by B.B. Pelletier
Before we begin, Vince called my attention to something I said in the first report that was wrong. I said the articulated cocking lever of this rifle was held against the spring cylinder by the geometry, but I didn’t look close enough. Vince told me to look for a roller bearing on the long link and, sure enough, it’s there. It’s just on one side of the link, which is why I overlooked it, but hey – it does the job! Thanks for watching my back, Vince.
This is the big day! The first independent report on the Gamo Hunter Extreme’s true velocity. No smoke and mirrors. No retakes for the camera. No corporate jolly-isms. Just the truth.
Perfect summer day
You could not ask for a better day to test an airgun. No wind to stir things up. An overcast sky for perfect chrono readings every time. No interruptions of any kind. Just me and the big rifle by ourselves on the range. So, no excuses today. This is the way the rifle shoots!
Cocking is hard!
This is not a casual plinker. Did I mention that? It cocks with 52 pounds of effort, but the last few inches of cocking is where 20 percent of that effort is needed, and it just stacks up on you. This will be a two-handed operation for most adult men, and there will be shooters who cannot cock this rifle at all. Please believe me – I am not playing macho games. This is a difficult rifle to cock – even harder than the Webley Patriot.
I really like the scope!
Remember in the first report that I said I’d have to see whether or not I liked this new reticle. Well, I do. It’s a good hunting reticle that makes targeting easier than a plain crosshair or even a duplex reticle. And, the scope and scope mount stayed put throughout some sharp recoil and semi-harsh vibrations. Though the Hunter Extreme is no match for the heavy-recoiling Webley Patriot, it does kick harder than a Beeman R1, for example. Anyway, nice scope!

This reticle is great for targeting. I think it will work well for hunting, too. Only the dot in the center lights up (not lit now).
Lousy trigger!
This is the worst trigger I have tested in a very long time. It breaks somewhere over 8 lbs. and has more creeps than a motel lounge. It does feel as though it will break-in over time, but in the beginning it’s not a good trigger. I’ll blame some of the poor accuracy on the trigger, as it was just too hard to squeeze.
On the plus side, no annoying automatic safety came on. That I like a lot. Just cock and shoot. However, when you do cock the gun, you’ll feel each and every spring coil slide through the cylinder in a crunchy parade. This isn’t a smooth-cocking air rifle, and it probably will never be until someone tunes it.
On the shooting end, it’s just as noisy. It jumps sharply in recoil and buzzes more than it should. Compared to the smooth-shooting Gamo CF-X, the Hunter Extreme sounds and feels like a geriatric Transformer with arthritis! Let’s shoot it.
Drum roll, please!
I load a golden Raptor PBA pellet and close the breech. The pellet falls out. I load a second Raptor and take care to seat it deeply with my thumb. This one stays put. The rifle is lowered to the Oehler Chronograph screens and CRACK! – the shot is fired. The pellet definitely broke the sound barrier! And the velocity?
1352 f.p.s. (lonely sound of dog barking in the distance and crickets chirping).

Not quite the number we were told.
I shot it some more. Velocities ranged between 1345 and 1395 f.p.s. That’s it!
The particular Gamo Hunter Extreme that I am testing is NOWHERE NEAR 1,600 f.p.s. Despite a huge advertising budget and all the fairy dust in the free world, you people simply did not clap loud enough and long enough. Tinkerbell died!
To make CERTAIN that you get their message, Gamo has engraved the freakin’ velocity formula on the outside of the spring cylinder of the rifle, right next to where the pellet is loaded. What’s the matter with me? I saw the numbers, yet I still failed to achieve the corporate goal. I must not be a team player.

In case you missed their million-dollar advertising campaign, Gamo has been kind enough to ENGRAVE their velocity formula on the steel compression cylinder of their rifle for you. I have never seen this on an airgun before. It’s like they are hoping to be exposed.
The preceding rant is how I do an in-your-face victory dance on the internet. There wasn’t much doubt that this gun could not live up to its advertised velocity. Every PBA Raptor I’ve tested so far has only increased velocity of any given rifle by about 150-200 f.p.s., so how is this one suddenly going to fly 400 f.p.s. faster?
Okay, back to reality. The velocity with Beeman Kodiaks ranged between 987 f.p.s. and 1,012 f.p.s., with 998 being the average. That gives an honest energy average of 23.45 foot-pounds at the muzzle. Gamo ought to be proud of that. They also ought to recognize that this is a 30 foot-pound rifle if they would just make it in .22. If they expect to sell a bunch of $500 breakbarrels – even with the nice scope thrown in – they’d better convert it to something people can actually shoot and get off this pig-killing velocity trip they’re on.
I did not test the rifle with lightweight lead pellets to ascertain whether the claim of 1250 with lead pellets is accurate. I can, if you really want me to, but that isn’t high on my list of things to do. Just as I would never shoot a pellet at 1350, I would also not shoot one at 1250, so what’s the point of testing even more of what we wouldn’t do anyhow?
All kidding aside, the Hunter Extreme is the fastest spring air rifle I have ever tested, though I haven’t tested the other fast ones with PBAs, and Gamo should be proud of that. It may not be a 1600 f.p.s. rifle, but it’s still king of the hill for breakbarrels.
All I’m reporting on today is velocity, so the next part will cover accuracy. I have not closed the book on this air rifle, despite the things I said about the velocity claims. This is still a $500 air rifle that deserves a fair test, and I intend to give it one.
BB
I have been following your blog for some time and wanted to say thanks for all the great information that has made this sport more enjoyable. Off the gamo subject, I own the RWS 350 Mag .22 and the RWS 48 .177 and is it safe to shoot round balls from these and are they as accurate as pellets?
Iowa
They’d probably do better just putting the BSA logo on the gun anyway!
B.B.–Scott298–what does it take for a company to realize that quality beats quanity. Surley with this 1600fps claim it appears that gamo is trying to influence the younger crowd, AND THEY WON’T EVEN BE ABLE TO COCK IT! Every year Gamo will have to come up with something new to stay in the game-can’t wait for your accuracy test’ already I have a feeling how that wii go. You have companies like Beeman who build quality-they don’t have to come up with a new model year after year. If Gamo is such a big organization why don’t they put there heads together and produce a rifle that will make the other players take notice. I’m sure they have the man power and facilities to produce a really great gun that would go head to head with the best of them-instead , well you know the rest. I don’t know who’s in charge over there but he should be replaced. I do agree with you on the scopes reticle, I love it. If your wife is going to be raking pictures of your accuracy test-make sure she’s wearing a bullett proof vest-no telling where those rounds will go–Scott298
BB
i see that you use the Oehler Chronograph but they seem to have stopped production of them now. What make and model would you recomend now? I do have a Chrony, but i would like another so that working out BCs can be done quicker and easier.
Thanks
Iowa,
I don’t see why you can’t shoot round balls in either rifle, but when you do, watch for any signs of a dryfire. The balls are large enough to engrave the rifling and fill the bore, so they should work fine.
B.B.,
Scott298,
The Gamo saga reminds me of Detroit in the ’60s. They thought the formula was horsepower, when the buyers wanted reliability. Now look at them!
B.B.
BCs,
Well I used to laugh at Chronys. I had an old model with carboard skyscreen diffuser holders and it WAS pretty pad. But the current ones are great!
I do recommend getting the printer. That makes your Chrony do everything the Oehler can – except for the precision of the number it gets.
Oehler has a clock speed of 4 million beats per second and I’m pretty sure the Chrony still has 100,000. That’s as good as the Potter lab chronograph that W.H.B. Smith rented for his classic airgun book in 1957, so don’t discount it.
Besides the name, which means everything when you publish articles, the Oehler is extremely sensitive. Mine has reliably clocked number 6 shot going 84 f.p.s. If mine died tomorrow and could not be fixed, I’d buy a used one off eBay.
B.B.
B.B. I’m thinking of “expanding my horizons” to .22 cal. for the extra punch to take out a small pest, now and then (humanely), but mostly for fun. Something under $150.00 for starters and I prefer CO2 or multi-pumps. Any suggestions?
All you airgunners out there feel free to chime in. Greatest blog on the web!! Thanks, JR
JR,
Benjamin 392
B.B.
BB,
Thanks for the debunking.
It would be interesting to see Gamo take the direction they have done with the CFX and reach for an affordable, realistically powerful, and accurate airgun.
The Hunter Extreme is none of these at $500 vs. $220 to achieve 998fps vs. the 785fps that my CFX gets with Kodiaks.
And the sub 1″ 25 yard groups it gets with nearly any pellet (including Kodiaks) put through it are nothing to sneeze at.
Wouldn’t any self-respecting hunter prefer a clean kill with the slower pellet instead of either a miss or (much worse) a wounded animal with the ba**s to the wall Extreme?
BB
i have just seen the video Gamo are showing on their website of a guy 1 shot killing a wild boar with the .177 Extreme. Is this even possible? Ok, if you could shoot it in the eye, and that went straight to the brain, ok, but hitting it from the side as the video shows?? i would have thought it was not possible?
Maybe they should call it the ZnA not the PBA!
Boar video,
Yes, it is possible, but not sportsmanlike at all.
B.B.
would I expect copper-coated round-balls to leave excessive residue, resulting in more frequent barrel cleaning? i’m assuming regular “non-coated” round-balls would be similar to just shooting lead pellets.
thnx
me personally, i wouldn’t expect the Extreme to reach 1600fps. most airgun manufacturers round their fps up heavily, so I would be expecting it to at most break 1500fps. most springers can see an increase in fps once broken in. i would like to see if a well-broken in Extreme, shot with PBA pellets with their skirts widened by a pell-seat (to fit more snuggly in the bore, so they don’t fall out bb) would do. but I can find much better guns, like the TX200 to spend my $500 on
Now I’m stuck in two choices: a (Crosman 2260 with BSA 4x15mm scope, case, and Kodiaks+PellGunOil), and (Benjamin Sheridan 392 with Kodiaks+PellGunOil)….which is best for short to mid range shooting in FL?
14 in Fla
how does this gun compare with something like the Theoben Eliminator?
Copper plated lead balls leave no residue at all. Plain lead balls leave graphite.
B.B.
14 in Fla.,
The 2260 is cheaper and shoots just as good as the 392. The only thing will be the expense of the powerlets down the road.
I’m leaning towards the 2260.
B.B.
The Theoben Eliminatror is harder to cock, has a much better trigger (night and day!), and comes in more appropriate calibers.
B.B.
The theoben eliminator can shoot under an inch at fifty yards. The gamo with its raptors will give a 3 inch group or so. I dont have either guns but this is what i have heard. I do have a theoben pcp that shoots under a half inch at fifty yards.
DID I NOT SAY THAT THING WOULD TOP OUT AT 1400FPS? MY CONDOR SHOOTS .22 KODIAKS FASTER THAN THAT THING SHOOTS THEM IN .177.
GOOD BAD NEWS on the daystate.
The pellet are touching the shroud. How is that good news? Well it explains whay jsb’s would not group. The Logun Penetrators did because they are a good pellet AND the they have a that wierd shape. So i will send in back to pamona to be fixed. I could do it myself but as handy as i am it doesent normaly work out LOL.
-sumo
i’ve done my due diligence concerning the marksman2004 and beemanP17. so they are the same gun, with a different name. why does the marksman show a fps of 410, and the beeman show 400 in their discriptions? and the marksman says german engineered, but aren’t they both made in china?
thnx
Surely you know that “German engineered” means designed and not produced? So I don’t know what you are asking.
And 400 f.p.s. vs 410 – the difference is 10 f.p.s. Or hitting a different key on the computer. They are both in the ballpark where most of these guns will shoot if you find the right pellet.
B.B.
I imagine you’ve heard of the Gamo trigger conversions… sounds like the Extreme could really use it!
The only down side is that if you release the trigger after taking up the 1st stage travel, the sear release doesn’t return to its original position. It stays on the “knife’s edge”.
Regardless, I’m itching to see the accuracy report with PBA’s. Are you gonna list the groupings in feet or yards?
Also, did you notice how the PBA’s developed significantly less energy than the Kodiaks?
Vince,
Kilometers and yes.
B.B.
I have a Theoben Eliminator .22 and it shoots really well with the Logun Penetrators(16grains). I have used many other pellets and I thing they are the best for my gun for any distance. It must be the shape…Or not?
hmm maybe gamo put a drop of diesel fuel in the back of the pellets or heavily oiled the gun when they did those tests?
It would explain alot but its still false advertising.
Hello,
I have several questions:
– I have a Weihrauch HW30S and would like to mount a “Leapers 3-12X44 30mm SWAT Mini Size A.O. Range Estimating Mil-Dot” scope. The scope is 10.6 inches long, can I mount that scope with a one piece B-Square mount? Or is the scope too short?
– Is a Crossman 1077 powerful enough for pest (sparrow, starling, pidgeon) control? If so, what scope would you recommend for that gun?
Thank You!
I have a BUG BUSTER GEN 2 on my 1077 and think you should do the same; Its perfect for it.
A one peice b-square will fit the scope. I have on on te bug buster and thats half the length.
-sumo
Sorry i was trying to say it would fit the Leapers 3-12X44 30mm SWAT Mini Size A.O. Range Estimating Mil-Dot” scope.
-sumo
Maybe The gamo was tested in outer-space in a vacuum with no gravity?
BB,
I am going to have a custom shroud and some other work done on my gun. I will be shooping again in 2-3 weeks.
-sumo
Going back to my last comment
Custom work on the daystate. I did not say what gun in the last comment.
-sumo
I just got a shipment of pellets from Pyramid today to try out in my Benjamin 392. It seems to produce the most power with heavier pellets. With Beeman Kodiaks (21.1 grains) going at 550 feet per second it produces around 14 foot pounds. The Eunjin (28.4 grains) pellets I just got today travel at an average of 490 feet per second and produce 15.13 foot pounds. I haven’t tested them for accuracy yet. All of these are tested with the maximum of 8 pumps only.
This is a great rifle. For $130, it’s well worth it. I’m starting to notice the kick from my Diana 48 since the Benjamin 392 lacks it. I would have never expected a multi-pump pneumatic to be so consistant in velocity. Can’t say enough good things about it. Thanks.
Shawn
anyone out there with 12gauge and 20gauge shotgun shells, and a micrometer, can you tell me the diameter of those shells…
thanks
BB
i am thinking of buying a .22 WMR rifle soon and i know you shoot firearms as well as airguns so i was hoping that you could help me out. i know this blog is devoted specifically to airguns but i havnt been able to find a blog like this for firearms such as the Savage model 93FVSS .22WMR rifle im looking at. could you suggest a website or anything? the Savage website doesnt give all the info i need such as accuracy, ect. and thats a big concern to me considering that if i will be buying a .22WMR rifle, i will be looking to shoot at 200 yards for varminting and target shooting. any ideas on where i can get a decent review on this rifle would be appreciated, thank you.
Brett
B.B. YOU ARE THE MAN-If you say Benjamin 392, than that’s what I started to order from Pyramid, but, came up with one more question. Is the 392 Combo worth getting (scope, rings, intermount, case)? Why does that scope, in the picture, mount so far up front on the barrel?
Thanks again,
JR
B.B.,
Thanks for the tests! I like your sense of humor in your blog and your attitude towards some misconceptions that we all have!
It was a pleasant blog this one…
Hi BB,
thanks for this forum.
It has become essential reading for me.
I just bought a HW97K and am now shooting off a bag filled with rice, with the rifle directly lying on it.
I get consistent 0.5 inch groups at 20 meters.
So what happened to the artillery hold?
Is this unusual?
Mak
SWAT mini,
I wouldn’t reconnend anything but two-piece mounts for this scope. I own one and that’s what I use.
If you really want a one-piece mount, ask the sales rep about the fit when you call.
A 1077 is a little light for hunting, except at short ranges.
B.B.
Brett,
I Googled your rifle and came up with this report:
Good news and bad news… Wally World has closeout priced the Marlin 982S, the T-900 trigger new version of the 882SS, at $175. It is a 7rd mag-fed SS bolt .22 WMR with Williams FireSights. I had the similar old 882SS several years ago – also from W.W. – and a Savage 93FVSS (Bull-barrel .22 WMR bolt w/o sights), which was a better rifle despite it’s slightly poorer trigger. Bad news… I can’t wait to get rid of the this thing – and I just bought it last Tuesday. It came unopened from the stockroom… I should have inspected it better. The new version has a horrid and sloppy ‘plastic’ trigger – and a stiff bolt. It isn’t mounted/bedded well in the Monte Carlo style plastic stock, which makes the included Williams Firesights useless… unless you like having your eye near the buttstock to view the Firesights. I could not get the elevation to match any of the three ammo’s I tried, CCI Blazer Maxi Mags TNT, Remington V-Max ballistic tip, and Win Supreme, at 25 yd. Fortunately, the flat trajectory of the .22 WMR helped by keeping the elevation guesstimation constant from 25-100yd.
I suppose a brief discussion of my middle ground discovery of CZ-452’s several years ago and how it has spoiled me is in order. I simply bought a .22 LR CZ-452 Trainer/Special. It is unreal what quality this inexpensive rifle exudes. Even the military sights are super… an adjustable front sight, no less. I bought two more – both ‘Super Exclusive’s’, a limited production variant with an even longer barrel (28.8″ vs 25.4″). Super bargains – for $208 delivered when I ordered them. Knowing this, I tried to get by with the closeout Marlin… no way, I am spoiled. I will now take a beating on this ‘bargain’ – and wait until I can afford a CZ – either the Lux or the FS (Euro or Mannlicher-style stock) – both with the same iron sights. The CZ’s spoil you!
Not much info on the Savage, but it sounds like he really likes the CZ! I have no experience with the Savage, so I am unqualified to comment. If I were you I would cruise the web looking for reports.
B.B.
JR,
I never recommend a scope for a multi pump pneumatic. They get in the way of pumping the gun.
B.B.
Makka,
Great start! Now put your hand on the rice bag and try the artillery hold. You should be able to reduce that group by almost half.
B.B.
Just a few thoughts on scoping the Sheridan and Benjiman air rifles.
I still have my Sheridan that I bought brand new in ’74 for $50.00. I put a 4X scope on it right after buying it. It now has a 3X9 Daisy Powerline (only $28.00) from Wallyworld.
I am now 61 years old and weigh 150 lbs and have never had and still have no problem pumping it up with a scope.
I have also found that there is very little difference in 6 and 8 pumps as far as power.
I just had to remove 12 squarrels that had been living in my second story garage. After tearing everything up and with the final straw being that they chewed up a almost brand new $250.00 bimini top on my boat. All I needed was 6 pumps for 20-25 yd head shots. I go to 8 pumps for anything beyond 25 yds which is very seldom.
As for what it likes in pellets, it has never like the factory Sheridan’s. They fire in 6-12″ groups at 20-25 yds. I then went to the Sheridan Diablo which back in the 70’s appered to be a Superdome (very good). And also Beeman Silver Jets (OK not great). Then lately I have used Beeman Crow Magnums which got about 1/2″ at 20 yds. But just hit the jackpot when I tried JSB Exact Diablos. Now I can get 1/4″ at 25yds. And there consistant, no flyers. I just orderd more from Pyramyd and now have 2000 on hand.
Sheridan,
Now THAT’S a report! Good comment.
Just this morning I had a guy bragging about 1/2″ groups at 20 meters from an HW97 rested directly on a ricebag. I told him to put his hand under the stock and reduce it to 1/4″. You’ve done that even farther with a Blue Streak.
B./B.
BB,
Thank you for your response, i will continue to look into it. the savage has all the features im looking for butlike i said, their site doesnt make any mention to accuracy and thats a big selling point to me because i preffer long range shooting. i am going to check into CZ and see what they have to offer, hopfully they have somthing comperable if not better. looking at the rifle and the limited info they offer on the savage website, it seems like a good rifle but we all know that looks mean nothing when it comes to accuracy and dependability. and i have yet to find anyone that actually owns one. thank you again, your info has given me a few other things to think about.
Brett
Brett,
I know Savage is committed to accuracy in their centerfire line. And years ago they were aligned with Anschutz. But the .22 WMR isn’t a round I have much knowledge of.
B.B.
Just thought I would update the comment I made above about Sheridan .20 cal rifles ealier today.
I keep seeing the same questions asked over and over. Are the Sheridan rifles any good? Are they accurate? Will they hold up? Are they WORTH the money?
Well mine was bought 33 years ago in ’74, brand new. Has never had any work done to it. Not one single problem in all those years. I do believer they where built better back then. Mine has a metal trigger and guard which I don’t think they have today. It has a trigger that is as good as any high price target rifle, breaks clean at 3 3/4 lbs with absolutly no creep. I also have plenty of cartrige rifles and have shot on Army small bore rifle and 45 teams so I do know a good trigger.
I just got done shooting this afternoon. With wind blowing so much I had to wait about 5 minutes between shoots. I was shooting off a old wobbly card table. Not the most stable platform.
Now I have my range marked off and measured with a tape. In 5 yrd increments from 15-35 yds. I just fire 2 groups with 3 shoots each. Both using JSB Exacts with 8 pumps. Both measured with a vernier caliper center to center. The 30 yrd group was .30″ and the 35 yrd was .38″. That was with my scope set at 4.5 power. None of these measurements were by eye. They are legit using tape and vernier.
At 6 pumps it’s dead on from 15-25 yds. At 8 pumps it’s 1.6″ high at 30 yds and .9″ high at 35 yrds. All with the same pellet.
What more can you ask for.
Bob
I have a question that is raised over and over. I have just received my Diana RWS 52 and want to scope it. I know you have suggested a few scopes and scope mounts for this rifle and wonder what you would recommend now. I use it for ground squirrel “thinning”. I have used a benjamin sheridan in 177 for this at a measured distance of 30 yards. I am hoping with the new Diana (in 22 by the way) I will be more successful. Thanks in advance. matt
Matt,
It’s a Diana, so you need to use a one-piece mount with a vertical scope stop pin to hang over the front of the scope rail on the rifle. That’s the only positive way to stop scope mount movement on Dianas at the present time. You probably need an adjustable mound because Dianas have a lot of barrel droop.
Any of the B-Square AA mounts will work. Pick one that suits the tube of the scope.
As for a scope, how about a Leapers 3-9X40 like this one:
/product/leapers-golden-image-3-9x32ao-rifle-scope-mil-dot-reticle-1-tube?a=866
B.B.
Hey BB. It’s Marvin, I left you a few comments on the Extreme, but I left them on the Bejamin Sheridan comment page. So I guess I will leave one here. I received my Hunter Extreme today and while I didn’t have a lot of daylight time left, I did shoot a few rounds just to see what kind of power this one has. I shot a couple of skenco orange pellets out of it and it shot in the 1500s, I put a Raptor pellet and it shot the high 1400s 1491 if I’m not mistaken, then I started shooting the crosman silver eagles and they did the trick for fps, 1591, 1594, 1597, 1581 and 1587, and that’s with a brand new gun and a cool day. That was an average of 1590, so the fiction of air guns shooting 1600fps is no longer fiction, I’m sure on a warm day and after serveral hundred shots it will average 1640 1650 or there abouts, anyway I’m just hoping this Hunter will group half as good as the Benjamin sheridan did with supersonic speed, I really want to see how these silver eagles will group with that kind of speed, that’s about 250 fps or so more than the Benjamin shot, who knows it’s never been done before with a springer, so we’ll see and by the way you said on your Hunter Extreme that the trigger was the worst you had ever seen, well thankfully mine is not, it’s rather easy to pull, But it does have a lot of travel, I think I’m going to like it and on my rifle I didn’t hear any noise when shooting it, other than the super sonic crack, which I like It was not that bad cocking either.Well anyway hopefully I will be able to shoot some more and I will take some more raptors with me, as I only had one with me today. Tomorrow the temperture is suppose to warm up to 64 degrees, so that will be a little better, by the way I live in Texas, Jones Creek, Tx. that’s about 70 miles South of Houston, Tx. Well I’ll get back with you if anything changes. PS. BB. my Hunter did not come with the scope caps, aren’t they suppose to come with the caps. Thanks Marvin
Marvin,
I answered you on the other post.
Keep shooting.
B.B.