(Air)Gunlopnik

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg) 08/18/2015 at 17:18 • Filed to: None

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Haven’t had one of these in a while but as the (self proclaimed) resident firearms nerd, I’m gonna switch it up and see who here is into air guns.

I get out to the range once a week now with my new coaching gig, but if I had my druthers (and the budget) I’d go shooting every day. Part of my coaching school was geared towards airguns since a lot of shooters use them to train, and in some cases that’s all that can be used in certain jurisdictions. So I started to think about it and realized I’ve been missing out on a great training tool.

I’d had a BB gun when I was a kid, a couple actually. I started with a single pump springer, then a multi-pump, and finally a Crosman 1077 12 shot CO2 repeater. I was never serious with them, me and my friends would go out in the back yard and shoot old Coke cans and stuff, but it was always fun.

Now I’m finding myself daydreaming about a nice PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) like the Hammerli AR-20 above. I also find myself wondering if air guns were as serious 20 years ago when I had my Crosman, or if I was just a naive kid? There are so many different brands, actions, pellet types and weights, it’s absolutely staggering, almost like dealing with actual firearms. So I buckled down and did some research and ended up buying a Gamo P900, based mostly on the seemingly good following and ubiquity of the brand.

I wanted to get an air pistol because I shoot rifles regularly so my pistol game needs the most work and it would be a good way to practice for the upcoming annual club match at my shooting club. I also figured a rifle would be overkill for shooting in my apartment, so I started looking at cheap pistols. I wanted a spring or gas piston gun so I didn’t have to worry about CO2. I started looking at the Beeman P17 ($40) and Gamo P900 ($53), but after a few days of analysis, I realized I’d lost my damn mind when I found myself seriously considering a Crosman Silhouette PCP ($380). Actually, I’d probably have purchased it if I hadn’t found out you need a $200 pump or access to SCUBA tanks to charge the damn thing.

So what do I think of my latest purchase? Truth be told, I’m not sure. It’s almost all plastic construction, which was no surprise at this price point. But it does have a rifled steel barrel which is a nice touch. I took a razor knife and trimmed a bit of flashing off here and there that was poking me and it’s even better now. It has a decent heft to it, not too heavy but not like a toy either. It’s pretty solid but when I cock it (bend the barrel down through about 120 degrees) you can feel the pistol grip halves flex a bit. Not really a huge concern but it lends to the cheap feel of it. The sights are tolerable, though the rear piece is glossy yellow and the front dot is orange fiber optic. The front is so small it doesn’t let much light in, especially with the hood. It can be hard to distinguish against the glossy yellow rear blade so I cut a piece of masking tape and put over the yellow and colored around it black with a sharpie. Much better.

The trigger is it’s weak point. I’m not expecting a Geissele match trigger, but it could be a lot better. It’s supposedly Gamo’s SAT 2 stage affair, but non-adjustable unlike the SAT’s in all their rifles. The first stage take up is laughably short, almost imperceptible, and the second stage is everything bad in a trigger - gritty, creepy. I’ve heard they loosen up over time so I’m not going to knock it too bad for now.

Despite the flaws, it is only $53 and so far with the Gamo 7.65 gr. Match pellets has been shooting fairly consistently. I’ve been shooting indoors at 5m, and in a string of shots, I’ll occasionally get a flyer way off from my point of aim, but for the most part I can put them all in a nickle sized hole. Also, it’s relatively quiet - it makes a decent thump when the air spring lets off, but it’s not enough to annoy my neighbors, or at least no one has said anything.

For sake of comparison I’m planning another Amazon order to get some 5.4 gr. pellets and 9.6 gr. pellets to see how they fare in the gun. I may also breakdown and buy a Beeman P17 as further research has revealed that it has a better trigger than the Gamo, which is arguably the P900’s biggest hangup.

After that I’m strongly considering a rifle, though I’m worried it may be too loud in my place. But I’ve looked at some of the .22 caliber pellet guns and with heavier pellets (~10.5 gr. +) they stay under 1000fps, and apparently are pretty quiet when they have gas traps on the end of the barrels.

So there ya go, my take on the Gamo P900 and getting started again with air guns. If any of you all are into it and have advice, I’d love to hear it.

jariten1781 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/18/2015 at 17:36

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Wouldn’t say I’m ‘into’ them, but I’ve got an old Crossman 2240 that I used for varmint duty back when I lived more rural. Now that I’m suburban I have a pellet capture box up in the attic that I plunk at every month or so. No complaints, handled squirrel/pigeons with no issues and is pretty accurate with off the shelf pellets.

Spaze > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/18/2015 at 17:36

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Yes, they were “serious” 20 years ago. While I was a bit older when I started, I used to shoot competitively both airgun and smallbore. Lots of younger kids started on Daisy’s ( http://www.daisy.com/node/110 ) and moved their way to Walthers, Anschutz’s or the like. I “rented” a gun from a club before I got my LG200. It was neat being able to setup in a garage and practice. That being said, Airguns were not super popular with adults unless your were competing professionally.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jariten1781 08/18/2015 at 17:49

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Yeah, this is a new thing for me, so I wouldn’t say I’m into them, only in so far as I can use it as a training tool. Also I think the competition guns look cool.

I looked at the 2240, it looked nice and got great reviews, I just wanted to avoid CO2.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Spaze 08/18/2015 at 17:54

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I figured things were just as serious 20 years ago, but I was only 10 then so I didn’t know anything. Also the internet didn’t “exist” so it was a lot harder to find out about such things.

I am a member of a shooting club and took a position as an assistant coach on the junior rifle team. I have no prior competitive shooting experience, but I am interested, though I mainly did it to help out the club. The club owns several Anshutz smallbore rifles (can’t remember which model but I think they are 1907s) and several air rifles, I think they are Hammerlis. We haven’t had anyone super interested in air guns, so we haven’t competed with them in a while, but we use them as a training tool to do indoor shooting in the winter.

As you said, it’s great to be able to setup in my apartment and get some trigger time. It’s not the same as going to the range and shooting a real firearm, but fundamentals are fundamentals. I like those Daisy Avantis. I was also looking at an Avanti 747 but decided to go the cheap route for my first air pistol. But I do have notifications setup on Gunbroker and eBay in case a 777 or Gamo Compact Target shows up for a good price.

Opposite Locksmith > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/18/2015 at 18:00

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... You shoot in your apartment

jariten1781 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/18/2015 at 18:16

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Convert to PCP and hope it doesn’t blow up in your face haha. Seriously though, tons of folks convert them either to large tank l.p. or small tank hp

911e46z06 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/18/2015 at 18:16

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I picked up a Crossman Nitro Venom recently. All I know about it is that it kills the shit out of crows.

Spaze > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/18/2015 at 18:23

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Oh, I understand about the internet not existing when we were younger :) But now there are forums, and groups devoted to this stuff.

The NRA, and USA shooting have some amazing training for coaches if you are looking to do it more seriously. Depending on where you are 4-H and your local university may have programs to help you/your kids as well..... WAIT! you are in the DC area? look up the “Arlington” IWLA they used to have a GREAT program. Let me know if you need me to put you in touch with anyone. I may still know a few good contacts.

Funktheduck > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/18/2015 at 19:27

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I like them but whenever I look at them the ones I like cost as much as real guns. Add to that I have no where to shoot one safely and I'm just gonna wait till I buy a house before pursuing any.

Wheelerguy > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/19/2015 at 00:40

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And all of a sudden I want to have a .338 rifle that looks similar to this. Stylish guns, these. Fenwerkbau and Walther, too.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Opposite Locksmith 08/19/2015 at 08:28

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Only with the air gun. I made myself a backstop by taking a carboard box, and cutting up a bunch of other boxes and stacking the cardboard inside the box. The pellets only penetrate about 3/4” to 1”. These things are relatively low powered, it’s a 7.6 gr. pellet at about 400fps, which translates to < 3 ft-lbs (or 4 joules) of energy. My wife tried it an completely missed my backstop and hit the closet door. It’s a thin, sheet metal bi-fold door, probably 16 ga. steel at best, and all it did was put a tiny 1/4” diameter, 1/16” deep ding in it.

Opposite Locksmith > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/19/2015 at 08:30

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I have a 1000 fps multi pump air gun from when I was a kid, I guess I was surprised because my gun is almost as loud as a 22

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Spaze 08/19/2015 at 08:31

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Well, it did exist, but I remember dialing in on a 28.8k modem to read usenets... hahaha. AOL, with it’s graphics, was a huge upgrade!

I’m already an NRA certified Level 1 coach, took the course up in Mechanicsville a few weeks ago, so I’m just getting started. I didn’t know there was an IWLA in Arlington, I’ll have to look it up. I shoot and coach up at Cresap Rifle and Pistol Club in Frederick, Maryland.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jariten1781 08/19/2015 at 08:32

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Hmm, I’ll have to look into that, might be a worthwhile investment.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Funktheduck 08/19/2015 at 08:37

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Yeah, it’s crazy, right? When I started looking I basically talked myself up from the $53 Gamo all the way to a Crosman Silhouette for $380, and then I realized I was nuts. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for competition pistols, some of them are $1,000. And rifles are just as crazy.

Finding a place to shoot is the tough part. I’m fortunate that my apartment is just barely big enough to eek out 5m, and I have a very understanding wife.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Wheelerguy 08/19/2015 at 08:38

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Oh yes, they are all very nice. My brother in law has an Anschutz and it is about the most gorgeous thing. I’d love to drop my Howa .300 WM into a target stock like that.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > 911e46z06 08/19/2015 at 08:44

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Those are nice guns, they use the same IGT system (air spring, basically) that the Gamos use. I’m looking to pickup a Gamo rifle next, probably a .22 Silent Stalker Whisper.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Opposite Locksmith 08/19/2015 at 08:54

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Yeah, at 1000 fps you’re knocking on the door of the sound barrier. A lot of the newer guns will go over 1200 fps, some are even pushing 1400. It’s absolutely mind bending how fast they are with just compressed air. If you watch some YouTube videos, most seem just as loud as .22, complete with the sonic “crack”.

The pistols are a lot slower, their pistons are smaller in volume and barrels are a lot shorter, so it’s hard to get them going too fast. I think some of the better pistols can push 600fps with lightweight pellets but that’s about it.

Opposite Locksmith > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/19/2015 at 09:38

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I can hit a wine cork from 50 feet consistently!

Funktheduck > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/19/2015 at 10:44

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I did the same thing. Started on the aisle of Walmart, then Academy Sports, then the Internet, and then I realized I was looking at guns that cost more than my rent and car payment combined.

I could get that distance with my hallway but with pets in the house it’s not something I’d do. Can’t do it safely outside without the potential to hit a neighbor’s pet or house.

The house I grew up in had thick woods behind it so in theory you could safely shoot a regular gun in the back yard safely. I spent hours shooting bb and pellet guns without worry.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Opposite Locksmith 08/19/2015 at 10:46

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That’s pretty good! I’m working on getting consistent groups with my P900. I found some 5 bull competition targets scaled to 5m so they all fit on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper. I popped off 25 rounds last night, each time, I’d get 3 in a ragged hole smaller than a dime, and have 2 flyers that were all over the place. Every. Single. Time.

I’m starting to wonder if it’s me, or if the gun is really that inconsistent. Sometimes when it lets off, it sounds different. I’ll have to pay more attention and see if that’s when I’m getting my flyers.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Funktheduck 08/19/2015 at 11:23

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Haha, I know that feel. Its just like car shopping. You start looking at a beater and next thing you know you’re thinking about a used, private sale Ferrari F355... before you realize that’s a terrible idea.

Same thing where I grew up, my parents had an acre and the back half was wooded and there was a farm field behind that, so we had lots of places to go shoot. Heck, down in the hollow I used to hear people shooting actual guns, but never ventured down there.

911e46z06 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 08/19/2015 at 12:11

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Yeah, I like how I can shoot it in the air without murdering the neighbors.