.22 Rifle Price Guide · 2026
.22 Air Rifle Price in India
Updated November 2026 — price ranges for .22 (5.5mm) air rifles in India, spring and PCP, with running costs and the licence rule. Every .22 air rifle needs an arms licence; only .177 air guns under 20 joules are licence-free.
See All Camstar Rifles →Quick answer: .22 (5.5mm) air rifles in India cost ₹15,000 to ₹50,000+ depending on power source, brand, and features. Spring rifles start at ₹12,000–₹15,000; PCP rifles start at ₹25,000. Every .22 air rifle needs an arms licence in India: the Arms Rules 2016 exemption covers only .177 calibre air guns under 20 joules.
Looking for air gun prices without a licence? This page covers .22 rifles only. For every no-licence .177 air pistol, CO₂ pistol and air rifle with today’s prices, see air gun price in India or the Camstar air rifle range.
.22 Air Rifle Price Range Table (2026)
| Type | Price Range | Best For | Licence Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring .22 | ₹12,000 – ₹20,000 | Plinking, beginner training | Yes (.22 calibre) |
| PCP .22 (Entry) | ₹25,000 – ₹35,000 | Accurate target work | Yes (.22 calibre) |
| PCP .22 (Mid-range) | ₹35,000 – ₹55,000 | Long-range target work | Yes (.22 calibre) |
| Imported .22 PCP | ₹70,000 – ₹2,00,000 | Premium / specialty | Yes (.22 calibre) |
.22 vs .177 — Which is right for you?
The main differences:
- .22 (5.5mm) — Heavier pellets (~0.85g–1.5g). Slower velocity, more pellet weight. Needs an arms licence in India.
- .177 (4.5mm) — Lighter pellets (~0.45g–0.70g). Higher velocity, flatter trajectory. Ideal for target shooting and competition (ISSF 10m), and licence-free under 20 joules.
- Pellet availability — .177 pellets are far more widely available in India. .22 pellets are stocked at specialty dealers.
- Recoil — Both are negligible in PCP rifles. Spring .22 has slightly more recoil than spring .177.
Legal status — does a .22 air rifle need a licence?
Yes. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ FAQ on the Arms Rules 2016 exempts an air gun from licensing only when it is .177 calibre AND under 20 joules of muzzle energy. A .22 (5.5mm) air rifle falls outside that exemption at any energy, so it needs an arms licence, applied for through the National Database of Arms Licences portal. A .22LR rimfire is a firearm and needs one too.
Even licence-free .177 air guns are sold only by licensed air-weapon dealers, with photo ID and address proof, to buyers aged 18 or over. Misuse is punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (ss. 118 and 351–352), and wild birds and animals are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, so an air gun is a target-shooting tool only.
For full state-by-state rules and the Arms Rules text: read the complete air gun laws guide →
What about Camstar .22 rifles?
Camstar does not make .22 rifles. Every Camstar air gun, including the Star ZXi, Star Hercules RF and Star Matrix Gold rifles, is .177 calibre, the calibre the no-licence rule covers, and each model’s rated energy is listed on its product page. For target shooting, training and competition, .177 is the right choice anyway. Compare them with current prices on the air rifle page, or every Camstar air gun on air gun price in India.
What does a .22 air rifle actually cost to shoot?
The rifle is the one-time cost. Pellets and fill hardware are what you pay every year. Here's the honest running-cost breakdown for a typical Indian shooter putting 500 rounds per yearthrough a .22 air rifle:
| Cost item | Spring .22 | PCP .22 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle (one-time) | ₹12,000–₹20,000 | ₹25,000–₹55,000 | PCP costs more but gives repeatable sub-MOA accuracy |
| .22 pellets (500 shots) | ₹3,000–₹4,000 | ₹3,000–₹4,000 | .22 pellets cost ₹6–₹8/shot at match grade |
| Fill hardware | ₹0 | ₹6,000 (hand pump) | Hand pump is one-time; scuba fill ₹100–₹200 each |
| Scuba fill (optional) | — | ₹500–₹1,000/year | ~5 fills per year for 500 shots on a mid-size cylinder |
| Scope + rings | ₹1,500 (open sights fine) | ₹3,000–₹8,000 | PCP unlocks scope-benefit; spring has scope-eating recoil |
| Annual total (yr 2+) | ~₹3,000 | ~₹3,500–₹5,000 | PCP scuba fills vs spring costs nothing to run |
Compared with .177 — which averages ₹1.50 per shot on Camstar Star Match pellets — .22 is roughly 4× the pellet cost per shot. That's the real trade-off nobody mentions: more energy on target, but you feel it in the annual pellet bill. See Camstar's pellet guide → for .177 options; for .22 pellets in India, we recommend H&N Field Target Trophy (14.66gr) or JSB Exact Jumbo (15.89gr) from a specialty dealer.
How to pick your first .22 air rifle in India
If you're buying your first .22, don't start with "which rifle looks coolest." Start with these five decisions in order.
- Get the arms licence first. Every .22 air rifle needs one; only .177 air guns under 20 joules are exempt. Apply through the NDAL portal before you shop, and buy only from a licensed dealer. If you don’t want a licence, choose a .177 air rifle under 20 J instead.
- Define your use case. Recreational paper-target work → spring .22 is enough. Long-range 40m+ target work → PCP with a scope.
- Pick the power source. Spring: simplest, no fill hardware, ₹12,000–₹20,000. PCP: cleanest trigger, quietest, ₹25,000–₹55,000 but adds pump cost. CO₂ .22 is rare in India — skip it.
- Check .22 pellet availability locally. .22 pellets are stocked at far fewer dealers than .177 in India. Confirm you can source your chosen pellet weight (14–18gr typical) online or in your city before committing to the rifle.
- Buy from an Indian maker for warranty support.Imported .22 rifles carry no local warranty; a spring replacement can cost more than the rifle itself. A rifle from an Indian maker is easier to service, because pellets, spares and seals ship pan-India — that matters when a seal fails 18 months in.
.22 with a licence, or .177 without one?
For most Indian buyers the real choice is not which .22 to buy, but whether a .22 is worth an arms licence at all:
Choose .22 if you already hold, or are ready to apply for, an arms licence, want heavier pellets for long-range paper-target work, and can source .22 pellets where you live.
Choose .177 if you want to buy without a licence (.177 under 20 joules), shoot 10m–25m targets, or want pellets that every air-gun dealer in India stocks. Every Camstar air gun is .177 — see air gun price in India.
An air rifle is a target-shooting tool, not a defensive weapon. If you are looking at guns for personal safety, read the full gun-price-in-India comparison first — a licensed firearm is a very different conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the price of a .22 air rifle in India?
.22 (5.5mm) air rifles in India typically range from ₹15,000 to ₹50,000 depending on type (spring, CO₂, or PCP), brand, and features. Mid-range PCP .22 rifles sit at ₹25,000–₹35,000, while higher-end imported or competition models reach ₹50,000+.
Do I need a licence for a .22 air rifle in India?
Yes. The MHA’s Arms Rules 2016 exempt an air gun from licensing only if it is .177 calibre AND under 20 joules of muzzle energy. A .22 (5.5mm) air rifle is outside that exemption whatever its energy, so it needs an arms licence, applied for through the government’s National Database of Arms Licences (NDAL) portal. A .177 air gun under 20 J needs no licence, but it is still sold only by licensed air-weapon dealers, with photo ID and address proof, to buyers aged 18 or over.
Is .22 or .177 better for target shooting in India?
.177 (4.5mm). Its lighter pellet (0.45–0.70g vs 0.85–1.5g for .22) flies flatter and faster, .177 pellets are far easier to buy in India, and ISSF 10m events use .177. It is also the only calibre that can be licence-free: .177 under 20 joules needs no licence, while any .22 air rifle does. Shooting birds or animals is not a use for either calibre: wildlife is protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
What is the cheapest .22 air rifle in India?
Spring-powered .22 rifles start around ₹12,000–₹15,000 in India. They are simple, require no CO₂ or air tank, and are ideal for casual shooting. PCP .22 rifles start at ₹25,000.
Where can I buy a .22 air rifle in India?
From a licensed arms or air-weapon dealer, once you hold the arms licence a .22 air rifle needs. Camstar Sports does not make or sell .22 rifles: every Camstar air gun is .177 (4.5mm), the calibre the no-licence rule covers, with its rated energy on its product page, a 1-year warranty and pan-India pellet and spare-parts support. The full range with current prices is on the air gun price in India page.
How much does it cost to shoot a .22 air rifle in India per year?
For an average recreational shooter putting ~500 rounds through a .22 PCP rifle per year, expect roughly ₹3,000–₹4,000 in running cost: pellets at ₹6–₹8 per shot (₹3,000–₹4,000 for 500 shots), plus a one-time PCP hand-pump (~₹6,000) or scuba fills at ₹100–₹200 each. Spring .22 rifles have zero fill cost — only pellet cost, so roughly ₹3,000/year.
What is the effective range of a .22 PCP air rifle?
Against paper targets, a .22 PCP air rifle typically holds useful accuracy out to about 30–45 metres. Beyond that, pellet drop and wind become significant. Higher-energy models can stretch that range, and every .22 air rifle, low-energy or not, needs an arms licence in India.
Do .22 air rifles need to be broken in?
Yes — most spring .22 rifles benefit from a 200–500 shot break-in period during which the spring seats, seals soften, and consistency improves. PCP .22 rifles typically shoot at full accuracy from shot one. Use match-grade .22 pellets (H&N Field Target Trophy, JSB Exact) for the break-in to avoid burnishing dirt into the barrel.
Related
Best air rifle in India → · PCP air rifle guide → · Imported air rifles in India → · Air-gun pellet guide → · Gun price in India →
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