Air Rifle Calibers Explained: .177 vs .22 vs .25

Last updated July 26, 2026 · By Nick Hall. Part of our complete air rifle guide.

Caliber is one of the first choices you make when buying an air rifle, and it shapes everything from trajectory to knockdown power to pellet cost. The good news: the choice is simpler than it looks. Here is how the main airgun calibers, .177, .22, and .25, compare, and which one you should buy.

Quick Answer: Choose .177 for target shooting, plinking, and small pests, where its flat, fast trajectory and cheap pellets shine. Choose .22 as the best all-around hunting caliber, trading a little speed for much more knockdown. Choose .25 when you want maximum energy for bigger small game at closer range. For most people buying one air rifle to do everything, .22 is the answer.

.177 Caliber: Speed and Flat Trajectory

The .177 is the fastest and flattest-shooting common airgun caliber, and its pellets are the cheapest and most widely available. That flat trajectory makes range estimation more forgiving, which is why .177 dominates target shooting and field target competition. It carries less energy than the bigger calibers, so it is best for paper, plinking, and small pests like starlings, sparrows and mice. It works for close-range squirrels from a powerful rifle, but knockdown is its weak point.

.22 Caliber: The Do-Everything Hunter

The .22 is the most popular airgun hunting caliber, and for good reason. Its heavier pellet carries significantly more energy and delivers far better knockdown than .177, while still shooting flat enough for practical hunting ranges. It transfers energy well into game, making for cleaner, more humane kills on squirrels, rabbits, and similar small game. If you are buying one air rifle to hunt, control pests, and plink, .22 is the caliber to get, and it is why nearly every serious hunting PCP is offered in it. See our picks in the best air rifles for hunting guide.

.25 Caliber: Maximum Knockdown

The .25 (6.35mm) fires the heaviest of the common pellets and hits with the most authority, making it the choice for bigger small game like raccoons, larger squirrels, and predators at closer range. The trade-offs are a more curved trajectory (so range estimation matters more), higher pellet cost, and more air used per shot on a PCP. If your quarry is on the larger end of small game, .25 is worth it; for general use, .22 gives up little and costs less to shoot.

What About .30 and Big-Bore Calibers?

Beyond .25, you enter big-bore territory: .30, .357, .45, and .50 caliber airguns that fire cast slugs and make enough energy for deer and hogs. These are specialist hunting tools that need a big air supply and produce only a few shots per fill. If big game is your goal, see our best big-bore airguns guide.

Air Rifle Caliber FAQ

Once you have picked a caliber, choose a power plant in our spring vs gas vs PCP vs CO2 guide, then shop the best PCP air rifles or best break-barrel air rifles.