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DAS · Member

Hi Guys,
I'm new to this forum and new to airguns. I've had the usuual Crosman and Benjamin guns since I was a kid, but this is my first "high end" gun. It's a Gamo Hunter Sport. I was always led to believe that these guns were much more accurate than the cheaper pump guns, but I'm having trouble.

If I shoot the gun VERY carefully by holding it just right, and resting it just right, I can shoot some pretty nice groups ( about 1" at 20 yards). When I'm hunting though, I can't hit anything. Hold the gun too tight > MISS, hold the gun too loose > MISS, rest it on a fence post > MISS!

The problem seems to be that the barrel is bouncing from the recoil because it doesn't lock in place when closed. I can vary the point of impact by over 2" by nothing more than changing the contact of the stock with my hand or rest.

I've either wouded or missed 4 of the last 5 animals I've shot at, and I'm done using it for hunting unless I can figure out how to fix the problem. Why would any idiot design a rifle with a barrel that is not secure????

The animals I'm hunting are small and require dependable accuracy. Is there an answer to this?

thanks,
David

AirGunEric · Site Admin

If the barrel is indeed shifting when you shoot- you should look at the bolt (or bolts- sometimes there are two) that hold the barrel to the receiver housing- if they're loose, all sorts of misadventures can occur. There is a spring-loaded detent also at the end of the receiver and at the end of the barrel- it has happened before that the spring and detent pin get bound- resulting in a sloppy barrel-to-receiver hold. Try shooting some WD-40 around these detents and working the cocking mechanism a bit (not cocking the gun- just enough to push the detents in and out) and see if something frees up and the barrel lock tightens. If neither of these things resolve something- it is always possible you just got a defective unit right out of the box.

That being said- it seems strange that you can shoot 1" groups at a target, but it all goes out to lunch when hunting. One thing to remember with spring-powered airguns is the dual-recoil effect. Unlike a regular firearm, it bounces back and forth when shot as the spring and piston moves. Some guns just want to be held hard it seems depending on the level of the recoil.

As for it being "far more accurate" than a pump gun- that may not necessarily be true- although I'm not familiar with the typical accuracy on a Gamo Hunter Sport. Many Gamo's are now being made in Turkey and I believe some even in China- so what may have been a good platform in the past may not be so much anymore. Perhaps someone here is more familiar with this model than me.

DAS · Member

Thanks Eric,
My gun was made in Spain. The workmanship seems fine really. If I slap the forend of the rifle lightly on the bottom, I can feel the barrel bounce. It's not much, but it only takes a few thousandths of an inch to affect accuracy. I don't think the gun is defective since I can get good groupsoff a bench. I do that by resting the gun on a roll of carpet just ahead of the trigger guard. If I put the carpet out at the end of the forend, the accuracy goes to hell even off the bench. That touchyness makes it pretty tough to improvise in the field. Has anybody tried attaching some sort of positive lock on these barrals?

I agree that the recoil on these guns is hard to get used to. I used to wonder why spring airguns were so darn heavy. They weigh as much as my .308 with a 5x16 scope. I guess the weight is needed to keep them under control.

I like the fact that it only takes one cocking motion to fire, but these guns may not be for me. I'm not going to take anymore shots at game until I feel confident in the gun.

David

broommaster2000 · Moderator

If you would have considered to buy your gun after you looked around, you would have noticed that Gamo isn't that great a brand at all. These guns tend to be shaky, twangy and the finish isn't really that great. For a few bucks more you'd have had a little less powerfull (who needs power) gun with greater accuracy. In other words, Gamo's aren't that great.

A lot has to do with the shooter, there are several breathing techniques you should master, different stances to try. There is a lot to read on the net concerning right positions. It's almost as if you're doing the Kama Sutra. Mr. Green

I think this is a case where you can blame the Rifle, but most Dutchies who are into airguns are also in the "anti-gamo-lobby".

But that's me, the Dutchman, talking. It took a year to get a bit alright with firearms for me, and it's been months since I shot an airgun. 29th of December I hope to go to a shoot though.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Most Gamo spring guns are not known as the "smoothest" out there- but 'smooth' vs. outright 'barrel shift' is a big difference. If it is significant barrel shift- I would start to lean towards it being a bit defective.

One thing to try is adding a flip compensator, or weight, near the muzzle. Go ahead, get something in the half-lb weight area and tape it as close to the end of the muzzle as possible and see what happens. I might suggest shooting at your stationary targets for testing in the exact same manner as you would for shooting game in order to equalize things. This is only for testing, by the way, no one expects you to go off shooting with a brick tied to your barrel or something! Wink

DAS · Member

Broommaster,
Guilty as charged, your point is well taken. I should have researched it better. My time is pretty limited so I didn't. I could guess that I wasn't making an optimum choice but I wouldn't classify myself as a serious airgunner either. I do want to be able to hunt with it though. So what are your recommendations for good rifles in the mid price range? Granted, I don't have much to base this on but my experience with firearms, but The Gamo seems like a decent quality rifle. I don't like the trigger though. I'll probably have to get in there and do some work on that.

Eric,
You know, this barrel is polymer with a steel liner. It is extremely light weight. I wonder if that could be part of the problem? I'll give your suggestion a try, thanks!

David

23ib0d0n · Moderator

Spanish Gamo can be great rifles. CdT has a trigger that makes any Gamo fun to shoot and when he does a tune on it, then it becomes a 'keeper' for sure.

Many Gamo can be VERY hold sensitive due to the lightweight. The lighter a sproinger is the more difficult it is to control.

No, you can't buy any of my Gamo from me . . . Wink

After a good tune, the light weight becomes a non issue, as that 'sproing' goes away. Shoots with a quick, sharp wack and recoil is straight back with no side torque motions.

I have sproingers 'tuned' into shooters. Cost might double {or more} on some of the less expensive rifles.

Do you like how the rifle feels? If yes, get it tuned.

This is something a friend told me years ago: "If you like it more than your money, spend the money. If you don't like it more than the money, then keep the money in your pocket." Just something Paul Watts said that makes alot of sense to me.

JMO & YMMV

broommaster2000 · Moderator

What the guy before says. I'd almost buy a Gamo if it was tuned.

DAS, I take it that you live in the US. In that case, I can't really help you because I don't know about Weihrauch imports and what they cost. They are probably the best Springers money can buy.

And you don't have to apologise to me. Mr. Green

Most people who buy Gamos don't have much time on their hands, as I've seen the past couple of months. I don't think selling it or returning it would be a very good idea. I probably would have done the same.

What I would do in my case is tuning the rifle. You won't get much buck for a Gamo (at least here in the Netherlands) after you shot it a couple of times. Try and get some good tunage and it'll be good. Wink

\

I've seen this case pretty much lately, one of my friends also owns a Gamo, a CF-20 underlever. The thing jumps around like it's filled with mexican beans or something. We tried tuning it, but could'nt get it apart that at all... Shocked

I think that, since your rifle is a much newer model then the CF-20, tuning should be a bit easyer on your model.

DAS · Member

I've sent a message to the Tuna Laughing

Thanks for that referal! I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one. Actually, this is one of Gamos lightest rifles and that was part of the attraction. It's also shooting over 1000fps. That's probably a bad combination eh? I actually like this rifle pretty well except for the mentioned problems. If he thinks it can be massaged into shape, I'll give him a crack at. Yep, I live in the US.

David

broommaster2000 · Moderator

I don't think it does 1000 FPS.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

I'm sure it is- if one shoots with 5.5gr pellets. Razz

DAS · Member

Yea, I should have said it's rated that way. I haven't chrono'd it so I don't know. It's rated at 1000 with lead and 1200 with Pba. Judging from the pellet penetration, I'm pretty sure it is less too.

David

AirGunEric · Site Admin

I wouldn't worry about it- seems every manufacturer produces their velocity numbers using the lightest-weight pellets they can find. For the last 20 years the "game" has been one of numbers; the higher the velocity the "better". It's all meaningless of course, but for people buying their first airgun, big numbers often translate into bigger sales.

broommaster2000 · Moderator

In other words, creating a senseless illusion that, once cracked, can't beat that other thing: Accuracy. Wink

Olympic rifles aren't that powerfull either, just darn accurate.

DAS · Member

I got an email from the Tuna and he says this gun usually runs 880 to 920 with a 8.5gr pellet. I'm on a steep learning curve. Here's what I've learned. This gun has to be held extremely gingerly with minimum contact to get it to shoot. I'm just holding now with my index finger and the base of my thumb in a light pinch. The forearm rests on the open hand just ahead of the trigger guard. Doing this, it seems that much of the trouble has left. Charlie says that some of these guns have weak lock-up springs, and that could partly be my problem. It occured to me that these normal firearm stocks really aren't designed right for the way you need to hold these guns. I took a band saw and a spindle sander to it and reshaped the area where my trigger hand and cheek contact the stock. That really helped too. I just need a little more work on that. I'll post some pictures later. It has helped me be more consistent with my hold.

Next step is to send it to Charlie and get it tuned and the trigger and lock-up spring replaced. That way I know I'm working with a proper piece of equipment.

I didn't expect this to be such a challenge, but I am having fun with it, and now I'm real inetersted to see what I can do with it.

I may have the last laugh with my cheap little Gamo Very Happy

By the time I'm done though I'll have $360 in it though, so I guess I can
t claim it as cheap anymore.

Thanks to everyone for the help so far. I'll let you know when it comes back from tuning, and how it worked out.

David