you are right about this but there is more possible

buying such an air rifle is pointless here, yes some airgun freaks have them.
any .22 lr rifle will have more energy on small game than this things not to talk about .22 Mag or the new .17 HMR that find a lot of new friends here in the last years for shooting small game.
problem under local gun law is any airgun with a muzzle energy over 7,5 joule need a gun licence and a place in the gun safe, same like a AR 15 clone rifle

so most people don't want to waste space in the new 600 -1000 euro expensive gunsafe for such things.
last year I had to sold two "high power" airguns from an estate. was only trouble and hassle.
the .17 caliber diana was sold to someone in belgium (where all airguns are free) for small money. the .25 caliber weihrauch was send to the proof house in suhl with a low power spring to be proofed and get a stamp like a real firearm so it was free then to sell it without a licence. cost for the proof house was 120 euro, when the rifle was sold there was no profit at all but we were happy to get rid of it.