by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Gamo P900 IGT pistol
This report covers:
• Velocity
• RWS Hobby pellets
• Gamo Match pellets
• Gamo Raptor PBA pellets
• Trigger
• 2014 Ft. Worth airgun show update
Velocity
Let’s get right into the report. Today, we’ll look at the velocity of this Gamo P900 IGT air pistol. A number of comments were made about how underpowered this air pistol is, but I disagree. They’re condemning it without testing it — from just reading the numbers. We’ll set that straight today.
RWS Hobby pellets
The first pellet I tested was the 7-grain RWS Hobby wadcutter. This pure lead pellet is probably just right for the P900 powerplant. Gamo advertises the P900 as getting 400 f.p.s. with lead-free alloy pellets, so we expect the Hobbys to be slower because they’re heavier. And slower they are! When I seated them flush with the breech, Hobbys averaged 332 f.p.s. with a range from 321 to 340 — a spread of 19 f.p.s. They developed 1.71 foot-pounds, on average.
Because this pistol is lower powered, I decided to see what effect deep-seating the pellet would have. I used the Air Venturi Pellet Pen and Seater to seat the Hobby pellets deep in the breech. This time, the pellet averaged 365 f.p.s. — a gain of 38 f.p.s. The low velocity was 358 and the high was 373, so the spread was 15 f.p.s. Seated this way, they developed 2.07 foot-pounds, on average. I think it’s clear this pistol likes the pellets to be seated deep, so that’s how I will proceed with the test.
Gamo Match pellets
The next pellet I tested was the 7.56-grain Gamo Match wadcutter. I didn’t even try them seated flush. Seated deep, they averaged 360 f.p.s. with a spread from 358 to 363 f.p.s., so this time just 5 f.p.s. separated the slowest from the fastest pellet. At the average velocity, this pellet generated 2.18 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.
Gamo Raptor PBA pellets
The last pellet I tested was the Gamo Raptor PBA. This lead-free domed pellet weighs just 5.4 grains and is used to extract high velocity from airguns. Remember — Gamo advertises the P900 as getting up to 400 f.p.s. Well, that turns out to be quite conservative! This pistol I’m testing averaged 490 f.p.s. The range was from a low of 457 f.p.s. to a high of 508 f.p.s. So the spread was 51 f.p.s. At the average velocity this pellet generates 2.88 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.
Just to see what the differences are, I also shot 4 Raptor pellets loaded flush with the breech. They ranged from a low of 439 f.p.s. to a high of 455 f.p.s.; so even loaded normally, this pistol still exceeds its advertised velocity. I may have an example that’s on the hot side, and maybe you won’t get quite as much velocity as you see here, but I think they should all get at least 400 when shooting PBA pellets.
You naysayers can revise your arguments, now. This pistol exceeds its advertised expectations by a lot. I still like the firing behavior and the trigger, though I’m sure there will be critics.
Trigger
The non-adjustable 2-stage trigger on the test pistol breaks crisply at 3 lbs., 15 oz. to 4 lbs., 1 oz. It’s a fine trigger and just what I need to shoot this pistol accurately.
2014 Ft. Worth airgun show update
This report was short, so I’ll use the space to update you on the 2014 Ft. Worth airgun show that will be held on Saturday, September 6.
The following dealers and manufacturers are expected to have tables:
Pyramyd Air
Umarex USA
AirForce Airguns
Dennis Quackenbush
Flying Dragon Air Rifles (Mike Melick)
Hatsan USA
The following dealers and manufacturers are considering attending or have indicated they may attend:
Airgun Depot
Daisy
Crosman
Scott Pilkington
Neal Stepp
Also attending will be:
American Airgunner TV
Steve Criner — TV’s Dog Soldier
Eric Henderson — big bore airgun hunter and guide
Jim Chapman — writer for Predator Extreme magazine and airgun hunter
I’m making a big push to get the smaller private dealers now. These are the guys who have vintage airguns for sale. The club has a communal table for members to display and sell their airguns. This club is where I recently purchased the BSA Airsporter Stutzen I’ve been reporting on, a BSA Scorpion pistol and a Schimel gas pistol from the 1950s.
I am going to really shake the trees, because I know there are many airgunners who will come to this one-day show. The sheer volume of people though the door will make it worth their while to attend. Who knows what unusual airguns are going to walk through the doors?
If you have some unusual airguns to sell, this show is the place to sell them! We should get a number of advanced collectors who are attracted to this brand new airgun show because of the curious guns they may find. We’re also attracting those who are new to airguning and are looking for the vintage guns they’ve read about but never seen.
Don’t forget our door prize and the three major raffle prizes that have been donated:
Air Venturi Bronco
AirForce Condor SS
Hatsan AT44-10 Long QE
Walther LGV Master Ultra
Other drawings and freebies are also in the works. Lots of guns, lots of freebies, lots of fun!
Mark September 6 on your calendar. You’ll want to be at the Ft. Worth airgun show in Poolville, Texas.
I hope that PBA ammo flies true outta its’ barrels otherwise I din’t think range is going to be this gun’s strong point. I’ll bet it would make a nice thunk in my pellet trap!
It probably has enough power to kill feral soda cans at tossing distance. What more do you want?
PBA ammo doesn’t fly true out of anything.
Are you guys poo pooing this thing for the lack of power? I can think of a couple of shortcomings of this thing, but power? What do you want, something that takes a professional arm wrestler to cock and jumps like a wild bronco that has been stung by a bee?
I know, you guys are looking for the Holy Grail of sproinger air pistols and thought this might be it. You were hoping it would be easy enough for your three year old to cock, have a 10 meter trigger, be fully automatic, be absolutely silent, weigh nothing and if you do your part, it a gnat at 300 yards with the power to drop a charging bull elephant. Yeah, I am disappointed also.
To me this thing is sounding like it is shaping up to be a pretty decent plinker. The only real issue I have with this thing are the sights and that can be fixed. It is a shame you have to do so, but they probably had a lot of yellow plastic laying around at the time.
This thing sounds like it has a real nice trigger for a sproinger. It is fairly inexpensive. You don’t need to buy any CO2 cartridges. You don’t need a cocking assist tool. If you can hit a feral soda can at ten paces with it, it has it over most air pistols out there.
RR
It sounds like it will be a fun little plinker.
And it just might be accurate with the fps spread of the lead pellets BB tested. The PBA’s was kind of wide on the fps spread for me to say that I would like them. Even if they kicked the guns velocity and fpe up. I don’t think they will be as accurate with that fps spread as what the lead will do.
I think it will be a fun little pistol. And I guess I have to go the opposite way of what people always say they want. Its already got open sights. I really wish they would of put some kind of dovetail or such on the pistol so a person could of put a dot sight on it if they wanted. I think they would sell more that way with both options on the pistol. I like the options. And darn its a nitro piston. It just seems like a better sight would go hand and hand together with the nitro piston.
And I will tell you straight up right now that is what I totally don’t like about the Crosman 1377/1322 and 2240 type guns with that silly plastic breech that the pistols come with that wont accept a sight. I don’t like at all that I have to buy a steel breech with a dove tail for 30 something extra dollars so I can mount a scope rigidly.
So I sure don’t like to have to figure out a way to mount a good sight straight and square on this pistol. Sorry just me. But when a sight gets mounted on a gun its got to be mounted right. And its got to stay in place. But if its a shooter with the open sights. Great. All the better. I just wish they would of went one step farther in the way of sight mounting on this pistol and the Crosman pistols. But also I do know that pistols in this price range usually only have open sights. So Gamo was just following the normal ball game and did what the others did. But darn the pistol is even a nitro piston.
Just one step more is all I can say.
I am very interested in that piston myself. Maybe it would be great installed in a light rifle, sort of a gas spring version of a R7?
RidgeRunner,
I was just lamenting the fact that pellet drop and resulting hold over @ 20 yards with lead pellets would make using the open sights at that range difficult, I’m guessing about 14-18″ hold over with lead at that range with their velocity. I’m still thinking that it wouldn’t take very much reshaping of it’s receiver in order to mount a short based dot-sight which would allow for sighting without hold over but I don’t see B.B. buying it just to create more work for himself doing something he doesn’t think will work.We have seen good groups outta the Barracuda greens, maybe they’ll hold together out that far.
Reb
Actually, I was thinking of epoxying a short piece of picatinny just in front of the rear sight would probably work nice.
Yeah, I remember that and think the extra height will help get you over that front sight’s hood. I’d like to see Gamo do a version of this pistol with an under-lever like Daisy’s 188. By the way, it looks like that short barrel came in handy, as a matter of fact it could stand to be shorter, judging from how deeply it likes pellets seated.
Reb
I bought one of those 188 at a garage sale last year, what a poor excuse to an air pistol.
Airsoft guns can shoot farther and with more accuracy than that thing, I think I could spit the BB’s better than that thing.
It IS a good design but nowhere near the power to even be a plinker.
J-F
Exactly!
I had a hatsan model 25 supercharger which had lots of power. However it was too heavy to shoot with one hand and was about two feet in length. The cocking effort was doable for me, but a lesser man would buckle. I think the power plant in this thing is Ideal for what Gamo is trying to accomplish. I could see picking one of these up on a whim for my 25′ garage range.
DS,
You have got it, exactly! The Suprecharger is too much of everything. This one is just right — the mama bear of gas spring air pistols. I just hope it’s accurate.
B.B.
I didn’t find the size or cocking effort of the Supercharger to be the problem. The problem for me was that it shot at below published power levels and was not accurate. I love my BSA Scorpion pistols which are the same size but are much better made.
David Enoch
You must’ve gotten a bad one. Mine was good for dime-sized groups @25 feet and still packed a wallop to water bottles @ 60 ft. with no holdover. If a 5lb pellet pistol is no problem for you, are you part yeti?
BB, do you believe this pistol would be a good trainer for an inexperienced shooter? Say a youngster or an adult with no previous experience in any type of airgun?
I ask you because I am working to prepare a training course for young and adult new shooters using simple, easy-to-use airguns of several types and powerplants. This would include both rifles and pistols. I currently have a Zoraki HP-01 (Webley Alecto), but I think that pistol is a little too large and heavy, and I would like to add a coil or gas spring break barrel pistol for instruction purposes.
Give me your thoughts. I need all the help I can get to prepare a decent “welcome” to new shooters.
Fred_BR,
I’m pretty strong, but I can’t cock it. It’s not for a youngster.
Edith
You might want to think of something along these lines.
/product/beeman-p17?m=614
/product/daisy-match-grade-avanti-717-triumph-match?m=1241
/product/crosman-1377c-pc77?m=198
I’d really like to get one of those P-17’s to tinker on, It sure looks like a fun plinker!
I think the P17 is the best accuracy for the money you can get. It’s so cheap there’s no reason not to own the thing. It belongs in all airgun collections, it’s a must have gun like a RedRyder and a 2240.
J-F
Still holding out for that 2240!
Well you guys convinced me to put one of the P17 in with my next order to PA.
Word is that they have a lot of rough edges that need smoothed out before you can trust it. You should probably go ahead and get a back-up seal too.
I really like that little dot sight that you get in the package deal, It’s just like my Daisy point sight except has knobs instead of screws- still dials in Quick. Nice $5 perk!
Reb
Already got a Tasco red dot so that’s whats going on it when I get the P17.
Gunfun1,
You know I have never added the 2240 to my collection. I think I probably should. I do have a Red Ryder. I usually have it with me when I watch Christmas Story. (sentimentalist)
G&G
G&G
I recommend getting one. There is so many different ways to configure them. You can change them around if you get tired of them one way. Or have the option to get different performance out of them.
The Browning Buckmark is an easy cocking, simple pistol that would be good for training youth.
B.B.,
I would be interested in your thoughts on how to hold a spring pistol for max accuracy.
I am currently on learning to shoot a Beeman P1. I am finding that any rest, even resting my forearm on a rest with my hands well beyond the rest, is less effective than shooting offhand. I am also having better luck with one handed holds as apposed to two handed.
I am getting a little better with the P1 every day. Nice pistol and I think it’s breaking in quite a bit too.
Mark N
Mark N,
B.B. wrote a 4-part blog about the P1, and it includes the right way to hold it in part 3:
/blog/2011/05/beeman-p1hw-45-air-pistol-part-4/
Edith
Thanks
B.B.
I’m with you. I hope it’s accurate. I think it’s one of the better looking spring piston pistols out there. I will not be getting one though. Just not what I need right now. I recently bought the Crosman 1720T and I have both the Silhouette and 2300S.
G&G
B.B.
I forgot to ask. Are there any other PCP pistols available now that are better shooters and more accurate than the three I just mentioned?
G&G
G&G,
There are certainly more PCP pistols. FX and Brocock offer them. They are more costly than the Crosman pistols and not necessarily any more accurate, but their ergonomics and triggers are probably superior.
B.B.
B.B.,
I am familiar with those from reading but have no idea how they stack up against what I have. Certainly more powerful.
G&G
You could go with a 10 meter pistol, but you had best have a deep wallet.
G&G
I haven’t owned or shot a Silhouette but I did have a 2300S and the 1720T.
And maybe I got lucky but the 1720T that I had. It had the best trigger yet compared to the other air guns I have shot.
I didn’t have to touch it either. It was set perfect for my liking from the factory. First stage took about half of the trigger travel with hardly any pressure. Then second stage was just a little bit more pressure and the shot goes off. And what I liked is the trigger stop was set perfectly for so the trigger was stopping right as the shot was going off. I think it really helps with the accuracy of the 1720T.
What do you think about the trigger on your 1720T?
Gunfun1,
The triggers on the Silhouette and 1720T are identical. Both are very light and crisp. I have some rifles with the absolute best triggers and these pistol’s triggers aren’t far behind. I think their great. The pistols are extremely accurate. I’ve never shot a 10m pistol though. Maybe I don’t know what good is.
G&G
I do not advice that you do such then. The worst are sweet.
G&G
My 1720T liked every pellet that I put through it. And I did have the 1399 stock on it and a Hawke 2.5-10 power scope. A nice little light pcp carbine that’s for sure.
On the airgun show, will individuals be able to bring in an airgun to sell? I’d hate to have to get a table if I just want to sell one airgun.
Thanks,
Randy
Randy,
It is a time-honored tradition at gun shows and airgun shows for the walk-in attendees (the folks who just came to see the show) to bring one or more guns with them to sell, trade or whatever. Sharks like me position ourselves close to the entrance, just to see what walks in.
Yes, you can bring airguns and no, you don’t have to have a table to sell or trade.
B.B.
BB
So anybody hang’n out by the entrance doors is on a mission. Funny the muscle car swap meets were the same.
Yeah, can we sell or trade what we can carry?
Reb
Reb,
Of course you can! There are guys who make it a point to never buy a table. They simply beg space on a friend’s table or they walk around carrying their guns.
B.B.
I am guilty as charged. Maybe I will have enough for my own table this year.
That is a good question. I probably have a few guns I could bring to trade or sell.
GF1,
Have you guys never been to a gun show? Of course you can bring something in and sell or trade it without having a table. The tables are for the guys who have lots of stuff to sell/trade, and at this show, there will be plenty of them!
B.B.
BB
I have been to a few local firearm shows in the past. But was going to look and buy. Never had nothing at that time that I was wanting to sell or trade. So bringing something never crossed my mind.
But that’s good I’m glad that can happen. Is there a special spot for that at the show to display the one or two items you may bring? Or maybe its like I use to do at the car swap meets. You see something you want at somebody’s table and ask the person if they want to trade for what you have.
Is that how it will work there?
GF1,
The most polite way to do it is to carry your gun as you walk through the show. Don’t worry — dozens of people are going to ask to see what you have!
B.B.
BB
Wow really! Well that’s cool. I guess I’m just not use to carrying a rifle or something around in public. But I guess there will be other people doing likewise I suppose. So I like the idea of this show more and more. It sounds like it should be a good time.
And will there be any activities set up for kids to do? Like airsoft or airgun target shooting.
GFq1,
Not much for kids. This is an adults show. Doesn’t mean they aren’t welcome, but all the attractions are for big folks.
B.B.
BB
One of my girls is 13 and the other is 16.
They both said if we can make it down to Texas that I better take them to the show. So I think that they will enjoy the experience.
And I’m only going to say it once so forgive me. But they just love going to Cabala’s with me when we do get a chance to go there. You know its just the atmosphere. So I think it will be a good thing for them to see the Texas air gun show.
GF1,
Bring them. They’ll love it!
B.B.
Get used to it! It’s your right.Welcome to Texas!
Reb
Don’t rub it in. I’m not serious right now so don’t think I’m hollar’n at you . But I live in the wonderful state of Illinois. If you just mention the letter G, U, and N in a sentence its like you said the worst cuss word in the book. Illinois is terrible with gun laws. I’m surprised they finally allowed the concealed carry to go through.
Whats funny is I got to have a FOID card to by fire arms or ammo for firearms in Illinois. A wait time for rifles and and pistols but not the ammo. But I can go right over to Missouri and by ammo and a rifle and walk right out of the store that day. They don’t have a FOID card over there. But I think there is a 3 day waiting period still on pistols in Missouri. Not like a week for pistols in Illinois. Of course unless they changed the rules again in Illinois.
Gunfun
I have never been to a gun show/air gun show that you could bring your own guns to sell or trade . I think that is a cool idea and practice that most likely is mainly found at air gun shows. I wish I had the funds to go to the DFW show for sure.
I got some shooting time on my 40 buck Firepower break barrel gun. it says made in china on the receiver of the gun and looks like most bare bones break barrels with a black synthetic stock and blued barrel and receiver.It states in the owners manual that it shoots 1200 fps. After shooting it ten times to get the lube burned out of the chamber I shot it 15 times over my chrony and got a high of 1000 fps and low of 910.2 fps with a average of 930.4 fps, so the 1200 fps is definitely with alloy pellets. it is still breaking in also as the first four shots had a very loud crack when fired so I know it was dieseling at first as well as the light cloud of smoke. I have not measured the cocking effort but it is very close to the FWB 124 I built and is getting easier and smoother as I shoot it. I put the 3×9/40mm Hammers scope from my 60C on it because the scope is made for spring guns and has a one piece mount with stop pin built in it. I worked out very well because when I got the scope mounted and went to sight it in I only had to adjust the elevation down 8 clicks and it was hitting dime sized groups at my 10 meter targets. It is not real fussy about the hold either and is rather smooth when fired with only a slight recoil and no spring twang or buzz at all. I am going to leave the scope on it and get another one for my 60C when I finally get around to fixing it. I like this little springer a lot more than I thought I would, no air or pumping to deal with just cock and shoot.
I am still waiting for the part for my Hatsan so I have not shot it any more yet. I will wait till I have all the parts to finish it and then start the 50 yard testing with both guns. I think the springer will be pretty accurate out to fifty also. I will find out that’s for sure.
Got both of your Hi-pac conversations done now and shooting or are you still working on your 1377 gun.
I am still working to get the funds to make my 2289 into a PCP for sure. Got to go now so will talk to later tonight.
Buldawg
Buldawg,
Where do you live? I want to make sure to stay away from there.
RR
20 minutes east of Talladega Super Speedway on I-20 in Alabama. Why do you want to stay away from here, all us rednecks are a friendly lot of folks. We just cherish our old skool ways and like the wide open spaces.
Where do you live so I can come bother you.
Buldawg
I am back in the hills of Virginia. I find it strange that you would not be allowed to bring your own guns to sell and trade at a gun / airgun show. Sounds like touchy feely Yankee country thinking to me.
RR
I never have gone to a gun/air gun show so I don’t really know what the norm is for bringing your own guns to a show to sell or trade. I just figured with all the anti-gun propaganda going on right now that people walking down a street to the show would cause a lot of attention from police and anti- gun people.
As far as a touchy feely Yankee thing that would be there in your neck of the woods being so close to the worst place for gun owners being DC. here in the Heart of Dixie if you don’t have a gun in every vehicle and two or three in the rack in the back window of your truck, another in your pocket or the small of your back you just ain’t southern bred.
According to a NRA poll of the worst to best states for gun owners based on gun laws #1 was Arizona, Alabama was #12 and the District of Columbia was # 50. Most north eastern states were at the bottom of the list and most south western and south eastern states were at the top.
Over 80 % of all legal age Alabama citizens have a concealed carry permit and are armed at all times, We also have the right to open carry without a permit. a concealed carry permit in my county cost 20 bucks a year or 100 bucks for 5 years and only requires a 24 background check, it is up the sheriff of each county as to what the requirements are. The county next to me does not require any background check and only requires that you own a hand gun and pay 10 bucks to walk out with a concealed carry permit.
Buldawg
Buldawg,
You wouldn’t walk down the street with your gun. The show is about 20 mins. from the motel. You’d put it in your car and walk from the parking lot to the clubhouse with your gun.
Edith
Gunfun
Just got tracking number for the part from UK and it will be here tomorrow. I can get my Hatsan finished and will be in the woods this weekend for sure.
The number I got with my 40 buck spring gun were with 177 crosman CP hollow points from the tins at wally world and are 7.9 gr, I forgot to tell you what pellet I was shooting to get the chrony numbers.
Did I say how happy I am with my new spring gun, whole new outlook on spring guns for sure.
Buldawg
buldawg
So your back home. I hope a safe trip. I couldn’t respond today at work. I didn’t even take lunch till about a hour and a half before time to go home. Crazy stuff a happen’n tonight that’s for sure.
And so your part from the UK is coming. That’s good.
You got your break barrel rifle and you like it. So that’s good.
And you will be shoot’n the Hatsan by the weekend. Good again.
And all has been going good for me. Just a little busy with stuff popping up here and there though. And I see BB posted part 2 of the report about the 2240 conversion to pcp so I will post over there and let you know whats been up with both of mine. See ya over there.
Gunfun1,
Of course a sling makes carrying a gun easier throughout a long gun show. I’d also suggest you put a sign on your gun, “FOR SALE Gamo Bonecrusher III in .22 cal $560.00” Put a long wooden dowel down your barrel so that enough extends beyond your barrel to attach your for sale sign to it. With the gun slung over your shoulder your for sale sign becomes a “flag” above the crowd for everyone to see.
kevin
Kevin,
Seen that trick several times at gun and airgun shows. Always works and leads to inquiries.
Edith
kevin
You know something similar goes on at the car swap meets.
People will take two pieces of cardboard and tie two strings about 8 inches long to the corners of the card board.
Then they write on the front cardboard piece in bright markers what they have for sale and on the other one they write a list of things they are looking for. In other words a want list in bright markers.
They will put it over their head and have the for sale list in front of them and the want list in back of them. Then they walk around the show with that hanging on them. And yes that works out good. One of my buddies that owned a yellow 70 boss 302 4spd at the time did the cardboard trick and ended up with some nice stuff.
And we always made sure we were there early and standing in line and waiting for the doors to open. Or we would go with one of our other buddies and go in early with him and help unload his truck and set up his table. Man exciting stuff. That was some fun days for sure.
I know I had a blast going to the Flea Markets with my Dad & his friends but I’ve never been to a gun show, justa buncha guys tradin’. Weatherford used to be one of the best in the country, haven’t heard much about it lately though.
Reb,
And Poolville, where this show will be held, is next to Weatherford. But I guess you knew that?
B.B.
Yep!
BB,
No, I have never been to an airgun show. I’ve never seen one even close to me advertised.
G&G
I sure hope I can figure out a way to get there! That’s 139 miles from me, including Ranger hill which is a lotta pedaling. Especially with a backpack full of airguns!
Reb,
I’ve never heard of one that close to me. I would definitely go to that.
G&G
First $50 goes in gas.
Reb,
Unfortunately, it is what it is.
G&G
That show is just another (of many) incentive to relocate from Ca. To Texas…
Diaboloslinger,
We moved to Texas in 2003. I don’t ever want to live anywhere else.
Edith
I wanna get back in them piney woods towards the Sabine bottoms. From Alligator to Escargot!
Reb
Hey Reb,
I live here in good ol’ Jacksonville, Fla. Those could easily be on my menu tonight. I love it here by the way except we seem to be way behind the 8 ball when it comes to airguns. Took me nearly two years to find a USARB Club.
G&G
G&G
I grew up in Cocoa Beach, FL and miss the beaches, but don’t miss all the people and traffic down there now in FL. I moved to Alabama in 93 after living in FL for 25 years and did a lot of hunting and fishing on the ST. Johns river down west of CB. Some good times for sure back then, it feels like back then here in north east AL now because there are a whole lot less people up here and still good hunting and fishing nearby. I am lucky that there is a CMP air gun range ten minutes from the house and they have open to the public from 4 to 7 PM every Tuesday and Thursday nights, you can shoot their guns or bring your own as long as they don’t shoot over 600 fps. They use electronic targets on an official 10 meter range which allow you to sight in your guns to hit the eraser end of a pencil laying on end facing you at the 10 meters, which a 10.9 score is dead center of the bulls eye for a 177 pellet.
I only wish I could sight all my guns in there, but over 600 fps will destroy their pellet catch system.
They have regional and national matches there also and it is fun to watch some of the great shooters that come from all over to compete.
Buldawg
buldawg76,
I’ve always liked lots of people around so that part doesn’t bother me at all. I wish we had a range around here for airguns; however, I have a large backyard where I have a mini (2 lane) range set up. I can shoot out to 45 yards when it hasn’t rained for awhile. Mostly I shoot at 40 yards or less. Of course I do have my club now but I only go for official events cause it’s a 45 min. drive.
G&G
buldawg76,
I meant to mention that the St. John’s river is two blocks from my front yard. It’s 3.3 miles wide here.
G&G
G&G
I am just the opposite, I would rather live where there is few people and less traffic. I don’t do well with traffic congestion and lots of people on the roads that don’t really know how to drive. My backyard range is only 15 yards or just slightly over 10 meters, but I have access to 300 acres behind the house and another 115 acres out on the Coosa river here in AL. Plenty of big turkeys on the river land and deer too.
The ST, Johns river down in west Brevard county is also about 3 miles wide, but 2.9 miles of it is marsh and swamp with only about 1/4 miles or less being river that you can navigate in a boat. It is ideal for air boats though and is always swarming with them, the problem is that they can go anywhere and I have just about been run over by them when fishing from a boat on more than one occasion because they will come out of the swamp at 50+ mph from any direction. It was not uncommon from cars traveling on highway 50 from the beaches to Orlando to see or be hit by air boats crossing the highway from the swamps or be running 50+ mph down the highway along with the cars.
They used to have air boat races down there and some air boats would do over 120 mph when they used car engines, especially 500 cubic inch caddy engines.
I do miss the area. But there are just to many people now.
Buldawg
You guys are killing me. I moved out of a busy area to a smaller town in the California Central valley. I have to drive an hour to shoot my drozd blackbird.
Diaboloslinger
Sorry man, I guess that’s the price you pay to live in THAT other country. I say that because you could not get me into California if it was the only part of the USA left. Their are way to many laws out there that I would be put in jail for breaking everyday that I existed. California is always trying to create new laws that the rest of the country has to abide by and I will not and cannot allow that much control over my choices in life.
I remember when I was working for Harley at the Ford Motor Company proving grounds off of I-40 in Arizona and on a free day my coworker and I drove to Cali on I-40 and was stopped at the Arizona/California border in what looked like a toll booth by a soldier in fatigues with an AR-15 in his possession, he asked where we were coming from and if we had any fruits or vegetable’s in the car.
Right then I knew we were in the wrong state for sure so we drove to the next exit and turned around at got out of dodge as fast as we could and I will never go back to a state in our country that has armed guards at it border.
Buldawg
Ouch! I can get away with a couple hot rounds every now & then if I wanted to in my back yard.With a pellet trap, shooting benches at 10m and 40 yards and station at 25 yards.It’s just been too hot the past few days so I just put one out the window occasionally which is 45 yards.
Diaboloslinger
Do you still shoot with lead pellets or are you only allowed to use alloy pellets. Just wondering because of all the cancer causing chemicals that have been found by the state of California and lead being one of them I was not sure if you were allowed or can even buy lead pellets in cali. I know being an ex auto technician I was always reading on the label of chemicals that this or that was found to cause cancer by the state of California. Just another reason I will never go there much less live there because I do not want a government that thinks it has to protect me from myself. It is my life and I will live as I see fit regardless of what any gov’t says.
Buldawg
I shoot lead but I assume that will be unavailable here soon, based on this state’s back door gun control campaign.
buldawg76,
Here it’s all water. Very little marshland at the banks. Always loved cities. Still do. I have plenty of immediate access to the country and beaches. Best of both worlds. Geographies quite different, I used to live in Pa. Dutch country in Penna.
G&G
G&G
Yea I know J-ville pretty good as I went to GM service schools there and did a lot travailing between Cocoa Beach and Alabama because my first wife’s family lived in Pell city AL. Benn over the ST, Johns on 295 many times and it is all water. I also grew up in the thousand islands of Cocoa Beach and the Banana and Indian river which are part of the intercoastal waterway. I would camp out on the islands every weekend from 7th thru 9th grades to avoid having to be in the house by 10 PM per my parents curfew. You could get to anywhere in CB buy boat back then and we would be up all night hunting or partying, it a wonder I did not shoot my eye out. Back then in the late 60s and early 70s you could ride a dirt bike from one end of town to the other and never ride on the pavement.
Buldawg
I’m a few people around less traffic person also when it comes to where I live.
Edith
My wife’s brother and his family moved down there several years back. And says he loves it. Well his whole family does.
He keeps try’n to get me and my family to move down there. And I would if I could find me a machine shop job of some sort by him in the Grand View area. He works at the GM truck plant and says that could be a possibility. So that just could happen for me in the future. I will have to see how that goes also. But I’m pretty sure I would like it.
B.B.,
I just searched far & wide for a professional review of the Beeman P-17.Have you never reviewed this gun or should I be searching under Marksman 2004(Duh)?
Reb,
Here:
/blog/2006/2/marksman-2004-single-stroke-pistol/
In the future, find the gun on the PA website and look above the picture. Often there will be a link to a review, or article.
B.B.
.3″ at 25′ – crazy good for a $40 piece. I hope the current crop of P17’s is just as good.
So back to the P900…..
Mine is doing 370 with the 7.3 grains JSB exacts, so this is a pretty nice 2.2 ft/lbs.
I tried several other pellets from 5 grains alloy to even a 10 grains H&N, but they all gave the same 2.2 ft/lbs of energy… interesting, isn’t it? Normally i would expect variation with weight changing so much.
In terms of accuracy i didn’t do any scientific test (leave it to B.B.), but i can hit my targets as well as with any other air pistol, i own(ed).
Still the cocking effort shouldn’t be underestimated because of the short barrel/leverage, as B.B.’s wife said.
Edith
I did not mean walking any kind of distance carrying the guns you were trying to trade or sell.
I was not sure of how large the parking area was and how far you would have to walk in public carrying the gun or guns.
Here in Alabama we do have the right to open carry which includes any firearm be it a rifle, shotgun or pistol, but the police still try to harass you for doing so and that is what I was meaning. They cannot stop you from doing so and as long as you do not carry into any gov’t building or business that has a posted sign stating no weapons allowed it is not illegal and that includes open or concealed. I just feel with today’s environment being so delicate about guns that I would feel like I have painted a big bulls eye on my back carrying guns in public if it was over any great distance. Its not that I am afraid to be armed it is just the opposite, but I do not John Q Public knowing I am armed until it is necessary for my survival.
I carry all the time but you will not know that until is a matter of my life being in jeopardy.
As I said at the beginning I have never attended a gun show or air gun show so I was not aware what the norm was as far bringing guns to trade or sell. I think it is a great thing that it is allowed and even encouraged. I just wish I lived closer and was still able to work so that I would have the funds to be able to attend myself. I would be like a kid in a candy store for sure.
Are there ever any shows in the southeast like around Atlanta or Birmingham or Chattanooga areas.
Buldawg