Gamo Hunter .177 Air Rifle Questions

[cslinger]

My dad has some issues with some little ground hogs and squirrels and wanted an air rifle for some pest control duty. I didn't want to get him a really nice RWS or Beeman but wanted to get him something half decent so I picked up a Gamo Hunter which I have generally heard very good things about.

.177 at 850-1000 FPS should be enough for squirrel and ground hog correct?

Anybody who does any varmint control with an air rifle have any tips?

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I have a Gamo and like it. However, think a .177 pellet is light for ground hog. They need more "medicine" in my opinion. Maybe the .22 Colibri ammo would be a better option for them.

 

[mountainclmbr]

I have one. Very accurate, but different brands or styles of pellets shoot very differently. Pick a heavy hunting style pellet that shoots accurately and you will do well. I have a scope on mine. An air rifle scope is needed since the air piston causes recoil in the opposite direction of a cartridge gun and the lenses of most cartridge scopes are made for recoil retention of the lens in one direction (the opposite of the air rifle recoil). My Gammo Hunter is accurate enough for varmit head shots at close range (30 yds or so).

 

[shrpshn]

Echoing mountainclmbr ~ I have customers using the GAMO 220 .177 on squirrel & groundhog size animals. There are several other things to consider:

It usually takes several hundred shots to break an airgun in.

Most above kills are well placed head or shoulder shots. This requires a good airgun scope, preferably a variable. Bushnell has a good one for under $100.

Some guns will shoot only one weight or style pellet. Good idea is start off with a sampler pack of pellets, such as GAMO or RWS - both have 4-5 different styles & weights.

Never brace/rest airgun on firm object when making shot.

John
SharpShin' Blades

 

[Cueball]

At 850-1000fps, it will take care of a squirrel easily. I use hollow point pellets for that size game due to my suburban environment. It helps to prevent ricochets. For ground hog, you will probably need a pointed pellet and a good head shot to take one of them. I can nail them with my RWS model 34 @ 1000fps. A well placed shot with the right pellet should dispatch the animal.

 

[Oleg Volk]

Gamo 880 works for rabbit at 20 yards.

Dead rabbit

Scope was essential for placing the shot right above the nose. Pointed pellet was used.