Gammo air rifles?

[fitz19d]

Hey guys, Never messed with air rifles. Got a one day only kind of deal and wondering what peoples thoughts are on a couple models and whether air rifles in general are a good idea/must have at all.

I do live in urban so not like I have backyard visitors to be popping. Outside of popping cans any real use to these? Can they actually legally be used for small game like rabbits or something or purely for squirrel annihilation?

Models I have access to :

Recon .177
Big Cat .22
Rocket .177
Big Cat 1200 .177
Silent Cat .177

[BigNick73]

I've got a old hunter 440 model I've had since I was a kid. It's taken plenty of rabbits and squirrels not sure if it's legal in this state.

Can't speak for the new models but I'd go to charliedatuna.com and check and see which ones his trigger will fit. The stock one sucks I was rebuilding mine a couple years ago with new seals and springs and got the trigger as well and its like night and day.

[brutal]

I just picked one up to start culling the rabbits digging under my back concrete patio. .22cal Silent Stalker Whisper. Hollowpoints and a headshot at 60' takes em out.

[gnihcraes]

Check the pawn shops and the pawn shops if they are at the gunshows. Great deals to be had. I picked up an older Gamo 1000fps, LNIB for $70.

I bought a small pink thumbhole stock modern one for my daughter at Gander Mountain, that thing is powerful! 600fps and accurate.

Love the Gamo stuff!

[waxthis]

Picked up a Gamo Varmint Stalker Deluxe .177 to replace my old Crossman. Used it to remove rabbits and blackbirds from my beloved pepper garden..This Gamo is one mean SOB, 1250 FPS with PBA pellets. Ripped through a 195 page phone book no problem. I did replace the included POS scope with an older Redfield that I had laying around, I can shoot 1/2" groups at 30 yards. It's got a two stage trigger to boot......:)

http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss170/waxthis/Gamo_varmint_stalker_dx.jpg
[Beer]

[colorider]

Pba pellets are a gimmick and will produce the worst accuracy. Fun to hear them crack when you shoot them though. You can NOT. use a regular rifle scope on these guns. I will shake apart in no time. These rifles have what they call double recoil. You need a scope that is designed for this. You can get em at Walmart if you don't want to spend a lot. Take your Redfield off before it gets destroyed. You will also get better accuracy from the proper scope. High power air guns are a hoot. I just got my 2nd one.

[fitz19d]

I like that bull barreled one, seems like only the "silent" ones with pseudo suppressor have the iron sights on them.

I may look for those cheap ones, found out the $135 for the silent cat was only $20 or so cheaper than elsewhere online. Was thinking and doubting my use in it. (Dont kill critters so much but would maybe on groundhogs. Can plink easier w/ my 15-22)

[exxonv]

I have a beautiful (to me) Gamo Whisper in .22 cal. It is light, and has the Nitro vs. Spring.

However, I've been trying to make it accurate for months... I have a few critters bagged with it, but it doesn't seem to hold a zero for long.

My cheap Beeman knockoff $140 special is actually much more accurate (in .177) right now...

Probably the cheap Gamo Scope more than anything else...

As for "whisper", if I whispered that loudly in school as a kid, I'd have been kicked out of class more often than I actually was... :)

[CO Hugh]

The main issue i noticed with the high velocity pellet guns is that they are very loud, almost like popping a 22 in the back yard. I returned one and purchased a Benjamin. As an estimate,for suburban pest control I think you want to stay under 800 fps so that your extermination activities can be done silently.

[exxonv]

The main issue i noticed with the high velocity pellet guns is that they are very loud, almost like popping a 22 in the back yard. I returned one and purchased a Benjamin. As an estimate,for suburban pest control I think you want to stay under 800 fps so that your extermination activities can be done silently.

I agree, the Gamo is silent but deadly (sorry, couldn't help it) compared to my .177 caliber rifles. My comments were around the Whisper suppressor that isn't much (if any) quieter than a regular .22 pellet rifle. I’ve fired at things in the back yard with neighbors outside and they didn’t hear it ;).
The first time I tried a PBA pellet (.177) with my Beeman copy at my old house backyard (green belt behind me), and it sounded like a .22lr going off with that supersonic crack. A lady walking her baby in a stroller over 200 yards away whipped her head around and I was just able to get out of sight in time to avoid an “issue”.. J

[colorider]

If your pellets are going supersonic then the gun is loud. You get that sonic crack sound. Some say that the gamo scope is horrible and to upgrade. The guns are rough on scopes and the Gamo one drops zero fast.
Another thing to try is a different pellet. Heavier, shape, etc.. I love the crosman premium hollow points or domes. The domes give me the best groups no matter what brand. Pointed tips, wadcutters, balistic stuff all scatter at anything past 20 yds.
My Benjaman NP and my Beeman both shoot great with the crosman premier. Available at walmart.

[exxonv]

Pba pellets are a gimmick and will produce the worst accuracy. Fun to hear them crack when you shoot them though. You can NOT. use a regular rifle scope on these guns. I will shake apart in no time. These rifles have what they call double recoil. You need a scope that is designed for this. You can get em at Walmart if you don't want to spend a lot. Take your Redfield off before it gets destroyed. You will also get better accuracy from the proper scope. High power air guns are a hoot. I just got my 2nd one.

No double recoil on mine (Nitro vs. metal spring). The Gamo scope isn't quality, that's for sure.

Always buy an air rifle scope is what I've been told.

[ChadAmberg]

Ahh today's Woot special!

[colorider]

No double recoil on mine (Nitro vs. metal spring). The Gamo scope isn't quality, that's for sure.

Always buy an air rifle scope is what I've been told.

The NP will eliminate torque assocoated with a spring but it does nothing for the double recoil. You STILL have the piston being driven forward and the slam when it hits the end of the chamber. So you still need an AG rated scope.

I have several years of shooting a springer and recently got into my new Nitro Piston. Did hours and Hours of research on these crazy guns. I too thought that a nitro would eliminate the double recoil.... Till I spent time shooting with some seasoned shooters. I continue to learn more and more each day. Noiw, the PCP co2, or compressed air models do not have double recoil. But those are a different animal all together. And much more $$$
Surf around on this site. A ton of info and great reading. You will learn a lot about making your airguns the best they can be. Best part is that a lot of the mod parts are cheap. A trigger is about 25 bucks and makes a world of differance. It was the 1st thing I got for my benjamin nitro after shooting it 1 time. Its crazy how small little things on these rifles makes the shoot way off target.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php