Insyder Insyght: Break Barrel vs Underlever Air rifles 

Weihrauch all day long. 100 times the quality, tunes up great , will last forever!!!

Interesting thanks for posting. Im keeping my old Weihrauch 77k!

50 years of shooting high end springers. I have found very little difference in accuracy between the break barrel and the under lever rifles. Diana, Weihrauch, FWB. They all shoot very well, 1/2" groups 40 yards no problem. .177 Break barrel air rifles more accurate than my .22lr bolt action Anschutz. However, no doubt that older break barrels do lose a little accuracy after 10 years regular use. Where as the under levers maintain their accuracy over longer periods of time.

The videos are amazing thank you for letting me know a lot of things that I don't know about

My thing is this.. I heard from a guy once. "Hey my HW breakbarrel can shoot just as good as a underlever.." My point is you will never hear, "My underlever will shoot just as good as a breakbarrel.." There is a reason for that..

My uncle was arguing with me that break barrels were not accurate and that I had made a stupid mistake buying one which is a HW90, He has a BSA Airsporter underleaver and both mine and his rifle are same power, so I challenged him to a shooting competition, at a distance of 15m pretty much level, 20m my HW90 break barrel was getting better groups, at 30m my HW90 hitting the target precisely all of the time while he was all over the place and missing! So I put a can of soda out at a distance of 70meters and my HW90 was constantly hitting it all of the time no problems, where as his BSA underleaver was not hitting it at all!! My uncles face turned and He then started making excuses 😂 PMSL

Greetings from England ..... big fan. Here unless you have a firearms certificate you are limited to sub 12 ft/lbs of energy so most air rifles are in that power bracket. What strikes me is that for spring powered air rifles the ones tested are over-powered especially for .177 calibre. This leads to very high velocities at the edge of aerodynamic efficiency for diabolo pellets and vicious recoil and surge as the piston comes to a shattering halt. The results you get firing off cushions and having time to make sure your hold is light and consistent do not reflect real world rough shooting results. Having owned a "magnum" springer I can only say that it was a disappointing handful. Any power setting over about 14 lb/ft is best left to PCPs. Buy a 12lb/ft .177 springer and enjoy the shooting experience. Also it will last longer.

Nice video man. Great info. From a Weihrauch hw50 owner looking at under levers.

Great video Tyler, just proves the point "you get what you pay for" i recently purchased a Gamo Shadow in .22 which is a budget break barrel here in the UK.,it had the synthetic stock,therefore fairly light,it was actually quite dangerous,it wasn't possible to shoot in a straight line,so much so i took it back to the shop after 3 days,on the plus side i do already own a Weihrauch HW97KT with the wood thumbhole stock which is quite honestly, Superb

You folks living at home (the USA) or even in Europe, have no idea what it's like for someone like me, a mutiple-state licensed-carry firearms owner (at home), with LONG experience, having to try and worry about even getting a .22 airgun here. This country is ruthless on it's people when it comes to firearms/airgun ownership (unless, OF COURSE, you have the $$...then things seem to become SO much easier...) I watch these vids and contemplate bucket-list sorts of ideas... but Great work, Pyramydair!! Keep it up!!

i have the two kinds and i prefer break barrels, more easy and quick to reload whenever you are plinking or hunting, i also prefer open sights over scopes they keep you in touch with the surroundings while hunting.

Great video! Really nice airrifles you have there! Thanks for showing! Best regards from germany!

Nice vid , imho i have breakbarrel , Pcp and underleaver guns . sure Pcp ,s have more power most of the time but they cant beat my HW 97 and my walther lgu varmint in precision . These guns are truly amazing . 👍😎

A very well arranged and presented on topic video. Excellent example content. Excellent performance conclusions on price compared fixed verses break barrels. If I could only afford lower price there are good springers. If affordable the quality ones makes it worth the extra cost.

lotsa info there Tyler, very well done Sir .

I have a Beeman R10, which was basically the predisesor to the R9 and it's very accurate. Also, I have a Gamo Accu .22 and was very impressed with its accuracy. Personally dont want anything to do with Gamo break barrels, but the Accu really is very impressive. If it had the same quality trigger as the Rekord it would be amazing for a 200.00 ag. However rumor has it the Accu .22 has been discontinued? Why, I can only guess is that it is "only" a 15 fpe airgun. And Gamo seems to sell only over-inflated velocity guns chronied with the lightest alloy pellet possible. I shoot my "weak" 15fpe at game at further distances, then I do with my 18 and 27fpe Hatsans. Because, it's more hold friendly and I have high confidence in it.

Great topic and well done

Good video... I’ve had an older R9 and a RWS 48.... my experiences with these guns actually mirrors your findings. But , I will say , when it came to hunting, that RWS got mighty heavy...

Thanks for honest reviews

Great topic, thanks

Great video but i hope that you may test side levers vs break barrels because im in love with the Rws 56 th .22 so it would be a great joy to watch a vid like that. Thank you.

Nice one Tyler. Agreed and funny thing after getting my Hw80 recently I also found a quality break barrel can shoot as good as a quality underlever as that Hw80 shoots about as accurate as my tuned 1986 Hw77 Mk2. Seems like those old Beeman catalogs were right about the .03 ctc accuracy difference at 10m.

Love my Beeman R1 Magnum and Inam buying the Air Arms TX200 MK III In .22 Caliber.

Great video comparison, Tyler!! I've often entertained the same questions as he and you posed... thank you for answering them. Personally, out of all my higher end spingers (HW, Diana, Walther & RWS)... it really boils down to "me". Some days, I seem to be more accurate with my break barrels (HW 80, 95 [.25 cal] & 77K, RWS 350 [Rare .25 cal] & 460 Magnum and Walther Terrus & Parrus... all .22 cal except the HW95 & RWS 350), and other days I seem to favor my under & side levers (HW97 Black Line STL, Diana 52 [.25 cal] & RWS 48 [.177 & .22 cal] and RWS 54 [.177 & .22 cal] ). I also have another version of a Weihrauch underlever, the HW57 (.177 cal) which is a Tap-loader as you, yourself probably know... and it's dead-on accurate out to about 37 yards. Take Care, Tyler.... Jim, in MO. PS: Just wondering why you didn't point out the fact that the High-end Beeman springers are actually various Weihrauchs with a little fancier stock, and the "Beeman R9" in your video is actually the HW95 Lexus.

Great video that answers just about all the questions that I need to let me buy in confidence. Thanks Tyler for your time and sharing this.

Tyler great video

My fav break barrels are HW80 or the gas ram HW90 excellent AirArms TX200 HC is and always will have a place in my heart with the HW77 this airgun set the standard for all air rifle. Excellent vid buddy thank you

Yes, my 97kt thumbhole wood stock . A 12fpe!! at that...is a tank, built to last!! And is super accurate!! Loves the 10.34 heavies as well. And a trigger to die for!!! A German made air rifle worth every penny for sure...

Great video Tyler. Thank you. I have a Hatsan 125 Vortex Sniper in .22 caliber I bought about 6 years ago. It's an inexpensive (sub-$300) break barrel. It's pretty accurate with Barracuda Match pellets, and Crossman Premium Domes are a close second. (The Barracudas give me dime-size groups at 30 yds and the Crossmans give me groups that can be covered by a nickel. I just bought an Ait Arms TX200 in walnut, 22 caliber. At 50 yds with the Air Arms 16 gr Diablo pellets, 5 shots go into a ragged edged single hole at 50 yds. Both guns provide groups with which anyone would be happy. The differences for me? I have had metal parts break on the Hatsan twice now. Not acceptable. They are made of cheap white metal (zinc-based pot metal). The components on the TX200 are of high quality. And of course, the TX200 is just flipping gorgeous. I would really like to see you demystify PCP true costs. How much does it cost to buy the pieces needed to easily charge a PCP's pressire cylinder?

I love my Umarex Octane.22 very accurate with H&N Sniper Lights 14 grains

Excellent review good subject matter. I had to chuckle wondering who the new guy was? You got the stuff buddy you gotta rock the whiskers.

my airguns are walther lgu feinwerkbau 300 and two diana 48 .......so no breakbarrel here , but my old hw 80 was a outstanding good gun as well . the best here was " you get what you paid for " . my most accurate and probably the most accurate springer for a reasonable price you can get is the fwb 300 , but its a match gun , so dont expect much power . the walther is highly tuned with low weight piston and a custom trigger and shoots close to the fwb much better than the out of the box ones , which are themselves where felt as tuned springers . the diana 48 in full power is a heck of a gun , heavy , a bit loud , has a pack of a punch for a 4.5 mm and the second 48 now is disassembled to get a low weight piston and a 16 j conversion with a 22 mm piston ....cant wait to have anything to put it together

I had no idea, thanks for the info. 🤠

Thanks for a really well-done video. This is the result I would have expected, but it was nice to see it systematically proven. I always enjoy when a person takes sufficient time and gathers sufficient data to answer a question. RU-vid doesn’t need anymore unsubstantiated opinions clogging its cyberspace.

You can update the Co2 guns to paintball tanks. This really make them a great rifle! My 1077 was banging at 677 fps, after 24 shots the pellet very left the barrel. SO i updated to the paintball. WOW big differences. It pump it up to around 1158 fps. more consistent shots! Over a longer period like 250 shots ~ What a great rifle! SO GLADE I GOT IT

Excellent Video ..food for thought ..interesting ..

The Gamo Hunter Grizzly 1250 with Straton Jumbo pellets (.22 / 25.39gr) makes a 15.23mm group CTC at 25jards and 44.55mm at 50jards. Field condition, with wind, shooting over the roof of a car. And I'm pretty sure I can do better than that still. So I guess it will depend a lot on the gamo rifle, even Break barrels.

Not a big fan of PCP's, so my stable is break barrels. Now thinking I need to add a side/underlever to the collection! Thanks for the informative video!

One of my air rifles is a Air Arms TX 200 . Fantastic rifle. What do you think ?

took years to get my gamo to group well.....and NP XL 1500 only the heavy pellets work

nice video tks just got my first break brl at 51yrs old love don't have to take dwon rat s whf my 22 no more lol my God bless u and ur family and team tks

Love my Benjamin Nitro break barrel. Heavy as he’ll though. I also have a 1978 Benjamin pump bolt action in .22. That got as as a kid. Still run great and powerful. I also have my very first daisy lever action BB gun from 1970 when I was 5 daddy bought this.

Heavier riffles are usually better as long as you have some support to keep them steady.

What about the UTG 10 degree mounts for break barrel?? I have used them & I know personally what they add. Have you ever done a test on them??? Thanks!!

great vid, but do you have one on spring vs gas piston?

This was great. i too have no legitimate or fake reason to own a PCP or even a big bore or magnum. They'd never be utilized anywhere near their potential I dont hunt, nor do I live in an area where I have wider open spaces and the range distance I have at best equate to the distance of a back yard garden, so ole skool springers/gas ram it is, and that's just fine with me. My Walther LGV stands toe-to-toe with my Weihrauch HW97 consistent accuracy-wise. I like how they dont just 'group', but they group precisely where you place the crosshairs (unlike any gamo I've tried). More than not, it's a hole-within-a-hole affair at modest distances and that with the prolific and cheap ole Crosman Premier pellets. I dont own that Beeman R9, now that's one I have to see about adding to the stash. Over the years, I seem to have come back to favor break-barrels more than under-levers. In practice they just have been more "simple" and take less "energy" to spend time with. Strange, especially after jumping on the under-lever side of things hard for a while, I've come to prefer the break-barrel simplicity, and in my experience have been every bit as accurate as a under-lever.

Very nice video...i have a few weirauchs from u guys at pyramyd air...they are the BEST!!!

I have looked at many reviews and tried quite a few spring-powered airguns. This comparison is tremendously important. Taking it a step forward, what about comparing airguns that come from the factory with coil-spring, but have a gas-spring option? For example, the CFR is available from the factory with a coil-spring, but is also available with a gas-spring -- is accuracy affected? How? Also, what about the Acura in coil-spring vs gas-spring? And the LGU Varmint in coil-spring versus gas-spring? Others with the gas-spring option?

I might as well throw in my two cents. I have shot springers for over 60 years. I own over thirty of the best quality rifles Weihrauch, Air Arms, FWB, Walthers and some RWS. They are all perfectly tuned which is a must. Some change completely after tuning and some not so much. Many of them I have in multiple calibers. Here is what I see. In general they will all make single hole groups at 30 yards except for one my FWB 150 used in the Olympics it stacks pellets through the same hole. Triggers make a huge difference Reckord or Air Arms being the best but the rest are all useable and are not like the big box store guns at all. They are all using the proper pellet. At forty-five yards there are differences in group sizes due to several variables. Recoil is a major one but also the ability to handle the wind. So is there a difference between break barrels and fixed barrels not really. Yes perhaps after fifty years the break barrel may wear where the underlever won't but rebuild either. Much depends more on the individual rifle two consecutive serial number rifles can shoot differently tolerance stack ups in manufacturing. Actually my HW30s at thirty yards shoot better the my Air Arms and so does any of my R9s, 98 of HW50. Even my FWB124. Tuning and choice of spring power vs caliber and lock time are the more critical features. I would suggest that people watch Sy Pittaway shooting on RU-vid. His last video was a HW50 with a high level tune. Sorry Tyler but I usually go to Krale a HW50 is only $265 plus shipping. This would be a great gun as a starter. The truth is you'll have more in a tune and a decent scope and if you need to change a stock add more.

Ps.. Best underlever airrifles are the tx200 and the walther lgu.. Both have rotary pistons to take the torque out of the spring on let off... Both better the 97k.. Watch vhtv channel for more info.

can you do a review on the hatsan 125 sniper vortex gas piston I really like that gun because I have that I like break barrel a little more than a PCP can I please see a review on this gun

I’ve had really good luck with Gamo guns. Maybe I am just good at shooting them. I’ve gotten .80” at 50 yards with my .22 swarm. Even cheaper games have always given me good groups

Something he said about the gamo swarm, about how light it is and not getting accuracy, but something askew with that idea is that that is not a benchrest gun, it's an offhand gun, and steadying a 9 or ten pound gun can get very tiring and with a 6 pound gun you can get better accuracy offhand and have longer shooting sessions/hunts before you lose your steady. Something to consider, not to say they are comparable to a heavy benchrest fixed barrel when they are shot offhand, just that shooting that off the bags would actually kill your accuracy with a light and powerful spring rifle.

GR8 vid, Tyler Patner ! Thank you kindly for the confirmation. : ) Was wondering, which is newer, the Gamo CFR model, or, The Gamo ACCU model, &, is one more accurate than the other ? Also, a pcp question... might you know of a magazine system that can be installed on the Webley Raider .22cal models ?? Thanks again. David

Have you or anyone you know ever did a review on " Ruger Air Magnum .22 break barrel " ? It's advertisment says it produces 1200 fps alloy and 1000 fps lead ! I want to know how close it comes to that mark with lead ? Wonder what it would have done next to the Sumatra 2500 *Dream Rifle* !?.

Got a Gamo 1000,modified the trigger with a spring and grub nut,scope cost more than the rifle at 75 M the grouping is way tighter than demonstrated here.Ibis bird at 100m is a dead duck,

Hubby and my self are hugely in to PCPs but we have a special spot for high quality springers. They keep us in tip top shape for shooting PCPs as when you get in to the custom .257s shooting slugs and .30s (and larger) the guns start to become "hold sensitive" not in the normal way of you thinking hold sensitive but rather they become touchy. Our RAW HM1000X LRT .357 is one of those guns. It wants to be shot with almost zero grip pressure but shouldered firmly. If you grip it at all you will cause groups to open up and POI to shift a fair bit at a 100y. Our HM1000X LRT .22, 25 and 30 don't care what so ever like a powder burner. Our Impacts and crowns are the same they just don't care but one of the most accurate guns we own at a 100y the FX Boss is and wants to be shot one way and one way only. When you do your part the gun will reward you with groups that still shock me to this day. Springers teach this consistency and it carries over to PCP guns for sure. We have a resprung 20ftlb HW97KT .22 and this is our training gun and we each shoot a few hundred shots a week thru it just to stay razor sharp because that gun will 100% show you any inconsistencies when shooting Off the Bench slightly more grip pressure slightly less grip pressure titer or looser shouldering of the gun even just cheek placement or cheek pressure and group size as well as point of impact well absolutely be seen if you're not 100% consistent with that gun. And that's why we use it because our TX200 are much much less fussy and don't visually show inconsistencies like it does and that absolutely transfers over to other Shooting Sports

Good comparison ,now does anyone in the forum have any experiance with Stoeger F 40 in 22 ,what were your thoughts ?

Just putting this out there but I have a Gamo hornet maxxim 0.177 caliber and shoots really well it shoots Gamo red fire pellets 7.8 gr (cheap pellets for a cheap gun) but it will shoot 1” shot groups at 25 and 30 yd I’ve also taken many squirrels, rabbits, doves, etc. and it hits its mark every time. But after reading the comments it seems like I just got a good one.

Interesting video my 1990 hw77k is extremely accurate

My question is How to you lube the under levers short of a complete tear down i have an older Stutzen and always wondered

Hw95k for me just bought one anyway and think it's great and very accurate

thank you.

I savvy break barrel and how they function. Show us an under lever loading.

I Have a RWS#350 Diana Magnum.. In .177 at 1350 Fps..IThink It's Tops For Me..Heavy At 8.5 Lbs..Finish..Accuracy..Excellent...Your Thoughts..It Is Classified As A Hunting Airgun..I Love steel Tip Ammo..Great German Gun..Got Mine For $300.00..Lists New At $400+..Your Thoughts??

Hi Tyler, What R9 model is that? I cannot find it in Pyramyd Air.

Pyramyd Air has just given rebirth to this video so it is the first time I have seen it. I have shot at least 20 different break barrels and 4 different underlever rifles. There is a reason that in the end I kept an underlever (Weihrauch HW97K) for myself and sold the others in my airgun store. It is heavy but hyper-accurate and a beautifully machined rifle. The flip side is you could buy 3 pretty decent break barrels for what the Weihrauch cost. So in the end the question becomes do you just want to have fun shooting cans at 20 yards and missing 1/3 of the shots you try for at 30+ yards or do you want the kind of consistency and accuracy that allows field target shooters to thread-the-needle at 45+ yards in competitions? The cost factor has to be balanced against the joy of shooting a truly fine and accurate rifle. Meantime, and this was not mentioned, I have found that whether break barrel or underlever, spring guns (yes, gas rams are lumped in as springers) are more pellet picky than PCPs over-all. I have a Hatsan Proxima that couldn't hit the side of a building with the first 10-12 pellet selections I put thru it. About the time I was thinking I had a lemon I hit on the right pellet and suddenly I was nearly stacking pellets at 20 yards and hitting sub 1/2" groups at 30. Same has held true for most of the break barrels I've prepped for people. You need a nice big pile of different pellets to find what the gun likes. If all you've done is pick up some Crosman domes and Gamo pointed tip (almost never accurate) pellets at the local Walmart you can expect to be one of the folks who tells everyone that break barrels just aren't accurate rifles. Get the right pellets, learn the correct hold, and you can put some really tight groups down range with almost any of these rifles.

I like both I'm a proud owner of the airarms tx200hc and the hatsan 125 sniper

does the weihrauch come in vortex ? my gamo bone collector in 177 does 1" @ 25 yards, thats abt as far as i shoot with it...now my hatsan 125 vortex & 135 22cal 25cal does nickel size at 30 & 40 yards easy ...great video & advice also

I'm getting half inch groups at thirty yards out of my HW80 using RWS supermags. Don't understand why your R9 group was so sloppy? perhaps my 11.4 ftlbs shoots sweeter due to less recoil?

nice

Thank you for the video, I have a .22 HW80k which has been tuned by Sandwell Field Sports, it is so smooth to shoot, cock / reload and the accuracy is incredible. I believe we are lucky here in the UK to have air gun tuners who really know what they are doing as many US guys seem unable to find good tuners. Keep the vids coming, ATB from the Staffordshire Moorlands in the UK.

Thus was the first time I have heard of an underlever

Why not compare the HW97 with the HW98...that would be a better comparison than using the HW95

just wondering 'how does the hatsan 125 stack up on that test

Tyler, excellent review...did you use the artillery hold or did you rest the rifles on the bean bags?

Why are you using different weight pellets on the break vs under barrel

I know which it more accurate. But, can an under lever produce as much power as a break barrel? I hunt so a little more accuracy could be a good thing, but can a under lever .177 produce a comparable power output to my gamo magnum with 10.5gr or heavier pellets? Pcp is nothing ill ever want to own either.

I need a good cheap scope for a Hatsan 1000X Spring Striker .22 . Preferable with the light cross hairs and range finder . Any recommendations?

Just bought the hw97kt and i have found it faultless . Ok apart from its dam heavy .

My Best,Browning underlever in .177 ,,when I am in good mood it shoots like laser,,,Do a American Classic 1377&1322 ,that's always fun 😂

Gd video, what scopes are on the air rifles, looking to upgrade

All my HW break barrels are as accurate as my HW97. The HW98 is the best break barrel money can buy for precision shooting. Cheers!

Good video. On June 20, 2017, you did a video on Diana 350 N-Tec and at 45 yards you said it grouped 5/8 inch, beating out the underlevers. I'm curious why you didn't include the 350 N-Tec for comparison. I would buy the Diana 350 N-Tec if it came with a sound suppressor.

Got a Weihrauch hw85 break neck and a Gamo CFX underlever. I'll take the hw85 over the CFX every time. It is al in the workmanship and the magical Rekord trigger of the hw85. Now in the market for a hw77 or a hw97.

Would a hever scope give you better accuracy

He a .22 version of the gamo on display with the green band.

why 2 different grain pellets for the beeman and weihrauch ??

I was hoping to see my underlever on here going through a test the Hatsan 155 Vortex 25Cal. Its accurate gun in its own rights.

Enjoyed the video but dump the Gamo break barrel and throw a Diana 34 T06 Classic into the mix then try again. While I would love to own either the R9 or the 97 I do own 2 RWS 34T06 Classics in .177 and consistently get

Sir suggest me a hunting pellet in.177 on 860 fps gun with knocked down power and which grain . Jsb heades have knocked down power?

Have a Beeman Rs2 .22 break barrel, best pellet gun I have ever owned for $100 bucks. My dad even likes to use it on gophers. He also has a .22 LR carbine rifle and he says my pellet gun is actually HEAVIER than the real one, which is what he likes about it, not sure If I am getting it back anytime soon now lol.

I have the HW77with the Mach V upgrade, any comparison to the 97,?

Beeman is Weihrauch patent US clone. Weihrauch,German engineering at its best. Germany makes the best air rifles in my honest experience. Feinwerkbau,Diana Rws,Weihrauch etc,you can,t go wrong with these quality Air rifles. The disadvantage of underlevers is the weight. Also looking at the video,l can see all the rifles are brand new,and some Air rifles have a +- 500 shot breaking in period,in order to start shooting,at optimal accuracy. Happy Air gunning🔫👍.

Come-on Patner you're making the 97 look bad ha!! Nice vid thought!!

Airarms Pro sport rocks.

Great video, but the conclusion that Underlever beats break-barrel seems unsupported by the test results. Other factors such as weight, pellet choice, quality, and technique are much more decisive. Given that a break-barrel is much more convenient, and therefore will be used more, and substantially cheaper (HW50/95 vs 97) it is the better choice. A mortal being will not perform better with an underlever until they have years of experience. If ever.

Sir can u ships the beretta M92fs air gun to india??

Are you referring to gas pistons as spring guns in this video or are they all actually spring driven? Also, i was a bit confused. you stated your question as " is a cheap underlever better than expensive break barrel", but you tested an expensive underlever vs a cheaper break barrel? Also with different pellets for each? Ive had wonderful luck with Gamo, and I have the NP2 trail right now. Its very satisfactory, though the quality control left me with some issues, including a canted sight rail. Id like to see the accuracy test between the R9 and the swarm. do the gimmicks affect performanace?

I have a break barrel and I like it... However I just ordered a Gamo Accu 22 from Pyramyd Air a week ago and they keep pushing the expected in stock date back! When I first wanted to order it it said they were expected to be in stock in the middle of October.... Now the website says December 25th What gives!? I want that under lever!