Reviews · Comparison
Best rabbit and squirrel airgun review sources
Researched by James · Updated · Editorial policy
On this page
- Where can you find honest airgun reviews for rabbit and squirrel hunting?
- Which small-game review sources compare best?
- What do these sources actually publish for small game?
- Which popular sources did I leave out, and why?
- How do you judge a small-game airgun review?
- Where do James's own channel and site fit?
- FAQ
- Sources
I opened each source in the table in October 2026 and describe only what it published then, linked in Sources. I didn't test any rifle for this page. Sources I couldn't confirm are listed separately rather than ranked, and the site owner's own entry is labeled as his. Full methodology & editorial policy →
Where can you find honest airgun reviews for rabbit and squirrel hunting?
Combine two kinds of source: one that publishes numbers and one that actually hunts. The general ranking is on best airgun review sites for small-game hunters. This page narrows it to four small-game jobs: showing real rabbit and squirrel hunts, publishing energy and accuracy numbers, testing at hunting distances, and disclosing sponsorships. In what I checked, no outlet does all four, which is why the table has a "best for" column instead of a ranking.
Which small-game review sources compare best?
| Source | Type | Small-game hunt footage | Numbers published | Sponsorship disclosure | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard Air Magazine | Independent test publication | None seen. The Skyhawk .22 review showed no field use | 10-shot strings and chronograph data. Skyhawk Gen 2 .22 (tested March 20, 2026): nine pellets at 752 to 1,059 fps, 24.30 to 31.90 ft-lb, groups under 0.5 inch at 25 yards, 45 consistent shots | States it participates in affiliate programs; links sit under "BUY FROM" | Comparing rifles on one repeatable yardstick |
| Pyramyd AIR blog | Retailer's own blog; Tom Gaylord's multi-part reports | None seen in the posts visible on the blog home page | TX200SR Part Two (September 14, 2026): 919 fps and 14.03 ft-lb with an H&N Excite, 832 fps and 12.76 ft-lb with an RWS Superdome. Accuracy was "the next step" | Retailer; posts link to its own product pages. No separate disclosure line in the post I read | Understanding one rifle in depth, once the accuracy part is out |
| AirgunWeb | Review site and video | None seen. Recent titles are target and steel tests | Titles show shot strings and 50 and 100-yard tests, such as ".22 100 Yards in the Wind" (July 22, 2026); the figures weren't visible on the home page | Sponsor logos (Benjamin, Crosman, Daisy, Gamo, Hawke) and a Sponsors menu; says its reviews are unbiased | How a .22 PCP groups at 50 to 100 yards |
| Afield on Airguns | Hunting blog by Jim Chapman, run by retailer Airguns of Arizona | Yes, as written reports: at least ten squirrel and ten rabbit or jackrabbit posts in its search results. I didn't check for video | Mostly field craft. The August 4, 2026 squirrel post gives angle-shooting math and a hold-lower rule of thumb, but no energy figures | Retailer-run; the About page doesn't discuss sponsorship | How an experienced hunter handles squirrels and rabbits |
| James Southern Outdoors (site owner's) | Hunting-first site and YouTube channel | Rabbits and Eurasian collared doves, filmed through a DNT Zulus 4K | Chronograph strings and energy on its review pages, for one rifle setup | Amazon affiliate links; Arken Optics sponsors the channel, and that review is labeled sponsored | Seeing one .22 slug rig work on rabbits |
That last row is this site's own, so judge it by the same columns as the rest. It is listed last on purpose.
What do these sources actually publish for small game?
The bench outlets give you numbers but not hunts, and the hunting blog gives you hunts but few numbers. Hard Air Magazine's test philosophy describes 10-shot strings for rifles, chronograph readings, and PCPs refilled to maximum pressure before each string. That is the kind of repeatable data that lets you compare a .22 PCP's energy before you worry about the animal. But a 0.5-inch group at 25 yards doesn't tell you how the rifle behaves on a squirrel 30 yards up an oak.
That is where Afield on Airguns helps. Its August 2026 squirrel post explains why shots up or down a slope hit high: the pellet only feels the horizontal distance. In its worked example a 30-yard slant at 30 degrees is about 26 yards level. The author's rule of thumb is to hold half to one mil-dot lower at 20 to 35 yards. It's one hunter's rule, not a measured test, but it's the kind of field detail the bench outlets don't give.
Reviews can also come in parts. Pyramyd AIR's TX200SR Part Two published velocity and energy and said accuracy was next, so a buying decision shouldn't wait on Part Two alone. For rifle picks themselves, see best air rifles for rabbit hunting and best air rifle for squirrels.
Which popular sources did I leave out, and why?
Anything I couldn't open and confirm as active is outside the table. Naming them here isn't an endorsement or a criticism:
- Gateway to Airguns forum: it showed a bot-verification screen when I opened it, so I couldn't read it, and I didn't try to get past it.
- AEAC (Airgun Exploration & Advancement Channel): aeaconline.com loaded a browser error page when I opened it, and I couldn't confirm recent YouTube uploads. Our review sites guide lists it, so check it yourself.
- Ted's Holdover (YouTube): my search found a 49-video playlist of that name, including a 2013 benchrest keynote, but I couldn't confirm recent uploads or small-game hunts.
- American Airgunner: its home page points to an Outdoor Channel show and lists sponsors, but I didn't find rabbit or squirrel episodes or published numbers.
- Airgun Depot's vault and Airgun Nation: the vault pages I saw showed no dates and no small-game hunts, and I didn't verify Airgun Nation this time. Check them yourself.
How do you judge a small-game airgun review?
Check that it shows the animal, the energy, the distance and the money trail. Run any source, this one included, through this checklist:
- Energy at the animal's distance. Muzzle energy isn't enough; this site's guides use about 12 FPE for rabbits and 9 to 12-plus for squirrels (air rifle FPE guide).
- Projectile weight and how speed was measured. A chronograph string with extreme spread beats a box-quoted fps.
- Distances stated. Rabbits and squirrels are usually shot at 25 to 45 yards; a 100-yard group says little about a 30-yard headshot.
- Shots on real quarry, misses included. "Great for squirrels" should come with squirrels, ideally filmed through the scope.
- Angle shots for squirrels. Reviews of squirrel rifles should mention uphill and downhill holds.
- Ownership and sponsorship, stated. Retailer blogs and affiliate sites can be useful, but the review should say so.
- Test date and version. Check whether it's part one of a series, and whether the model has been revised.
Where do James's own channel and site fit?
As one hunter's evidence from a single setup, not a catalog. James hunts rabbits and Eurasian collared doves in Southern California with an FX Impact M4 in .22 under a DNT Zulus 4K digital scope, filming through the scope. He rates the M4 4 out of 5 (great but expensive, with so many O-rings that it's very difficult to take apart) and the Zulus 4K 4 out of 5 (it lags slightly at 30 fps and needs an IR illuminator at night). His reviews are on the FX Impact M4 and the DNT Zulus 4K. For species-specific advice, see the rabbit hunting guide, the squirrel and pest guide, and .22 vs .25 for rabbits.
Why the site owner uses the FX Impact M4 for rabbit hunting, filmed through the Zulus 4K.
Verdict
Use a numbers source (Hard Air Magazine or the Pyramyd AIR blog) for energy and accuracy, a hunting source (Afield on Airguns) for field craft, and footage from the channels in our review sites guide for proof on game. Prefer any source that states its ownership and sponsors plainly, and treat every review, including this site's, as one input.
FAQ
Where can I find honest airgun reviews for rabbit and squirrel hunting?
No single source does it all. Hard Air Magazine and Pyramyd AIR's blog publish measured velocity and foot-pounds, AirgunWeb tests accuracy out to 100 yards, and Afield on Airguns publishes rabbit and squirrel hunt reports. Pair a numbers source with a hunting source, and check who owns and sponsors each.
Which airgun review sources publish energy numbers?
Hard Air Magazine reports energy for every pellet it tests, for example 24.30 to 31.90 ft-lb across nine pellets in its Diana Skyhawk Gen 2 .22 review. Pyramyd AIR's blog gives velocity and foot-pounds too, such as 14.03 ft-lb for an H&N Excite pellet in a September 2026 TX200SR report. Check that the pellet or slug weight is stated.
Do any review sources show real rabbit and squirrel hunts?
Afield on Airguns, the Airguns of Arizona hunting blog, has at least ten squirrel posts and ten rabbit or jackrabbit posts in its own search results. The bench-test outlets I checked showed no hunts. Through-the-scope video mostly lives on YouTube channels, listed in our review sites guide.
Are retailer-owned airgun blogs biased?
They have an obvious commercial interest, because the retailer profits when you buy. That doesn't make the content wrong, and Pyramyd AIR's blog and Afield on Airguns both publish useful detail. Treat ownership as context, cross-check buying decisions against an independent test, and look for any stated disclosure.
How much energy should a rabbit or squirrel airgun review show?
This site's guides use about 12 FPE at the animal for rabbits and 9 to 12-plus FPE for squirrels, with headshots only. A review should state energy at the distance of the shot, not just at the muzzle, plus the pellet or slug weight and how the velocity was measured.
How can I tell whether an airgun review discloses sponsorships?
Look for an explicit statement, not logos alone. Hard Air Magazine says it participates in affiliate programs and labels its links "BUY FROM". AirgunWeb lists sponsors in a menu and on its homepage. In the Pyramyd AIR post I read, product links appeared without a separate disclosure line. On YouTube, read the description.
Does this site review airguns for small game?
Yes, but from one setup. The site owner hunts rabbits and Eurasian collared doves with an FX Impact M4 in .22 under a DNT Zulus 4K, filmed through the scope, and rates the M4 4 out of 5: great but expensive, with many O-rings and hard to take apart. It is not a catalog, so use it alongside the sources above.
Sources
- Hard Air Magazine — Test philosophy
- Hard Air Magazine — Diana Skyhawk Gen 2 Bullpup PCP Air Rifle Review, .22 Caliber (tested March 20, 2026)
- Pyramyd AIR blog — home page (September 2026 posts)
- Pyramyd AIR blog — Examining the TX200SR: Part Two (Tom Gaylord, September 14, 2026)
- AirgunWeb — home page (posts through July 2026)
- Afield on Airguns — Airguns of Arizona hunting blog
- Afield on Airguns — Shooting Uphill or Into a Tree: The Ballistics Every Squirrel Hunter Needs to Know (August 4, 2026)
- Afield on Airguns — About the blog
- American Airgunner — home page
