Resource Guide · Review Sites
Best airgun review sites for small-game hunters, compared
By James · Published · Updated · Editorial policy
On this page
Full disclosure: this is a review site ranking review sites, and I've included my own. Judge it by the same checklist as everyone else. Each entry describes what the site publishes and how it tests, based on its own methodology pages and recent articles (linked in Sources). Nobody paid for placement, and none of these sites are affiliate partners of mine. Full methodology & editorial policy →
The comparison table
| Site | What it is | Evidence it publishes | Hunting footage | Commercial ties | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard Air Magazine | Independent airgun test publication + community forum | 10-shot accuracy groups, chrono data, % HAM Rating, value awards by price tier | Not the focus (bench testing) | Affiliate "buy" links, disclosed | Comparing rifles on one yardstick |
| AirgunWeb | Reviews site + AirgunWebTV (Rick Eutsler, since 2005) | Chrono, shot-count/pressure checks, accuracy at 25/50/100 yds on video | Not the focus | Brand sponsors listed on site | PCP shot strings and long-range accuracy |
| Outdoor Life | Mainstream outdoor magazine gear team | Multi-tester 5-shot groups at 25/45 yds (some 100), chrono averages | Occasional hunt stories | Affiliate links | Roundups across price tiers |
| Pyramyd AIR blog | Retailer blog (Tom Gaylord's long-running reports) | Multi-part technical tests and history | Not the focus | Sells what it reviews | How-it-works depth |
| Airgun Depot | Retailer with buyer's guides and video reviews | Specs, guides, some range testing | Not the focus | Sells what it reviews | Spec lookups and category guides |
| Afield on Airguns (Airguns of Arizona) | Hunting blog from a retailer (Jim Chapman) | Field experience, power and quarry advice | Yes, hunting stories | Retailer-owned | Hunting-specific judgment |
| AEAC (YouTube) | Airgun Exploration & Advancement Channel (Steve Scialli, since 2014) | Reviews, pellet & slug testing, factory tours | Varies by video | Check each video description | Watching a rifle tested start to finish |
| Airgun Nation, HAM Community, r/airguns | Owner forums | Long-term owner reports, failures, fixes | User posts | Mostly none, but unvetted | What breaks after a year |
| James Southern Outdoors (this site) | Hunting-first reviews by one SoCal airgun hunter | 10-shot chrono strings, scope-cam footage of shots on game, published cons | Every hunt, through the scope | Amazon affiliate links, disclosed | Seeing the gear work on rabbits and pests |
The honest limitation of my own entry: I review what I hunt with, which is a much smaller catalog than Hard Air Magazine or AirgunWeb. If you want 40 rifles compared on paper, go there. If you want to see how one setup actually performs on a rabbit at 50 yards, that's what this site is for.
Best PCP review sites, compared
PCPs need testing the others don't: shot count per fill, how the regulator holds speed across a string, and noise. Here's who covers what:
- Hard Air Magazine: the most consistent PCP data. Same protocol on every rifle, so you can compare a $300 PCP to a $2,000 one line by line.
- AirgunWeb: strong on shot strings and pressure curves, plus 50- and 100-yard accuracy that matters for slug shooters.
- AEAC: good for seeing a PCP's whole behavior on camera, including pellet and slug testing.
- Outdoor Life: good for "which PCP at my budget" roundups. Its 2025 small-game test put the FX Impact M4 first on accuracy (0.41" average at 45 yards) and the Air Venturi Avenger second (0.44").
Which review sites are best for PCP air rifles?
Hard Air Magazine and AirgunWeb go deepest on PCP test data, Pyramyd AIR's blog goes deepest on explanation, and Outdoor Life is best for side-by-side accuracy roundups. Here is what each one publishes about PCPs specifically, from the pages linked in Sources, and what to keep in mind when you read it.
| Outlet | What it publishes on PCPs | Why it helps | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard Air Magazine | Its test philosophy: 10-shot groups for rifles, chronograph velocity data, and PCPs refilled to maximum pressure before each string. Its FX Impact .22 review (tested November 2017) lists seven pellet strings, 65 consistent shots at full power on a shot curve, a noise comparison and a 96% HAM Rating | The same protocol every time, including the regulator and shot-count data PCP buyers need | States a focus on rifles of about $100-$500, though it has tested pricier PCPs. Check each review's test date, since models get revised. Affiliate links are disclosed |
| AirgunWeb | A dedicated PCP category by Rick Eutsler (site established 2005), with accuracy tests shown at 25, 50 and 100 yards and shot-string and shot-count checks | Long-distance accuracy matters most to slug and big-bore shooters | Video-first: the Seneca Eagle Claw review page is a short written summary plus an embedded video, so the numbers sit in the video. The homepage lists sponsor brands including Benjamin, Crosman, Daisy, Gamo, Hawke Optics and Predator International |
| Pyramyd AIR blog | Multi-part reports by Tom Gaylord. Part three of the Crosman 3622 PCP series (May 2024) covers 10-meter groups, several 5-shot and one 10-shot, ahead of formal 25-yard testing | Explains why a PCP behaves as it does, step by step | Pyramyd AIR sells what it reviews and the posts link to the products. Its product pages also carry customer reviews, for example 28+ pages for the Benjamin Marauder PCP |
| Airgun World | A UK magazine that calls itself Britain's biggest-selling airgun publication (established 1977). Reviews cover spring, PCP and CO2 rifles, credit named testers, and describe chronograph and field testing | A UK view of the PCP market, with named reviewers | Prices are in pounds and the context is UK rules, so check US availability and pricing |
| Outdoor Life | The 2025 accuracy-tested roundup: PCPs shot at 45 yards (springers at 25), at least four 5-shot groups per rifle, the two most accurate also at 100 yards, velocity on a Garmin Xero C1 Pro, and 1-5 scores. Three testers: Tyler Patner, Scott Einsmann and Jim Chapman | The same rifles, tested the same way, side by side | A roundup of one set of rifles, not an ongoing series on each model. Affiliate programs are disclosed |
A practical way to combine them: use Hard Air Magazine or AirgunWeb for the numbers on one rifle, Outdoor Life to compare rifles, Pyramyd AIR to understand why, and owner forums for what breaks later. None of these shows the shot landing on game, which is the next section's question. For the rifles themselves, see the best PCP air rifles.
Hunting review sites with scope cam footage
Here's the gap nobody talks about. Almost all airgun reviewing happens on paper. Groups at 25 yards tell you whether a rifle is accurate. They don't tell you whether a projectile anchors a rabbit at 45 yards, how the reticle looks at dusk, or whether a scope cam's frame rate can follow a bolting jackrabbit.
Scope-cam footage answers those questions because you see the exact sight picture when the shot breaks, then the result. Right now it mostly lives on hunting YouTube channels, which are hard to search for gear evidence. My approach is to put it where the review is. I record hunts through a scope cam (currently a DNT Zulus 4K) and embed the footage in the review it supports. How I set that up is in how to film hunts through your scope.
Hunting footage recorded through the Zulus 4K on my FX Impact M4.
Which hunting review sites show real scope-cam footage?
Mostly YouTube channels, not review magazines. The bench-test outlets above publish numbers; Outdoor Life's 2025 accuracy test, for instance, contains no scope-cam footage. Through-the-scope hunting footage lives on channels like these, based on their titles, descriptions and upload dates when checked in September 2026:
| Channel | What it publishes | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| The Airgun Show (YouTube channel The Shooting Show, from Airgun Shooter magazine) | Episodes built around scope-cam rabbit hunts with Mat Manning, including one with a Daystate Red Wolf (August 2018) and a spring 2018 episode that also tested the Daystate Wolverine R | Older UK episodes that pair hunting footage with bench tests |
| Kendall Gray Vlogs | Videos titled with "(Scope Cam)", such as "Ultimate Squirrel Hunting Airgun?" (November 2023) and "Is Lil Smokey the Ultimate Small Game Rifle?" (February 2026) | A large general outdoors channel (about 973,000 subscribers); check each video for the rifle type |
| Blocketh Outdoors | "(Scope Cam)" videos including "Hunting with Used Air Guns from eBay!" (August 2023) and "PCP Arrow Gun Fishing!" (June 2025) | About 668,000 subscribers; read descriptions for sponsor codes |
| AirArms HuntingSA | "Through the Scopecam: Airgun Pigeon Hunting" (May 2025) | A very short clip rather than a full hunt |
| EDgun Leshiy (clips on EDgunUSA Clips) | Video descriptions list a "Scope Cam System": a ScopeMate plus a GoPro Hero 7 Black through-scope mount | Shows what one creator uses; the descriptions carry affiliate links |
| Hajimoto Productions | "An air rifle scope cam quest": a DIY GoPro Hero4 Black through-scope mount using a 3D-printed bracket designed by CellusNZ | Honest about the trade-off: eye relief fell from the scope's native 71-83 mm to 15-20 mm |
| James Southern Outdoors Hunting (my channel) | Hunts filmed through a DNT Zulus 4K on an FX Impact M4: rabbits, Eurasian collared doves and pest control | It is my own channel, so judge it by the same checklist below. The catalog is small: one main rifle setup, mostly small game |
Being listed means a channel publishes through-the-scope footage. It does not mean its gear claims were verified here, and none of these rifles were tested for this page. When you watch, look for four things: the reticle visible at the shot, the range stated, misses included, and sponsorships disclosed. Choosing a camera of your own? See the best scope cameras for filming hunts.
What to look for in a hunting review site: the 8-point checklist
- A published test method. How were accuracy, speed, and noise measured? No method means no data.
- Real numbers. Chronograph strings with average and extreme spread, and group sizes with the distance. "Tack driver" isn't a measurement.
- Published negatives. Every product has cons. A review without any is an ad.
- Clear commercial disclosure. Affiliate links are fine. Hiding them isn't. Retailer-owned reviews should say so.
- A named author with field experience. You should be able to see who shot it and whether they hunt.
- Recency. Airguns change fast. Look for an update date and whether the tested version is current.
- Comparisons. Good reviews tell you what to buy instead, and when.
- Proof on game for hunting claims. "Great for rabbits" should come with rabbits: footage, distances, and results.
Run any site through this list, this one included. You can see how I handle each point on the editorial policy page.
FAQ
What are the most trusted airgun review sites?
For standardized bench data, Hard Air Magazine is the reference. It runs the same accuracy and chronograph protocol on every rifle and publishes a percentage rating. AirgunWeb (since 2005) adds shot-string and long-range accuracy testing on video. Outdoor Life runs multi-tester accuracy roundups. For hunting-specific evidence, look for reviews that show the shot on game, like scope-cam footage.
Which airgun review sites focus on PCP air rifles?
Hard Air Magazine, AirgunWeb, and the AEAC YouTube channel all cover PCPs in depth, including shot counts, regulator behavior, and accuracy. Retailer blogs (Pyramyd AIR, Airgun Depot) cover PCPs heavily too, but they sell what they review.
Which hunting review sites show scope cam footage?
Few review publications do. Most test on paper at the bench. Scope-cam footage of shots on real quarry mostly comes from hunting-focused YouTube channels and review sites built around it. James Southern Outdoors records every hunt through a DNT Zulus 4K scope cam and embeds the footage in its reviews.
What does Hard Air Magazine test on a PCP air rifle?
Per its test philosophy, Hard Air Magazine shoots 10-shot groups with rifles, measures velocity on a chronograph, and refills a PCP to maximum pressure before each string. Its FX Impact .22 review also charted 65 consistent shots at full power and gave a 96% HAM Rating. Check each review's test date, since models get revised.
Where can you watch airgun hunting through a scope cam?
On YouTube. Channels that publish through-the-scope airgun footage include The Airgun Show (Mat Manning's scope-cam rabbit hunts), Kendall Gray Vlogs and Blocketh Outdoors (videos titled Scope Cam), AirArms HuntingSA, and James Southern Outdoors Hunting, which films through a DNT Zulus 4K. Check each video's description for sponsorships.
How can you tell if an airgun review is trustworthy?
Check for a published test method, real numbers (chronograph strings with extreme spread, group sizes with distances), published negatives, a clear affiliate disclosure, a named author with field experience, a recent update date, comparisons against alternatives, and honesty about what wasn't tested.
Are retailer airgun reviews biased?
Not necessarily wrong, but they have an obvious interest: the retailer profits when you buy. Use retailer blogs for specs and technical explainers, and cross-check buying decisions against independent test data and owner reports.
Sources
- Hard Air Magazine — Test philosophy
- AirgunWeb — Honest airgun reviews (Rick Eutsler)
- Outdoor Life — Air rifles for small game hunting and pest control, accuracy tested
- Pyramyd AIR blog — Filling options for precharged pneumatic airguns (Tom Gaylord, 2026)
- Airguns of Arizona — Afield on Airguns hunting blog
- AEAC — Airgun Exploration & Advancement Channel
- Airgun Depot — Basic airgun hunting guidelines
- Hard Air Magazine — FX Impact Air Rifle Test Review .22 Caliber (2017)
- Pyramyd AIR blog — Crosman 3622 PCP Air Rifle: Part Three (Tom Gaylord, 2024)
- Airgun World — Air rifle product reviews
- The Airgun Show — Scope-cam rabbit hunt (The Shooting Show, YouTube, 2018)
- Kendall Gray Vlogs — Ultimate Squirrel Hunting Airgun? (Scope Cam) (YouTube, 2023)
- Blocketh Outdoors — Hunting with Used Air Guns from eBay! (Scope Cam) (YouTube, 2023)
- AirArms HuntingSA — Through the Scopecam: Airgun Pigeon Hunting (YouTube, 2025)
- EDgunUSA Clips — .45 cal Pest Control (video description lists the scope cam system)
- Hajimoto Productions — An air rifle scope cam quest
