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Post by indyqdog on Aug 4, 2011 21:10:23 GMT -5
I'm about to sell old clubs and sports equip to a used sporting goods store. I really would like to get an air rifle to plink around with and hunt squirrel, crow, raccoons etc. Trying to keep it cheap. Saw the gamo varmint hunter pack for 199 scope laser and flashlight. Oh and a cleaning kit. Thoughts?
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Post by hornharvester on Aug 5, 2011 10:20:51 GMT -5
Gamo seems to make good guns. I know of two people that bought them and they seem to be happy. They are not the high quality of the Euro made guns but they are not the price either. I wouldnt be afraid to buy one. h.h.
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Post by whiteoak on Aug 5, 2011 12:42:33 GMT -5
Here's my "toy". It's a Feinwerkbau 124 sport. It's a German made 177 cal. gun that has the feel of a real center fire HP rifle. It is probably 35 years old and is pretty well mint. I have probably put around 300 rounds through it and the previous owner about the same. This gun is way more accurate than I'm capable of shooting it. I can get dime size groups "usually" off a bench at 30 yards. I have yet to try it out on anything larger than a starling black bird, but I can say for sure it plays hell with them. I did have to send it to an airgun smith to have to old seals replaced when I first got it. It is a sweet shooting, fine peice of work and if your lucky enough to find one I would recommend a 124S or anything made by Feinwerkbau, but I got to warn you they ain't cheap.  |
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Post by tobias on Aug 5, 2011 20:01:20 GMT -5
I've got one that has killed more tree rats than could be counted. With that being said, Your pushing it with coon.......been there tried that. Just not enough weight behind a .177 cal pellet for coon, but they will fill a freezer full of squirrel if you get the right one that will shoot.
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Post by BOBinIN on Aug 6, 2011 6:48:25 GMT -5
Read what Tobias said again, because that's the truth!
I bought a GAMO Big Cat in .177 cal early last year and soon discovered that it was no match for animals larger than fox squirrels. The pellets that I have tried only weigh between 5 1/4 and 7 1/2 grains, not enough energy there to cleanly kill larger game (coons, ground hog, etc.).
Keep your shots focued on the head and you'll bring 'em down, otherwise they will scapmer off to die in a den tree an hour later. Shooting such an underpowered weapon certainly forces you to be accurate and really brings the fun back to dropping squirrels. Good luck in your decision but be aware of the limitations these little rifles have. BOBinIN
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2011 9:43:50 GMT -5
Anyone have experience with any big bore air guns...357 or so?
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Post by indyqdog on Aug 6, 2011 14:48:22 GMT -5
would you guys suggest a .22 that shoots slower or a .177 that shoots faster. i will be hunting squirrel, crow, rabbit, misc starlings
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Post by danf on Aug 6, 2011 22:07:22 GMT -5
Coon+ air gun + "quality" head shot = non existent scenario.
dadfsr has put 8-10 BB's or pellets into a single coon at essentially point blank range behind the ear before with my old Daisy 880. As I recall it is capable of 800+ fps.
Personally, for hunting purposes, I'd look for a .22 caliber that shoots as fast as you can find and/or afford.
For the price of a good air gun though, you can easily have a decent .22 rimfire capable of taking everything you talk about and it will have the ability to shoot shorts and long rifle ammo both....
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Post by indyqdog on Aug 7, 2011 9:41:40 GMT -5
Good call. Will look into that.
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Post by hornharvester on Aug 7, 2011 17:44:46 GMT -5
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Post by esshup on Aug 8, 2011 0:23:49 GMT -5
If given the chance of a fast .177 or slow .22, I'd pick the slow .22. Accuracy goes down the toilet once the pellet transitions from super to sub sonic.
The only thing is accurately judging distance, the rainbow trajectory makes that critical.
Whiteoak, nice air rifle. I see you also have the cocking aide that Beeman sold. I have 2 of those rifles.
Did you send it to Paul?
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Post by whiteoak on Aug 8, 2011 3:00:48 GMT -5
If given the chance of a fast .177 or slow .22, I'd pick the slow .22. Accuracy goes down the toilet once the pellet transitions from super to sub sonic. The only thing is accurately judging distance, the rainbow trajectory makes that critical. Whiteoak, nice air rifle. I see you also have the cocking aide that Beeman sold. I have 2 of those rifles. Did you send it to Paul? No I though about it, I have heard he's the master for the 124's, but went with Pilk air guns as they are a lot closer |
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Post by TagTeamHunter on Aug 8, 2011 9:38:43 GMT -5
I have a Gamo 1000 Shadow in .177; others have commented on hunting so I'll leave that part along. If you are going to get a Gamo get an older model with a metal trigger. Why? You can get a drop in replacement trigger for older model Gamos, new model require more disassemble. The GRT-III trigger will make your Gamo a new gun; Gamo factory triggers are one of the worst.
I believe the older model Gamo are the best for price/performance.
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Post by indyqdog on Aug 9, 2011 13:27:33 GMT -5
really thinking about going with a beeman. pretty cheap for a first airgun. the one i want has interchangeable barrels. .177 and .22. a chrono clocked the .177 at 1100 fps which is higher than advertised... weird. i've heard nothing but good things. and the iron sights are good too. its enough to take down varmints and stuff. its also available at walmart  |
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Post by omegahunter on Aug 9, 2011 14:32:34 GMT -5
4 power scope and rings that came on my Gamo Hunter .177 was JUNK!!! It would hold zero for about 4 or 5 shots, then drift. Didn't bother getting new rings and another scope because of price.
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Post by BOBinIN on Aug 9, 2011 17:17:59 GMT -5
4 power scope and rings that came on my Gamo Hunter .177 was JUNK!!! It would hold zero for about 4 or 5 shots, then drift. Didn't bother getting new rings and another scope because of price. Omegahunter, I had the same experience with my GAMO and the 4 power scope. I replaced the scope with a quality piece of glass and still the gun would shoot all over the target. The solution for me was to brass brush the bore...apparently the pellets leaded the bore so badly the gun just "spit" the pellets out the bore. I still need to brush the bore every 20 or so shots but now (with a new "Charlie Da Tuna" trigger) it hits where I want it to. Maybe the "leaded" bore was your problem too. |
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Post by omegahunter on Aug 11, 2011 13:37:36 GMT -5
Mine still shoots TIGHT groups with the fiber optic sights. I think the BSA 4x was a piece of crap.
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Post by kevin1 on Aug 14, 2011 10:22:45 GMT -5
I have a Daisy 1000 springer with FO sights, with Crossman 9grain hollowpoints it can take a foxie off a branch from up to 30 yards. I wouldn't try any game larger than squirrels with it though.
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Post by HillBillyJeff on Aug 16, 2011 5:30:40 GMT -5
I know someone who got in trouble for using an air rifle/bb gun shooting squirrels. That made me think it wasn't legal to use such a weapon squirrel hunting.
Personally, I always use a 22 rifle for all my small game hunting.
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Post by BOBinIN on Aug 16, 2011 12:41:49 GMT -5
I have a Daisy 1000 springer with FO sights, with Crossman 9grain hollowpoints it can take a foxie off a branch from up to 30 yards. I wouldn't try any game larger than squirrels with it though. Kevin1, What is the product number of that Crossman 9 grain pellet? I'd like to try something heavier than the 7.5 grain that I'm using now. Thanks, BOBinIN |
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