.25 PCP Hunting Rifles: Shots, Weight, and Caliber

A practical look at .25 PCP air rifles for hunting: shot count per fill, carry weight, side lever versus bolt, and which listings are not actually .25.

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.25 PCP Hunting Rifles: Shots, Weight, and Caliber

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A .25 PCP earns its place on small game when you want a heavier pellet than a .22 and you already have a way to fill the gun. The rifles below do not all do that job. Some are light side-levers, one is a big carbon-fiber bottle gun, and two listings on this page are a different caliber than the title of the guide. Match the caliber, the shot string, and how far you plan to walk before you buy.

What a .25 hunting PCP has to do

On a hunt you’re asking for a clean hit on squirrels, rabbits, and similar small game, a second shot without a fuss, and a rifle you can actually carry to the spot. A shrouded barrel matters if you’re shooting near the house or you don’t want every shot to advertise you. A regulator matters if you care that shot five feels like shot one.

Bolt, side lever, underlever, and semi-auto are different ways to get the next pellet in. None of them fixes a bad pellet or a scope that isn’t zeroed. Price the air supply with the rifle. A hand pump, a tank, or a compressor is part of the purchase, and several of these guns print very different fill pressures.

Shots per fill versus what you carry

A short string is fine for a still hunt if you can top off at the truck. It is a bad plan for a long walk with no bottle in the pack. Read the shot count next to the fill pressure, not as a slogan.

Weight is the other half. A rifle near 6 pounds carries differently than one at 9.5 pounds, even when both are .25. Folding stocks and M-LOK slots help at the bench and on the truck, and they do nothing for you if the gun is the wrong caliber.

Check the caliber on the listing

Two guns in this set are not .25s. One listing is the .30 version of a rifle that also exists in .25. Another is a .22 semi-auto built for target work and varmints. If you need .25, buy a listing whose title and size line both say .25, then confirm the magazine is the .25 magazine.

Pellets are not a detail you sort out later. The Marauder listing says pellets are not included, and a .25 magazine will not feed a .22 tin you already own.

Quick Comparison

ProductPriceAvailabilityBrandWeightColor
Benjamin Marauder PCP .25$520.49Limited quantitiesBenjamin9.5 poundsBlack
Umarex Gauntlet 2 SL25$369.99Limited quantitiesUmarex6 poundsBlack Gauntlet 2 SL25
JTS Airacuda PRS Max .30$599.99Limited quantitiesJTS Airguns8.5 poundsGreen
Hatsan TacBoss .25$1,099.00Limited quantitiesHatsan——
Barra 250z .25$499.99AvailableBarra8 poundsCamo
Commodore-S .25 Underlever Combo$266.56Limited quantitiesBeeman——
Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP$339.99AvailableSig Sauer7.5 poundsGrey

.25 PCP Air Rifle Hunting

1. Benjamin Marauder PCP .25

Start here if you want a shrouded .25 for small game and field target, and you can live with a short string between fills. Benjamin quotes up to 900 fps and 50 fpe, with up to 16 shots from a 3000 PSI fill, from an 8-shot rotary magazine. The rifled steel barrel is shrouded, the synthetic stock has an adjustable raised comb, and the bolt handle is reversible, so you can set it up for either shoulder.

At 9.5 pounds and 49 inches, this is a rifle you mostly shoot from a rest or a short walk, not one you sling all afternoon. The same feature list calls it single-shot bolt action and also an 8-shot rotary magazine, so confirm the clip is in the box before you count on follow-ups. The compressor is not included. Budget a 3000 PSI fill source, and bring your own .25 pellets.

Best for: Shrouded .25 small game with a known short string

Listed at $520.49 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.

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2. Umarex Gauntlet 2 SL25

This is the light .25 if you walk more than you sit. Umarex quotes .25 pellets at up to 1000 fps, a side lever, and a regulator meant to keep shot strength consistent. It ships with an 8-round rotary magazine, a single-shot tray, and a degassing tool, plus an adjustable cheek piece, M-LOK slots, a knurled handle, and a quick-disconnect sling mount.

The listed weight is 6 pounds, which is the reason to pick it when the shot is a hike away and you’d rather not carry a heavier hunting PCP. Umarex talks about more air and more shots than the earlier Gauntlet, but this listing never prints a shot count or a fill pressure, so price your air gear only after you confirm those numbers for the SL25.

Best for: Light .25 side-lever hunting on foot

Listed at $369.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.

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3. JTS Airacuda PRS Max .30

This is the regulated chassis rifle when you’re hunting with a .30, not when you came for a .25. On the .30 side of the spec, JTS quotes 860 fps, a 7-round magazine, and max shots per fill of 20 (.30) from a 220 cc cylinder at 3200 PSI (220 BAR). You get a rifled barrel, a Picatinny rail, a manual safety, a two-stage adjustable trigger, pressure gauges, an aluminum chassis with an adjustable stock, and two magazines.

The size line on this green rifle says .30 caliber, while the feature block also lists .22 and .25 versions, so don’t order it expecting a .25. At 8.5 pounds, with a 21.1 inch barrel and an overall length of 38.8 to 41.2 inches, it is a compact sidelever you can actually move with, as long as .30 is the caliber you meant to feed.

Best for: Regulated .30 hunting from a chassis stock

Listed at $599.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.

Check Price on Amazon


4. Hatsan TacBoss .25

This is the rifle for a long session on one fill, whether that’s hunting or a range day that turns into both. Hatsan quotes a removable 580 cc carbon-fiber bottle that fills to 250 BAR, and up to 80 to 90 shots at optimal velocity on one fill depending on caliber. The side lever is there for fast follow-ups, and QuietEnergy means a fully shrouded barrel with an integrated moderator.

The stock is a 3-way adjustable side-folding aluminum setup with an adjustable cheek rest and pistol grip, and the rails are a combo of 11 mm dovetail and 22 mm Weaver/Picatinny, plus extra accessory rails for a bipod or a scope. Listed length is 41 inches. Treat 80 to 90 as a ceiling that depends on caliber, and confirm the .25 string before you plan a whole day around the high end. Your fill gear has to reach 250 BAR.

Best for: All-day .25 sessions off one big bottle

Listed at $1,099.00 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.

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5. Barra 250z .25

This is the tuneable bolt gun if you want to set power yourself and hang gear on the rifle. Barra quotes up to 1000 fps from a 3625 PSI fill and a 322 cc reservoir, with a 10-shot magazine and a rifled 18 inch steel barrel in a 1:18 twist. You can adjust the regulator from outside, plus hammer-spring tension and a 2-stage trigger, which is how you trade power for air when the quarry doesn’t need the top setting.

The camo rifle weighs 8 pounds and uses an M-LOK stock, AR-style grips, and a 6-position buttstock with a cheek riser. The barrel is threaded 1/2-20 for a muzzle device, and there’s a Picatinny rail for a scope. The power sentence still has a placeholder where the pellet caliber should be, but the title and the size line both put this one at .25. A 3625 PSI fill is the number your pump or compressor has to hit.

Best for: Tuneable .25 bolt gun with a threaded barrel

Listed at $499.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.

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6. Commodore-S .25 Underlever Combo

This is the underlever combo for someone who already knows the Commodore-S and only needs the package. The title says it’s a .25 PCP underlever air rifle combo, sold under the Beeman name, which is a different cocking style from the bolt guns and side levers above: you charge the shot from underneath, then shoot.

The listing’s only feature line repeats the title, and the size line is 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch, which is not a rifle. If you don’t already know this model’s fill pressure, shot count, and what the combo includes, buy a rifle whose listing actually says so.

Best for: Buyers who already know the Commodore-S

Listed at $266.56 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy. Amazon is showing limited quantities on this one.

Check Price on Amazon


7. Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP

This is the semi-auto for target practice and varmints, and it is a .22, not a .25 hunting rifle. SIG quotes a 17.5 inch barrel, flip-up sights, an M1913 rail, a synthetic stock, and a 30rd rapid pellet magazine, and the listing points it at target training and varmint hunting with premium pellets. It is a PCP, and SIG says it doubles the muzzle energy of classic CO2 air rifles, without printing a velocity or an energy number you can budget against.

Listed size is 37.5 inches and 7.5 pounds, so it handles like a short carbine. Buy it when you want fast .22 follow-ups and iron sights you can actually use. Buy one of the .25s above when the hunt is the point.

Best for: Semi-auto .22 target work and varmints

Listed at $339.99 when this guide was last updated. Amazon pricing moves, so check the figure on the page before you buy.

Check Price on Amazon


Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a license for a .25 PCP?

That depends on where you live. Airgun rules are state and local, and a hunting PCP can be treated differently from a backyard plinker. Check your state wildlife agency before you hunt anything, including what caliber and power they allow on which game.

What do I fill these with?

A PCP needs a high-pressure air source: a hand pump, a scuba-style tank, or a compressor. Match it to the pressure printed for the rifle you buy. On this list that means 3000 PSI for the Marauder, 3625 PSI for the Barra 250z, 3200 PSI for the Airacuda, and 250 BAR for the TacBoss. The Gauntlet 2 SL25 and the MCX Virtus listings don’t print a fill pressure.

Is a .25 better than a .22 for small game?

A .25 throws a heavier pellet, which is why people step up for rabbits and similar game when a .22 feels light. You usually give something back in shot count or rifle weight. If the listing is actually a .22 or a .30, that trade doesn’t apply. Use the caliber on the size line, not the guide title.

Why do some of these show so few shots per fill?

Bigger pellets use more air. The Marauder quotes up to 16 shots at 3000 PSI. The .30 Airacuda quotes up to 20. The TacBoss quotes a much larger 580 cc bottle and up to 80 to 90 shots depending on caliber. If your hunt is more than a handful of shots from the truck, read that number before you pick the rifle.

For a shrouded .25 with a printed shot string, the Benjamin Marauder is the straightforward hunting pick, as long as 16 shots and 9.5 pounds fit how you hunt. Take the Umarex Gauntlet 2 SL25 if carry weight is the whole point and you’ll confirm the shot count yourself. Take the Barra 250z if you want to tune power and thread a muzzle device. Take the Hatsan TacBoss if one big fill has to last the day and your air source can hit 250 BAR.

Leave the JTS Airacuda PRS Max for a .30 hunt, and leave the Sig Sauer MCX Virtus for .22 semi-auto practice. Leave the Commodore-S combo alone unless you already know that underlever and you’re only buying the package. Before any of them, check caliber, fill pressure, and whether the magazine is in the box.

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