Best Air Rifle For Squirrels in 2024 – [Top 10 Reviewed]

Aside from understanding your prey, hunting small game such as raccoons and squirrels requires choosing the right weapon. There are better choices than heavy gunfire for hunting small games.

Squirrels are extremely agile, making them tricky creatures to hunt. Hi, I am Gary, and I will take you through the best air rifle options for your next squirrel-hunting trip in the woods. 

10 Best Air Rifle For Squirrels

1. Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 Air Rifle in .22 Caliber

The Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 comes in the standard pellet size of .117 and the .22 caliber version. According to everyone that hunts with an air rifle, the .22 caliber is the standard hunting caliber. 

It is a single-break action charging air rifle.  The package has a Gamo 3×9 scope mounted on the air rifle. 

This Air Rifle also comes with an adjustable two-stage trigger, and you can set each stage to fit your one shooting style. 

Pros

• The break action barrel and stock are ambidextrous
• 3×9 scope included
• 3×9 scope is installed from the factory
• The scope is made by the same manufacturer
• Air Release “crack” suppressor

Cons

• Breaking the barrel over to charge makes a lot of movement
• The barrel-breaking action is hard for young shooters

What makes this rifle a good choice for squirrel hunting?

Quiet and Accurate: The Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 Air Rifle in .22 caliber is designed to reduce noise and has a noise-dampening technology built into the barrel. This makes it ideal for squirrel hunting, where you must stay quiet and avoid alerting other squirrels. Additionally, its accuracy ensures a clean kill shot.

Powerful: The .22 caliber pellet has a greater impact and kinetic energy than smaller calibers, making it more effective for squirrel hunting. The Whisper Fusion Mach 1 also has a higher velocity, enabling the pellet to travel faster and hit harder, increasing the chances of a successful hunt.

Easy to Use: The rifle is lightweight and easy to handle, making it ideal for beginners or hunters with limited experience. It also features a comfortable grip and adjustable stock, allowing for a more personalized and comfortable shooting experience.

The Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 is a true hunting air rifle; the entire package is designed to deliver the whisper implied in the name of the air rifle. This rifle is designed to be shot by generations of hunters and shooters and it is not a throw-away air rifle by any means.

2. Hatsan Mod 125 Spring Sniper in .25 caliber

The Hatsan Mod 125 uses a spring to create air compression, similar in design to my old single-cocker Daisy, in design only. 

The Hatsan Mod 125 shoots the .25 caliber pellet and can make 850 fps with the heavier and larger round. 

This is the very lowest of the lethal and ethical limits for hunting.  If the game is close, this air rifle will put it down without question.

The stock is fully adjustable to fit the shooter and has grip insets in the pistol grip and the forearm sections.

The air rifle package has the 3×9 multi-coated optics scope mounted from the factory.  The Hatsan Mod 125 also has fiber optic mounted iron sights as a backup for shooting old school.

Pros

• Fully adjustable stock to fit the shooter
• Adjustable trigger
• Integrated sound moderator (“crack” suppressor)
• Gripping surfaces

Cons

• .25 caliber pellets
• 10 lbs of weight
• Spring compression

What are the benefits of using the Hatsan Mod 125 to hunt squirrels specifically?

The Hatsan Mod 125 Spring Sniper in .25 caliber is a powerful air rifle that can shoot pellets at a high velocity, which may be effective for hunting small game like squirrels.

The .25 caliber pellets used in this rifle have a larger size and weight compared to smaller calibers, which can provide more kinetic energy upon impact and potentially deliver a quick and humane kill.

The Hatsan Mod 125 Spring Sniper is a fun gun. It is a great choice for teaching young shooters to use air rifles. It will work for you for a long time, particularly when hunting squirrels, if you can get close enough to deliver all the pellet energy.

3. Barra Airguns Sportsman Air Rifle

The Barra Airguns Spritmas Air Rifle brings a few things to the air rifle game I do not see often.  The barrel is made from steel, and it is rifled for accuracy! 

The barrel also has a sound suppressor attached to keep it from spooking the game.  This rifle will be a silent killer of squirrels.

The action is a single cocking break action barrel that uses spring power to compress.  The rifle shoots a .177 pellet at 1300 feet per second! 

The package comes with a fixed power 4×32 scope.  The air rifle has a Picatinny mount to fix any style of rings and scopes you choose if you are not happy with the one supplied.

Pros

• Rifled barrel
• Steel barrel
• 1300 feet per second
• Adjustable stock length
• Attached sound suppressor

Cons

• Spring power for the compression
• Lots of movement to charge

What are the benefits of using the Hatsan Mod 125 to hunt squirrels specifically?

Accuracy: The Barra Airguns Sportsman Air Rifle is designed for accurate shooting at longer distances, making it ideal for squirrel hunting. Its adjustable rear sight and fiber optic front sight help shooters to aim precisely.

Power and Quietness: This air rifle has a powerful spring piston that provides enough velocity to take down squirrels, while still being quiet enough to avoid spooking nearby wildlife. Additionally, it has a noise dampening system that reduces the sound of the shot.

The Barra Airguns Sportsman Air Rifle is a fantastic piece of workmanship.  The rifled steel barrel is not the only amazing part, just the best part.  The adjustable stock is not a watered-down version of stock but it is full adult-sized rifle stock. The air rifle does not come stock with open iron sights, but it does come with a fixed power scope that will work for what this air rifle is designed for, without hesitation.

4. Raptor Whisper Air Rifle

The Raptor Whisper Air Rifle uses inert charged air gas technology (IGT) instead of compressing the air with the barrel break action. 

The pellet is loaded from a break action, so the same amount of movement is required, but just enough to load the ammo. 

The IGT allows younger hunters to work the action due to it being much smoother, it is not charging the piston after all.

The caliber is .177 and screams out of the barrel at 1300 feet per second.

The trigger is a clan and crisp breaking motion, making the air rifle very accurate.  The name whisper comes from the sound suppression built into the barrel.

The rifle package comes with a fixed power 4×32 scope.

Pros

• Light Weight, only 5.46 lbs.
• 1300 feet per second power
• .177 caliber ammo is easy to find
• The scope is included in the package

Cons

• Individual Compressed Air Cartridges
• Break action barrel to load pellets

What are the benefits of using the Raptor Whisper Air Rifle specifically?

Accuracy: The Raptor Whisper Air Rifle features a precision rifled barrel and an adjustable trigger, providing accuracy and precision for squirrel hunting.

Power and Quietness: This air rifle has a high-powered gas piston that delivers impressive velocity, making it effective for hunting small game like squirrels. It also has a noise-dampening technology that reduces the sound of the shot, making it quieter and less likely to spook nearby wildlife.

The Raptor Whisper air rifle is made by Gamo and carries all the benefits that come from that manufacturer.  The air rifle is lightweight, so your squirrel hunt can last as long as you have compressed air cartridges.

The air cartridges make operating the air rifle easier for younger hunters. The fixed scope will work fantastic for the 1300 feet per second power this air rifle produces, you will never run out of optic power.

5. Umarex Ruger Blackhawk

This air rifle sports the maker mark from Ruger and is the model of one of Ruger’s most famous single-action revolvers – the Blackhawk.

The air rifle comes with a 4×32 fixed power scope, and fiber optic iron sights, this air rifle is ready to fit the shooter and the shooter’s style.

The air rifle shoots the .17 caliber pellet and sends it out of the barrel at 1000 feet per second.

Pros

• The scope for air rifle is mounted in the package
• 1000 feet per second
• .177 ammo is popular and readily available
• Fiber optic iron sights

Cons

• Barrel break action can be tight and hard for younger shooters to operate

This air rifle is equipped with a fiber optic front sight and an adjustable rear sight that provide accurate and precise targeting for squirrel hunting. This air rifle has a powerful spring piston that delivers enough energy to take down squirrels easily. 

Remove the scope and use the fiber optic open iron sights to bring the challenge up to a higher level.

6. Crosman Benjamin Trail NP XL 1500

The Crosman Benjamin Trail NP XL 1500 gets its name from the 11500 feet per second it lets the pellet fly down range.

The Crosman Benjamin is chambered in .177 caliber and uses an easy cocking gas charging gas cylinder charge.

The air rifle is topped with Centerpoint Optics in a 3-9 x40mm precision scope.

If you want to take a serious amount of squirrels in 2024, this is the air rifle to do so.  This rifle weighs in at one kilogram or 2.2 lbs. 

At that weight and thanks to its ease of use, any squirrel hunter can carry and operate this air rifle until they run out of pellets.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Checkered Hardwood Stock
• Rifled steel barrel
• Smooth cocking gas charge piston
• Centerpoint optics

Cons

• .177 caliber not .22 caliber

This is an amazing air rifle for grown-ups who love hunting small game. The Centerpoint variable power 3-9 scope with an objective lens of 40mm is amazing on its own, the fact is the standard inclusion with this package is unbelievable. 

7. Gamo Swarm Whisper

Back to the folks at Gamo for the Swarm Whisper.  The whisper technology that Gamo makes is amazing.  This air rifle shoots .22 caliber pellets and does not make a noise or vibration. 

The only setback on this ultra camo outing is the break action to load more ammo.  The pressure comes from an Inert Gas Technology canister. 

Make the break-action barrel as easy and silent as the squirrel hunter can be, and with practice and patience, you will be surprised how many squirrels will not even notice you.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Matte Black finish
• Smooth cocking ammunition loading
• .22 caliber

Cons

• Break action ammunition loading
• Gas Canisters for pressure

The Swarm Whisper does precisely what the name implies. It only makes a whisper when it shoots.  An air rifle for hunting squirrels is exactly what this air rifle is, and more. 

If you need absolute silence, not just from the crack when the pellet leaves the barrel, but a gun that will not vibrate, this is the one for you.

8. Black Ops The Sniper S

There always has to be one in the crowd, the one rifle that is not happy just being a squirrel hunting air rifle, and we will put one here. 

The Black Ops Sniper S is a very unique-looking air rifle.  This air rifle will handle like an AR platform rifle.

The Black Ops Sniper S shoots .177 pellets at 1250 feet per second, which is very respectable power.  The air rifle also has an optical scope 4×32 fixed power, more than enough for squirrel hunting.

The pistol grip is comfortable and the trigger pull is very smooth.  It also comes with an adjustable bipod!

Pros

• Lightweight
• Pistol grip
• Smooth trigger pull
• Bipod for steady shooting
• 4×32 Scope included in the package

Cons

• .177 caliber
• Spring piston for power

This rifle is flat-out cool.  If you are looking for a platform that you may be more familiar with, then this rifle is the one for you. 

The .177 pellet flying at 1250 feet per second is very powerful, and this air rifle’s long-ranging ability is fantastic.

9. Stoger S3000-C

Stoger has thrown in with the air rifle crowd, and like their shotgun line, they did it right.  The Stoger S3000-C is compact and shoots a .177 caliber pellet at 810 feet per second. 

It comes with a fixed power optic of 4×32.  The S3000-C also has fiber optic open iron sights if you don’t want the scope or if something happens and you can’t use it.

An electric compressor powers the Stoger S3000-C. Instead of carrying extra gas canisters, make sure you have extra batteries.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Aggressive checkering
• Electrical cocking charge piston
• 4×32 optics
• Adjustable fiber optic sights

Cons

• .177 caliber not .22 caliber

I very much like Stoger shotguns, and their air rifle offering is right up there with their firearms.  They are very forward-thinking and creative in terms of designing and manufacturing. 

The aggressive checkering will help keep a grip on this air rifle under any conditions.

10. Winchester 1977XS

This is an old-school pump-up style of pellet gun.  The stock is a thumbhole style, which resembles a pistol grip. 

The thumbhole stock will improve the squirrel hunter’s trigger control.  The air rifle shoots .177 caliber pellets at 1000 feet per second, and the package also comes with a fixed power 4×32 scope.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Thumbhole Stock
• Steel barrel
• Included optics

Cons

• .177 caliber not .22 caliber
• Multi-pump pressure

The multi-pump style of pressure is a good trip down memory lane, but lacking in ease of use compared to the rest of the offerings. 

The included 4×32 scope is nice, the thumbhole stock makes shooting this little Winchester-branded air rifle fun and accurate. 

The Winchester 1977XS does come with open iron sights, just in case the scope is not working or gets in the way when operating the multi-pump compressor.

FAQs 

Conclusion 

To find the best air rifle for squirrel hunting in 2023, you need a rifle that will shoot over 850 feet per second and use heavy-enough ammo to make an ethical hunter.

Think hard about how the pressure is generated. If it is a single cock folding barrel like the Gamo line, you do not need to carry charged canisters. 

The cocking style air rifles will always have power unless the air rifle is damaged.  The only extra stuff you must carry for the rifle is a canister of pellets.

If your favorite air rifle uses the changed canisters, that is fine. Just remember to take them and keep an eye on them. If you drop one, it may be gone forever, and your hunt will be over sooner rather than later.