Gamo Big Cat 1200 air rifle kit

There are a lot of things that I enjoyed about this rifle since I received it early last year, but one of the biggest was its knockdown power. Being a small game hunter, this rifle hits with enough force to register a quick, ethical kill on your game animal, without penetrating out the other side. This also depends on your pellets, but in a year of hunting I am yet to have a pass through. The accuracy of the rifle is alright, noting to write home about. I tried a wide variety of pellets, including Beeman Crow Magnums, Crosman Premier Hollowpoints/Ultra Magnums, and Daisy Wadcutters (I had a tin lying around, so I figured why not). The Crosman Premier Ultra Magnums performed well, with a 1 in. group at 25 yards. Like I said, nothing amazing, but good enough for whatever your reason may be for purchasing this rifle. The other thing I liked was the rugged all-weather stock, which (although I don't suggest this) could be used for hunting/shooting in the rain, as long as you remember to wipe down the rifle after use. As for the kit, I found the trigger lock to be somewhat useless, and difficult to operate. You are better off buying a Plano case and 2 cheap masterlocks if you really need to keep hands off the rifle. The included centerpoint scope was very useful, and a great fit for this rifle. For hunting, you will not need another scope, as the Centerpoint 3-9x40 is perfect. The included pellets were a nice touch, being Gamo Red Fire, Gamo PBA Raptors. The sling is very nice too.

I would smooth out the spring in the factory a bit more. When I received the rifle, the spring twang was almost unbearable, and firing behavior was incredibly harsh. After breaking in the rifle, however, which took about 1,000 shots (FULL break-in), the firing behavior calmed down and spring twang slightly subsided. I would also try to add a basic pair of iron sight, just incase you didn't want to mount a scope, or your main purpose is plinking/fun. This would make the rifle appeal to a wider crowd and be a simple change for the Gamo factory. The shroud, I feel, is useless. It does not seem to make the rifle any quieter, as spring twang and vibration seem to override anything the shroud is doing. However, the shroud does protect the barrel, which is extremely appreciated. My only other gripe is that the included pellets (which are a part of the kit) are semi-useless. Gamo's PBA Raptor's are incredibly bad for your action, as they are so light that it is practically dry-firing your rifle. The Red Fire pellets were alright, but as the price indicates, they should only be used by someone who is purchasing the rifle to solely hunt. The last thing that bothered me, and this doesn't apply to everyone, was the lack of the possibility of a bipod due to the bull barrel.

This rifle is a great beginner break barrel, if you have any experience with scopes prior to purchasing this rifle. As there are no iron sights, a scope is truly needed. Also, the rifle is quite hold sensitive, and the "Artillery Hold" is mandated. I found a great hold was to hold the grip with reasonable force, and to **Lightly** hold the stock of the rifle right near the trigger guard, in a open palm. This allows the gun to recoil as much as it wants, without deterring the path of your pellet. For those who would want to mount a bipod on this rifle, you can't. The bull barrel prevents you from doing that, which was a bummer to me. For long range shooting, invest in a pair of sand bags to make up for the lack of the bipod. Another solution would be to buy a telescoping shooting stick, but that could be more expensive. If you are looking into purchasing this rifle to hunt, or just to target shoot, it is a perfect combination. If you have no experience with, or don't want to use a scope, stay far away. For younger shooters (12-14) this may be a great fit for shooting while supervised, as the cocking effort is quite minimal, and you have a great amount of leverage, as the barrel is thick and long. If your child is smaller, like I was, it may be a little bit too long. Overall, simply consider all of these things before making your decision, and identify your primary uses. Remember, the gun eats Crosman Ultra Magnums for breakfast. Great pellet for this rifle. Thanks for reading.

The gun.

The kit.

DONT GET BECAUSE THEY LEAVE YOUR SLING, PELLETS AND GUN LOCK OUT