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DAS · Member

Guys,
Here's a follow-up to my thread about spring gun accuracy problems. Thanks to a member here, I sent my Gamo to Charlie the Tuna for his turbo tune and trigger job.

HOLY SMOKES!!!

This Gamo was my first springer, and as I said in my earlier thread, several aspects were less than impressive. The gun that Charlie sent back to me is a totally different matter!! The old gun felt like a high powered slinky was going off inside everytime I shot. Now it makes one sharp whack and the gun is quiet. I can't feel any torquing at all. The bouncing and crazy feel are gone. It's just a real clean feeling at the shot. The new trigger is perfect for my tastes. I like triggers around 2 lbs and this one is 1lb, 11oz. It is also much more predictable. I've only shot it in my shop so far with no sights since the scope had to be removed. Tomorrow I'll get a scope on it, and see what happens. Charlie said the seal had a pretty bad cut in it and he saw some evidence of dieseling. The cocking effort feels a little harder to me but still very easy. It has a new high performance spring of course. Before Turbo tuning, the average speed was 784fps with an average deviation of 6.7. Now it is shooting 915fps with a deviation of just 2. The gun "feels" more powerful. The trigger pull went from 5lbs 5ozs to 1 lb 11ozs. The old trigger used to go way higher once in a while too. There were times when I almost had to yank it to get it to fire. Not now. Energy went from 11.32 ftlbs to 15.42 ftlbs.

To sum it up, the service was quick, the communication was great, the information that came back was very useful, and best of all the results are astounding so far. Shooting it for accuracy will really tell the tale, but I'm expecting good things. I can't reccomend this service highly enough!

I'll let you know when I get to shoot it. Thanks for the good advice here guys!

David

Westonhill · Member

I bet you have spent more money on the tune-up than the gun itself. Smile

I don't know, man, is it really worth? I had a Gamo Big Cat 1200, bought for $129 + tax from my local sporting goods store and I sold it on craigslist for $100 after a month or so. I told myself I would never buy another Gamo. As the largest European airgun maker, one would wonder why Gamo couldn't make something good, something Gamo can be really proud of.

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Putting the total cost aside (price of gun and the tune job)- I'm glad to here you have a gun you can really enjoy now.

I'm going to get out of the trees here next week and buy some tooling to try and do better tune work to my own guns (ball hone and some other small bits and pieces). Hopefully I can find myself a gun that I can really enjoy- most of my stuff is a bit iffy at the moment.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

broommaster2000 · Moderator

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

Stop being so serious Broom!, I'm just adding a bit of scarcasium to the debate. Mr. Green

I know Eric likes running around the woods bashing Gophers on the head with his gun butt. Smile

PS: I should have said ENGLISH airgun instead of European.

Al

broommaster2000 · Moderator

Westonhill · Member

Westonhill · Member

dedpool · Veteran Member

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Bashing them with the gun butt and spitballs, HA! Shows how little you guys know- I pour gasoline down their holes and throw the whole damn rifle at them! Mr. Green

broommaster2000 · Moderator

DAS · Member

Westonhill,
Is it worth it? For me it was because otherwise I probably would lose interest in the gun altogether. I agree that a new Gamo shouldn't require as much work as the gun costs new to make it shoot. I doubt I'll buy another one. I think Gamo is doing the whole industry a disservice honestly by selling these guns to mostly inexperienced shooters who then get the idea that they really aren't worth much. I was at the dentist yesterday and read an Outdoor Life article about springer airguns written by a guy who obviously had never seen one before he wrote the article. His take was that beyond 10 yards or so they were worthless. If I found a used one cheap, I'd send it to Charlie and have a nice gun for a reasonable price though. As far as CDT's tuning service, I think it's real reasonable for what you get. The gun shoots real well now.

David

DAS · Member

Well, I spent a good long time shooting today, both at targets and game. I found that the crow magnums that shot best from the gun before the tune, aren't so good now. The best pellet I tried today was the crosman hollow point. I also tried the crosman flat nose and point nose. All three weighed exactly 8.0grs but the hollow point shoots much better. I've got two standing shooting positions at 12meters and 17.5 meters. I shoot there because I have posts to lean against. From both positions I can keep almsot every shot inside a 1" circle. I find that I shoot best with this gun by leaning my body against something steady and free holding the gun. I also went hunting and took two shots on game, both one shot kills.

I'd have to say that this gun has basically been transformed. By now I've got about $375 in it with a new red dot sight, so I don't know what I could buy off the shelf that would shoot as good. This is a Gamo sport hunter (or is it hunter sport?). With the scope and a bench I was keeping most shots inside 3/4" at 17.5 meters. I think I might do better if I could find a perfect pellet match. With the red dot and my leaning technique my groups open to 1". That seems pretty good to me for a field gun. It is shooting an honest 925fps with my 8.0gr crosman hollowpoints.

One problem that has been improved is the sensitivity to hold. The gun is still sensitive to me, coming from a firearm background, but it is manageable now. The trigger is all I could want from a field gun.

It really is too bad that Gamo can't clean up a few details and offer a better out of box experience. For one thing, Charlie found a good size cut in the seal, and he says that is really common. There is zero excuse for that.

David