17-Sep-2026
There is a particular kind of airgunner who has no interest in charging bottles, regulators, or electronic triggers. They want a rifle that is ready to shoot the moment it comes out of the slip, that will still be shooting in forty years, and that rewards good technique with real accuracy. For that shooter, the underlever spring rifle is the answer, and it always has been.
The underlever’s advantage over a break-barrel is simple: the barrel is fixed to the action, so the sights or scope never move relative to the bore. Cocking is done by a lever beneath the barrel, which also gives a longer, smoother stroke and a lower cocking effort for the same power. The trade-off is weight and a slightly slower reload, which is why underlevers have always been the choice of the target-minded hunter rather than the walk-about plinker.
The UK has an unusually strong tradition here, from BSA’s tap-loading Airsporter of the 1940s to the Air Arms TX200 that still sets the standard today. This guide compares the underlevers British shooters actually search for and buy, grouped by budget, so you can find the one that fits your shooting and your wallet.
Budget and classic: BSA Airsporter, Gold Star and the used market
For many British airgunners, the first underlever they ever handled was a BSA Airsporter, and the model is still the most searched-for BSA on Rightgun.uk. Made in Birmingham from the late 1940s until the 1990s, it uses a rotating tap in the breech: you lift the lever, drop a pellet into the tap, close it, and fire. Early examples are collectors’ pieces; later Mk 6 and Mk 7 versions and the S and RB2 variants are still perfectly usable field rifles, and a tidy used one costs very little.
BSA’s later underlevers are worth knowing about too. The Superstar was the underlever sibling of the Supersport, with a sliding breech rather than a tap, and the Gold Star was BSA’s multi-shot underlever, a rare thing in a springer. Both are strong used buys if you can find one that has been looked after, and BSA’s parts network makes them easy to keep going.
If you want a modern underlever at the cheaper end, Gamo’s CFX and its derivatives use a rotary breech and offer plenty of power for the money, though the trigger and finish will not match the German or British guns above them.
Who it suits: the shooter on a budget, anyone who enjoys old British engineering, and first-time underlever buyers who want to learn the type without spending four figures.
Browse: BSA Airsporter · BSA Gold Star · BSA air rifles · Gamo air rifles · Diana air rifles
Mid-range: Weihrauch HW77 and HW97K
Weihrauch’s HW77 arrived in the early 1980s and changed what people expected from a spring rifle. It was heavy, beautifully made and, crucially, accurate enough to win field-target competitions against anything then available. The HW97K that followed is essentially the same action in a shorter, carbine format with a shrouded barrel, and it has become the more popular of the two.
Both use a sliding-breech underlever with an automatic safety, both take the full range of Weihrauch tuning kits, and both are built to a standard that makes a twenty-year-old example a completely sensible purchase. The HW97K is the one to pick if you want a compact hunting rifle for ratting and rabbits; the HW77 suits the shooter who prefers a longer sight base and open sights. Either will happily group inside an inch at 30 yards from a rest.
Weihrauch’s quality control is famously consistent, and used prices are a step below Air Arms for a rifle that many shooters consider its equal.
Who it suits: the hunter or plinker who wants German build quality and the biggest choice of aftermarket parts of any springer on the market.
Browse: Weihrauch HW97 · Weihrauch HW77 · Weihrauch air rifles · Weihrauch moderators · Thermal and optics
Mid-range alternative: Walther LGU
Walther’s LGU is the underlever most British shooters overlook, and it deserves better. Launched to compete directly with the HW97K and TX200, it shares the fixed-barrel, sliding-breech layout and adds a very good trigger and a stock that fits most adults well straight out of the box. Search interest in the LGU has been growing on Rightgun.uk this year, and used examples are noticeably cheaper than the equivalent Weihrauch or Air Arms.
The LGU is a large, heavy rifle, which counts against it for long walks but in its favour on the bench: the mass soaks up recoil and makes it very forgiving of a less-than-perfect hold. The LGV is Walther’s break-barrel cousin, worth mentioning only because searchers often confuse the two.
Who it suits: the value-conscious buyer who wants TX200-class accuracy and does not mind an unfashionable badge.
Browse: Walther LGU · Walther Rotex RM8 · Weihrauch HW97 · Air Arms TX200 · Gun parts and accessories
Premium: Air Arms TX200 and Pro-Sport
If there is one rifle that defines the modern underlever, it is the Air Arms TX200. Built in Sussex, it has been the benchmark spring rifle for hunter field target since the 1990s and remains the most searched-for air rifle on Rightgun.uk, ahead of every PCP. The reasons are the same as they were thirty years ago: a superb two-stage trigger, a smooth, quiet firing cycle that needs no tuning, and a level of finish that makes German rifles look plain.
The TX200 comes in full-length and HC carbine versions, with beech or walnut stocks, and in .177 and .22. The Pro-Sport is the same action dressed in a slimmer sporting stock with the cocking lever hidden inside the fore-end, which makes it slightly harder to cock but noticeably more elegant. Choose the TX200 for competition and the Pro-Sport if you shoot mostly in the field and value looks.
Second-hand values are high, which tells you everything about how well these rifles last. A used TX200 with a scope is one of the safest purchases in airgunning.
Who it suits: the shooter who wants the best springer available, whether for HFT competition or serious hunting.
Browse: Air Arms TX200 · Air Arms Pro-Sport · Air Arms air rifles · Air Arms accessories · BSA Airsporter
Underlever vs break-barrel vs PCP: Which is right for you?
A break-barrel is lighter, cheaper, and faster to reload, and for casual plinking it is hard to beat. The underlever’s fixed barrel gives better scope stability and, in the better guns, a smoother firing cycle. Both run on nothing but a spring or gas ram, so there is no bottle to fill and nothing to go flat on a cold morning.
A PCP is more accurate still, recoilless and usually multi-shot, but it needs a pump or dive bottle and a regulator to keep shots consistent. Many experienced shooters keep one of each: a PCP for pest control at range and an underlever for the pure pleasure of shooting. If you only want one rifle, and you want it to last a lifetime with nothing more than an occasional spring and seal, the underlever is the one.
Browse: Air Arms TX200 · Weihrauch HW97 · Walther LGU · BSA Gold Star · All air guns
FAQ
What is the best underlever air rifle in the UK? For most shooters, the Air Arms TX200 is the benchmark, with the Weihrauch HW97K a close and cheaper second. The Walther LGU is the value pick, and a BSA Airsporter is the classic choice.
Is an underlever better than a break-barrel? For accuracy with a scope, generally yes, because the barrel never moves. For weight, price, and speed of reload the break-barrel wins. The underlever is the better choice for the shooter who cares more about groups than convenience.
Are BSA underlever air rifles still worth buying? Yes. The Airsporter, Superstar and Gold Star were all well made, spares and seals are still available, and used prices are low. Check the tap or sliding breech seals and the mainspring, both of which are cheap to replace.
Do I need a licence for an underlever air rifle? In England and Wales a sub-12 ft lb air rifle needs no licence, though you must be over 18 to buy one. In Scotland, an air weapon certificate is required. Above 12 ft lb any air rifle needs a firearm certificate.
Find your underlever on Rightgun.uk
From a hundred-pound Airsporter to a walnut-stocked TX200, Rightgun.uk lists new and used underlever air rifles from dealers and private sellers across the UK. Compare Air Arms, Weihrauch, Walther and BSA side by side, filter by calibre, and contact sellers directly. Browse air rifles for sale now.
Further reading: Air Arms TX200 vs Weihrauch HW97K, Air Arms TX200 vs Pro-Sport, Walther LGU review, Best spring air rifles UK and Spring vs PCP airguns.
