Thread: Recommended air rifle & scope for possum / rabbits

Ppl have prefrance. Gamo is not an air rifle that I would recommend for the price.
They tend to have a lot a of power, but this comes at the cost of more recoil. Unlike a cartridge rifle, spring and gas ram air rifles recoil forward and backwards, with this all happening before the pellet has left the barrel. This makes them incredibly hold sensitive. The more kick more hold sensitive as a rule.
Gamos tend to be very light rifles which is great for carrying around hunting but not for barrel lift/accuracy. The build quality is average.
There are other brands around that will offer better options for the price.
Having said this certain models will preform pretty well and indeed there are ppl out there who swear by them
A lot of critters have died from Gamos.
The sig is by far a better choice than gamo and around the same price as a new gamo. It is more accurate, plenty of power, less hold sensitive (it's heavier) very well built.
The sig is no longer built but seals can still be got.
A under or side lever is going to be more accurate than a break barrel in general. Gamo do make one of these, which I would consider if you went that route. (would need to check the fpe)
The sig has a patented locking system on its break barrel which address this problem.
Other brands have multi shot systems. My gamo (which I gave away in the end, didn't feel right to sell it) was damaging pellets as it feed them. This may have just been my gun. There are advantages to mag feed air rifles, but if its for possums, single shot isn't an issue.
GAMO after market service from Vaughan in Upper hut was excellent. I had a barrel replaced ( tooling groove cutting through the rifling) and they offered to replace the mag, but I just took the mag off went single shot.
I'm relatively new back into air rifles. I brought the gamo as it all looked and sounded great but after a month or two brought a tx200 because I was so annoyed with all the hassel I was having with it. There is no comparison and I wouldn't spend my money on a gamo again prefurring the extra few hundred for top line gun.
This is my view (though shared by many). Will a gamo do the job? Yes. Are there better options around for equiventlent money? Plenty.