by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Gamo Swarm Maxim repeating breakbarrel air rifle.
This report covers:
- Feeding is the problem
- Issues
- Scope
- Trigger!
- Silenced
- The rifle
- The magazine
- Summary
Before we begin I want to draw your attention to the fact that Pyramyd AIR has made it possible to post pictures to the blog. The Choose Image box is right there with the comments. This is something you have long asked for. I hope you will enjoy this new feature.
Today I start looking at the Gamo Swarm Maxim multi-shot rifle. This is a repeating breakbarrel springer — a type of air rifle that has never been very successful in the past. The problem is getting soft lead pellets to feed reliably without distorting.
Feeding is the problem
Gamo made several breakbarrel repeaters under the El Gamo name years ago and they were all quite fussy about the length and shape of the pellets they would feed. If you owned one you had to stock up on the pellets it liked because almost anything else would jam. These rifles were called by their titles with -matic tacked on the end. There were names like the Expomatic and the Gamatic as so on. They fed from linear magazines that caused the feeding issues. Anyone who has owned a Crosman 600 pistol knows what I’m talking about.
The Swarm Maxim solves that problem by using a rotary magazine, similar to the type many precharged rifles use, though not a copy of any of them. I will watch the performance of this magazine closely.
Issues
You know I’m going to test the Swarm with different pellet types, so we can lay that aside for now. But what about the sights? As you can see in the pictures, the repeating mechanism sticks up so high that open sights are not possible. Also, it would appear that at least the lower half of the scope is blocked. What affect does this have on sighting? I will report on that for you, but I shot the Swarm at the SHOT Show this year and can already tell you the target is in no way obscured by the feed mechanism. Undoubtedly some light from the target is blocked, but I don’t recall seeing anything in my way as I sighted.
The next issue that someone raised is how possible it is to dry-fire this rifle. Because it uses a rotary magazine, will it stop firing when the pellets run out, or can you keep on cocking it — and possibly shoot a shot without a pellet?
I remember a Gamo sales campaign from the late ‘90s that said you could dry-fire their spring piston rifles 10.000 times without damage. They no longer say that, plus I think most airgunners would not want to do it, but, since the Swarm is a repeater, this needs to be evaluated.
Does the pellet feed mechanism block the image of the target in the scope? I think not, but I will report in a future part.
The owner’s manual tells me it’s possible to double-feed a pellet (by cocking the barrel more than once), so you do need to pay attention. The manual does give a procedure for checking to see whether a pellet has already been fed without the risk of double-feeding. I will look at that for you.
Scope
The Swarm comes with a 3-9X40 scope. The fixed parallax is set at 25 yards. A one-piece scope mount comes already attached to the scope, and this is mounted by you to the special scope base on the Swarm. I will have more to say about mounting and using this scope in Part 3.
Trigger!
I get to test a couple things on the Swarm that, to my recollection, I have not evaluated before. The first is the Custom Action Trigger (CAT). This is a 2-stage trigger with adjustments for both the length of the first stage travel and the length of stage two. I guess stage two has some travel in it. The owner’s manual has excellent instructions for this, so I will adjust the trigger in part 2 of this report and let you know how it goes.
The trigger blade is very straight, which feels wonderful. The blade is also pierced with three holes for a racy look.
The safety is manual, according to the owner’s manual! That puts the shooter in complete control, which is how experienced shooters like to operate.
Silenced
The Swarm also has Whisper Maxim Sound Suppression Technology. In other words, a silencer. Not sure I ever tested one of those by that name. Silencers on spring guns don’t do much because most of the sound comes from the powerplant, not the pellet leaving the barrel. And when your cheek rests against the stock the powerplant sound is transmitted through your cheekbones into your head, so the gun sounds louder to the shooter than anyone else. Still, I will test it.
The rifle
The first impression you get when picking the Swarm up is how light it is! According to the specs it weighs just 5.64 lbs. I weighed it on my postal scale, where it registered 5 lbs. 8 ozs. on the nose for the rifle and empty magazine. Of course the scope will add more weight, so once I mount that I will weigh it again. But the bottom line is — this springer is light!
The rifle is all black, like most Gamo airguns these days. It is powered by a Gamo IGT gas spring, and the cocking effort feels very reasonable. I’ll test that for you in part 2. Velocity is supposed to be 1300 f.p.s. with Gamo’s PBA Platinum pellets. That means with a heavy lead pellet I can probably get the velocity down into the high 900s, or so.
The pull measures exactly 14 inches and the rubber buttpad is both soft and thick. The rifle can stand in a corner without slipping. There is also a colored spacer between the pad and the stock. The color corresponds to Gamo’s recommended use for the rifle Red, like the Swarm has, is for pest control; green is for hunting and blue is for targets and competition. To their credit, Gamo lists the animals to be hunted as rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and crows — not a word about feral hogs.
The barrel has a fat black plastic jacket that’s deeply fluted. It provides a comfortable handle for cocking.
The magazine
A lot of the feeding reliability resides in the unique 10-shot rotary magazine. You get one with the rifle, and you can also buy an extra magazine or two. The price is quite reasonable. The magazine has numbers that tell you how many pellets remain. There is also an international warning sign (an exclamation point in a triangle) when the last pellet has been loaded. That would be how you know the gun is empty, though it’s up to you to remember whether the rifle is still loaded and cocked when you see that symbol, because the mag will show empty then, too.
The magazine has clear indications of how many shots are left (top window).
Summary
There is a lot to test and evaluate with the Swarm. It’s as different as a breakbarrel rifle can be. I have said it about other $200 springers and I’ll say it about the Swarm — if this rifle is accurate it could well be a world beater! We just saw a prolonged test of an accurate air rifle, so you should all know where the bar is set.
BB,
I’m looking forward to this series. The Swarm looks to be an interesting rifle.
I watched a YouTube video of a Swarm being shot accurately rested directly off a bag rest. I hope that you will try it directly off a rest to see how it performs for you.
Jim
Jim,
I have a lot to try on this rifle. The bag rest will be one more thing.
B.B.
B.B. please test how much time we are saving between shots by having that abomination on top of the rifle.
I think we can call this accurate if it hits 1″ groups at 25 yards. Holding it to the .7″ standard of the $80 more without scope Diana would be cruel. We certainly didn’t hold the Diana to the standard of the TX200, of which B.B. wrote “Ten pellets went into 0.714 inches, which is horrible for a TX200.”
Plastic, plastic, plastic, the future according to “The Graduate”.
I hope it feeds and shoots, interesting idea…
Anxious about the trigger, will have to wait for Part 2.
-Y
BB,
Can you show how the pellet feeder works? it looks like an iteresting piece of enginering. Nice to have one of these on the table. It is a diversion to a gun which I would normally not consider.
Regards,
August
There is an example of how it works half way in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFfX03AShkc
August,
The feed is of interest to me, too.I will try to show it or tell about it.
B.B.
Apparently Hassan has a wood stocked under lever usiing a repeating magazine in 177,22 and 25 cal. There is a version of the Gamo rifle snobbishly named the Elite , sold in Europe with wood stock and adjustable Monte Carlo comb stock . Any word if we peasants will see that version?
Michaelr,
Haven’t heard of it.
B.B.
I purchased both calibers..the “OBAMA-Nation”in front of the Objective in no way interferes with sight.After 800 rnds this is a accurate rifle.The one issue I finally noticed was the “plunger” is too short to fully seat the pellet into the barrel.I have had a few pellets fall out when i held the barrel vertically while closing.I constructed my own “plunger” a few mills longer and achieved a consistent seating..More accuracy was achieved. Also My .177 liked the 10.34gr.Hollow point.. @ 30rds a squirrel right between the eyes !!!! I called Gamo and reported my issue with then on this matter.They just said “send it in”..NO way am I going without this Fun for that long !!!!!
Shooting in Lake Havasu City, AZ.
Very interesting. I did not know about the color coding system. First time I have heard that, that I recall.
This is going to fun to watch. First, it is at the top end of fps range, harshness?, firing cycle?, hold sensitivity?
Second is the magazine concept in a break barrel. It looks horrid, but then I prefer good looks and fine lines in my airguns. Looks aside, I DO like to see innovation. Where would we be without it?
Hat’s off to it being light. That is nice for off hand. Real nice. Not so sure it will bode well for a powerful springer/gas piston.
In my opinion, when a person starts to consider rifles in the 200-250 range, they should take a real long pause and hard look and consider their other options carefully. Paying a little more, (may) just get you a whole lot more.
Good day to all,… Chris
B.B.,
I suppose the real benefit of this air rifle is the potential to get a second shot off as a quick coup de gras to a wounded, writhing rabbit.
Therefore, I second Sean’s interest in how little time it takes to cock and shoot. Would it be reasonable to request your briefly trying just timing how long it takes to lower it from your shoulder, cock it, and raise it again to your shoulder? The “One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, three-Mississippi” method would be scientific enough for me. If there is such a thing as Kentucky windage, maybe you can use a Mississippi stopwatch. :^)
Michael
If I recall, Pyramyd’s sister company posted a video review in which they compare speeds.
B.B.,
I almost forgot to mention that Gamo sales copy says the holes in the trigger blade are designed to provide increased air circulation to reduce trigger finger perspiration. ;^) I’ve heard of an itchy trigger finger, but a sweaty one?
Michael
B.B.,
I just read that the Swarm has some sort of recoil absorbing technology. I don’t know if it’s FWB 300-like or a StopShox type component or something altogether different, but please share your impressions of that as well.
Man, anyone who years ago thought springers had “gone about as fer as they could go” were as wrong about that as Will Parker was about Kansas City.
Michael
Michael,
The scope rail on top of the tube has a shock absorbing setup allowing it to move back and forth a bit with the recoil. That, with the buttpad is the system.
Michael,
Well, the buttpad is supposed to help. I will look at it.
B.B.
BB,
I myself have been very interested in this air rifle in .22. I have gone back and forth for some time as to whether to get one. I have seen several video reviews about this rifle, including one by Rick Eustler and all of them have had nice things to say about the feed system. Yes you can double feed and yes you can dry fire, but it should not be too difficult to maintain a certain level of situational awareness with this air rifle, except maybe when fending off a case of feral soda cans.
I will be very interested in your opinion of the trigger. From what little I can glean it is better than the SAT, but I still do not have a good idea on how it compares to other nice sproinger triggers.
As near as I can determine, this air rifle is identical to the Hornet Maxim IGT with the addition of the magazine assembly. I am curious as to how difficult it would be to remove the assembly in the field should something happen to it so as to allow you to keep hunting.
EASY to remove.1 pin,small screw…I clean barrel by fully cocking first,set @ 90 degree,(your able to move the “obama-nation”) assembly to insert tools from breech.Manually insert pellet,or insert magazine and re-cock to load,discharge to avoid dry fire….
Thanks! It appeared that it would be easy to remove. Of course, knowing that makes it even more difficult to not get one. If a break barrel slot opens up in my collection, one of these just might have to fill it.
BB
It will be ineresting to see how this rifle preforms as Gamo is often the first air gun a new shooter buys. I say that because they seem to be in all the retail stores that sell air guns.
Gopher,
The first air rifle I bought was a Gamo CFX. I bought mine used at the Roanoke airgun show. It is quite tempting to come back round full circle with this Swarm. We’ll see how far Gamo has come with this one.
Not my type of rifle but I am glad to be able to read about it. Looking forward to the next part!
Will be interesting to see if the added complexity of the repeating function is practical. It would be convenient not to have to handle (juggle) pellets between shots – especially in the winter.
Wonder how long it takes to load the magazine. The simple magazines on my HW100’s load real quick – the FX magazine is a bit of a juggling act by comparison so a lot of times I will single-load the Royale.
I have never had any issues with manual loading a single-shot rifle and can keep up a pretty high rate of fire when being ambushed by a gang of feral soda cans. “One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, three-Mississippi”… will have to try that 🙂
…Will have to see about drilling holes in my triggers to ventilate them 😉
Monday number 3… back at it. Have a great day eh!
Hank
P.S. Pyramyd AIR – Thanks for adding picture posting capabilities to the blog – this will save thousands of words!
Looking forward to this test. If it shoots and feeds, it might be a great winter rifle for the UP of Michigan.
Mike
well guys, since no one has yet posted a picture. It’s not an airgun but it’s something I’ve wanted for years, ever since seeing Quigley Down Under. It’s a Pedersoli copy of the sharps rifle from the movie. chambered in 45-70 instead of the original 45-110 so it’s safe to shoot smokeless powder in it. 34″ barrel, double set triggers and a tang mounted long range sight. Photo was taken by me in our kitchen.
Kevin,
One person posted picture before you. They were just useless fillers, so I trashed them. I now have to watch this entire blog for improper images! I hope this is worth it.
B.B.
BB
Can’t you set it up on your end to notify you there’s a picture when someone posts a reply. Kind of like how you see the paper clip symbol if there is a attachment in a email?
GF1,
No. They tried that and it can’tr be done. It takes me about twice as long to check the blog now.
B.B.
BB
Well then your never going to be able to keep up.
I just went back to a blog 3 days ago and that option to post a picture is available too. So at anytime on any previous blog, pictures can be posted.
You will have to watch every post from now on. Sounds to me like they needed to work on the system more before it was implemented.
GF1,
That’s the problem. One of our clever readers already tested me on this by posting a long list of emogies. He hit return for each one, so the list was as long as your screen. That will lock up smart phones.
I have to watch this very carefully because anything can be posted. I can block posters, which I’m prepared to do, but I hope I don’t miss anything.
B.B.
BB
You know thinking about this, it just might not be a good thing.
If we want there are other ways to post pictures if we want too.
Without starting world war 3 here. I say get rid of the picture posting option.
To me it more hassle for you than what it’s worth. Or they need the take it off and redesign the system and try it again at a later time.
Like I said just my opinion. So be it however it ends up.
B.B.
I agree with GF1. Maybe this option is not a good thing. I think it’s a distraction and doesn’t add any value to the blog in most cases. I see some nice pictures of airguns but that’s not the reason I read the blog.
Is there any possibility that you could control the option to post a picture on the blog on a selective basis? If a poster really needed to post a picture they could make a request of you to enable it temporarily, then disable it again. It’s probably not possible, and if not, I would say get rid of it for sake of keeping the blog simpler and easier for you to administrate. The pictures are nice but really not necessary and I can already see the option is going to be abused and over used. That’s my thoughts on the matter.
Geo
Gunfun1,
Not only three days ago but for the entire blog archive. It’s been implemented down to the DNA of the blog. Even BB’s first blog post has the reply with picture option. The only way to stop it would be to archive the previous blog entries and that way force the would be responders into placing their reply to the most recent blog. Maybe they can freeze/archive it by month?
Siraniko
Siraniko
I figured that. I see it as a disaster waiting to happen. But that’s just me.
GF1
I agree with you 100%. Get rid of it because it going to make it almost impossible to administrate for B.B. And, I can already see that it will become abused and over used.
Geo
Geo
Yep I do believe so.
Like I mentioned there are other ways for a person to post a picture or a video if they want to.
For instance like those two short video’s I uploaded to You Tube of how I held my TX bench resting.
BB already has his work cut out for him just making the reports happen everyday. And I’m sure he don’t get compensated for the extra work he will have to do to keep the blog clean. And that is a important thing. Both of my teenage daughters read the blog from time to time. I know us normal blog readers aren’t going to contribute bad pictures but you know will be people that will try to out there.
I have a Swarm in .22. I have not fininshed with accuracy testing yet but so far it is going well. I replaced the factory scope with a 6x Bugbuster. I’ll post a pic of how it is mounted shortly.
With the Weaver block the magazine device is not seen.
It would be nice if Gamo provided an option for getting the Swarm with an upgraded scope (for a higher price, of course), or if they would put their rotary pellet magazine/loading device on a gun that already comes with a better scope. Otherwise, I suspect that a lot of us will be doing the same thing as you TJ–buying a new scope and mounts that cost 50% of the cost of the gun in the first place.
TJ,
I tried using my bug buster scope on my Swarm but could not get it to work with the mounting arrangements I had on hand. Can you tell me what rings and block you used?
First I removed the recoil reducing rail. Replaced it with a groove to Weaver adapter. The rings are the Weaver lever lock that came with the Bugbuster.
/product/utg-11mm-to-weaver-adapter-vertical-scope-stop-pin?a=2401
Thanks TJ
Everyone,
Now that images can be posted it’s time to learn to edit them. Lighten and sharpen them and crop them to show what you are talking about, please.
B.B.
B.B.
While I love the idea of being able to add pictues; you don’t have time to be the picture police and keep up the great quality of this blog. P.A. needs to take on that task under your supervision.
Hope I am wrong. Maybe a blog on what to do when postig a pictue will help?
Don
Don,
That has already come up. The very first “picture” was posted as a joke. The poster didn’t realize or appreciate what I have to do to keep this blog clean. I wrote to him directly after putting his “picture” in the trash.
If this gets to be too much, I’ll ask Pyramyd AIR to take it down. But so many people want it for the right reasons that I want it to succeed.
I won’t write guidelines because the folks who would read and abide by them already know what they are. It’s the others who cause the problems.
B.B.
BB
You can click on the pictures. Then you can enlarge them to see them better.
Didn’t know if you tryed.
I think that this will make a good hunting rifle with the light weight and quick follow up shot. If I was still a hunter, this would seem like a Must Have depending on the accuracy and the trigger. Otherwise, I’m with Chris, save up a little more and get a German air rifle like an Hw. You will not be sorry you did.
Brent
And I’m wondering that with a Pellet Pen, if you would really lose that much time reloading a conventional break barrel?
Brent,
Pyramyd AIR already looked at the difference in time for a second shot between the Swarm’s autoloading function and loading a pellet into a conventional break barrel in this video: /video-details/gamo-swarm-maxxim-multi-shot-air-rifle/381. Of course, it would be interesting to see if someone with a pellet pen could get close to the Swarm’s reloading time. Do we have any takers for that challenge?
If it’s accurate and reliable it may just be worth it.
And I will have to try out our picture option we have later. I guess if I do a short video on my phone it should post I’m guessing.
Don’t have time to try now. Will try later.
It’s very nice to have the option to post pictures in the blog, but let’s not get crazy with doing that. Occasionally, it’s great to have the capability to explain some detail that’s difficult to do without a picture. Let’s just not overdo posting needless pictures just because we can now. Like B.B. said, you do need to crop and adjust your contrast to make the picture clear as well. My suggestion would be to not use this option unless it is really necessary.
A brief interruption to our normal programming for a not so important message from the curmudgeon………
I have no interest in a repeating mechanism being installed on a break barrel pellet gun. For my tastes it undermines the zen of shooting a break barrel.
For the same reason I don’t have plans to put a motor on my bicycle.
Carry on……………..
As an aspiring curmudgeon, I totally agree with you Kevin.
When shooting a springer or a pump gun, the the break between shots necessitated to cock and load (and pump msps) allows time for me to reflect on my last shot and painfully grimace, as the case may be, or to smugly smirk at my shooting partner daring them to match me. It also allows time to sip a beer, but I digress.
If I want to shoot more rapidly, I will pull out the Crosman 1077w, or the Marauder if more precision is necessary.
I do however applaud Gamo, a much misaligned manufacturer, for putting forth the effort to engineer something that by most reports is the most reliable multi-feed mechanism ever conceived for break barrels.
I don’t want or need it, but I like that it is out there.
It is always a pleasure to see your posts here on the PA blog. You are an indispensable part of the airgun community.
*maligned
Stupid autocorrect! I hate you!
Autocorrect— even more maligned than Gamo 😉
SL
One word for your comment.
Yep.
🙂
Slinging Lead,
Always good to hear from you.
You make great points as usual. The time/pace to shoot a single shot gun allows reflection and seems to enhance precision. More importantly for me it provides the CALM that I enjoy in shooting. Not sure the full auto or semi auto guys next to me at the range can fathom this concept.
I’m thrilled that my self centered post brought a wonderful dinosaur like you out of the jungle.
ps-indispensable is laughable but appreciated nonetheless.
Wow, 1300 fps!! That’s supersonic. It should be able to knock those pests into next week before they realize it’s Saturday.
🙂
Feinwerk,
Only if you are going to use that particular pellet and shoot them (the pests) at one to two feet from the muzzle, good luck with that!
Bugbuster
Well just tryed posting some video’s and even pictures with the new system.
It won’t accept video’s and if the picture is to big it won’t load. So I’ll just be making short video pictures like I have been doing and up load them on you tube. Then copy and paste the link.
But all in all the restrictions with the new system will probably help reduce BB’s watch dog sessions.
I don’t know but maybe it ain’t good or maybe they ain’t got the bugs worked out yet. I know I ain’t going through extra work and time to post a picture with the new system as it is.
If someone has suggestions to make it easier I’m all ears.
Gunfun….FWIW all I had to do was resize the image from my 10mp camera.In Windows live photo gallery I clicked “Edit”,then “resize”.It gives the option of size as small,med,lg……I chose large which is 1280 pixels
and the images seem good.Hope that helps you post.
Frank
Thanks. I’m going to check it out.
But the thing is I’m doing all my posting from my phone. So I don’t know if that relates. But checking now.
Frank
Found how to resize to get to fit the mb. But still didn’t accept. Sure it’s on my end with the phone. Going to see something else in a minute.
If you want,email them to me……I will resize ’em and send them back.Just add @aol.com to my user name…..no capitol letters. Frank
Frank
Thanks a bunch. But I got to figure out if I can get it to work on my phone.
I don’t want to bother somebody to post something for me.
But really. Thanks for the offer.
It was the only way I could help.My phone has a hinge in the middle still……spent all the $$ on airguns!
Frank
It’s all good and really I do thank you.
🙂
Frank
Got it. Posted a picture below.
On my phone I have to “crop” the picture.
I have to show the image bytes then size down to 2.0 or smaller then it loads.
This is gun related. I was wanting to see if the old way to post video’s still works.
BB you can delete it if you want.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX7dcl_ERNs
GF1,
That is a good one,… I say leave it up. I’ll bet that many people have never even considered any effect like that.
Chris U
It was talked about on that video I posted the other day about the Canadian 2.2 mile sniper shot. It was on their chart they was using. Along barometric pressure and so on.
But just figured it was something different for the moment to see if normal links still worked.
It was certainly an interesting video, but he should have mentioned there was no wind, or it was a 90 degree crosswind, to leave only one variable.
Sean
Agree.
Sean
Oh and another thing they never mentioned if the targets were at the same elevation.
That changes things too.
My theory is that there was at least a group of ISIS……one target would have been somewhere between impossible and accidental! Especially with mirage,and the need to be on low magnification to gain the necessary holdover.Just my guess…….
Frank
They repeatedly call it the Hail Mary shot in the video review of the shot.
Alot of variable stacking after the trigger was pulled.
I don’t want to sound pessimistic about the shot. But that shot no matter how much thought went into was probably luck.
But it did happen as a confirmed shot. Which by all means I would bask in the glory if it was me. Well kind of but still yet. I know how I would act if I won the lottery. 🙂
Frank
Oh and I was just talking about the 2.2 mile Canadian sniper confirmed kill.
Frank
But yes on the Coriolis video too.
“RRR” system huh? That!,.. I would like to see explained in full detail. If I recall, not too many scope,.. or,.. gun related re-coiling compensating concepts have worked out favorably.
It seems that high end/proven function is attempting to be combined with budget friendly products. Always,.. an interesting thing to watch unfold. 😉
Just some observations,.. nothing else.
Here is a sexy pic I DO hope is OK to post.I love this blog(for 10 yrs now) and I have never posted a pic anywhere on the web before……so here goes nothing!
This is one of 10 .25cal DAQ Knaves I know exist.Shoots as good as it looks. Frank
And here is it’s bigger brother’s stock.The first was a brush gun…..this stock is for the long gun in .25cal.
FWIW above is grade 4 walnut….this one is grade 5.
Frank
Pretty stuff.
NO joke…..this is the ugly side of the stock! A little info on the brush gun…..8 shots from 3600 to 2200psi
w JSB exact Kings……975fps to 940fps.It has put 4 shots through a hole smaller than the presidents head
on a dime-@ 50yds.Dennis can make a crazy accurate barrel!
Frank
And that’s what’s suppose to happen.
I have read that Gunfun! However in my experience it is a pretty rare result at my house.:)
Frank
All I can say is.
🙂
Wiping drool off keyboard.
Hey Sean……G’day! I would LOVE these two Quackenbush guns no matter who owned them.They are master works.
Ok trying this again.
My shooting area.
Color me jealous……real easy on the eyes too.:) I shouldn’t complain….47yds from back door to corner of yard
and 70 max without disturbing neighbors.Glad you figured out the cropping.
Frank
Very thankful I have what I have. Took me long enough to get here and all that other hard work stuff that goes with it.
And I thought it could be done from a phone. Just didn’t know what I was looking for. You know what I mean.
And yes sounds like you got a good shooting spot too. Just got to count ourselves lucky we have what we have.
I have to say if I didn’t have the place to shoot I would for sure figure out one way or another a way to shoot.
And again. You got a picture of that gun in there. What I want to know is what the rest of the gun looks like.
Wow Frank! The flame in that stock is stunning.
Reminds me of one of my Walther dst’s.
Well phooey! My Walther DSTT doesn’t have much flame….just some mineral striping.I think I got
short changed.LOL
Kev,I hope all is well w/ you. Frank
p.s.did you freshen the checkering?? looks amazing.
Frank B,
Good to see you posting.
Still remember that FWB 124 Himalayan JM stock I tried to pry from your hands.
No “freshening” of the checkering on that LG 55 DST.
The mineral striping in your Walther DST reminds me of the mineral striping in my Walther Speziale tyro
Yeah…..don’t remind me about the FWB 124 stock.It was…..if you remember,my very first DIY
stock finish from raw blank.She lives on in Hawaii now.I do really miss her.
Oh and just so people know. This is a old picture from when the farmer was clearing the tree line and opening up the irrigation ditch.
There is a bulldozer behind the crest of the hill on the right. He was up talking to me when the picture was taken.
Anyway just thought I would mention.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll take pics of them together……I had the stock separated to do some finish work for that pic.
So…….stay tuned.LOL
Here is a carbine stock on a DAQ .25 pistol……also set up for 50+ ftlbs…….giggity
Frank,
This isn’t as stunning until you realize this is a factory stock from Weihrauch on this 35
My knees start knockin’ when I look at the old 35s with the round grip….such an elegant detail.
I have a really nice later stock to show you…..maybe tomorrow.It’s on a HW54el Barakuda .22.
That is assuming we will still be able to post such RACY pics!
BB,
Sort of disappointed that your rifle is 177. I was hoping to compare what yours did with my 22 .
It would nice if Gamo would design their new bread barrels to be able to retro fit the auto loaded as an option.
I have an old Gamo Gamatic and the feeder works very well. The rifle is accurate too. You do have to choose the right pellet but isn’t that the case for all air guns? Lol. The trick I have found out is do not load damaged pellets first, and do not slam shut the spring follower (I think that is the name) as this will bind the head into the skirts (no sleeze ment) and cause a miss feed. I am so pleased with my Gamatic I just had to have the Swarm. I have shot only about 50 rounds thru the Swarm so far with only one pellet and accuracy is not there. But I think it is still breaking in so I will not be too premature in my judgement. My bundled scope was DOA though but I do not like duplex scopes anyway, so it would not have had a future on that gun. Must mention too that mine has significant droop which was substantially corrected with a droop block
Ton,
Thank you for posting a picture of a synthetic stock…I was feeling left out!
The picture feature will be great but will require monitoring. For anyone wanting to start professionally editing their photos, Photoshop Elements is probably the best software out there and gives you a LOT compared to the full professional version of Photoshop. There are also plenty of free or package softwares (with Windows or some cameras for example). Cropping, brightness, and contrast are the most basic tools.
Maybe a basic digital photo editing blog would be in order…
And to clarify, Photoshop Elements is the best starting or entry-level software…the full version of Photoshop is king of the hill.
HiveSeeker,
I have done several photo reports:
/blog/2008/06/photographing-airguns-part-3/
/blog/2014/08/photographing-airguns-again-part-2/
B.B.
Thanks, .B.B., your photography series was extremely helpful to me. Buying some real studio lights made all the difference! Here, I was thinking more along the lines of a Photoshop tutorial though not sure how many tins of pellets that would help sell!
Then again…
If you practiced on photos of pellets…
Hmmm….Image looks upside down until you actually click it. Think that may be an Apple iOS thing.
Looks upside down even when I click on it on firefox/windows10
HiveSeeker,
Get a tripod and turn off the flash. Then allow your camera to decide on the exposure time.
B.B.
HiveSeeker,
Thanks for the tip I have downloaded Photo Shop Elements on my iPad,. I now have to learn how to use it. I am still learning how to use my iPad which I got only recently. I was an Android person and happy I don’t know why I did the switch. Everything is so restrictive with Apple that it drives me nuts. It does nothing better, and lots worse than my old android tablet. I still pick up my android to read the blogs because the iPad does not allow text reflow. Panning left and right to read kills enjoyment. Rant rant rant. If it was a gun I would send it back.
The most basic tools will be cropping, brightness and contrast, and–if Elements has it–Shadows and Highlights. The iPad is different and in my opinion less intuitive than other platforms (especially if you’re used to Windows on your computer) but does a lot of things very well once you get used to it.