It’s that time of year again; time for our top airguns of 2022. In this article, we’ll look at our top ten airguns based on sales volume, reviews, and our own subjective opinions. In short, all these airguns are great. Because each person may have a different budget and use, we’ll list them by cost. Please note that prices can and will fluctuate over time. Prices reflect the release date of this article. So let’s get started.
10 – Crosman 1322 Pellet Pistol Combo
The Crosman 1322 is a fan favorite and will continue to be so as long as Crosman wants to make it. This form factor has been around for decades. It affords airgunners, beginners, and enthusiasts alike the fun of a great shooting experience and a robust path into the tinkering side of the hobby. Folks have created masterpiece 1322’s over the years, but it all starts with the great shooting, fun, accurate, and powerful Crosman 1322.
9 – Hatsan Mod 95 Vortex QE
With classic styling and gorgeous Turkish walnut stock, the Hatsan Mod 95 is one of the best break barrel airguns folks can buy. It often flies under the radar of most buyers, but it should always be considered. It incorporates Hatsan’s Quattro trigger, Vortex Gas Ram, and integrated Quiet Energy suppressor. It’s accurate and powerful without being super long and unwieldy. It’s a wonderful .22 cal airgun for those on a tighter budget.
8 – Beeman Underlever
PCP airguns are expensive, and only the top tier in the airgunning world can afford them, right? While that may have been the case some time back, it’s certainly NOT the case now, and the Beeman Underlever is a great example of just how wrong that thinking can be. The Beeman underlever is an affordable wood stock PCP bullpup that ships with an optic. It’s easy to fill, easy to shoot, and delivers power, range, and accuracy, similar to guns that cost two to three times as much. Add a simple hand pump and some pellets, and you are in the PCP airgun world for a song.
7 – Gamo Swarm Fusion 10x Gen 3i
Gamo re-introduced multi-shot spring and gas ram airguns several years back, and many manufacturers are still playing catch up. While others are still trying to find any product that comes close to the functionality and reliability of Gamo’s Swarm Muli-Shot system, Gamo continues to pioneer forward with new features. Gamo’s Swarm Fusion 10x Gen 3i is the most recent example of Gamo’s overall dominance. The Gamo Swarm Fusion 10x was already a great airgun with a gentle cocking stroke, wonderful trigger, near-silent shot report, great accuracy, and ease of use. But now Gamo has added in their new Gen 3i magazines, which cycle not when cocking the gun, which can lead to accidental double feeding, but rather cycle when they “feel” the inertia of the shot. It’s an ingenious system that brings rapid, multi-shot firing to a break barrel airgun. So if you like to target shoot, hunt small game, or take out pests, the Gamo Swarm Fusion 10x Gen 3i is an awesome option.
6 – Seneca Aspen
We come now to our 2nd PCP on the list. If the Beeman underlever undoes the theory that you have to be rich to get into PCPs, the Aspen destroys the idea that you need to spend a fortune on a way to fill them. The Aspen has too many awesome features to mention here, but suffice it to say that it’s a multi-shot PCP with adjustable power, a great trigger, and easy 1” 50-yard accuracy. But that’s not its secret sauce. It has a built-in pump used to charge the onboard reservoir. So not only do you have an onboard pump eliminating the need for a separate hand pump, compressor, or tank, but the pump is super easy to use. Once full, you can keep your Aspen topped off in the field with minimal effort. All the benefits of a PCP with the convenience of a multi-pump.
5 – Avenger Wood Stock
As we move up the price stack, we come to an airgun that has all but dethroned the aging Benjamin Marauder. Airgunners want performance and adjustability, which provide greater flexibility in their airguns. These features have existed on the high end, but Air Venturi has brought them down and made them affordable to the entry-level PCP world. When Air Venturi launched the synthetic Avenger, some of the first comments and requests were for a wood stock model. The wood stock Avenger has all the features, such as an externally adjustable hammer spring, regulator, and trigger, but now places them all in a very sturdy wood stock. This improves the rigidity of the platform and its accuracy as well. Shooters will need to add an optic and a source for high-pressure air to be fully operational.
4 – Diana RWS 460 Magnum
Most people think you need a PCP for repeatable 50+ yard hunting accuracy. That’s simply not the case, provided you know where to look. The Diana RWS 460 Magnum is an underlever spring airgun that delivers power, performance, and accuracy out to 50 yards and beyond. The T06 trigger is probably the absolute best trigger in gas ram and spring airgunning, and the overall build quality and shooting experience of the RWS 460 falls in line with its higher asking price. Because it’s an underlever, the barrel is fixed. This is a key design feature that helps achieve long-range accuracy. Additionally, the stock and blueing on the action make this a product you’re pleased to show off whenever you get the chance. Where other fixed barrel guns may focus on accuracy over power, the RWS 460 provides power with accuracy.
3 – Benjamin Gunnar
New to the Benjamin lineup are their imports from Turkey. We’d like to mention them as an honorable mention as they represent a timely shift for Benjamin, providing shooters with multiple options beyond their aging Marauder design. You have the Cayden, Akela, Kratos, and now the new Gunnar. The Benjamin Gunnar is built on an AR-style frame and ships with features normally found on more expensive airguns. It utilizes a large bottle forward design but only needs 3000 PSI to operate. It has an adjustable regulator and transfer port power selector. The action is very smooth, and the AR-style stock and grip can be replaced with mil-spec AR components. It’s a beautiful airgun that’s fun to shoot at the bench or in the field.
2 – FX Dreamline Classic Stock
FX Airguns are an ultra-premium brand. So when you see something like the FX Dreamline sitting just barely over $1000, you need to take a look. The Dreamline hosts all the key high-end features you’ll find in FX’s other airguns, like an externally adjustable regulator, smooth twist barrel, phenomenal two-stage adjustable trigger, adjustable hammer weight and valve, large magazine, and the list goes on. There’s really not much more to say about this airgun. The name FX says it all. It may not be the top-tier FX Impact M3, but at about half the cost with 90% of the features, it’s a great option.
1 – Air Arms XS Tactical
Air Arms has been a premiere airgun manufacturer for many years. Their S510 platform has been “gun of the year” in the UK many times. When tasked with creating something new and modern, Air Arms took the best of what they do and merged it with an AR-style chassis complete with Magpul accessories. The new Air Arms S510 XS Tactical is simply a work of airgun art. But it’s not art that’s only meant to be looked at and admired from a distance. It’s a practical art that’s meant to be used and used often. Whether you prefer bench shooting, backyard plinking, field target, or small game hunting, the new S510 XS Tactical will get the job done with minimal effort. It’s a gorgeous, flexible airgun. As a bonus, Air Arms created an upgraded chassis for those that already own an S510. So, if you already have an S510 model Air Arms and want to go “tactical,” there’s a very easy upgrade path already laid out for you.
That’s our top 10 .22s for 2022
While these are our most popular airguns, with our own favorites added in, they are by no means all the .22 airguns we have on our site. There are many great options for all airgunners in just about every budget. So, if you need help picking your next airgun, please call us. We are always happy to help.
