Gamo Gamo Viper express opinions

[EmersonWaved]

Im looking into getting a second hand gamo express for dove hunting here in the southwest.

I do have a 22 pcp but would simply like one for the novelty to use for hunting doves, pigeons, but with the benefit of spread. I would obviously have to reload it with probably 7 1/2 shot as whatever they use is far far too small. It’s a miniscule shot size they use, and I’ve been able to get within at least 10-15 yards often as the birds here are usually full off the corn, oranges, and dates here. But five yards is equal to standing underneath a powerline and shooting like an artillery canon.

The uniqueness to reload ammunition for it is quite nice. That adds options and a way to experiment. Especially since I recently discovered (supposedly) that it has parts compatibility with the gamo whisper so you can swap barrels to have an all in one.

Wondering what ya’ll have or think. Was considering the seneca double shot but Im trying to see this cheaper option versus buying a whole new pcp gun (yet).

 

[Sawney Bean]

A .22 spring piston shotgun sounds extremely dubious to me. Figure that it probably produces around 18 fpe at the muzzle, but using #7.5 shot at 10-15 yards it’s probably lost 1/3 of that and that’s assuming all the pellets hit, which they won’t.

Still, it does sound like a fun toy to have and it would probably be ideal for killing swallows or rats in a barn as it would cause little or no damage to the structure.

 

[Dairyboy]

I bought one years ago with similar thoughts to you. I grew up shooting a break barrel and then moved to shotguns and shot them for years for pigeons, starlings and sparrows. I thought oh cool a mixture of both....lol definitely gotta be close for it to do anything. I did shoot one starling out of the air with it. Other than that I had a lot of fly offs on birds that were closer than I thought needed but wasn't. I think I sold it after a few years as it just didnt work? Or I just tossed it. I can't remember. Regardless unless it would just purely be for fun, I wouldn't have any serious expectations out of it. Huge let down. Like said could be a great swallow/mouse/rat gun in closer areas but to do actual dove hunting with it, won't be a realistic gun for that purpose.

 

[Sawney Bean]

One thing I tried years ago was loading shot charges into my .25 Kodiak. I don’t remember exactly how I did it, but it was basically just two wads with shot in between.

The really interesting thing about it was that the pattern it produced was a perfect circle with all the pellets around the circumference and nothing in the middle. I guess that’s why shotgun barrels aren’t rifled.

 

[EmersonWaved]

A .22 spring piston shotgun sounds extremely dubious to me. Figure that it probably produces around 18 fpe at the muzzle, but using #7.5 shot at 10-15 yards it’s probably lost 1/3 of that and that’s assuming all the pellets hit, which they won’t.

Still, it does sound like a fun toy to have and it would probably be ideal for killing swallows or rats in a barn as it would cause little or no damage to the structure.

Indeed. I suppose it was just a thought. Im considering the seneca double shot as it appears to be the best option to use as an airgun and not scare the neighbors.

If i get it for a hundred and can run some loads I bet I can make the gamo work to some degree

 

[EmersonWaved]

I bought one years ago with similar thoughts to you. I grew up shooting a break barrel and then moved to shotguns and shot them for years for pigeons, starlings and sparrows. I thought oh cool a mixture of both....lol definitely gotta be close for it to do anything. I did shoot one starling out of the air with it. Other than that I had a lot of fly offs on birds that were closer than I thought needed but wasn't. I think I sold it after a few years as it just didnt work? Or I just tossed it. I can't remember. Regardless unless it would just purely be for fun, I wouldn't have any serious expectations out of it. Huge let down. Like said could be a great swallow/mouse/rat gun in closer areas but to do actual dove hunting with it, won't be a realistic gun for that purpose.

Gotcha. I suppose only option is maybe the seneca double shot or to drop the whole shotshell airgun possibility as it seems we arent there yet

 

[EmersonWaved]

One thing I tried years ago was loading shot charges into my .25 Kodiak. I don’t remember exactly how I did it, but it was basically just two wads with shot in between.

The really interesting thing about it was that the pattern it produced was a perfect circle with all the pellets around the circumference and nothing in the middle. I guess that’s why shotgun barrels aren’t rifled.

Yeah, thats how they work. The wad behind the shotshell pushes the load through the barrel and keeps it packed together until at some point after it leaves the barrel.

What shotshell exists for your beeman kodiak? I have a hatsan airtact in 25 and would love if there were some shotshell shell options

 

[Just Zack 2]

Yeah, thats how they work. The wad behind the shotshell pushes the load through the barrel and keeps it packed together until at some point after it leaves the barrel.

What shotshell exists for your beeman kodiak? I have a hatsan airtact in 25 and would love if there were some shotshell shell options

Seems they just used two wads and shot between (probably chambered a wad, then shot followed by another wad)... Unfortunately, for best results you need a smoothbore. Otherwise, you'll blow a hole in your pattern every time... The shot rotates and will print like a doughnut, dense ring with nothing to speak of in the middle.

Gamo usually makes it so you can't adjust/remove the barrel pivot bolt. It can be done, but usually not without destroying the bolt. Just saying, incase you were looking to swap barrels...

There are videos online regarding that Gamo shotgun (hunts & reloading). Interesting, probably not something for everyone.

 

[Septicdeath]

I made this around the time the viper express was made. I also have a Crosman 1100. Both would take a dove at closer range.

Today I made a new sabot design for my Hatsan 130QE 8mm smoothbore shotgun. This is the fourth generation of sabots I've made. They work the best so far.

The capsule it cut on top with a X. a 1mm hole made in the bottom. a small piece of vegetable fiber wad is pressed into the bottom. 47 to... https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/8mm-smoothbore-shotgun.1281976/

 

[Sawney Bean]

Yeah, thats how they work. The wad behind the shotshell pushes the load through the barrel and keeps it packed together until at some point after it leaves the barrel.

What shotshell exists for your beeman kodiak? I have a hatsan airtact in 25 and would love if there were some shotshell shell options

It wasn't a shotshell. It was a wad pushed into the barrel, followed by shot, followed by another wad. I don't remember how exactly I managed to squash that whole shot sandwich in there as it was about 25 years ago, but the pattern I absolutely remember. It was like I had traced a perfect circle using birdshot.

At the time I was wondering if I could use my break barrel as a shotgun.

 

[EmersonWaved]

I made this around the time the viper express was made. I also have a Crosman 1100. Both would take a dove at closer range.

Today I made a new sabot design for my Hatsan 130QE 8mm smoothbore shotgun. This is the fourth generation of sabots I've made. They work the best so far.

The capsule it cut on top with a X. a 1mm hole made in the bottom. a small piece of vegetable fiber wad is pressed into the bottom. 47 to... https://www.airgunnation.com/threads/8mm-smoothbore-shotgun.1281976/

Thats amazing, if i had a bit more tools in my shop id make that but would probably butcher it. And a crosman 1100, classic. Shame they will now increase even more in price due to crosman shutting down and become antiques.

 

[dv8eod]

The Gamo shells only hold about 15 pellets of #9. And that's not guaranteed. Going up in size will reduce the number of pellets and add more weight causing it to shoot a little slower.
Any time I take mine out, I try to get really close to the target. Made a shot on a hosp a little over 12 yards just to see if I could touch it with that wide a spread. Hit it with 3 pellets and needed a follow up shot. Pretty sure if I hadn't gotten to it as fast as I did, it would have flown off. All those pellets did was knock it out of the tree.
Best luck I've had was with about 3 yards or less.

 

[Rob_in_NC]

I have one. Wouldnt trust it on dove for sure. I use it on occasion for carpenter bees and that's about it. Tried several shots on chipmunks and never could down one so stopped.

 

[EmersonWaved]

The Gamo shells only hold about 15 pellets of #9. And that's not guaranteed. Going up in size will reduce the number of pellets and add more weight causing it to shoot a little slower.
Any time I take mine out, I try to get really close to the target. Made a shot on a hosp a little over 12 yards just to see if I could touch it with that wide a spread. Hit it with 3 pellets and needed a follow up shot. Pretty sure if I hadn't gotten to it as fast as I did, it would have flown off. All those pellets did was knock it out of the tree.
Best luck I've had was with about 3 yards or less.

Alright yeah I think this may just be a fever dream. Thanks for the story, this thing must genuinely be just that bad. Heard the story of some other shotgun airgun from the phillipines that was co2 powered but hard to find, however somehow was able to hunt hogs

 

[Septicdeath]

Alright yeah I think this may just be a fever dream. Thanks for the story, this thing must genuinely be just that bad. Heard the story of some other shotgun airgun from the phillipines that was co2 powered but hard to find, however somehow was able to hunt hogs

The Farco .51. I sure would love to add this to my collection.

 

[Simplemann]

Thats amazing, if i had a bit more tools in my shop id make that but would probably butcher it. And a crosman 1100, classic. Shame they will now increase even more in price due to crosman shutting down and become antiques.

Crosman is not shutting down, they are closing the New York facility and will be operating at another facility. I just ordered parts from them a few days ago.

 

[EmersonWaved]

Crosman is not shutting down, they are closing the New York facility and will be operating at another facility. I just ordered parts from them a few days ago.

Ah, thats good to hear then!

But still stands as they do not make the 1100 anymore. Heard it actually is more usable but co2 usage is limited in terms of shots (uses most of the 2 cartridges for a few shots)

 

[EmersonWaved]

The Farco .51. I sure would love to add this to my collection.

Yes this! Ashame as they were handmade and only a handful ever made it to the USA.

 

[Sawney Bean]

It is too bad that we don’t have a lot of the great airguns that were around a few decades ago, but the truth is that we’re currently in a golden age of airgun development.

Right now there are about half a dozen air shotguns available that would smoke anything from the past. In terms of PCP’s and CO2 the choice of guns is amazing.

Springers unfortunately had their golden age 2-3 decades ago. They’re still around and you can still get some seriously nice new guns, but not nearly as many as you could 20 years ago and the golden age of multipump pneumatics was probably 4-6 decades ago and you really can’t get any new ones that are very good.