21-Sep-2026
Buying second-hand is the single best value decision in British airgunning. A well-kept used rifle from a respected maker will usually out-shoot a brand new budget springer costing the same money, and because the good names hold their value, you can move it on later without losing much. The trouble is knowing which used rifles are worth chasing and which ones are somebody else’s problem.
This guide breaks the second-hand air rifle market into realistic UK budget brackets and names the models that consistently reward buyers. It is written for the person who has decided to buy used and now wants to know where to point their money.
What to check before you buy any used air rifle
Condition matters more than age with air rifles. A 1980s springer that has been looked after will shoot better than a five-year-old rifle that has been dieselled, dry-fired and left damp in a slip.
Start with the obvious. Look down the barrel from the breech towards the light and check for pitting or a dull, frosted bore. On a break-barrel, close the action and try to wobble the barrel side to side, a little movement is normal on older guns, a lot suggests a worn breech pivot. Check the stock for cracks through the wrist and around the action screws, which are the expensive places for wood to fail.
On a PCP, the key questions are about the air system. Ask when the cylinder or bottle was last tested, whether the rifle holds air overnight, and whether it has ever been stripped. A PCP that leaks down over a few days needs seals, which is a routine job but one you should price in. On a springer, listen for a twang or a harsh, buzzy firing cycle; both point to a tired mainspring, and a full service kit is far cheaper than a new rifle.
Finally, shoot it if you can, or at least cock and fire it a dozen times to feel the consistency. Our guide to what makes an air rifle lose power covers the common causes in more detail.
Browse: Air rifles · Weihrauch air rifles · Air Arms air rifles · BSA air rifles · Gun parts and accessories
Under £200: Honest springers that still shoot
This is the bracket where second-hand buying pays off most dramatically. New money at this level buys an entry-level import; used money buys a proper British or German springer with decades left in it.
The BSA Meteor is the classic starting point. Millions were made, parts are everywhere, and a tidy example is a genuinely capable rabbit and rat rifle at sensible ranges. The BSA Supersport sits just above it, a lighter, slimmer rifle that suits smaller shooters and walked-up vermin work.
If you want something with more weight and a calmer firing cycle, look for an older Weihrauch HW50 or a Diana break-barrel. Both are simple, honest rifles that respond well to a service kit. The Webley Vulcan and similar older Webleys also turn up in this bracket and are worth a look if the stock is sound.
The thing to avoid at this level is anything that has clearly been apprentice-tuned. Home fitting of aftermarket kits is common and often badly done. An unmolested, slightly tired original is a better buy than a rifle with a bag of mystery parts.
Browse: BSA Supersport · BSA air rifles · Diana air rifles · Webley air guns · Air rifles
£200–£400: The sweet spot for used springers
Spend this much on the used market, and you are into the rifles that serious springer shooters keep for life.
The Weihrauch HW80 is the benchmark full-power break-barrel: heavy, superbly made, and almost indestructible. It is not a rifle for small hands, but for hedgerow work and static hide shooting it is hard to fault. The Weihrauch HW95 offers much of the same accuracy in a lighter, more carryable package, and the HW97K underlever is the fixed-barrel option that dominates springer field target and hunter field target lines.
From the British side, the Air Arms TX200 occasionally appears at the top of this bracket if it is an older Mk2 or a well-used Mk3. It is the rifle most often cross-shopped against the HW97K, and our TX200 versus HW97K comparison sets out the differences. The BSA Airsporter underlever is the traditional choice and has a loyal following, with well-sorted examples shooting beautifully.
All of these are rifles where a £60 service kit and an afternoon’s work, or a visit to a competent gunsmith, transforms a tired gun into a like-new one. That is exactly why they are such strong used buys.
Browse: Weihrauch HW80 · Weihrauch HW95 · Weihrauch HW97 · Air Arms TX200 · BSA Airsporter
£400–£650: Your first serious used PCP
This is where pre-charged pneumatics become realistic, and it is the bracket most spring rifle shooters eventually graduate into.
The BSA R10 is the obvious target. British-made, superbly accurate, and available in enough generations that there is usually one on the market. Earlier Mk1 and Mk2 guns sit at the bottom of this bracket and the later Mk3 and R10 SE guns at the top. The Air Arms S410 is its closest rival, a sidelever, ten-shot magazine rifle that has been the quiet workhorse of British hunting for twenty years and is exceptionally easy to live with.
Slightly older Air Arms S400 singles also appear here and are worth considering if you shoot deliberately rather than at volume. At the upper end you may find a used Weihrauch HW100, which brings German build quality and a genuinely excellent trigger.
Whatever you look at, confirm the fill probe or adaptor comes with it. Sourcing a missing probe is irritating and occasionally expensive. If you are new to PCPs, our complete air rifle buyer’s guide explains the charging kit you will need alongside the rifle.
Browse: BSA R10 · Air Arms S410 · Air Arms S510 · Weihrauch HW100 · Moderators
£650 and up: Premium PCPs at sensible money
The top of the used market is where the depreciation curve works hardest in your favour. Rifles that cost well over a thousand pounds new land in this bracket once they are a few years old, and airgun technology moves slowly enough that a five-year-old flagship is still a flagship.
Daystate rifles are the headline act, the regulated Air Wolf and Red Wolf models, and the earlier Huntsman Regal for those who prefer a traditional sporter. FX rifles from the Crown and Impact families also turn up, and they bring the barrel and tuning flexibility that makes FX such a cult brand. The Theoben Rapid remains a firm British favourite and has a strong second-hand following of its own.
Do your homework on electronics. The electronic Daystates are superb, but you want a rifle with known history, and the same applies to heavily modified FX rifles where the original configuration has been changed. A standard, documented rifle is worth paying more for.
Browse: Daystate air rifles · FX air rifles · FX DRS · Theoben Rapid · Thermal and optics
Which used air rifles hold their value best
Resale is worth thinking about even if you intend to keep the rifle. Weihrauch and Air Arms are the two names that consistently hold money in the UK; an HW97K or a TX200 bought sensibly today will owe you very little in three years. BSA’s R10 and Airsporter both have loyal followings and move quickly when priced fairly.
Value drops hardest on heavily modified rifles, on anything with an aftermarket stock that will not suit the next buyer, and on brands with a thin UK dealer network. Original condition, original furniture and a complete kit of probes, magazines and manuals are what keep a rifle liquid. For a closer look at pricing, see our second-hand air rifle value guide.
Browse: Air Arms air rifles · Weihrauch air rifles · BSA air rifles · Theoben air rifles · Safes and cabinets
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to buy a second-hand air rifle? Yes, provided you inspect it properly or buy from a seller who describes condition honestly. Air rifles are mechanically simple and almost everything that goes wrong is repairable. The main risks are a pitted barrel, a cracked stock, and on PCPs, an air cylinder of unknown age, all things you can check before committing.
How old is too old for a used air rifle? Age alone is not the issue. Well-maintained springers from the 1970s and 1980s still shoot superbly and parts remain available for the popular models. PCPs deserve a little more caution simply because seals perish and cylinders have finite service lives, so ask more questions about anything more than fifteen years old.
Are used air rifles cheaper than new ones? Considerably, and the gap is widest on premium rifles. Mid-range and flagship models typically lose a substantial slice of their value in the first couple of years and then hold steady, which is exactly why the second-hand market is the sensible place to buy quality.
What should I budget beyond the rifle itself? For a springer, allow for a scope, mounts, and pellets. For a PCP, add a pump or diving bottle and the correct fill probe, which together can be a meaningful extra cost. Factor it in before you set your rifle budget rather than after.
Start your search
The second-hand air rifle market rewards patience. Decide your bracket, pick two or three models that suit your shooting, and wait for a good example rather than settling for the first one you see. Browse current air rifle listings on Rightgun.uk to see what UK sellers have available now, or narrow straight to Weihrauch, Air Arms, or BSA if you already know which name you are after.
Further reading: Second-hand air rifle value guide, Best spring air rifles UK, Best PCP air rifles UK by budget and Air rifle maintenance guide.
