Got the Gamo - Bone Collector

[netsecurity]

Today is my 40th birthday, and I finally got the air gun I always wanted. I shot it three times, and the third time I added the scope, and it was only 2" off center out of the box. I was standing, off hand, and didn't really aim either, so I decided it was good enough for now.

Unlike some reports, I found the quality and feel to be impressive and exceed expectations. Well balanced, like a good 22 rifle. Nice rubber grips and butt. And even a surprisingly great trigger.

So how did it shoot? Wow, it is powerful. Even with the sound suppressor, and cheap blunt pellets it was definitely braking the sound barrier. I won't shoot it again without earpro, unless maybe I'm well away from any walls. It basically almost as loud as a 22, but maybe higher pitched. No noticeable recoil or shake, extremely smooth.

 

[PGRChaplain]

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( I don't remember when I was 40..) Gotta love Air Guns!

 

[rkesar]

Can I ask where you got it and how much?

 

[netsecurity]

Can I ask where you got it and how much?

I think from Wal Mart at about $200, including taxes. I think there is a model about $50 cheaper, but it probably isn't as smooth.

 

[1911ly]

The noise will probably go down with some use. It might be deiseling beacuse of oil in it. It sounds like a fun gun. And happy b-day!

 

[rkesar]

I may try to pick one up this winter

 

[indyk]

 

[netsecurity]

The noise will probably go down with some use. It might be deiseling beacuse of oil in it. It sounds like a fun gun. And happy b-day!

It is definitely burning off some oil. There was a smokey smell and smoke still coming out of the barrel a minute or so after firing. Kinda worried about the neighbors thinking it is a 22lr, but hopefully I'll be moving soon.

 

[DragonGunner]

My son just bought the Bone Collector and then I got the new Shawn Micheals Gamo. They are loud with the pellets they came with. I got some blunt tip lead daises and it got alot quiter, not breaking the sound barrier now but lost accuracy. Son came over, his scope was junk that came with the BC. He wants to get a one piece ring set also, he had just bought a new 70.00 scope for it off Midway and was using Gamo Tomahawk lead pellets. Not loud at all. After he got it sighted in he was hitting a tomato can at 70 yds every shot. I couldn't hit anything with my daisys so sighted in with the Tomahawks and was hitting the can every time....until my scope worked loose....got it lock tited now but the crosshaitrs are not centering. I've heard the Gamo scope are just 20.00 scopes they put on, so if it works loose again or gets worse going to get another scope and rings. I'm 52 and its fun now to go out and plink around with something new and not wake up the neighborhood.

 

[Mgderf]

Be careful about the scope you choose for a break-barrel air gun.
They have what is basically a reverse recoil that can ruin a cheap scope very fast.

Make sure your scope is intended for spring/piston driven air guns.

 

[Mikeshep1462]

I have an older Gamo Break barrel air rifle from about ten years ago. Bought it from wal mart when i was around 15 years old for about $175 I think. Not positive, it's been a long time just to remember a price. I never had a problem with ruining scopes on it, but i had a heck of a time getting scope mounts that didn't slip with each shot until the scope finally popped off. The manual said it needed special anti slip mounts made for break barrel airguns to mount a scope, and i could only ever find them online for $50-$75 at the time. Never did see them locally, and didn't want to spend that kind of money on them as a young kid. I Just dremeled some notches in the rail to hold my mounts and keep them from slipping. Now days i would have just bought the scope rings for the sake of looking nice and having it be done properly. I think nowadays any of them that come with a scope, also come with the proper mounts.

My father just bought a nice, new air rifle earlier this summer. He got a Stoeger Mod X20. It's a really nice shooting air rifle. It's much quieter than my old Gamo, has nicer sights, and came with a pretty nice scope. It also came with the proper scope mounts to keep the scope from slipping. I pulled my old Gamo out when he got his, and it had quite a bit of rust on the barrel. Cleaned it up with some clp and got rid of as much of the rust as i could. Took most of the finish off of the barrel too. My Half-*** scope mount mod eventually ended up failing, resulting in nothing more than a gouged up receiver, :/ but it still shoots just fine! It is very accurate with the "iron" (actually plastic) sights.

I have a field in my backyard, probably say, 100-150 yards long. I used to shoot all of my pellet guns i had as a kid with absolutely no worries of hitting houses or people across the field. When i got my Gamo things changed pretty quick. It was always just too powerful and traveled too far to feel safe shooting it in my backyard. I could easily hit targets across the field if I tried. Really if I want to shoot it anymore, I take it out with me when i go to a friends place to shoot, and usually just shoot it a few times in between the more fun stuff! Mine was also pretty loud. Like you said almost like a .22LR but a higher pitch. It does quiet down a bit if you get out in the open, but in an enclosed area, or near a wall where the sound bounces back at you is pretty loud! I made the mistake of dry firing mine in my garage after adding some lube to it once. I didn't do that again.

 

[netsecurity]

Update: As some mentioned above, the scope is junk. The mounts seem fine, but the scope cannot maintain zero for more than one single shot. It holds the windage well, but every other shot is 4" high or low. I waisted about 200 pepllets of all sorts trying to zero it (and having some fun), and now have given up. I ordered a Tasco World Class 3-9x40. There was only one scope on Amazon that was made specifically for springers, but it was made in China by an unknown, so I went with Tasco. Hey, I stumbled on a new Sightron 3-9x40 scope for my 10/22 also, and it was only $100 (think its a discontinued model, but still a Sightron).

So anyways, I was able to shoot at about 30y and windage was always within 1" using a shooting stick, which was cool and a sign of good things to come. I did have the scope hold for about three shots in a row once, and I nailed the very center of the bullseye with great force.

 

[Lucas156]

I love the air rifles. I just got a Benjamin trail break action with a scope and gave it a nice camo paint job and it looks pretty slick

 

[netsecurity]

UPDATE: Pretty cool news here. I've developed a successful "weapons system".

I tested a lot of different pellets, and found that I kept getting 1/5 zingers with all of them. Finally I received a special order box of 1500 of the 10gr Crossman Premiums, which have been incredibly consistent, and they are very wind resistant apparently.

I installed the Sightron S1 3-9x40 scope. I am now a big fan of Sightron. It does not have a parallax focus, but for the price ($100) I doubt it can be beat. Only issue appears to be that when moving from 3x to 9x, the POI moves about one mildot to the left. But this scope is definitely holding zero well, and it is incredibly clear and bright.

At 20y I can now put two pellets through the same hole often (from a benchrest position, supported). I'm getting such good consistency that I moved out to 30y and was hitting a 1" bullseye over and over, and without any bullet drop! Now I'm truly impressed with this rifle.