Springer scope
 

What is a good scope for a springer Gamo? I typically take the ground squirrels from 10-45 yards with my cheap pump Remington but recently inherited a Gamo with no scope. It does have the trigger mod and he said it was a pretty accurate rifle and I hate pumping the old girl when there are multiple rodents out there.

My pump will group about the size of a half dollar at 25 yards when clean and lubed properly so I expect this will do as good or better. Not being a break action it is hard to clean the barrel. It has a 3x9 rifle scope on it that does not like the recoil of a .270 but keeps the zero on the pump. Don't think it would on the springer.

When looking I see several that are for air rifles but they don't always specify bi-directional recoil. Looking to spend $100 or less. Preferably in the $60-$75 range.

Spring piston air guns can destroy a scope that could handle a 50bmg no problem. Has to do with the different pattern of vibrations etc.

I know, that is why I am having a hard time finding one certified for a spring air, not just air gun rated. Pump and PCP don't cause the same issues.

I'm pretty happy with the iron sights on my Diana Mod. 48. I've hit ground squirrels up to around 30 yds., & I never practice. Generally that's all I use it for. I went onto the Air Guns of Arizona site, & looked at their sights. Some are God awful expensive, but there are some in the lower hundred dollar range that I believe might be rated for spring guns. I don't know much about scopes but if I got one, it would be a pretty basic one. I imagine it would be an upgrade on my iron sights, but any more than that wouldn't be practical for me.

The Gamo has no iron sights on it so I figured go with a scope. The ground squirrels are hard to see 40+ yards out for me. I do take the 1911 with a .22 barrel on when I am on the riding mower as they seem to ignore that. Just need something for the kids and I to pick thom off on non-mowing days.

The variable power on the old pump is just because that was on the .270 and won't hold a zero on anything with much recoil.

The best weapon I had for these was our old lab. I might get 18-20 in the summer, but she would always get more and seemed to rub it in. She got treats for everyone she brought to us. Our beagle tries, but he really isn't very good at it.

I've got a Simmons 3x9 on mine. Nothing fancy but works. Been on for years now.

I would just call Airguns of Arizona and ask them what they recommend.

I went through several "budget" priced air gun scopes that were all spring piston rated, back when I first really got into them about seven or eight years ago (during the Obama induced ammo shortage). Every single one of them failed eventually.

I now have Weaver scopes intended for .22 rimfires on all of my air rifles that actually wear scopes (Weihrauch HW 80 and RWS 48 for the springers, MAC 1 modified Benjamin 392 pumper). Weaver says their .22 rimfire scopes are all "springer rated", as does Leupold and likely others. More than you want to spend, but they will outlast that Gamo for sure.

Thanks for all the info. Looks like Airguns of Arizona is a place to start. If I get a few years or a thousand rounds out of it I would be happy.

I don't use them as often as I used to and s Dianna is in the cards some day down the road and they only get used for the rodents. Sometimes I break out one of the 10/22 and shoot from the bedroom patio door with the x-bag since it is a nice sniper's nest.

I have an early model 1377 that the barrel is worn out but I put thousands of rounds through that from when I got it until maybe 20 years ago. It groups about 3" at 25 feet now. Used to be 1/2 a dime.

Which pellets are you using in the 1377? Restoring accuracy may be as simple as changing pellets.

I have a 1963 vintage Sheridan Bluestreak that I've owned since I found it underwater in a ditch when I was 12 years old, in 1972. I sent it to MAC 1 for a rebuild and their "steroid" treatment about 15 years ago, and Timmy Mac told me "this POS ain't worth rebuilding". Then I told him the story, and he quickly changed to "anything I can do to get this old girl shooting again...".

Well, the thing wouldn't shoot all that well when he returned it. I figured the barrel was shot. I called Tim and asked him what he thought. He told me to switch from the American made "Sheridan" (now made by Crossman) pellets to the Czech made JSB's, which are a bit larger in diameter. That did the trick. The rifle will now, from a rest, with the original Williams receiver sight, shoot all shots into one ragged dime sized hole at 25 yards. With the old pellets, it shot maybe 3" or larger "groups". All I did was change pellets.

H&N, among others, lists several different diameters for their .177 and .22 caliber pellets. When you talk to the Airguns of Arizona folks, ask them about that. They might be able to recommend something that will get that 1377 shooting well again.

The 1377 I have used Silver Jets in the past but they are NLA. I have Everything from heavy Kodiak to the Crosman wad-cutters recently and none shoot very well. I don't use it much anyway as I just take the 1911 with the .22 match barrel when mowing to take care of the ground squirrels.

That said, when I talked to my brother in law in the past he said he had a Gamo but now that I have things unpacked from his house (he passed a couple months ago) I found it is a Crosman Phantom. Did find a scope on AoA and I found the springers shoot completely foreign to me.

For shooting off bags are you better to let them rest or hold the forestock or what? I am used to laying the forestock on the x-bag and using my left to brace the shoulder stock and shoot. This one does not seem to like that.

I welcome all tips and tricks to these.

Those springers sure do jump around a lot, don't they? And, unfortunately, because they do, they are exceedingly hold sensitive. There is a lot of barrel time as well, and all of that commotion is happening while the pellet is still in that barrel. None of this helps accuracy in any way, of course. I find it amazing they can be made to shoot as well as they do.

In light of all of this, "consistency" is the name of the game. Every different thing you try to rest that forum on will make it shoot to a different point of impact, far more so than any other rifle. Resting the forum on a fencepost will make it hit somewhere different than resting it on the hood of your lawnmower, which in turn will make it hit somewhere different than resting it out the kitchen window, which in turn will hit somewhere else than it will offhand, and on and on. Every surface will produce different results. Sometimes a lot different.

So, what's a shooter to do? Well, what's the one thing you always have with you? Hmm... maybe that left hand... In the end, I have found the best way to achieve consistency for me is to consistently hold the forearm with my left hand. I will then rest the back of my hand, or my wrist, on whatever steady rest is available. Absolutely anathema to how we were all taught to zero rifles from a rest, or to shoot for group size from a rest. And, no, I cannot shoot as tight of a group if I'm holding the forearm. But the point of impact does not change when I come off the bench and use the thing in the field. That's far more important to me.

Maybe a regular hold and drop my left arm in the X bag. The only place I use it is in the yard for ground squirrels when I am not mowing on the lawn tractor and the X bag is always there.

It really doesn't like the lightweight 5.x gr pellets. Couple forums say these need lots of rounds to "season" the barrel. My pump took about 10-15 rounds to shoot tight again. I shot a bunch of Gamo through it to use them up The were not consistent, some were tight, some were loose. After that and holding it tight the Kodiaks and wadcutters grouped better but not great. I think it will take some practice.

For springers, there is something called the 'artillery' hold. I am not sure what it exactly is, But like said above, I think it is holding the forearm with your off hand.

Rifles seem to like heavier pellets, the lighter ones are for air pistols.

This "artillery hold" is where you rest the forearm of the rifle in your off hand, but do not grasp it. It merely lays in it, with your palm open. It is supposed to allow the rifle to move freely, and therefore consistently. It appears to work for many people. It never worked for me.

That definitely did not work for me. That produced milk jug groups at 25 yards.

Same here. I think it just bounces too much. It seems a bit of "damping" action provided by grasping the forearm works best for me. Then, from there, it really doesn't matter how I'm bracing my left forearm/wrist/hand, or if I'm bracing it at all, the point of impact remains the same. That's what's really important in field shooting.

Reminds me of several experiences I've had on my club rifle range over the years. We have very solid concrete benches, with target stands at 100, 200, and 300 yards. I'm a fairly competent benchrest shooter (although not competitive with the serious match guys) and I understand the principle. I can shoot teeny weeny groups with my "varmint" rifles all day long using the classic benchrest technique. But, well, sometimes I need to check zero, or maybe I'm trying a new load in one of my "big game" rifles. Like really "big" game...

So I've had occasion to be the recipient of others' "expert" advice on proper benchrest technique, when I'm working with one of my beloved .375 H&H Magnums, or better yet, my .458 Winchester Magnum. I grab the forearms on those rifles for all I'm worth, especially the .458. I actually wrap my fingers around the top of the barrel with that one, in a futile effort to keep it from ripping right out of my hand. If I can at least slow it down when it tries to do that, it doesn't pivot up as much on my shoulder, so it doesn't leave as big of a bruise on my cheek.

Plenty of these "experts" have told me "you will shoot smaller groups if you don't hold the forearm like that". Uh huh...

I've had some somewhat evil fun with a few of those guys over the years. "Here, show me. I really don't know what I'm doing here. Any help would be much appreciated".

And you know what? Every one of them came away agreeing that holding the forearm is the thing to do with those rifles. Ultimate group size be damned...

Everything I shoot from bags or a rest I use the same technique as you, but the Remington multi-pump .177 shoots the best group if I don't touch anything but the shoulder stock but like anything in that class it has no recoil. I know some of the ultra competitive .22 shooters use an electronic trigger.

That said, I used to think I would be a decent shooter with anything. This Springer has proved me wrong. Well, so far at least.

I may not do well with an atlatl either. I hear they are a bit tricky.

I think the very "worst" for me is my Webley Tempest, a spring-piston air pistol. I mentioned here way back when i bought it just how challenging the darn thing is to actually shoot well. Very frustrating at first, but then I began to appreciate what it was teaching me. It punishes any sloppiness or inattention. Anyone who considers themselves to be a "good" pistol shot needs to buy one of those things and prepare to be humbled. And to learn. It's like the grade school super strict school marm with the ruler constantly in her hand... anything less than perfect discipline, and she'll rap your knuckles...

My various Sheridan and one Benjamin multi-pump pneumatics are incredibly forgiving compared to the springers. Like you've noted, zero recoil. And, better yet, no vibration. I can rest mine on anything with no change in point of impact. Their only downside is that they are LOUD, especially compared to the springers. Not ear protection loud, but attention getting loud. Fortunately, my neighbors are all shooters. They will often hear me in the back yard when I'm shooting my "gong" (an old VW Beetle jack pad, the one that goes in the square socket like on our 911's) and come over to join in on the fun.

I think the vibration was what surprised me the most. In all honesty, the recoil on that bothers me more than any firearm I have ever fired and I think it is the vibration. This is the only rifle that I noticeably was flinching if I did not pay attention.

I will NOT be trying a spring-piston pistol any time soon. Well, I have a spring piston but it is an airsoft M92 but that is for quick draw duels with the kids and playing in the yard since those won't put a window out.

I actually have two spring piston air pistols, and they are as different as night and day. In addition to the Tempest, I have a Weihrauch HW 45 in 5mm (.20 caliber, like the Sheridans). It is still a demanding pistol to master, but it is far, far easier than that darn Tempest.

Interesting story - Weihrauch engineers played with different platforms while developing this pistol, one of which was a single stroke pneumatic. The finished product was always going to be a springer, but they had time and budget to play, so they did. The end result was a single stroke pneumatic that was simply too good not to produce, so they did, calling it their HW 75, available only in .177 due to the somewhat underpowered power plant. And I bought one.

These two pistols are outwardly very similar. They provide a fantastic study in contrasts between the two action types. The springer is a good deal more powerful, which was their design intent, but the pneumatic is far easier to shoot well. Both are fantastic pistols. If I had to choose between the two, though, I would start with the pneumatic.


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