by B.B. Pelletier
Gamo Silent Stalker Whisper IGT is lightweight and looks to be a fine hunting air rifle.
Wow!
Wow! That was the first word that came to mind when I opened the box on the Gamo Silent Stalker Whisper IGT. The gun is packed with great care, and you can tell that the packaging was given a lot of thought. It impresses you the moment the box lid raises.
A second wow when I picked it up and felt the light weight of just over 7 lbs. Not trusting my own feelings, I handed it to Edith who made the same observation. This really is a lightweight air rifle!
Then, I couldn’t resist cocking it and that brought another wow. It cocks like it has a gas spring — with no spring noise and the firm feel of resistance all the way.
Gas spring
Of course, it does have a gas spring, so that part wasn’t imagined. And I see the advertised velocity of 975 f.p.s. If this .22-caliber rifle gets anywhere near that speed with lightweight lead pellets and is also accurate, it will earn two additional wows.
Long stroke
Cocking revealed something else. This is a gas-spring rifle, and they usually don’t have a long stroke. But this one does! In fact, I can’t avoid comparing it to the .22 Theoben Fenman I used to own. That rifle had a long stroke as well and was also relatively easy to cock.
So, it’s lightweight, has good power, is easy to cock and has long stroke. These are all things I would want in an airgun of this type. This air rifle appears to be designed by someone who actually knows something about airguns. Can you tell I’m excited?
Smooth shooting
After cocking the rifle, I had to shoot it because it cannot be uncocked. The shot cycle is very smooth and recoil-free. Another wow? Perhaps, but I need to shoot it more to know for sure.
This is a breakbarrel .22 with a gas spring. It has a modern synthetic stock, as you can see, and the shape of the stock is thumbhole. Gamo claims this is “‘The’ Most Quiet Gun.” Not the quietest, mind you — but the most quiet. Ah!
I’ll determine how quiet it actually is, but I think we can cut Gamo some slack on this one. They obviously mean their claim to apply to spring guns, and not to PCPs, which we know can be even quieter. So, I’ll compare it to a TX200 Mark III that has the same barrel shroud technology.
Good open sights
This gun comes with a 3-9×40 scope and rings, although Gamo has wisely installed a set of good open sights, as well. That’s not easy to do with the large Whisper muzzlebrake; and if they didn’t do it, an owner would have no recourse for an aftermarket fix, so this is a real valuable feature. The sights are fiberoptic, so not really suitable for precision shooting, but probably good enough for close hunting out to maybe 25-30 yards or so. They would be perfect for close-in pest elimination.
Here’s a feature airgunners have been requesting for years — a large muzzlebrake with a sight. Gamo did this one right.
The scope base looks very much like the old Theoben Dampa mount of several years ago, though I don’t see the rubber pad. Gamo deserves credit for installing a real good 11mm scope base with two vertical scope stop holes on this rifle.
The breech seal is an o-ring around the transfer port. The way the breech comes together, it looks to me like someone who knows airguns gave this rifle a lot of careful thought because the leading edge of the breech isn’t trying to slice off the seal one strip at a time.
At the retail price of just $260, I think you stand to get a lot of value in the Silent Stalker Whisper. But, we’ll see on the range, because it has to shoot well before I’ll give it my stamp of approval.
However, from what I’ve seen thus far, it’s probably headed in the right direction. I could only wish for a better and crisper trigger, but I’ll test that in detail in a later report.
First impression
After having this rifle in my hands for an hour and shooting it a couple times, I’m reminded very much of the Benjamin Legacy. Here’s all the same technology with the promise of greater power. I can’t wait to see if it delivers.
Hi, I hope someone knows the answer to this. I just bought a RWS Model 5G Magnum P5 Air Pistol. When I squeeze the trigger it can hold the position and it makes a slight click sound at the end of the first stage but not into the second stage of the trigger. Is it supposed to be able to stop and hold its position just before the second stage, or should it always spring back to the beginning of the first stage when you first start to squeeze the trigger. I’m not sure of this trigger has a defect or this is intended.
Please let me know if you have the answer,
Dave
Dave,
It sounds like the trigger return spring is not returning the trigger blade to the rest position when you let off the trigger. Is that the case?
Have you adjusted the trigger this way, or is this how you got the pistol?
There should be some return in the first stage.
The click at the end of stage one marks the beginning of stage two. That should be there, but it isn’t much.
B.B.
Yes you are correct, the trigger return spring doesn’t seem strong enough and the trigger stays in the detent between the first and second stage. This is how I received it brand new.
-Dave
Dave,
You might try adjusting the trigger by the manual. That could fix everything.
B.B.
Dave,
Another Dave here. I owned that same gun and had the same problem. After careful examination I decided the trigger return spring needed to put more pressure on the trigger. So I very carefully bent the spring with a needle nose pliers till the problem disappeared. As I remember, I lifted the spring with the pliers and bent it downward ever so little and then tested it. Took a couple of tries but I got it!
That eliminated the click, but you could easily take the trigger to a solid stop point and then just a little bit more pressure fired the gun! Which is exactly as a two stage trigger should work.
That gun was very accurate for a heavy recoiling pistol. Could consistently hit soda cans off hand at 25 yards. That my not seem to be good accuracy, but remember this is a heavy recoiling pistol with fiber optic sights fired off hand!
BB:
I’ve shot the Gamo Whisper (Vipermax) and it was let down a little by the ‘full’ hollow plastic stock which amplified the noise and the fibre optic front sight,which being unprotected had suffered damage.
A couple of issues this Silent stalker shouldn’t suffer from.
Looks good for a bit of shooting in the rough.
DaveUK
Dave,
I think this stock is hollow, but the sound isn’t objectionable.
Normally this would be the antithesis of a spring rifle I would like, but this one seems pretty right.
B.B.
Since all the Daves are chiming in…. I’m curious to see how this one performs against the HW90 for power and accuracy. Seems like it would be a heck of a bargain if it’s anywhere close.
/Dave
Please pardon my cynicism beforehand!
I’ll admit up front that I qualify as a ‘Gamo basher’. Not without reason however!
In an effort to provide pertinent advice to a few friends who bought modern examples of Gamo rifles despite advice from myself and others I have within the past 6 mos. bought and closely examined and tuned both a Big Cat and a used ‘Hunter Sport’ with the plastic barrel shroud/breech. I have also revisited an early B-18 (1st of the Gamo 440/890 series clones that are now represented by the Crosman Quest series under its many aliases and iterations) bought from John Ye at the Little Rock Airgun Expo at which it was introduced.
Unfortunately I have been unable to find an example of the earlier Gamo 440/890 series from which the B-18 was cloned so I have no comparison to the grandparent of the current Gamos and imitations. Nevertheless some observations must stand on their merit.
Common practice on the 2 late model Gamos I have closely examined and tuned indicates with a great degree of certainty that burrs and sharp edges in the compression tube are not addressed. That leaves sharp edges that almost invariably damage the piston seal when the piston is inserted into the tube during the production process. As a result the majority of new Gamos are delivered with a faulty seal. That defect in combination with the thin metal of both piston and compression tube means that the new rifles begin to pound themselves to death with the first shot. By contrast the clones—-beginning with the B-18—-have more ‘meat’ in the piston & tube and therefore a better life expectancy than the powerplant from which they were cloned—in the current production versions.
I would very much like to happen upon an affordable Gamo from the original series from which the B-18 & clones was copied in order to determine if the original was built with more care and heavier components but to date that hasn’t happened. Should anyone have one of them currently disassembled please mike the thickness of both piston & cylinder. The Big Cat piston was formed with a wall thickness of .054″ and the Compression tube measures .074″ in thickness. Both dimensions on the B-18 are greater but I failed to record the actual dimensions.
Recent experience with an ex ‘club gun’ Walther LG-55 that has suffered incredible abuse over many years but still survives and shoots with the accuracy expected of a Walther target barrel is in sharp contrast to Gamo standards of quality in both materials and execution.
In short the conclusion is that Gamos are built and marketed with sales numbers uppermost and quality sucking hind tit!
So fire away—-I just “Calls ’em as I sees ’em”! Tom @ BVuzzard Bluff
Tom,
Which is why this rifle surprised me so much. I agree with what you said, but this particular rifle doesn’t even look like it was made by the same company. It has the signs of being made by people who understand airguns.
However, as I said in the report, we will see.
B.B.
Thanks for the acknowledgment B.B. I will await the test with equal interest to your own. Since I have been able to tune the 2 I have in a fashion that should allow them to live I have high hopes! Tom
Tom,Hi….Frank B here.I have a pristine Gamo 440 Hunter in my little group…..and an English Hunter Extreme 1250.When the opportunity presents itself,I’ll gladly get the dimentions mic’ed for you.If you are looking to own one……neither has 100 shots through it.Feel free to Email me if you want to discuss them.All lower case….frankbpc “at” aol.com.Do you have a weight for the 440 action??
Never mind,the barrel is different on the recent offerings.
I just don’t know what to make of Gamo. Their quality seems iffy, but they turn out a champ every now and then like the CFX and the Whisper, and they keep hanging in there. They also seem to have cultivated their relationship with Cabela’s, so if you look at their catalog, it seems like Gamo is at the forefront of airgunning.
I’m not sure what to think about the light stock. I can see you would like that for hunting. But for accuracy, the heavy stock is a clear preference; weight is one reason why my B30 shoots better more consistently than my IZH 61. However, weight does have its downside. The 10 lb. Anschutz rifle was definitely weighing me down during my offhand shooting. I was shooting strings of 20, then 15, then 10….
shaky, yes Talladega Nights was the movie.
Wulfraed, that is pretty stout work to draw and 80 lb. bow by dropping it down from overhead. I could physically do that, but I don’t think that the effort to hold the draw would allow me to aim with any accuracy. I have been privately researching the way the English longbowmen drew their 180 lb. bows by “throwing their bodies into it.” There are any numbers of interpretations on YouTube of how this is done, so I guess mine is as good as anyone’s.
CowBoyStar Dad, my attitude towards the martial arts of archery is to take what is useful. I liked their detailed step-wise technique, and I understood the point of their repetitive practice. But one afternoon of going 1-2-3-4 was enough for me. After that, I graduated myself to shooting arrows. Actually, with my limited knowledge of shooting when I started, I sort of adapted the archery methods to shooting guns. I have a numbered routine for the shot sequence that I go through, and I’m still improving. Most favorably, it does seem able to summon the Jaws of the Subconscious…
Volvo, finally finished cleaning and putting my stuff away!
J-F and KidAgain, yeah that was intense. KidAgain, so you have been learning to reload too without fanfare. Six different powder loads is a lot to keep track of. Next time, I’ll try two or maybe three. I kind of enjoy my kinetic bullet puller and very much admire its ingenuity. I’ve gotten to the point, where I can remove the bullet with one strike. It’s sort of like martial arts. You drop the hammer down with arm weight and transfer the momentum by flicking the wrist over and WHAM, out comes of the bullet.
Matt61
A while back I bought a Gamo Whisper from a large local gun store. He had them priced at an amazing $189.95 complete with scope and all.
In testing it I found that it had a really horrible trigger. Benched with a solid rest I got really great groups. Like one hole 5 shots ranging from .08″ – 19″ ctc. But off hand I could not hit the side of a barn with it!
At that time I did not know of the Charlie da Tuna GRT III trigger. So I returned it for my money back.
So I am really interested to see what this gun turns out to be in your testing. I saw it at a gun store and it looks like a really interesting gun.
So is Tom@buzzard bluff saying guns like the Crosman Storm XT are Gamo 440/890 series clones? If so I have to say they are excellent guns for the price. I haven’t disassembled one, but with the addition of a GRT III trigger mine is a tack driver with decent power. I gets greater than 900 fps with RWS hobbies with <.20" ctc rested 5 shot groups at 10 meters. I have $87 into that gun with the GRT III without the cost of scope and mounts. For the price this is a real steal! Don't know about durability, but I basically traded my R9 which became expendable with the purchase of this gun and got a really nice Sumatra 2500 carbine in .177 for it.
I know the R9 is probably more durable and looks nicer, but shot for shot the XT matched the R9 for accuracy so when the Sumatra became available I made the trade. So far I don't regret it as the Sumatra is more powerful , and extremely accurate also. And the Storm XT fills the niche the R9 used to occupy quite well!
Matt61,
Pulling a bow from overhead allows you to use the muscles on both sides of your back. It’s actually a lot easier than trying to pull the string back with one hand. When I was shooting regularly, I was knocking the fletching and nocks off of my arrows at 20 yds.
/Dave
Hi Dave…..the first time you telescope an arrow, or “Robin Hood” one,it is very cool!!! However by the 5th or 6th time with Carbon arrows,it gets expensive quick!Not to mention you can really cut the heck out of your hands trying to salvage the second arrow! Matthews bows RULE!
Frank,
I’ve never done that yet. But, I sure will save it if I do! I haven’t shot in a while and still have my old Golden Eagle compound recurve. The one with the laminated maple and yew limbs and the wheels instead of cams. I still haven’t broken or delaminated the limbs! 🙂 It feels like a monster compared to 99% of today’s bows. And it’s a lot slower and heavier. I used to use Kodiak chew cans as targets and had to set up a few so I could only shoot 2-3 arrows at each. That saved me a lot of time re-nocking and re-fletching arrows. Back when I lived in a more tolerant city, I flung arrows from the top of my roof into the far corner of the back yard after work every day. The neighbors thought I was insane…. 😀
As a wise old “(native american- pc)” said, “Making a good bow is easy. Making a good arrow is not.” At least until you bring carbon fiber into the equation…..
/Dave
Maybe I’m just strange — but it sure feels easier to pull the left arm from overhead vertical to out horizontal with elbow locked than to use the right arm to pull the string backwards. Unfortunately, neither chin-ups nor push-ups reproduce the type of motion and forces required.
My biggest problem is remembering to aim the elbow out and not down while rotating the wrist to bring the bow vertical… Otherwise the string slap is obscene.
You mentioned that your M-1 was jamming with your handloads. How was it jamming? That makes a big difference as to what the problem could be. What was your load? Powder, bullet, primer, etc.
M-1’s normally shoot really well.
Mike
pcp4me asked “So is Tom@buzzard bluff saying guns like the Crosman Storm XT are Gamo 440/890 series clones?”
Absolutely! Gamo doesn’t sell ‘innards’ for their guns but Crosman does. I use the Quest seals and springs and other components to repair Gamos. The Quest spring costs $5.70 and seals are $1.15. From your own recent experience you know that they work very well indeed. I also recently put my B-18 into a Remington Summit stock—–for $23.20. Crosman customer service is 2nd to none. Shipping is prompt for a flat rate of $4 no matter how many packages an order is shipped in. I’ve been a Crosman fan for 63 years at this date and they just keep on providing reasons for loyalty! Tom
I’m pretty happy with my Crosman Storm XT. The only problem I’ve had with it involved the scope mount, not the gun itself.
The factory mount came with a scope stop that didn’t work. Finally, I replaced both the rings and the scope. I put a roll pin in the scope stop hole to hold the ring. Not the prettiest fix, but effective.
Les
Hi everyone!
My Whisper that I bought in 2008 in Portugal was exactly like this (stock and fiber optics), the whisper in the picture looks like mine, the only difference is the scope.
The tactical look of the stock was one of the reasons I bough a whisper. I prefer the modern look that a synthetic stock can give.
Yes the stock is hallow.
Cheers!
I really like my little Gamo Delta, I might really want to get one of these. I’ve been planning on acquiring a gas-piston gun.
Right now my big hunt is for a VIOLIN though. Guns have to take a 2nd place to that right now.
Well… Violins should be easier to get across the border…
http://www.gryphonstrings.com/inventory/instrument_page.php?Instrument=Violin,Violin%20Bow&Query=Violin%20Family
(appears to be a short list — the “vintage” link takes you to the same page)
http://elderly.com/departments/violin
The used list looks a bit longer, but the new stuff isn’t even a violin to my eyes.
No idea what overpriced plywood Guitar Center carries…
There are tonz of violins out there. I have a swapmeet to sell at this weekend, if all goes well I’ll be able to get one.
I was taking lessons for a few months in 2007 when the economy started its first stair-step down and I lost everything. I’ve been messing around with other things, mainly looking at stuff I could play even if I have to go “feral” again, like the harmonica. But I find the violin enjoyable and strangely, rather easy.
It’s 10 miles into town and I make enough doing odd jobs and recycling metals, etc. so I don’t look at doing street music as an income source now, but if I ever have to leave here, I’ll likely be living out of a backpack and if lucky will have most of my stuff in a storage unit and just have good places to sleep scoped out. Then, in that case, I’d sure rather play music to survive than ask for spare change. So in a way violin is not only something I really want to do, it’s a “lifeboat skill”.
PA and TOM, I just happened to notice that the RSS feed for this blog seems to be broken. I get a “Normalization Error.” Any chance it can get fixed? I would hate to miss an entry.
JMDavis984,
I just successfully downloaded the RSS feed in both Firefox & Safari. No problems from what I can see.
Is anyone else experiencing problems?
Edith
Internet exploder 7 working fine here.
twotalonr
Vista ultimate 64 bit works fine, as does mIy atrix android phone.
I am using IE9 in Win7 64-bit, still no luck. I get the same error in Opera.
JMDavis984,
Sounds like it might be your ISP or your computer.
Edith
It also does the same at work, running Opera and IE8 on Win XP. The error I get in Opera is a bit more detailed, “XML parsing failed: syntax error (Line: 5203, Character: 341).” The feed works if I re-parse it as HTML, but IE can’t do that, and I would REALLY like to keep all my feeds in one reader.
JMDavis984,
I’ve emailed your comment to the IT dept. Maybe they can help, maybe not. I’ll let you know.
Edith
Your assistance is greatly appreciated. I don’t typically use the RSS feed, since I come here every day anyway, but on “unusual” days, it’s nice to know what you’ve missed.
Right Now I’m usong XP, IE8 and RSS is working OK. I’ll go over to my 64 bit W7 and see how it’s working. Hold on.
OK, now I’m on W7, 64 bit, IE9 and the RSS feed is working OK. Gotta be your inet provider.
I absolutely love my Gamo CFX! It is amazingly accurate. I’ve replaced all of my Crosman and Gamo triggers with the GRT-III. My CFX is the most accurate and easy to shoot of all my springers. I also love my Gamo Hunter Extreme. If there is one air-rifle that I ALWAYS take out to the range, along with my firearms, it’s my Gamo Hunter Extreme. It took me awhile to learn how to shoot it, but now I can’t go to the range without it. Often times I’ll take a few other air-rifles, but when it gets close to closing time, and I have to pick just one air-rifle to shoot away the final hour or so, it’s the Gamo Hunter Extreme. I also have a Gamo Silent Cat that doesn’t impress me, but it’s still fun to shoot. Maybe I’ve gotten lucky, because except for my Ruger Air Magnum, I’ve been very pleased with all my air-guns.
In recent years I’ve read all of the negative comments about Gamo products, but for me, mine were worth every cent. By the way, my very first air-gun (since I stopped shooting decades ago) was a Gamo Compact. It may not be something that I’d want to take into competition, having shot an FWB for several years in competition, but it was a great starter gun for a guy who wanted to see if he still appreciated the sport. The Gamo Compact served its purpose and helped me realize that how much I really missed shooting.
Victor
I just purchased the Gamo’s Silent Stalker Whisper IGT 0.22 and am waiting for delivery. This is my first air rifle in about 20 years and certainly the most expensive.
I have a basic question about preparing for first use…
Given the comments about burrs, work-in, etc. that I have seen over the various forums, does anyone have specific comments about cleaning and inspecting this gun prior to the first round going in?
Before burrs damage the cylinder, or damage to the riffling of the barrel, are there general precautions that should be followed?
Also, any news on accuracy testing of this gun yet?
Thanks.
DG,
Just shoot your gun. I shouldn’t need any work. This is a gas spring gun and not as subject to those things as a steel spring gun can be. Also, you don’t want to be messing around inside a gun like this.
Let’s compare your results with the rifle I’m testing.
B.B.
B.B.
Thanks for the reply.
Yea, I do not want to tear the thing apart, but some basics like “clean the barrel” or “work the gun up through maybe a some lighter grain pellets” first. Just a newbee and want to make sure I get the most our of this gun and not do something stupid out of the box.
I’ll shoot 20-30 rounds, then sight it in and report on my results. I’ll be using both JSB Diablolo Exact 14.3 gr. and Predator Polymag 16gr pellets to start.
DG,
Don’t expect much from the Predator pellets. They are not too accurate beyond about 30 yards.
The JSBs should do well. I will try them too.
B.B.
B.B.
I will try the Beeman Silver Arrow and RWS HyperMax also. So, between the JSB Diablo Exact, the Beeman Silver Arrow and RWS HyperMax, I should have a good range of weight and flight types to test out on this gun.
I’m in two minds about the Whisper IGT . The technology is great. I think much better than spring. But I think Gamo can improve on the first models. It’s louder than their spring guns, the recoil is very noticeable. Even though on this picture Gamo Whisper IGT it shows it has a scope rail. It gets supplied without one. The US model is called the silent stalker. I bought mine in SA online. Luckily the guys sorted out the scope mounting issue but for some reason the Hunter and Shadow get supplied with one and not the whisper. I like it. But feel there is room for improvement. Trigger is hardly soft either.
I WOULD LIKE THE MOST YOU CAN GET OUT OF A TOUR OR BROCHURE OR DVD TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE GOING SO.
ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MOST POWERFUL PELLET RIFLE IN THE WORLD.
THEY HAVE THE GOLDEN COLORED AIR AMMO THAT WILL MAKE THE GUN A LITTLE FASTER DO YOU SELL THEM?
THEY GUY BEHIND MY HOUSE BLEW DOWN AND I HAVE TRIED TO TRAP THIS VARMIT WITH NO LUCK.
I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING BUT TO USE A AIR GUN ONE THAT WOULD KILL THESE THINGS.
THE TOWN WANTS $250.00DOLLARS TO TAKE IT AWAY SO NYOU ARE TALKING A LOT OF MONEY.
I HAVE TALKED TO MY NIEHBOR BUT HE JUST BDOES NOT WANT TO HERE IT.
IT IS SO BIG NOW I REALLY DO NOT THINK IT WILL FIT INSIDE THE GAGE.
THANK YOU.
Marshall,
Yes, Pyramyd AIR who hosts this blog does sell Gamo Raptor PBA ammo. Youn can see it here:
/product/gamo-raptor-pba-177-cal-5-4-grains-round-nose-100ct?p=399
The world’s most powerful pellet rifle is harder to say. I supposed of the smallbore calibers it is the .25 caliber rifle made by the man in The Netherlands. It gets about 125 foot-pounds. But the price runs to well over $8,500, and that was back in 2006. For an affordable gun I’d say the AirForce Condor in .25 caliber at around 80 foot-pounds is the champ. You could get one of those and everything needed to shoot it for around a thousand dollars.
As for the pest, I don’t know what kind of animal you are referring to. Can you please clarify?
B.B.
The most powerful “pellet” gun is probably that thing NASA uses to simulate meteorite impacts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ames_Research_Center#Range_complex
Granted, it normally needs the target to be in near vacuum for top speed.
Hello B.B.
I am a wife trying to figure out which of the Gamo Whisper series I should buy as a Christmas gift for my husband. I know that he wants a .22 air rifle that will have some knock down power and still be quiet. It must be quality and consistent. He is an excellent marksman and I know he will be so happy to open a new air rifle on Christmas morning. I just want to learn more about these rifles so I can choose one. I don’t understand the difference between the silent stalker and the others in the whisper series. I want to choose a .22 that will deliver the highest fps and still be a quiet air rifle. Can you or any of the nice bloggers here give me some advice?
Dawn,
What does your husband want to do with his air rifle? Pest control? Hunting? If so, what size critter does he want to shoot?
Edith
Hello, and thanks for your fast reply Edith. I think he would mostly use it for pest control, including large racoons, large ground hogs, and coyotes.
Dawn
Dawn,
This is an answer from my husband (B.B.):
I don’t recommend any spring-piston air rifle for coyotes. The most powerful of them has about one-third the minimum power you need for humane kills.
I’ve tested Gamo rifles extensively for the past 12 years. If I were to recommend one of them, it would be the basic Whisper with the Nitro Piston insert. But, I wouldn’t pick a Gamo for your husband.
My pick would be an RWS Diana 34P. While it doesn’t have the silencer of the Whisper, it isn’t that much louder. In all other ways, it’s a nicer gun…better trigger, more accurate and generally better made. However, the .22 caliber version of that gun is out of stock until Dec. 16. Cutting it a bit close for Christmas. Here’s the same gun with a traditional wood stock:
/product/diana-34-breakbarrel-rifle-t06-trigger-beech?m=402
If you’d like to see the RWS 34P in .22 and wait til Dec. 16 before it can be shipped (it could always end up coming into stock earlier, too), here’s the link for it:
/product/diana-34p-air-rifle-synthetic-stock?m=1041
Does your husband want a scope with that? If so, let me know so I can make recommendations for a good one.
B.B. (by Edith)
What about this one Edith? /product/diana-rws-34p-pro-compact?m=1498
nevermind that… it’s only available in the .177
Yes Edith, what would you recommend for a scope?
Dawn, is there a reason you’re locked into Gamo?
BB,
You and Dawn got me looking at the 34P, and in the process I see this shortened barrel version .177 at the bottom of the page. I like the looks of short barreled rifles but what would I be giving up by getting the 34P with a 4″ shorter barrel? Would it be twangier? Why did RWS make a shortened barrel version, anyway? I saw a statement that says easier handling, and who wouldn’t want that, so then why don’t all rifles have short barrels? What is the target market for this? Is it supposed to be a youth version? I see cocking effort would be more difficult (counters youth version idea), at 3 lb more but what about accuracy between the two barrel lengths? Is there something in the manufacturing process of the shorter barrels that I should know about? Both rifles advertise 1000fps so it doesn’t look like any power loss. I don’t see the T06 trigger mentioned in the add, either, so I’m concerned about that. One of the reviewers (back in May) mentioned that his rifle, to his surprise, came with a T06 trigger and a new style stock but I don’t know if what PA sells now has these features. I would like to own a good quality, spring piston rifle in this style and I keep hearing so much about the 34 on this blog.
Chuck,
The airgun you mention is a carbine. That is the attraction — nothing more. Since spring rifles develop all their velocity is 6-9 inches of barrel, a shorter bartrel takes nothing away. The TX 200 has a barrel under 10 inches.
The Diana 34 is a classic spring-piston rifle. It isn’t sexy, but it is solid and made for the long haul. It’s so much better than the cheap Chinese designs we are used to seeing that it is refreshing to use one these days. Back 20 years ago, it was considered the cheapest of the cheap, but things have changed. Diana has also up-graded all their guns in the past two decades.
That’s about all I can tell you.
B.B.
Well, my husband’s father has a Browning air rifle. I think they were just discussing the Whisper series and the Silent Stalker Whisper of Gamo and whether they would be more quiet than his dad’s air rifle. My husband said he thought maybe the Gamo Whisper were as good but more quiet. These two men are excellent marksmen and like a quality consistent gun. I don’t think he is set on a Gamo, it’s just a name I’ve heard him say. I think he would much rather have a quality weapon. I know that the silencer was important to him. We live in a semi rural area and he wants to be able to shoot in the yard at home and not bother the neighbors. So, the more quiet the better. However, I do not want to sacrifice quality to get a good silencer. So, I found this blog, and I am so happy I did.
Dawn,
While there are a number of Gamo guns that come with silencers, they’re not noticeably quieter to most people. That’s why we recommended the RWS 34 rifle. It’s also made in Germany, and the Germans make some very fine airguns.
I don’t know which Browning air rifle your father-in-law owns. If he bought it within the past few years, its probably one of these:
/air-guns/rifles/Browning/brands_185
The RWS 34 will have finer workmanship than any of the Browning rifles.
If you’re committed to getting a gun with a silencer, then I guess the Gamo Whisper guns or the Silent Stalker will have to be it. The actions of these Gamo guns are basically identical (except for the Recon Whisper, which is much smaller & made for teen shooters). The only differences in the silenced Gamo guns are the styles of stocks and that some come with open sights, while others come only with scopes (and some come with scope + laser + flashlight).
Edith
Thank you so much for all
Dawn,
If you do decide to get the Whisper, I would recommend that you get it as this combo:
/product/gamo-whisper-air-rifle-combo?m=1275
This is a good basic package for the price, and your husband can always upgrade the scope at a later time if he wants to.
B.B.
Dawn, for what it’s worth I second that, especially if your husband is used to quality workmanship. The Diana guns are definitely a couple of notches above Gamo. A few years ago Gamo made a major switch from all-metal construction to a lot of plastic in their more powerful guns, and I suspect most would agree that it wasn’t a change for the better.
I think I am gonna go with the Diana if I can get it in time for Christmas. Is there any benefit of ordering from pyramidair that I am not aware of? I definitely want to order a gun from a place that has a return policy. I have to say that everyone here has been so genuine and nice and helpful and quick to repond. It’s hard to find those qualities in people these days. Thank you all so much and have a blessed and merry Christmas!
Dawn,
Pyramyd AIR is the best airgun dealer in this respect. Their return policy is great and they go overboard to honor it.
They will satisfy you and your husband.
Good choice on the air rifle, too. He’ll appreciate the upgrade. It will shoot rings around his father’s Browning. Just direct him to my article on the artillery hold, which is essential for this type of air rifle:
/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63
Merry Christmas,
B.B.
Dawn, the 34P is out of stock at the moment, but the regular 34 with a wood-stock is in stock and only $3 more.
Other than the stock, it’s the same gun.
/product/diana-rws-34-breakbarrel-rifle-t06-trigger?m=402
Dawn,
Pyramyd Air’s usual return policy is that you can get your $ back 30 days after it hits your doorstep. But, for Xmas, they’ve extended the return date to Jan. 15, 2012.
Edith
Dawn,
Have you looked at the Benjamin Trail rifles?
/blog/2011/10/gamos-silent-stalker-whisper-igt-air-rifle-part-1/?replytocom=40305#respond
While I have never held one myself, the NP looks to be pretty nice quality. Maybe not as good as Diana, but much better than Gamo, and it’s quiet. My $.02.
ka
Oops, wrong link provided on the Benjamin NP. Try this /product/benjamin-trail-np-nitro-piston-hardwood-air-rifle?m=2050
Hope this helps.
ka
Dawn,
If you’re still reading…Pyramyd AIR has just dropped the price of the Whisper by $30. Now is the time to jump on this if that’s what you want:
/product/gamo-whisper-air-rifle-combo?m=1275
Edith
Edith and B.B., I want to thank your for all your help. I ordered the Diana! However, I want to purchase the best ammo for the Diana as well, do you have suggestions for that?
Dawn,
This thread is getting small, so let’s go down to the bottom of the page, where I will answer you.
B.B.
Dawn,
It doesn’t have to end here. You and your husband are invited to share your airgunning experiences with us. We’d be happy to hear the rest of the story, as it were.
Merry Christmas,
B.B.
i am new to airgun shooting, last week i bought a camo silent stalker whisper in .177 mainly for small game. at 25 yards shooting the pba pellets that come with the gun i cut bullet holes, but out at 50 and 75 i was shooting about a 3in group with an occasional shot not even on paper. i realize there’s lots of ammo out there but don’t know where to start. speed is not important to me i want a round that will be accurate and do the most damage after impact.
Murdock, ya might wanna check out part 4 of this test:
/blog/2011/11/gamos-silent-stalker-whisper-igt-air-rifle-part-4/
You’ve discovered the deep, dark secret of PBA’s. They stink at long range.
Personally, I’ve had decent luck with Crosman Premier’s out of Gamo’s at longer range, but I’m talking about the older, solid-steel-barrel models.
thanks for the reply, guess i bought the wrong gun. I did check my barrel and it seems to be tight. already tapped the stock for a strap so i can’t return it guess i’ll just keep playing with it.
What do you all think of this rifle? /product/crosman-nitro-venom-air-rifle?m=2401
The sound level is marked as Low Moderate 2.
Dawn, the Crosman Nitro is a Chinese rifle imported by Crosman. It’s of the same basic line as the Crosman Quest/Storm XT and a miriad of other variants. It traces its lineage back to the old Xisico B81/B19 air rifles of about 7 or 8 years ago, which, (oddly enough) started life as a Gamo copy.
My experience with this family of guns is mixed. One one hand quality control had always been hit-or-miss. But on the other hand they are made with real blued steel, lacking the cost-cutting slide into plastics that afflicted Gamo.
That said, I’d have to admit that I haven’t worked on any recent examples, nor any with the gas spring. So if the quality control has improved, it should be an excellent gun for the price. And if not… well, Pyramyd Air’s return policy is probably as good as anyone’s. If you’re going to try one, they are the ones to buy it from.
Dawn,
It’s a good one. My father in law just got one last week and it’s nice. Much better than my Gamo.
ka
Dawn,
You’re really doing some research. Kudos to you. You’ll be buying one for your self before long. I don’t know about the Crosman Nitro, specifically, but I’ve heard good things about the Nitro piston power plants. I still think the wooden stock RWS 34 with the T06 trigger is a better rifle, but I realize it is $70 more and without scope. However, one should really learn to shoot with the open sights anyway before buying a scope. $219 is a really good price for a quality rifle and a good trigger is extremely important.
Also, be aware, there are laws in some states that do not allow delivery to your door if the rated fps is over a certain limit, such as in Illinois, where I live. I can’t take delivery of a pellet gun over 700fps or .177 calibre. I assume you have already checked into that. If that is the case for you, you will have to arrange delivery through a gun dealer or someone who has a FFL license. Call Pyramydair if you have any doubts. They know who they can ship to legally.
Thanks Chuck! Well I know that the trigger looks like plastic and the review guy hated it on the video… and I know that my husband doesn’t like a two stage trigger. Adjustable is good, but not two stage. So, I know that my hubby won’t mind putting a new trigger on this. I am concerned about the barrel after watching the video review too. This gun has more fps and is a level-moderate sound level of 2. That appeals to me big time. If it’s only a $30 trigger replacement, then I think this might make my hubby happy. Maybe I should get them both, one for him and one for me! 🙂
I bought him the Diana, I can’t wait til he opens it!
Dawn,
Congratulations! You bought a fine air rifle that your husband can enjoy for many years.
When he opens his present, have him come on this blog and tell us about it. We will help him get to know and understand his new airgun.
B.B.
BB, I want to purchase the most reliable ammo for the Diana, what do you think I should get?
Dawn,
Best ammo for the Diana 34? Let’s start with a BOX (not a tin, because they are not the same thing) of Crosman Premiers.
/product/crosman-premier-22-cal-14-3-grains-domed-625ct?p=116
Yes, they are expensive, but they will be very good in your husband’s new rifle.
If you want to buy something almost as good for less money there is the JSB Exact Jumbo:
/product/jsb-diabolo-exact-jumbo-22-cal-15-89-grains-domed-500ct?p=584
Those two should do everything he needs.
Tell him to avoid things like hollowpoints and pointed pellets, because neither are very accurate at longer distances.
B.B.
Dawn,
Please promise you’ll report back to us after Christmas as to how it went – good or bad. You will have very valuable first hand experience to share with us either way. Maybe you can get hubby to share a few thoughts with us as well.
I am sure he will share some things here after Christmas. I want to wish you all a very safe and blessed Christmas and new year. It was a very nice experience for me to chat with you all here on this blog. Everyone has been very helpful and kind… and eager to share their experience to help answer my questions. The gun was delivered less than 24 hours after placed the order! I am blessed to have met you all. Thank you!
Dawn
Had to stop reading this air rifle blog. I wanted info regarding the subject – ie Gamo Whisper IGT but no one was posting on subject. Will find some other site for information, Happy chatting guys.
Zig,
Post a question on the current day’s blog.
Edith