Airguns have physical limitations that make them operate very differently from traditional firearms. To have a powerful airgun, you need pressure, volume, and enough barrel length for all that to work. This makes it much harder for a pellet pistol verses an air rifle. They have limited space for a high-pressure cylinder, limited volume for that cylinder, and much shorter barrels. But that doesn’t mean that some really cool, powerful, and accurate pellet pistols aren’t out there. Let’s look at our picks for the most powerful pellet pistol in each power plant option: springer (which also includes gas ram air pistols), pump pneumatic, and PCP.
Most Powerful Springer Pellet Pistol
Perhaps the most challenging of all the categories is the springer. Spring airguns make their power by pushing a seal down a compression chamber which builds up pressure behind the pellet. When that pressure hits critical mass, the pellet fires out of the barrel. There’s a fixed volume of air and a fixed velocity for the piston to generate the pressure. Our top pick in this category does a great job making the most at its disposal. The Diana LP8 is a spring-powered, German-made pellet pistol that delivers up to 700 FPS in .177. While that may not seem like a lot, it is, especially when you are making it from an air pistol.
The Diana LP8 has been around for a long time and continues to deliver a wonderful shooting experience. It can take out pests and even small game with good shoots at appropriate distances. Its all-metal construction and German build quality, make it a worthwhile investment for any airgunner looking to add a powerful pellet pistol to their collection.
Most Powerful Pump Pneumatic Pellet Pistols
There’s really only one king of the pump pneumatic air pistols, and that’s the Crosman 13xx variants. It comes in both .177 and .22 and is named the 1377 and 1322, respectively. The 1322 is the more powerful of the two so let’s focus on that model.
The 1322 has been around for decades and has what some would consider a cult following. There are hundreds of 3rd party mods for this platform, primarily because it’s so easy to work on. In addition, enthusiasts have been transforming their stock 1322s into airgun works of art for years, some of which are really impressive.
Under the hood of all these still lies the heart of the vulnerable 1322, which can generate up to 540 FPS in .22 caliber. With exceptional accuracy and decades of proven dependability, it’s an easy choice for our top, high-powered, pump-pneumatic pellet pistol.
Most Powerful PCP Pellet Pistols
Like air rifles, the PCP power system provides the most power shooters can get from their air pistols. There are many great options for us to consider. The Ataman AP16 is an expensive option with a multi-shot magazine and side lever action. The long version can generate close to 20 foot-pounds across 21 shots.
There’s also the Weihrauch HW44 in .22 which can generate up to 700 FPS with lead pellets. Also expensive, the HW44 includes a rotary magazine and side lever action like the AP16.
For more budget-minded shooters, there’s the Benjamin Marauder. This .22 caliber air pistol is adjustable up to about 16 foot-pounds and has a rear bolt and eight-shot magazine.
But topping our list of the most powerful pellet pistol in the PCP category, we have to tip our hats to the AirForce Talon P .25 caliber. It’s simply in another class and pushes 25.4 grain .25 cal pellets upwards of 900 FPS. Moreover, at over 40 foot-pounds, the Talon P exceeds all the other air pistols we currently have on our site.
Looking for More?
If you are still looking for that perfect pellet pistol, maybe for hunting, then check out our article on what exactly you can hunt with an air pistol. And if you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to call us. We are always here to help.
