What are the most powerful BB guns?

These are BB guns NOT pellet guns. Pellet guns only shoot pellets. These air guns will shoot BB’s and pellets.

Since there are BB pistols and BB rifles, I’ll discuss both BB gun types. Remember these air guns, pistols and rifles, are .177 cal and can shoot BB’s and pellets.

BB gun maximum power is in the 800 fps range. If you want or need more power than that, you need to look at pellet guns.

Most Powerful Pump BB Guns – Rifles

• Winchester Model 1977XS – 1000 fps
• Crosman Legacy 1000 – 800 fps
• Crosman AirMaster – 800 fps
• Daisy Powerline 880 – 800 fps
• Daisy Powerline 901 – 800 fps
• Umarex NXG APX Rifle – 800 fps
• Remington 1100 Pump BB Gun – 745 fps
• Crosman Classic 2100B Pump – 755 fps
• Crosman Pumpmaster 760 – 645 fps
• Crosman Recruit – 680 fps

Most Powerful CO2 BB Guns – Pistols

• Crosman TACC11KT2 pistol – 550 fps
• Crosman TACC1911BB pistol- 550 fps
• Daisy Powerline 5172 pistol –  520 fps
• Daisy Powerline 415 pistol – 495 fps

There isn’t much selection in power system types if you want the most powerful BB guns. In rifles, you have multi-pump and in pistols, you only have CO2 powered. Most BB pistols have muzzle velocities of 400 fps. The ones listed above are much more powerful.

There is a much better selection in BB rifles, if you want the most power. I have owned a Daisy Powerline 880, Crosman PumpMaster 760 and the Crosman Classic 2100b. They were all great BB guns with lots of power for small game hunting.

Winchester Model 1977 XS

The most powerful BB rifle happens to be the Winchester Model 1977XS. Pellet velocity reaches 1000 fps while BBs run about 800+ fps. This is more powerful than the other multi-pump BB guns.

Winchester Model 1977XS Features

• Multi-pump pnuematic action
• .177 caliber BBs and pellets
• Synthetic thumbhole stock
• 4 x 32 mm rifle scope
• 50 BB reservoir
• Bolt action single shot
• 3-10 pump max
• 1000 fps with pellets and 800+ fps with BBs
• Rifled steel barrel
• Crossbolt trigger block safety
• Weight 3.1 lbs
• Retail Price $129.99

Crosman AirMaster BB Gun

The Crosman AirMaster is another powerful BB gun in a multi-pump configuration. It’s very similar to the Crosman Classic 2100 but has a little more power. The Classic 2100 has a maximum BB velocity of 755 fps while the AirMaster can do 800 fps with the same BBs. I like both gun and have owned the Classic 2100.

Crosman AirMaster BB Gun Features

• Multi-pump power system – 3-10 pumps
• Bolt action single shot
• Steel rifled barrel
• Synthetic stock
• Adjustable fiber optic sights
• 4 x 15 mm rifle scope
• Shoots both BBs and .177 pellets
• Pellet velocity up to 1000 fps
• BB velocity up to 800 fps
• Weight 4.80 lbs
• Retail Price $99.99

Umarex NXG APX BB Rifle

Umarex makes some really nice BB guns and the NXG is no exception. It has a futuristic design that is quite eye catching. It’s a multi-pump powered BB gun and can shoot BBs and pellets. The stock design makes this gun very comfortable to shoulder and shoot accurately.

Umarex NXG APX BB Rifle Features

• Multi-pump power system 2-10 pumps max
• Maximum muzzle velocity 800 fps
• Synthetic thumbhole stock
• Long pump lever for ease of pumping
• Rifled steel barrel
• Dovetail rail mount
• Dual raised cheekpiece stock
• 4 x 15 mm rifle scope
• adjustable fiber optic sights
• 75 round BB reservoir
• Automatic safety system
• EZ load ramp for pellets
• Retail Price $65.26

Crosman TACC11KT2 BB CO2 Pistol

The Crosman TACC11KT2 CO2 BB pistol is the most powerful BB pistol available. It can shoot BBs up to 550 fps. This is a semi-automatic gun that can be used for self defense, hunting small game and target shooting. It has enough power for hunting birds, rats, frogs, small rabbits, squirrels and snakes. It also has enough power to kill a human, if the right target is hit.

Crosman TACC11KT2 BB CO2 Pistol Features

• CO2 powered – 2 cartridges
• Semi-automatic action – just pull the trigger
• Powerful – 550 fps with BBs
• Steel smooth bore barrel
• Synthetic frame and slide
• Compensator/suppressor included
• Quad Picatinny Rail
• BB clip located in grip and is removable
• Class 2 laser sight
• Retail Price $79.99

If you shoot BB guns then you know about ricochets and how dangerous they can be. I once shot a BB at an old stove I ran across in the desert. I shot at the glass oven door from about 30 feet and instantly got hit in the forehead by the BB. I never did that again. I’m lucky I didn’t lose an eye!

There are 2 lessons I learned from this incident.

1. Don’t shoot steel BBs at hard objects
2. Wear eye protection when shooting

Some BB guns will only shoot BBs like the Daisy Red Ryder. So you don’t have a choice of lead pellets. So what do you do?

…only shoot soft targets?

…use lead BBs?

I like and prefer shooting lead or copper coated lead BBs. Actually the copper plated are better for the simple reason there is no exposed lead. Lead is hazardous to most life on Earth.

Anyway…so who makes copper coated lead BBs?

H&N Excite Smart Shot BBs are lead core BBs with a copper coating. These BBs expand and flatten when they hit a target or any hard surface without ricocheting. They are much safer than steel BBs. Since the core is lead which is heavier than steel, Smart Shot BBs are heavier and weigh about 7.4 grains. Steel BBs weigh about 5.1 grains. BB gun velocities will be lower with Smart Shot BBs but penetration maybe greater because of the increased density.

Here are some samples of the H&N Smart Shot BBs….un-fired and fired. You can see how they flatten like a lead bullet. These are excellent for backyard plinking or hunting with a BB gun. If you are interested in these, here is a link to buy them online…H&N Smart Shot BBs at Amazon.com

The Daisy Red Ryder BB gun has been around for a very long time and it’s still available. I remember shooting frogs at a pond in New Jersey when I was a teenager. It sure was a lot of fun.

Turn the clock ahead 40 years and here I am 54 years old and just bought a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. It’s a classic that will never go out of style.

Here it is in the same box as it was in the 70’s. It still has a wooden stock and leather lanyard tie too. It’s a really cool BB gun!

Here’s the Red Ryder signature engraved in the wooden butt stock.

Lever action BB guns are a lot of fun. Just fill the reservoir with BBs and cock and shoot all day.

…350 fps with steel BBs…not bad for frogs, birds and targets.

I pulled off the outer box, which was kind of a pain. Now all I have to do is cut the plastic zip-tie.

Here’s the action and forend. It’s still very much like the one I used back in 1975.

I love this stock. It’s a youth type stock meaning it’s about a 12-13″ length of pull but it still works for a full size adult. It shoulders nicely and the sights align up easily. The wood stock will take some serious abuse where plastic may not.

Here’s a closeup of the action. The sides are metal along with the bolts/screws. The lever and trigger are polymer/plastic. Operating the lever is unique in that it ratchets 7 times before hitting full cock. Then it swings smoothly back in place. The lever is very easy to cock and any 10 + year should be able to cock it just fine. Now it’s ready to fire. The trigger is also polymer/plastic and feels nice on the index finger. The trigger pull is about 5 lbs. This is a good trigger pull for a BB gun.

The stock fits the receiver very well. There’s no slop in the fit. Everything was smooth and tight. Again…I like it!!

The lanyard ring and leather thong look cool even though they are not very functional. It’s the “Old West” look.

Here’s a closeup of the lever and trigger and safety. The safety is a cross-bolt type and works perfectly. The plastic/polymer lever snaps in place via the metal clip. The trigger is wide and very comfortable and not too heavy.

Here’s a closeup of the cross-bolt safety. If the red is showing, that means Fire. If there’s no red showing then the gun safety is engaged.

The forend is wood and fills your hand. It’s smooth and fits the barrel nicely. The open sights are basic but very functional and easy to align. They are adjustable for elevation. These sights work great for backyard shooting where the distance is only 15-20 yards.

The bottom of the wood forend is smooth and fits in your hand nicely. a single metal screw secures it in place. The forend was tight with zero slop.

Top view of the rear sight. You can see the elevation adjustment ladder and the push button release.

The rear sight and barrel look like they’re from a real gun. The glossy finish looks fantastic!

The barrel on the Daisy Red Ryder is a bull barrel. It’s not solid metal though. It appears to be a polymer/plastic shroud around a steel smooth bore tube. It looks great. I don’t care for those skinny barreled BB or pellet guns. They look like toys. This looks like a real gun. The front sight is a good one and works just fine. The tube below the barrel is the BB reservoir.

Here’s the BB loading port located on the left side of the barrel muzzle (don’t mind the dust on the muzzle). You push the button in and then slide the door downward. Then pour in the BBs. It’s simple and works great. I love BB repeaters…just cock and shoot. A funnel wood be ideal when pouring BBs in the loading port otherwise the BBs can go all over the place unless you’re really careful.

Here’s the loading port in the open position. It operates smoothly and closes positively. The barrel sure shines nicely.

350 count of Daisy BBs for $1.50. You can’t beat that!! Remember steel BB will ricochet off of hard objects like wood, bricks, metal, hard plastics and stucco. Only shoot steel BBs at soft targets like cans, watermelons, apples, clay pigeons, thin plastic objects and BB traps. There are BBs that are low ricochet. They are made by H&N and called Smart Shot.

Smart Shot BB’s are copper plated lead BB’s and will expand upon impact instead of bouncing off. Each BB weighs 7.4 grains compared to 5.1 grains for steel. Smart Shot BB’s will have a lower velocity but will hit harder which is great for hunting small game.

The Daisy Red Ryder BB gun is a great value at about $35. It’s a great BB gun for youths just starting to shoot or adults who just want to have a blast with an inexpensive BB gun. Lever actions are fun and fast. The 350 fps velocity is deal for backyard pinking or frog pond hunting. The spring air action is SUPER QUIET. There is no need to worry about neighbors getting upset from a loud BB gun. This gun won’t disturb anyone. My neighbors are very close, about 15 feet from my exterior walls. I shoot from my patio in my backyard all day. It doesn’t even disturb the neighborhood dogs or birds for that matter.

The Daisy Red Ryder reservoir holds 650 BBs. You can shoot all day or even 2 days (maybe a week) without reloading. Now that’s fun!

The Daisy Red Ryder BB gun weights about 2.2 lbs which is a good weight for any BB or pellet gun. My Daisy Powerline 880 weights about 3 lbs. The light weight makes it easy to shoot it all day and pack around. There are many air rifles and pellet rifles that weigh 8 lbs. I think that’s too heavy. My Gamo Hornet Maxxim with scope weighs about 7 lbs. That’s my limit with pellet guns. Anything heavier and I’m not shooting it too often. Buy the Daisy Red Ryder at Amazon.com

Daisy Red Ryder Specifications

• Weight: 2.20 lbs
• Action: Lever cocking spring-air
• Sights: Blade and Ramp front, adjustable open rear
• Safety: cross-bolt trigger block
• Muzzle Velocity: 350 fps with BBs
• Overall Length: 34.5 inches
• Caliber: .177 BBs or 4.5 mm
• Stock/Forend: Stained solid wood with lariat logo and burnished forend band
• Barrel: steel smooth bore shrouded with polymer/plastic
• Maximum Shooting Distance: 195 yards
• Capacity: 650 BBs
• Receiver: Stamped steel, saddle ring and leather thong
• Model: 1938

Cheap BB Guns: Under $50

If you are looking for cheap BB guns then you have quite a lot models to look at. When I talk about cheap BB guns, I’m referring to BB guns under $50.00. Crosman, Umarex and Daisy make several BB guns for under $50.00. Some are multi-pump, spring air and CO2. There are pistols and rifles available in this price range some of which could be used for hunting as well as target shooting.

Daisy Cheap BB Guns

• Daisy Red Ryder rifle
• Daisy Powerline 880 rifle
• Daisy 25 Pump Gun
• Daisy Model 25 rifle
• Daisy Model 74 rifle
• Daisy Model 683 Pistol

Daisy BB guns have been around for 125 years. They are well made and last a long time.

Crosman Cheap BB Guns

• Crosman 760 Pump Master rifle
• Crosman 1911 CO2 Pistol
• Crosman Torrent SX rifle
• Crosman Cowboy rifle
• Crosman Wildcat Pistol

Umarex Cheap BB Guns

• Umarex XGB CO2 Pistol
• Umarex TDP CO2 Pistol
• Umarex TAC CO2 Carbine
• Umarex Colt Python pistol
• Umarex H&K 45 CO2 pistol
• Umarex Desert Eagle pistol
• Umarex S&W M&P pistol

As you can see there are many options from several BB gun manufacturers. Crosman and Daisy BB guns are excellent and have great reviews. Some of the Umarex BB guns are good choices while others may not be. Read the reviews on each model before buying one. I have owned several Crosman and Daisy BB guns in the past and recommend them. I currently own a Daisy Powerline 880 rifle and a Crosman 1322 pistol. Both are great guns and I would recommend both.

Shop cheap BB guns at Amazon.com