why are air rifles so overlooked by the hunting community? for small game they're cheap to buy and shoot, and not to mention the easyiest way to get kids involved in hunting early.
   much like fish with kids, ya start out with superman rods and and spider man rods, goin after sun fish. then the kids move up to bass and the next thing you know they're musky fishing. well its the same priciple. start out with a daisy shooting pop cans, then squirrels and pigeons, next thing you know those kids are hunting deer, but with one differance. this way they have experence being in the woods and respect of a firearm. I love goin up north with my nephews.
 All you got to say is " hey kids ya wanna go shoot a BB gun!?" and watch them light up like a christmas tree.
      Now as for adults; in the last few years air rifles have jumped by leaps and bounds and yet their is only one air rifle magazine and its in europe....i looked. and a few tv commercials. thats it.
   Of all the hunting meathods out their I still dont get why air rifles are so over looked.

I have to agree with you there. I try to shoot my Gamo CFX as much as possible. Not only is it fun, cheap and can do it in the back yard with good backstops it helps keep me in practice. I love hunting squirrels with it. If you really want to have a ball practice on Catapa worms. With the introduction of the big bore air rifles like the Quackenbush you are going to see more air rifle huntin i think. It seems now kid getting introduced to hunting is going straight into deer hunting. It makes me kinda laugh when I watch these pro video and they bring these 7 and 8 year old kids out and put them in a elevated stand blind over either a food plot or a bait station and basically this is the way they are introduced to hunting. I guess that ok, but I think a lot is missed. All the big money seems to be in either in turkey or deer hunting mostlyI missed my chance with my son because of military obligation but am trying to get my daughter involved.
She loves to shoot a BB gun, .22 lr revolver and rifle, shotgun, .223, but doesn't really want to hunt so don't push her. I ranted enough!! BLAH BLAH BLAH

I'm giving my nephews their own first air rifles tomorrow. I cant tell you how exciting this is goin to be for me and them.

I have a Sheridan Silver Streak (chrome) that was my fathers. Its at least 40 years old and still shoots strong. Its .20 caliber, that is 5.5mm. The ammo comes in big plastic boxes with a small opening to dispense. The one thing about air rifles I have found is put ONLY the type lubricant in it the manufactuer recommends WD40 and PB Blaster are good penetrants but will trash the gaskets and O rings in an air rifle. Some of the parts are getting hard to find (on some brands).