"WCT_Editor"I don't know much about the different countries laws, so first off I'd suggest looking into that before doing anything else since you're talking about traveling with it. For instance, it is my understanding that in Canada you can't have any type of LDC or moderator (I may be wrong, but speaking with someone from Ontario last month this was his answer to my question) and in the UK, it's my understanding that you're limited to under 12 FPE without an FAC license which is going to restrict caliber choice. I don't know if a non-resident can even 1) legally shoot pests in England without going through a guide service, 2) get an FAC license without going through a guide service, or 3) even use your own air rifle. After all, what's the point of getting an air rifle if you can't use it.
Once you know if there are any limits on what you can use, then you can look at what your maximum distance is going to be. While getting a .25 or .30 caliber may be great if you plan on shooting 75 or 100 yard bench rest competitions, if your maximum shot is going to be 15-20 yards, most .177, .20 or .22 are going to work just fine. Note that if you do have a 12 lb limit that a .22 is going to have more of an arc that the .177 due to the heavier pellet which can make shooting through certain obstacles more difficult. Regardless of design or gadgets, the important part is being able to put the pellet where the pellet needs to go. This means creating a shooting system that incorporates the air rifle, optics, and pellet selection that best fits what you're looking for.
In terms of travel, there are several air rifles available that can be broken down into smaller units making it easier to transport in some situations. This may or may not be something to look at as each person has their own requirements.
One of the issues with PCP air rifles rarely talked about is the air itself. Unlike other types of air rifles, you'll need some sort of air supply in order to use the air rifle. Based on your style and how you want to do things, you may want to look at systems that have replaceable bottles or cylinders so you can carry several with you and swap them out when necessary or even one that has a built in pump. Or, you may want to choose one that is easy to fill with a hand pump (my understanding is that traveling with a hand pump is easier as when you travel with cylinders or bottles you'll have to empty them and then find a place to a place to fill them at your destination site). While certain pumps are easier to work than others, I can say first hand it is easier to fill an air rifle with a smaller cylinder and low PSI (65cc @ 2600 PSI) than a larger cylinder with a high PSI (215cc @ 3000 PSI). Personally, I prefer using carbon fiber tanks as I have over 10 PCPs and it just makes life easier for me when shooting at home. I am looking at traveling in the future with some of them and this does become a concern.
Additionally, other features you should look at include power adjustment, unregulated vs regulated, magazine, and cocking action.
Power adjustment comes in handy when you need low power for small game in confined spaces while turning it up gives you the ability to reach out and touch your target. Some air rifles have switches or dials that allow maximum, medium and then a minimum power while others have a knob you turn and can control the amount between maximum and minimum.
Regulators help with consistency with the amount of air used with each shot. The best way to think of this is that an unregulated gun is going to have a shot string that looks more like a bell curve whereas a regulator is going to look more like a polygraph without spikes. I highly recommend downloading Chairgun Pro and playing with it with different pellet weights and advertised velocities so you can see how the air rifle may perform.
For me, after the power plant, the major difference between gas ram/spring piston and PCP is the ability to have multiple shots. Not all PCPs offer this feature so it may be something to consider if you're going to be doing anything that may require a quick follow-up shot. Also, not all magazines are made equally. Some are very easy to use and sturdy while others are more complex and some of the most expenses pieces of plastic you'll ever buy.
Lastly, with cocking action you have two choices, bolt or side lever. Some bolts take a lot of force to pull back to cock the air rifle which can result in a double feed if you don't remove the magazine when you go to cock and seat the bolt home a second time, while others don't require as much. In my experience, it is common to have to break your check weld when using bolts although with the right setup, it isn't always necessary. With target shooting this isn't that big an issue but when hunting, it can be as it may have been difficult to get your optics on the animal the first time and if you raise up you'll run the risk of losing it. Cocking levers for me are much easier to use than bolts and can allow for constant check weld. This means when I miss the first shot or two or need to do a follow up shot, I can keep the animal in the optics while cycling another pellet into the barrel. However, based on design, the lever may be slightly above and behind the trigger (generally on full size air rifles), all the way at the back (common with bullpups) or even towards the front (as on the Galahad). Again, these slight differences may have you lean one way or the other as you don't have all of these options with spring/gas piston air rifles.
There are several other differences as well such as anti-double feed options, magazine storage, single shot trays, and cut/adjustability of stocks but again, none of this matters if you can't use the air rifle in the country you want to use it in.
