Gamo Better than expected tune up

[airgunutty]

I had been neglecting my gamo varmint 177 since I got my first PCP. Was reading about someone else who was messing around with a break barrel and decided, why not break out mine. Grab some pellets and headed out. Cracked it open and cocked it and remembered why it's been neglected. It's got a crunch of spring sound when cocking. Unruly recoil. And the twang it makes after being fired. Yuck

Having had another break barrel with similar issues and having fixed that one I felt confident in attacking this one. So I opened it up broke it down and added thin plastic shims around the tophat and the spring guide and inside the spring cylinder. Lubed up a few places and put it back together. Broke it open, cocked it and complete silence. Not a sound except the click of the sear engaging. Okay well that's way better than expected. Fire off a few pellets and zero twang. Also I have no way of knowing how much recoil was reduced but it seems like about half as much. With the reduction of recoil my accuracy has improved as well. Funny how when it's not trying to jump out of my hands I can hit what I'm aiming at.

Any way I just wanted to make a post about tuning up a gamo varmint and to let others who might own this same rifle and maybe want to the same, it is absolutely worth it. It is super easy to do and I would be happy to help with specifics should you have questions.

Happy gun, happy hunter

 

[Orv]

I had been neglecting my gamo varmint 177 since I got my first PCP. Was reading about someone else who was messing around with a break barrel and decided, why not break out mine. Grab some pellets and headed out. Cracked it open and cocked it and remembered why it's been neglected. It's got a crunch of spring sound when cocking. Unruly recoil. And the twang it makes after being fired. Yuck

Having had another break barrel with similar issues and having fixed that one I felt confident in attacking this one. So I opened it up broke it down and added thin plastic shims around the tophat and the spring guide and inside the spring cylinder. Lubed up a few places and put it back together. Broke it open, cocked it and complete silence. Not a sound except the click of the sear engaging. Okay well that's way better than expected. Fire off a few pellets and zero twang. Also I have no way of knowing how much recoil was reduced but it seems like about half as much. With the reduction of recoil my accuracy has improved as well. Funny how when it's not trying to jump out of my hands I can hit what I'm aiming at.

Any way I just wanted to make a post about tuning up a gamo varmint and to let others who might own this same rifle and maybe want to the same, it is absolutely worth it. It is super easy to do and I would be happy to help with specifics should you have questions.

Happy gun, happy hunter

Now you know why many of us invest in springers from Air Arms ( I own a fine TX200) and Weihrauch (mine is a HW97K). Of course there are others, but you'll hear from others here on the forum what their favorites are. I have various other rifles, but it's springers that I always returned to. I enjoy tuning my springers with the trusted Vortek kits. Orv.

 

[markhooper]

I had been neglecting my gamo varmint 177 since I got my first PCP. Was reading about someone else who was messing around with a break barrel and decided, why not break out mine. Grab some pellets and headed out. Cracked it open and cocked it and remembered why it's been neglected. It's got a crunch of spring sound when cocking. Unruly recoil. And the twang it makes after being fired. Yuck

Having had another break barrel with similar issues and having fixed that one I felt confident in attacking this one. So I opened it up broke it down and added thin plastic shims around the tophat and the spring guide and inside the spring cylinder. Lubed up a few places and put it back together. Broke it open, cocked it and complete silence. Not a sound except the click of the sear engaging. Okay well that's way better than expected. Fire off a few pellets and zero twang. Also I have no way of knowing how much recoil was reduced but it seems like about half as much. With the reduction of recoil my accuracy has improved as well. Funny how when it's not trying to jump out of my hands I can hit what I'm aiming at.

Any way I just wanted to make a post about tuning up a gamo varmint and to let others who might own this same rifle and maybe want to the same, it is absolutely worth it. It is super easy to do and I would be happy to help with specifics should you have questions.

Happy gun, happy hunter

I'd be interested in how you did this, I don't know if mine is similar but it's recoil I can only tolerate a dozen shots..
I have a Gamo varmint garden shotgun in 22 caliber..
bought it for rattlers around the house and it's worked well, sit in the closet with a box of shells and no snakes
I do get it out once in awhile and shoot pellets with the adapter and it hits my 50 yard spinner 3 diameter every time.
Mark

 

[airgunutty]

Now you know why many of us invest in springers from Air Arms ( I own a fine TX200) and Weihrauch (mine is a HW97K). Of course there are others, but you'll hear from others here on the forum what their favorites are. I have various other rifles, but it's springers that I always returned to. I enjoy tuning my springers with the trusted Vortek kits. Orv.

Im sure they are nice but AA and Weihrauch are not close to the varmint in cost. Some of us who enjoy shooting don't have a budget for a $800 rifle. I was merely trying to get the most out of my low budget rifle and help other broke ass lead slingers to know that there is an inexpensive solution to an unruly but much loved gamo varmint.

Lead, the other precious metal.

 

[EMrider]

Im sure they are nice but AA and Weihrauch are not close to the varmint in cost. Some of us who enjoy shooting don't have a budget for a $800 rifle. I was merely trying to get the most out of my low budget rifle and help other broke ass lead slingers to know that there is an inexpensive solution to an unruly but much loved gamo varmint.

Lead, the other precious metal.

Glad you were able to improve your gun's shooting characteristics. A little effort to properly lube internals and fit a spring guide can yield surprising results. Guns with strong recoil often need a coil or two clipped off the spring. If you feel the need to tame your varmint even more, that may be a good next step.
R

 

[airgunutty]

Glad you were able to improve your gun's shooting characteristics. A little effort to properly lube internals and fit a spring guide can yield surprising results. Guns with strong recoil often need a coil or two clipped off the spring. If you feel the need to tame your varmint even more, that may be a good next step.
R

By clipping the spring wouldn't it also be lowering the fps? Don't really want that. Also if I did clip and didn't like the change can't unclip that spring. A new spring is half the cost of a new gun.

Anyway I'm not trying to discard your suggestion as to a possible improvement only saying that I don't think it's one for my particular needs. I do thank you for taking the time to read and to share your thoughts.

 

[CharlieF]

I love mine. It was the first AG I purchased before falling into the rabbit hole. I replaced my spring with a piston long ago. Purchased the replacement and moly impregnated seal from an airgun place in Australia. Greatly increased the muzzle velocity and was able to get better accuracy. I have a red dot on mine and love how light it is compared to my other air rifles.

 

[airgunutty]

I had been neglecting my gamo varmint 177 since I got my first PCP. Was reading about someone else who was messing around with a break barrel and decided, why not break out mine. Grab some pellets and headed out. Cracked it open and cocked it and remembered why it's been neglected. It's got a crunch of spring sound when cocking. Unruly recoil. And the twang it makes after being fired. Yuck

Having had another break barrel with similar issues and having fixed that one I felt confident in attacking this one. So I opened it up broke it down and added thin plastic shims around the tophat and the spring guide and inside the spring cylinder. Lubed up a few places and put it back together. Broke it open, cocked it and complete silence. Not a sound except the click of the sear engaging. Okay well that's way better than expected. Fire off a few pellets and zero twang. Also I have no way of knowing how much recoil was reduced but it seems like about half as much. With the reduction of recoil my accuracy has improved as well. Funny how when it's not trying to jump out of my hands I can hit what I'm aiming at.

Any way I just wanted to make a post about tuning up a gamo varmint and to let others who might own this same rifle and maybe want to the same, it is absolutely worth it. It is super easy to do and I would be happy to help with specifics should you have questions.

Happy gun, happy hunter

Follow up...
I took out a rat at dusk yesterday evening with the newly tuned at about 25y. Also (not bragging)but to any who have read some of my other posts, the shot I took was lefty off hand. I'm pretty proud of myself and the work I've done to make that happen.

Trigger happy moments

 

[EMrider]

By clipping the spring wouldn't it also be lowering the fps? Don't really want that. Also if I did clip and didn't like the change can't unclip that spring. A new spring is half the cost of a new gun.

Anyway I'm not trying to discard your suggestion as to a possible improvement only saying that I don't think it's one for my particular needs. I do thank you for taking the time to read and to share your thoughts.

Yep, clipping coils off a spring would reduce power. From my experience, the change is usually in the 5%-10% ballpark per coil. If you want to tame recoil, reducing power is usually required. Glad that you're happy with how the gun is shooing.
R