Are you looking for the quietest air rifle? If so, then you’re in the right place. Being able to use an air rifle without having to make a lot of noise is something a lot of people are looking for. That’s because some air rifles tend to be a little too noisy, especially in a suburban neighborhood where it can raise a few alarms.
Some of your neighbors might get a little too uncomfortable when constantly hearing loud popping noises. But the important thing is you can still have fun using these air rifles while not having to rack up any noise complaints.
To help you find the best air rifle that won’t make a sound, we’ve put together a list of the six best considered to be the quietest of the bunch. Before we get to the list, we’ll talk about what makes an air rifle quiet and why these six are considered the best in our opinion.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Quietest Air Rifles
- OUR TOP PICK: Hatsan BullBoss Quiet Energy
- RUNNER-UP: Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Bear River Pellet Gun Air Rifle
Comparison of the Quietest Air Rifles
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What Makes an Air Rifle Quiet?
The culprit of loud air rifles is in the name: the air itself. To be more specific, the more pressurized the air is, the louder it will get. Do you ever notice CO2 rifles or similar are often louder than the spring-loaded rifles?
The reason is because every shot is powered by high-pressurized gas. But are gas-powered air rifles always loud? Not in the slightest.
Why Are These The Best of the Year?
We didn’t choose these six rifles at complete random. We chose these based on a few characteristics and features. You should follow a similar formula for choosing as we did by deciding to add them onto our list. Here are a few qualifying characteristics and features that make some the best choice:
Most of Them Are Affordable
You could be on a budget or have some money to play around with. Either way, there’s a rifle that will fit your budget. But don’t let the price tag be sole the reason you chose an air rifle. It should always come down to some of the other qualities and features.
Most Are Made From High-Quality Materials
A lot of high-quality materials like steel and polymer are used to make the best air rifles. Even the quietest air rifles will turn out to be tough when it comes to durability and construction. The better the quality, the better the chance that it will last you a long time. The wearing down part of it won’t be easy.
They Are Great For One Purpose or Another
Yes, these air rifles are often used for general purposes. However, one rifle can excel in an application like hunting or target shooting. Often, the fastest velocity will be associated with varmint hunting. The reason is your targets move fast. At that point, it’s all about the timing of your shots.
Review of the Quietest Air Rifles
The following is a list of the six quietest air rifles currently on the market. As of this writing, these are considered the best in the business (and in certain categories). As you go through each one, be sure to make a note of any features and characteristics that pique your interest.
If you have a good idea of how your ideal rifle should perform or what it looks like, you can use the characteristics and features to fall back on. Find one that is close to what you want and it might be a winner. Now, let’s take a look at the first air rifle on our list--our best overall choice:
Best Overall:
Hatsan BullBoss Quiet Energy
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
This rifle impressed a lot of new buyers. One user said he was able to cock it easily and noticed there wasn’t a single jam even after 100 rounds. A common occurrence with this rifle was the ability to accurately hit targets from 20 yards out with both paper targets and small critters like squirrels.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This rifle is rugged in design, accurate in shooting, and doesn’t make a lot of noise. If you’re more of a varmint control user, you’ll know that it’s quiet enough for you to use in a suburban setting. Never more will you have to alarm the neighbors. Also, it comes with a top rail you can use to attach any scope or optic for better accuracy and precise shooting.
Who Will Use This Most
As it’s designed to be more of a general-purpose rifle, users will be split down the middle. You’ll have a good number of users who fire off rounds at paper targets, while others will use this for suburban varmint control. Either way, it’s an excellent rifle you can use without making too much noise.
What Could Be Improved and Why
Considering that the rifle is a quiet, it might be nice to make it a little less heavy. Sure, it may be normal if you’re dealing with a more powerful rifle but carrying this will slow people down a bit. Especially when they have to take a quick shot.
Bottom Line
If you want a quiet air rifle that is considered one of the best in the business, you’ll want to give the Hatsan BullBoss Quiet Energy PCP Air Rifle a closer look. Whether you use it for one purpose or another, this rifle will provide powerful and accurate shooting without making a single peep.
Runner-up:
Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers were quick to report that the rifle does a great job, as advertised. They were quite happy with the scope's accurate and precise shooting. Even some users said this was the best air rifle for use against dangerous predators. One user said he uses it to defend his chickens against foxes and coyotes.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The rifle comes equipped with a really good scope. Usually, scopes that are already equipped on rifles are often the worst in terms of quality and performance. But not this one, in particular. Other than that, the rifle is durable and packs quite a punch. Even for something quiet, that’s still impressive.
Who Will Use This Most
Expect this to be used mostly by suburban and even rural homeowners who are consistently dealing with either a varmint or predator problem. Regardless of the environment or situation, this rifle won’t make a noise but can still hit targets pretty hard. If you want a rifle like that, this might be right up your alley.
What Could Be Improved and Why
The cocking lever should be a little less stiff to use. Even right out of the box, it should be easier for even new users. A difficult lever might leave a bad impression on those trying to use it for the first time. The smoother the cocking, the better.
Bottom Line
If you want a varmint and predator control rifle that will stay quiet and accurate for the most part, the Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 will probably be the rifle you’ll go with at the end of the day. Yes, it’s fast and certainly quieter than most. What more can you ask for in an air rifle?
Best for the Money:
Bear River Pellet Gun Air Rifle
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
This rifle was affordable for most users. Once they were able to get a hold of this, they were able to go to town with it. They could fire off as many as 250 rounds without a single jamming issue. The shooting is powerful, accurate, and can stop a squirrel from as far out at 25 to 30 yards. With the iron sight included, the shooting was quite accurate and precise.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This rifle by far has one of the fastest velocities on the market. At 1,300 FPS, you can say for certain that it’s one of the faster shooting air rifles that doesn’t make a noise. This is proof that such rifles do exist. Aside from that, the durability is quite solid. It can take on a great deal of impact like a synthetic stock can.
Who Will Use This Most
This will be a hit among users looking for a rifle that will hit targets quickly and efficiently. A good number of users will have this handy for predator and varmint control. Since it has pretty good velocity, it stands out as one of the best rifles you can use for moving targets. Timing is everything, so make sure you have a rifle that is quick to the punch the moment your target moves a muscle.
What Could Be Improved and Why
The scope should be done away with. Instead of using something that’s crappy in quality, you should replace it with a scope that you know will work the best with rifles like this. It can be just about any other rifle scope that you can find on regular hunting rifles. Choose one that is reliable, clear in image quality, and durable so you can be able to boost your accuracy considerably.
Bottom Line
The Bear River Pellet Gun Air Rifle is the kind of rifle you’ll want in your arsenal if you want something tough, fast, and accurate. Even better, it won’t suck the life out of your bank account. If you’re on a budget and need a rifle that is the best value, this is it.
Quietest PCP Air Rifle:
Benjamin Marauder Synthetic Stock Pellet Air Rifle
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
This rifle left a positive impression with many new buyers. They were able to use this mostly for varmint hunting and predator control. One user said his garden had long been overrun by raccoons. He made sure to put a stop to that with this rifle. Overall, he says the pump is easy to operate and does a good job at shooting accurately.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This rifle is a PCP, or pre-charged pneumatic pump, meaning it can give you a good deal of power with just a few pumps. Once it's set and ready to go, you’ll be ready to fire at your targets with quite a bit of power behind your shot. If you want something with a good amount of velocity, there is no question you can acquire it with a rifle like this.
Who Will Use This Most
This rifle will probably be best for users that will more or less use it for varmint and predator hunting. If you need to keep the critters at bay, this might be the rifle to do it. If you want to take care of the problem without distracting or alarming your neighbors, that’s even better.
What Could Be Improved and Why
One of the things that should be investigated is how and why the CO2 leads are occurring. Once the manufacturer figures out what that might be, some adjustments to rectify that issue will be made. The last thing you need is leakage that may lead to unreliable firing.
Bottom Line
The Benjamin Marauder might be the rifle to go with if you’re more of the PCP rifle type. Not only does it pack some power, but it will also most certainly do a good job while not making a single noise. It stands out as one of the best varmint and predator control rifles on the market right now.
Quietest .22 Air Rifle:
Stoeger X20S Suppressor
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
This air rifle was a hit among many die-hard .22 fans. As expected, this was suitable for both target shooting and varmint control. The shooting was nice and accurate from as far out as 30 yards. And it was one of the most affordable air rifles, if not one of the quietest, according to one user.
Why it Stands Out to Us
As expected, the synthetic stock makes the rifle tougher than with other air rifles. Also, this air rifle can pack some power, despite being one of the quieter of the .22 caliber rifles. On top of that, the .22 is more popular when used for varmint control but it does have its uses for target shooting.
Who Will Use This Most
This will be used for general purposes. So, we can say that this will work well for both target shooters and varmint shooters alike. Either way, you’re working with a rifle chambered with a caliber of shots effective for accuracy and precision. It may travel a little faster than .177 caliber rounds, thus making it easier to hit your targets quicker.
What Could Be Improved and Why
This rifle could be exceptional with an even better scope. So you should get rid of the scope that’s included and replace it with something that might be a better fit. There are a dozen rifle scopes that will be effective no matter which type of rifle you attach it to.
Bottom Line
If the .22 caliber is more of your type, then the Stoeger X20S might be exactly what you’re looking for if you want an air rifle that is quiet, effective, and can hit most shots dead-on. No matter the application, this rifle can serve you in the long run as long as you take good care of it.
Quietest Break Barrel Air Rifle:
Gamo Silent Cat air rifle
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
A lot of new buyers were satisfied with this break barrel rifle. They were able to easily load the rifle by breaking down the barrel. Once loaded, they put the barrel back together for some good, clean shooting. They were able to conclude that the accuracy was dead-on with shooting groups at 25 yards, which is quite tight compared to some rifles.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This rifle stands out as one of the fastest in terms of velocity. While it’s a little slower than some rifles on this list, it still proves its worth by quickly hitting targets exactly where you want them. Also, the skeleton buttstock is something worth clamoring about. It’s excellent design makes this powerful rifle light in weight and very comfortable to use.
Who Will Use This Most
Most shooters will use this for varmint and predator control. At the same time, it can also be an effective target shooting rifle. No matter which application you go with, this rifle will shoot fast and your shots will go exactly where you want them to go. If you want a rifle that is reliable and will never disappoint, the Gamo Whisper might be your cup of coffee.
What Could Be Improved and Why
Once again, we turn our attention to the scope. Only this time, we’re not saying to get rid of it. The body of the scope could be a little tougher. At the same time, the scope adjustments for windage and elevation should be a little easier to operate for on-the-fly adjustments.
Bottom Line
If you want a break barrel rifle that will work to your advantage no matter the application, the Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle is exactly what you’ll want in your airsoft arsenal. Powerful, quiet, and reliable are the three words we can think of when it comes to a rifle like this.
Benefits of Investing in a Quiet Air Rifle
There are a few awesome benefits you can get out of these air rifles, especially when they’re the quietest on the market. You don’t know what you’re missing if you decide not to go with air rifles like these. Here are some perks you get to enjoy:
Very Quiet Operation
If you’re in a suburban area, you can use this without making any kind of noise. You won’t have to make too much noise to the point where neighbors complain or are startled by it at all. You can target shoot or varmint hunt in peace (and your neighbors won’t have to be disturbed).
Silent, But Deadly
Most of these rifles are quite powerful. Even better, they can still do a great deal of damage. Especially when you’re dealing with squirrels and other invasive critters. It won’t be so loud enough to the point where you’re scaring off the rest of the animals (assuming there are multiple targets).
Never Loses Any Power
These pistols are consistently powerful. Even throughout long-term use, they won’t lose any kind of power at all. This means you’ll be able to enjoy consistent, reliable shooting provided you take good care of these rifles and maintain them regularly.
Conclusion
The quietest air rifle is out there for you. Find one that won’t make too much noise and you’ll be able to enjoy using it however you like. Whether you live in the suburbs or out in the country, you can enjoy using these rifles for as long as you have enough rounds or targets for hours of enjoyable fun.
