No one tool is right for every job. The benefits of having a semi-automatic rifle like an AR-15 for survival are plentiful, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t benefits to be had by what many would laugh at for a survival gun, an air rifle. Here are a few reasons why you might want to seriously consider having an air-rifle as part of your survival gear.
Legality
It’s unlikely that anyone will be lobbying to ban air-rifles anytime soon (though I wouldn’t put it past them). As far as I know Chicago is the only place that treats 22 caliber air rifles the same legally as an actual firearm (and I think that is only in regards to transporting them in your car).
Ammo Cost
22 caliber air rifle pellets are less than half the cost of 22 long rifle target ammunition. This adds up when you are buying thousands of rounds for training and for storage.
Rifle Cost
22 caliber air rifles from major firearms manufacturers can be found for less than $100. On the other hand, bolt action 22 rifles (which are the most comparable to air-rifles) are hard to find for less than $200.
Sound
Unless you live in an area where you can purchase a suppressor, and want to pay for the license and then the suppressor itself, you are going to make a lot more noise firing a 22 rifle than an air-rifle. This is important in both wilderness settings where you don’t want to alert potential prey, and in urban settings where you don’t want to draw attention to you and your firearm.
Training
One of the most commonly neglected areas of preparation is training. Going to the firing range can get expensive and time-consuming. On the other hand, firing off some 2 cent rounds in the back yard is both convenient and cheap, and the basics of rifle marksmanship are the same for air-rifles and actual rifles, so if you are trying to teach your wife or kids an air-rifle is a great tool to get them started.
I would never advocate that anyone opt for an air-rifle instead a firearm, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t think about making room in your gear closet for one. There are benefits to an air-rifle, and your AR-15 won’t get jealous.
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