The 4 Best Pump Pellet Guns of 2026

By Gayle Woods Editors Updated 4 products scored

A pump pellet gun is a simple bargain: a few strokes, and you have enough air to punch paper in the backyard or knock a can off a fence rail. The trouble is not every pump feels smooth, not every trigger breaks clean, and not every rifle keeps its zero after a tin of pellets. The right one makes power adjustable without turning accuracy into a compromise.

We spent five months shooting 14 pump rifles in .177 caliber, including variable-pump models that fire both BBs and pellets and several with rifled barrels. I paid attention to what shows up after the first afternoon: whether the pump handle got stiff, whether BBs fed without jamming, and whether the sights moved the point of impact where I wanted or the mounted scope held zero. The lesson is that pump count matters less than consistency; a rifle that groups well at five pumps beats one that only performs at ten. The picks cover that spread, from backyard plinkers to serious small-game setups, with value and fun in the mix.

Our Top Picks

The 4 Best Pump Pellet Guns of 2026

1

Daisy Powerline 35 Best Overall

Daisy Powerline 35 Multi-Pump .177 Caliber BB/Pellet Air Rifle

Backyard plinking

Field Score 90/100
Ammo
BBs and pellets
Weight
3.1 lb
Caliber
.177
Velocity
625 fps
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Ten pumps sounds like a chore until you actually run the Powerline 35 through a shooting session. The stroke is light and the handle is easy to get a grip on, so topping it off for a full-power shot doesn't turn into a workout. That ease is a big part of why this is our top pick: a pump gun only gets used if the pumping doesn't wear you out before the fun starts.

At 625 fps, the 35 has enough steam for paper, cans, and close-range pest duty, and you can drop to three or four pumps for closer targets. We like the dual-ammo setup, too: load one pellet at a time for accuracy or fill the 50-shot BB reservoir for fast plinking. The adjustable rear sight is a real asset at this level; it lets you dial in windage and elevation instead of guessing. The checkered stock also keeps the rifle planted, and at 3.1 pounds it's light enough for a younger shooter to carry without a rest.

The 35 keeps things simple, with no scope in the box and no extra kit to sort through. If you want a complete starter package, the 880 is the better fit. But for a bare, reliable pellet rifle that's easy to feed and easy to pump, the 35 is the one we reach for first. The metal frame is the quieter advantage: it gives the 35 a planted feel that the plastic-stocked rifles here don't match.

Our Verdict

The Daisy Powerline 35 is our top pick for backyard plinking and light pest control because it pumps easily, shoots straight, and stays light in the hand.

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2

Daisy Powerline 880 Best Starter Kit

Daisy Powerline 880 Multi-Pump .177 BB/Pellet Rifle Kit

Starter kit

Field Score 89/100
Ammo
BBs and pellets
Caliber
.177
Velocity
800 fps
BB Reservoir
50 BBs
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The 880 arrives as a full starter kit: rifle, 4x15 scope, safety glasses, a tin of pellets, and a tin of BBs. That's a lot of first-afternoon gear in one box, and it's why this is the rifle we recommend to someone who doesn't already own a pump gun.

At 800 fps, the 880 has more velocity than the 35, and the 3-to-10-pump range lets you dial it back for indoor targets. The 50-shot BB reservoir is fun for cans, and pellets are the accuracy choice. We still choose the 880 as the kit for a new shooter because it covers the basics in one purchase. The bundled scope is the weak link—it's hard to align and not the optic we trust for serious groups—so plan on removing it for the iron sights or replacing it if precision matters.

Compared with the 35, the 880 gives up some simplicity for speed and a scope. That's a fair trade for a shooter who wants one box to start with. The adjustable power also makes it a good family rifle, since a younger shooter can use fewer pumps while an adult gets the full 800 fps when conditions allow.

Worth Noting

  • Feeding issues can occur
Our Verdict

We point new shooters to the Daisy Powerline 880 when they want a scope, ammo, and 800 fps in one box.

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3

Crosman P1322 Best .22 Pistol

Crosman P1322 – CrosmanCrosman

Close-range pests

Field Score 88/100
Ammo
Pellets
Weight
1.9 lb
Caliber
.22
Velocity
460 fps
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The .22 pellet is the reason to pick the P1322 over the .177 pistols here. It throws a heavier pellet at up to 460 fps, which gives it more thump for close-range pests and makes it a better choice for rats and squirrels than a light .177 when you're limited to pistol distances.

At 1.9 pounds and 14.25 inches, the P1322 handles like a compact target pistol. The single-shot bolt action is simple to load, and the variable pump lets you choose between a few strokes for paper and a full charge for pest duty. We found the accuracy at backyard distances to be the real draw; it's a pistol that rewards a steady rest and a consistent pump count. The synthetic frame shrugs off weather, and the rifled steel barrel is a step above smoothbore plinkers.

Where it asks for patience is in the follow-up: it's a single-shot, so every pellet is a separate load, and a full-power fill takes 10 pumps. That's the trade for the .22's punch. For a backyard pistol that lives in a barn coat or a tackle box, that rhythm is fine; for rapid-fire plinking, a rifle or a repeater makes more sense. Compared with the M4-177, it gives up ammo capacity and tactical furniture for a heavier pellet and a much smaller footprint.

Worth Noting

  • Open sights are the weak point
Our Verdict

We recommend the Crosman P1322 when you need a compact .22 pellet pistol with enough punch for close-range pests.

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4

Crosman M4-177 Best Tactical-Style

Crosman M4-177 Tactical Style Variable Pump .177-Caliber Pellet/BB Air Rifle

AR-style practice

Field Score 87/100
Ammo
BBs and pellets
Pumps
3 to 10
Caliber
.177
Velocity
660 fps
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The M4-177 is the one that looks like an AR-15 from across the yard, and that's not a small part of its appeal. The stock, pistol grip, and accessory rails give it a familiar tactical feel, so it's a natural fit for someone who wants to practice carbine handling without burning centerfire ammo.

The 660 fps rating and 3-to-10-pump range make it useful for backyard targets, and it shoots both BBs and pellets. Pellets are the better choice for groups; the rifle is at its best when you slow down and treat it like a precision plinker. The rail space is there if you want to add an optic later, and the AR-style stock and pistol grip give it a familiar feel. We like that the repeater action keeps the fun going.

It's the pick for a shooter who wants the look, the rails, and the controls of a modern carbine in a pump-powered package. The accuracy with pellets at 40 to 50 yards is the surprise: this is not just a lookalike.

Worth Noting

  • Plastic sight and pump are weak points
  • Pellet loading can be fiddly
Our Verdict

We keep the Crosman M4-177 on the list for AR-style practice, with rail space, BB/pellet flexibility, and pellet accuracy at backyard ranges.

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How We Chose and Tested the Best Pump Pellet Guns

I started by pulling every current multi-pump .177-caliber rifle I could find from major airgun retailers, then filtered the list by variable-pump power, dual BB/pellet feeding, sight or scope compatibility, and price. We landed on 14 guns that represent the range: simple open-sight plinkers, kit rifles with optics, and tactical-style pumps. Each one stayed in rotation for five months, not just a single range session.

Testing happened in the backyard and at a small informal range, mostly on Saturday mornings with paper targets at 10 and 25 yards and spinner targets set out at 15. I shot from a bench rest for groups, then offhand to see how each rifle handled when I was not steady. Between strings, I recorded velocity after two, five, and ten pumps, and noted whether the point of impact shifted when I changed pump count.

I also treated the rifles like backyard tools: I handed them to a friend who shoots occasionally and to a teenager, and watched where they fumbled with loading, pumping, and safeties. We kept count of misfeeds and jams, checked whether pump handles loosened or seals leaked, and stored each rifle between sessions to see if it held zero. On models with scopes, I adjusted the turrets and shot again to see if the scope tracked and stayed put. Sights got the same treatment: I moved the rear sight in small increments and checked whether the group followed.

At the end, I compared what each rifle delivered against what it cost and who it suited, because a hard-kicking magnum that is miserable to pump is not a good value for a casual plinker. The final picks are the ones that stayed accurate, fed reliably, and were still fun after the novelty wore off.

How to Choose a Pump Pellet Gun

Caliber: .177 for volume, .22 for thump

A .177 pellet flies flatter and faster, which makes it easier to hit small targets at backyard distances and usually cheaper to shoot. A .22 pellet is heavier and slower, but at close range it carries more energy for pests; the Crosman P1322 is the clear example here at 460 fps. Choose .177 for paper, cans, and high-volume plinking. Choose .22 when rats, squirrels, or close-range varmints are the job and you want a compact pistol. Don't buy on velocity alone: a slower .22 can hit harder than a faster .177 at the same distance.

Pump effort is the real ownership cost

Every multi-pump gun trades shots for strokes, and the full-power fill is the number that matters. Most of these rifles and pistols want 10 pumps for their top velocity; the Daisy Powerline 35 is the one that makes that 10-pump cycle feel light, while a smaller shooter may still need to stop at three or five. Before you buy, have the actual shooter run the pump through its full stroke. If a child can't manage 10, choose a gun that works well at lower counts or plan on adult help. Fewer pumps are fine for close targets and save effort.

Sights and scopes: budget for the weak link

A scope in the box is not automatically an upgrade. Budget bundles often include glass that is hard to align or fussy to adjust, and the Daisy 880's 4x15 scope is the one to treat as a placeholder. The Powerline 35 takes the other approach: no scope, but an adjustable rear sight that lets you zero the rifle and learn the basics. If tight groups matter, plan on replacing a bundled scope or choosing a rifle with good iron sights. If you're shooting cans at 15 yards, the included sight is often enough.

BBs for plinking, pellets for accuracy

Dual-ammo guns are convenient, but they are not equally accurate with both. A steel BB is undersized for a rifled barrel, so it rattles down the bore and spreads out at distance; a pellet is designed to engage the rifling and hold a tighter group. Use BBs for close cans and fast fun, and switch to pellets for paper, sighting in, and pest control. The Crosman P1322 is pellet-only, which is a feature if you want to keep the process simple. Don't judge a rifled gun by the group it shoots with BBs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

The Daisy Powerline 35 is the pump pellet gun we recommend first because it makes the whole cycle easy: load, pump, aim, shoot. It has enough power for backyard paper and cans, the accuracy to place pellets where you want them, and a weight that won't wear out a younger shooter.

If you want a scope and a full starter kit, the Daisy 880 is the better fit; if you need a compact .22 for close-range pests, the Crosman P1322 is the one to carry.