what is a pcp airgun

A PCP airgun is a type of air rifle that uses compressed air to propel pellets or BBs. PCP stands for "Pre-Charged Pneumatics". The gun is filled with air before it is fired, and the air is stored in either an integral air cylinder or a bottle. The air can be pre-charged from an external source such as a hand pump, a tank, or a compressor with high-pressure air or nitrogen. Depending on the release valve design, PCP air guns can be categorized into two types – unregulated and regulated (which has either a mechanical or electronic regulator valve) . PCP guns have higher initial costs but much lower operating costs when compared to CO2 rifles, and have superior performance over ordinary pump guns. They produce lower recoil and can shoot as many as 100 shots per charge depending on the tank/reservoir size. PCP guns are very popular in Europe because of their accuracy and ease of use, and they are widely utilized in ISSF 10 metre air pistol and rifle shooting events.