles
Best All-Rounder: The Seneca Dragonfly Multi-Pump Air Rifle
- Self-indexing magazine for multi-shot (9 rounds in .177 and 7 rounds in .22)
- Rifled barrel giving good accuracy
- Lightweight and easy to hold
- Great looks with a beechwood stock
- Excellent build quality
- More expensive than some of the other multi-pump rifles listed in this article
- Difficult to pump on the last couple of strokes
Overview
We chose the Seneca Dragonfly Multi-Pump Air Rifle as the best all-rounder rifle because of its excellent build quality, durability and great accuracy. This rifle is easy to use for anyone from beginner to experienced levels and delivers superb results when used for hunting, target practice and backyard plinking. The only thing that lets the Dragonfly down is its higher buying price, however at just over $200 it’s still considered as an air rifle for someone with a low budget (when looking at air rifles as a whole). Granted it’s a little more pricey than your average multi-pump air gun but you really do get what you pay for with this rifle and as soon you pick it up you can feel what that extra bit of cash gets you.
When you pick up the Seneca Dragonfly, you get a feel of superb build quality and notice details that you would commonly find on a rifle of $400 or more. With its traditioonal styling, beechwood stock and checkered grip you really do get an above-average rifle for a below-average price, you will not be disappointed with this rifle when you take it out the box and hold it for the first time. When you take
your first shot of the Dragonfly you will also be impressed, its rifled barrel provides brilliant accuracy and precision and once you’ve adjusted your sights, you’ll find yourself hitting the target each time, every time.
Bottom Line
The Seneca Dragonfly Multi-Pump Air Rifle is an outstanding air rifle that suits a multitude of purposes and its stunning looks and supreme quality will drop your jaw from the minute you pick it up to the minute you pack it away.
Best on a Budget: The Daisy Powerline 880
- Shoots both .177 caliber pellets and BBs
- Great value for money
- Offers a Precise and accurate shot
- An easy gun to pump
- Not the best build quality
- Simple design
- You don’t get as precise a shot as pellets when using BBs
Overview
The Daisy Powerline 880 is a great starter rifle for the beginner and experienced marksmen alike. If you’re looking to start shooting and don’t know where to begin when looking for a suitable air rifle, then look no further. The 880 is the perfect gun for the beginner because it’s cheap to buy, simple to operate and being a multi-pump air rifle it offers its user the option to start off firing pellets and BBs at low power and then build up the power as needs and confidence grow.
The 880 is a great rifle for someone with any range in experience who wants a low-cost rifle to shoot backyard targets or control small pests on their property. Don’t expect the world when it comes to build quality, as you can appreciate, the gun must be lacking somewhere to cater to such a low price bracket, but what this rifle lacks in build quality it makes up for with ease of use and great accuracy for its price range. I recommend the Daisy Powerline 880 to any marksmen looking for an easy to use multi-pump air rifle on a low budget.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Daisy Powerline 880 is an affordable rifle, perfect for the beginner and experienced shooter alike. If you’re looking for affordability with good accuracy and usability, then the 880 may just be the perfect air rifle for you.
Best for the Hunter: The Benjamin 397S Variable-Pump Rifle
- Plenty of power in both .177 and .22 caliber variants
- The rifled barrel provides great accuracy
- The synthetic stock makes this gun easier to maintain in bad weather situations
- Very quiet, making this ideal for hunting small game
- Cheek rest is a little high
- It is a difficult gun to pump
Overview
The Benjamin 397S Variable-Pump Rifle is a great gun for someone who is looking for a quiet multi-pump air rifle to use for hunting small game and pests in mid to close range. This Air rifle comes in .177 caliber and .22 caliber, giving its buyer the choice in gauge depending on the weapon they purchase. The .22 version delivers 500 – 800 FPS and the .177 version offers 800 – 1100 FPS making this the highest-powered variable gun on our review list, this makes it ideal for making those all-important one-shot kills when hunting small game and pests.
The synthetic stock on the Benjamin 397S is a look some people hate however what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for with functionality with the synthetic build of the stock being ideal for use in all-weather situations, another reason why the 397S was at the top of the list when selecting the best mult-pump rifle for the hunter.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Benjamin 397S Variable-Pump Rifle is one of the best in its category when considering a multi-pump for hunting purposes. It’s quiet firing, synthetic stock and higher power output put this gun at the top of the list.
Best for Backyard Plinking: The Crosman M4-177 Multi-Pump Air Rifle
- Adjustable stock
- Shoots both .177 caliber pellets and BBs
- BB reservoir can hold up to 350 BBs
- Includes a 5-pellet cartridge for multiple shots
- Great value for money
- Can be prone to pellet jams
- The mounting rails could be beUer
Overview
The Crosman M4-177 Multi-Pump Air Rifle is a great choice for the user looking for an article ideal for a bit of backyard plinking. When selecting a gun for casual backyard use, we can appreciate that most people don’t want to burn a big hole in their wallet, with this in mind, we selected this gun as the best for backyard plinking due to its great value. Budget aside, this gun also offers a large BB reservoir (holding 350 BBs) so you don’t have to reload every time you want to take a shot at your carefully laid out line of tin cans or bottles, this makes shooting in the backyard much more pleasurable. If you’re not one for firing BBs don’t worry, the M4-177 has that covered too as it also takes .177 caliber pellets in a 5-pellet cartridge, the gun provides more accuracy when firing these.
Like most multi-pump air rifles, the Crosman M4-177 provides a quiet shot and variable power making it ideal for backyard plinking if in a smaller yard with noise-sensitive neighbors close by. Its smaller size and adjustable stock make it ideal for a bit of social plinking in the backyard too, it’s an easy gun to adjust and passing it around your friends isn’t a burden at all, making it a diverse and fun item to have around for some home-based weekend shooting.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Crosman M4-177 Multi-Pump Air Rifle is the ideal gun for backyard plinking, with its quiet shot, variable power, and excellent value for money.
Best for Serious Target Practice: The Bear River Sportsman 900 Multi-Pump Air Rifle
- This air rifle comes with a good scope and adjustable fiber optic sights
- Brilliant accuracy
- Shoots both .177 caliber pellets and BBs
- A quiet shot
- Not particularly accurate when firing BBs, however great for pellets
- The gun feels a bit too plastic for some people’s liking
Overview
The Bear River Sportsman 900 Multi-Pump Air Rifle is ideal for serious target practice. The main reason for this is the above-average accuracy and precision of the weapon when firing pellets. Its above-average accuracy comes from its high quality fiber optic sights and when this is used in conjunction with the stock scope that is supplied with the rifle, you’ve got yourself an excellent variable-pump outfit for some serious target practice. The Sportsman 900 shoots both BB and .177 pellets however if you’re looking for the best performance from your rifle then you may as well throw the BB pellets in the trash and use some high quality .177 air gun pellets as you will find better and more consistent accuracy when shooting targets again and again for practice.
Bottom Line
The Bear River Sportsman 900 is the best multi-pump rifle for serious target practice as long as you pump the rifle to the right power for the range you’re shooting and you only load the gun with pellets (rather than round BBs).
What is a Multi-Pump Air Rifle?
The multi-pump air rifle offers its user variable power depending on the number of pumps on the gun. The pump arm pressurizes an air tank on the gun, the more pumps – the more pressure, thus providing variable power when the trigger is pulled. Multi-pump air rifles (or variable-pump air rifles) provide a quieter shot than spring powered and gas-ram guns, making them ideal for back yard plinking and close-range hunting situations. The quiet nature of the gun means your neighbors won’t kick up a fuss and the variable power means you can shoot with lower fps in smaller spaces and indoors, reducing the risk of the pellet or BB ricocheting into someone else’s back yard, or worse, a window.
Multi-pump air guns are usually smaller and lighter than rifles in other categories and provide great handling with most being simple to operate and very user friendly. Pumping the gun can be challenging for some people (depending on the make and model of the rifle) but if pumping your rifle from 3 – 10 times per shot doesn’t put you off then jumping into the world of multi-pump can provide you with some really enjoyable, diversified sport.
Are Multi-Pump Air Rifles Worth It?
Multi-pump Air Rifles are definitely worth it for anyone who wants a quiet gun with multiple power options. They are not suited for all types of shooting; however, they make a great addition to any air gun collection and with the ability to acquire a quality rifle for under $200 they won’t break your bank account either.
Multi-pump rifles are great for anyone who wants to adapt their shooting for both long and short-range opportunities, making them a great average-all-rounder option for target practice and pest control on your property. They may not be the highest-powered of the air rifle categories however the range of uses they can tend to make the multi-pump a great addition to your armory.
Multi-pump air rifles are great for beginners, the variety in power means a beginner can get used to the gun when powered to a lower fps and then work up the number of pumps to increase power as confidence builds. With beginners in mind, these air rifles are a great weapon to start with because as mentioned before, a decent quality article can be acquired for less than $200, with starter guns around the $60 mark offering the user good accuracy, simple mechanics and great durability.
Power and charging style
Multi-pump air rifles may not offer the user the highest power however they cater to a wide range of power options, making multi-pump rifles unique and special in their own right. If you’re not looking for anything too high powered and you desire a gun that will work in multiple shooting opportunities, then a multi-pump air rifle may be the gun for you. If you’re not up to the task of pumping your rifle between 3 and 10 times per shot though, then maybe this type of firearm isn’t for you. If multi-pump air rifles aren’t your forte, why not check out some of our other articles to help you understand the pros and cons of the other air rifle subcategories.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for a rifle for backyard use, serious target practice or something you can hunt your favorite small game with, a multi-pump rifle can assist you in hitting the target in every situation. If you’re new to the world of air guns, then perhaps a multi-pump rifle is the first place to look when considering a starter gun. If you’re a seasoned marksman and don’t yet have a multi-pump in your collection, then perhaps now you’re considering adding one of these rifles to your armory, over all, you can never have too many guns, right?
Happy shooting everybody!
