RAYLEIGH, U.K. - s4story -- A new UK airgun survey carried out by The AirGun Centre has revealed how shooters across the country really think, buy and use their rifles, offering a rare look into one of Britain's most active shooting communities.

The survey, one of the largest of its kind in the UK, gathered responses from 2,784 airgunners and uncovered a mix of clear market trends, strong opinions and a fair few unexpected moments along the way.

One of the standout findings was calibre preference. 63% of respondents said they believe .22 is better for hunting, although .177 still received a significant share of the vote, showing that the debate is far from settled.

Rifle choice showed a much clearer trend. Nearly 70% of airgunners said they mainly use a PCP rifle, confirming its place as the go-to option for most shooters today. Spring-powered rifles still held strong, making up just over a quarter of primary use.

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When it comes to buying decisions, reliability stood out by a long way. More than half of respondents said it's the most important factor when choosing an air rifle, well ahead of brand reputation, price and other considerations. Accuracy, interestingly, ranked lowest, suggesting many shooters simply expect it as standard.

The survey also highlighted how personal the sport can be. Over half of those who took part said they follow some kind of pre-shooting routine, from checking their setup and controlling their breathing to listening to music or sticking to small habits that help them stay focused.

That personality carries through in other ways too. 17.5% of shooters said they name their rifles, with classic names like Betsy, Betty and Bertha proving popular, alongside more light hearted entries such as "Carl Plinkington" and "Smackmaster3000".

Not every result painted shooters in the best light. Around one in five admitted to exaggerating the size of their groupings, and the most common embarrassing moment was something many will relate to, turning up to shoot and realising they'd forgotten their pellets or brought the wrong calibre.

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Dan Jones from The AirGun Centre said the results show a mix of tradition and change within the sport.

"There's a clear shift towards modern equipment like PCP rifles, but at the same time you can see how much people still value the traditional side of shooting. What stood out most is how personal it all is. Everyone does things slightly differently, and that's what makes the data so interesting".

The full UK airgun survey results, including detailed breakdowns, charts and responses can be viewed here:
https://www.theairguncentre.com/blog/airgun-questionnaire-results/