GAMO Bone Collector Gen 3i (Full Review) .22 Break Barrel / Wood Stock

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kaylaindy

kaylaindy

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Jun 3, 2017
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Washington, United States
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Hey guys. This week I took a look at the Gamo Swarm Gen 3i Bone Collector. This .22 caliber break barrel is a smooth shooter (I forgot to mention that in the video). Probably half the recoil of the Hatsan MOD 65. Fun gun! I filmed this video entirely with the GAMO factory 3-9X scope that came with the gun. Great combo. Thanks for watching! -Nate


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Take a look at that factory 12 inch long scope. I have both the Gen3i Bone Collector and Fusion in .22. The furnished one piece mount loves to walk the walk and in fact on the Bone Collector the recoil pin after egging the receiver hole sheared completely off. So once again with Gamo it was time to re-engineer their design. There is only the one hole for the recoil pin in their so called magical recoil reducing rail.....so using a stop pin on the front mount is not an option.
Any quality scope over 12.25 inches in length will not work as it due to design of scope mounts and most scopes will interfere with the Swarm loading system and will block the barrel as you cock it.
So I installed the M8 rear stop screw with loctite and then drilled a hole in the top of it eliminating the torx screw part and deepened the hole so a stop pin fits nicely. I carefully filed the top of the M8 screw down flush with the recoil reducing rail and then used a good set of offset two piece Hawke rings and also drilled and tapped the offset ring and used that for the rear ring, this both makes a good secure stop and also gains the needed rearward eye relief. Yep had to re-engineer a bit to use a decent scope. If I ever wish to remove it I will just cut a slot with a dremel however have no plan to ever remove that screw.

As for accuracy both the Bone Collector and the Fusion easily punch an 1/2 inch group at 30 yards. Both like the Gamo Red Fire Pellet the best with the H and N 14.66 FTT a very close second.
Both are quick and light and handle great. Great little rifles for walking the woods and shooting offhand.
Both now have over 2000 rounds each and they have been completely trouble free once I redesigned the scope situation. Another solution to the scope situation would be to use an dovetail to picatinny adapter with the cantilever type rail and this holds it solid and allows for proper eye relief.

I like them both and overall quality looks fine. The Bone Collector has dispatched two Racoons with intentions of eating my chickens. Smart little rascals completely avoided my live traps, ate the bait even when tied down with string they just chewed the string. So had to get up at 3 a.m. and sit and wait till around 5 a.m for their visits.

I do like the rifles, however Gamo really did not design them for the use of any good quality scope. Gamo USA has also been out of their BSA scopes with A/O for over a year and they may never have them again, however it is 13 plus inches long and would not fit the new Gen 3 rifles.

Kit
 
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kaylaindy said:
Darn, I missed the boat not shooting that gun with Red Fires and H n N's. People in video comments are saying you should shoot that gun off bags, not a rifle rest, or sticks. So it can recoil.

Good call on the scope info. Go with a UTG Bug Buster ...it's short and powerful. Also in 3-12X and it has Parallax.
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Yeah I'm willing to bet off of bags with a mild/moderate hold you could probably manage a consistent 3/4" or better at 25yds. The biggest key I find to shooting a springer is paying attention to your shoulder pressure too much or too little and the gun tends to bounce in a slightly different direction. Just food for thought.
 
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kaylaindy said:
Darn, I missed the boat not shooting that gun with Red Fires and H n N's. People in video comments are saying you should shoot that gun off bags, not a rifle rest, or sticks. So it can recoil.

Good call on the scope info. Go with a UTG Bug Buster ...it's short and powerful. Also in 3-12X and it has Parallax.
Click to expand...
I like springers and have shot them for years. I have no desire for air bottles, compressors that break and a wheel barrow and back pack to carry all that stuff around. Grin!!
As for shooting stick or sticks I pull the inside cord out of para cord and use the slick outside tube and wrap the rest on my shooting stick with that. It provides a slick surface just like a bag at the bench and does not change poi at all. That was experiment number 67.
I tried every make and kind of pellet known to man . I do have an FX Crown and it was made for a specific pellet and the more experience I gain with Gamo rifles I think the new BSA barrels are programmed for the Red Fire. I have also noticed they like short skirt pellets for the most part as long as they are a snug fit. Loose fit such as the JSB RS look like a shotgun on the target.
As for shooting a springer off a sled, it might surprise you. It will not be as accurate, yet it is adequate so long as you do the same thing each time. Not something sanctioned by the community, yet it will surprise you. However laying the fore end on a SLICK bag, light grip, thumb up, light cheek weld and use the offhand at the butt stock to move the rifle will gain superior accuracy.

Kit
 
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