by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Gamo P-25 is a 16-shot blowback pellet pistol.
Today, we’ll look at the velocity of the Gamo P-25 air pistol, and something interesting that happened. Normally, I report on the velocity of 3 or 4 pellets and leave it at that, but a strange thing happened with the first CO2 cartridge in the test pistol.
I didn’t screw the piercing screw deep enough into the CO2 cartridge, resulting in the gas flow being hindered. I’ve experienced this a few times in the past, but this time it was very pronounced. After each shot, there was a period of time that ranged from 5 to 10 seconds, during which the gas flowed audibly from the cartridge into the gun’s valve. It sounded like a leak in the gun, but I noticed it only lasted a few seconds before stopping, so it wasn’t venting to the outside. It was the gas flowing from the cartridge into the gun’s valve, where it would be used for the next shot.
The piercing screw wasn’t turned in far enough to properly pierce this cartridge. You can’t even see the opening through a 10X loupe, but it’s there. This was operator error.
Shooting the pistol in the rapid-fire mode proved impossible with this first cartridge. The first shot went out at the normal velocity, and shot 2…fired immediately after the first shot…clocked 88 f.p.s. through the chronograph.
It was my fault
So, I screwed the piercing screw much deeper into the next cartridge. Problem solved! Don’t be tentative when piercing a cartridge in this pistol. Do it like you mean it. After I pierced the second cartridge correctly, the pistol performed exactly as expected. Rapid-fire worked as you would expect, and the gun kept up with my trigger finger.
Hobby
The first pellet I tested was the RWS Hobby. Weighing 7 grains, the all-lead Hobby pellet tells me so much about an airgun’s powerplant. For starters, it tells me what needs to be done to get the 425 f.p.s. velocity that’s claimed for the gun.
Hobbys averaged 353 f.p.s. in the P-25. They ranged from a low of 333 to a high of 379 f.p.s., and some of that large variance may be due to the gas flow problem I mentioned. At the average velocity, Hobbys were generating 1.94 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.
The Hobbys told me what I wanted to know. This pistol wasn’t going to get its rated velocity with a lead pellet. So, I needed to try it with a lead-free pellet; and since this is a Gamo gun, the Gamo Raptor PBA sounded like a good selection.
PBA
The Raptor PBA pellet is made from metal that’s harder than lead. It weighs 5.4 grains and will generally boost the velocity of an airgun above what a lead pellet will, though the hardness of the metal actually slows it down sometimes. But in the P-25, the Raptor PBAs worked just fine. They averaged 412 f.p.s. and ranged from a low of 395 to a high of 432 f.p.s. So, the ads are right on the money. At the average velocity, this pellet generates 2.04 foot-pounds of energy.
Gamo Match
Next up were the lead Gamo Match wadcutters. They weigh 7.56 grains and are sometimes quite accurate in some guns. In the P-25, they averaged 348 f.p.s. with a spread from 329 to 357 f.p.s. The average energy was 2.03 foot-pounds. This will be a pellet to try in the accuracy test.
Crosman Premier 7.9-grain lites
The last pellet I tested was the 7.9-grain Crosman Premier lite. They fit in the circular clips of the magazine rather easily, which caused some concern they might fall out; but the way the magazine is designed, only 2 pellets at a time are exposed in its clip. So the worry was for nothing.
The way the magazine is designed, the pellets are not exposed until they’re ready to be shot. This one needs to be pressed into the clip.
Premiers averaged 344 f.p.s. in the P-25, with a spread from 330 to 360 f.p.s. At the average velocity, they generate 2.08 foot-pounds at the muzzle.
Trigger-pull
The double-action trigger-pull broke at exactly 8-1/2 lbs., which is light for a DA pull. On single-action, it broke under 4 lbs., with a huge creep at 2-1/2 lbs. That creep is consistent and lets you know when the gun is ready to fire.
Shot count
While I got just 50 shots on the first cartridge, I got more with the second one. Besides the velocity testing, I did another test with an entire cartridge, just to see how the pistol operates in the rapid-fire mode. So, the correct piercing is very important. I fired an entire cartridge, just to see how the pistol handled. Everything worked smoothly until shot 48, when the blowback failed for the first time. After that, the blowback would work if I waited long enough between shots, but not if I shot rapidly. However, if you allow time for the gun to warm up, it keeps right on shooting.
There are certainly 75 or more powerful shots in the gun if you allow the gun to rest between shots. The blowback will work reliably past shot 50, as long as time is taken between shots. Shoot fast, however, and the gun cools too much and wastes gas.
Impressions so far
So far, I like the P-25. I like its simplicity and the light single-action trigger. If it’s also accurate, this might be a best buy.
B.B.,
In Part 1 you wrote that this is a large pistol. Whenever I look at the photo, however, I experience an optical disconnect of sorts because its sleek lines are so much like the more compact PPK and Makarov. Without a hand holding it or a soda can next to it for a frame of visual reference, I keep “emotionally thinking” (if that makes any sense) of it as small, despite my intellectual knowledge to the contrary.
Would it be possible to photograph it next to your CO2 PPK/s?
Thanks,
Michael
I think I have the same problem, Michael. A comparison photo or 2 would help a lot.
/Dave
1+1=2 ! Woo hoo! Math I can do!!
Michael,
I just walked into Tom’s office and asked to hold the gun. It’s a brick! I could hardly believe how big it is. It has a very large grip (which I prefer), but it’s absolutely not petite. I think they must have styled it to look sleek because it’s so large.
Edith
I’m usually enthusiastic about CO2 action pistols/replicas (I have over 20 of them) but this one leaves me cold.
I was considering one until I saw one in store, I also tought it was PPK/Makarov sized but it’s way bigger.
If it’s accurate it might redeem itself but it still looks kinda weird to me…
J-F
“I’m usually enthusiastic about CO2 action pistols/replicas (I have over 20 of them) but this one leaves me cold.”
J-F,
Whenever a CO2 gun leaves me cold, I find that I have not been waiting long enough between shots, er, eh, um, never mind.
Michael
Good one!
J-F
This brings to mind some interesting advice from before. When I got my Crosman 1077, I delighted in screwing the CO2 cartridge in as far as I could thinking that improved things. But then a blog post said that doing this will damage your seals and that the thing to do is to screw in the cartridge the minimum amount to get the gas flowing. I’ve adhered to that and have suffered a few inadequate piercings every now and then. Strangely enough, when you unscrew these cartridges to start over again, the gas will escape anyway and the cartridge will be wasted. This pistol sounds designed for my original philosophy.
Matt61
B.B.,
If you include a photograph of another air pistol with the Gamo P-25 to illustrate it’s size which you please add a 911 A1 so those of us that are not very familiar with the air pistols can have a know reference point. Thanks
Bruce
Bruce,
Wilco!
B.B.
I like this gun. I like the Gamo pistols, but not quite as happy with their plastic rifles. If these didn’t have a rifled barrel and could shoot bb’s only I’d have one. As it is I have to wait and find one of these used somewhere otherwise I have to treat it like a powder burner and go through all the background checks and pistol permits. I just don’t see these as being worth all that trouble. It’s silly that I have to do all that for what’s basically a bb gun.
John,
It does seem absurd to have to go through all of those legal hoops just to purchase an air pistol.
But I’ve thought a lot about your comment that the Gamo P-25 is basically just a BB gun. At first I nodded my head and agreed, but after thinking about it, I have to respectfully disagree.
This Gamo P-25, along with the Gamo PT-85, the Umarex / Beretta PX4, and the Umarex Desert Eagle are, as far as I know, the only pellet (not BB) pistols that have rifled barrels and true (not simulated) blowback. That’s it. Four airguns, three of which share the same internals.
The Desert Eagle is VERY accurate out to at least 10 meters. No BB gun can match it at that distance. If the Gamo P-25 is almost as accurate, that would be a big deal to some, because it and its two “siblings” cost roughly half as much as the Desert Eagle, and they can provide you with 16 shots before reloading instead of the Desert Eagle’s eight.
Michael
I almost forgot the classic Crosman Model 451. That, too was a true blowback, rifled barrel, pellet pistol. But just try to find one in great working condition. Then, take out a second mortgage to buy it!
Michael
I understand and agree, but sometimes I have a hard time explaining what I think so I have to put it rather crudely. I was trying to show my disdain for what politicians make me do to enjoy airguns not for the gun itself. I don’t see these as particularly dangerous at .177 and 450 fps compared with a real bullet firing pistol. So I just can’t see going through all the trouble to buy one of these as if I were buying a “real” gun. So my only real alternitive is to wait for someone to list one of these on Amazon.com as used and buy it that way which is perfectly legal or have it shipped to someone that isn’t in my state and have them ship it to me which is what was suggested by Pyramyd air as another legal way around this. Apparently people do that all the time. But I do not have anybody that I can deal with out of state to make that happen. So my only option is to wait for one to pop up used just like I did with my PX4, Gamo P-80, Crosman 2240 and a few others.
In part one on this pistol, you mentioned that it was a large pistol. That broke my mental image of it, because I thought it was a small pocket shooter like the Walther PPK. Any chance you can post a photo of it in the hand to give us a better feel for size? Or alongside other common shooters as a comparison? Thanks.
Bristolview,
Yes, I will piut it next to some common guns for perspective.
B.B.
Trying to reproduce the AirForce Micro-Meter tank in CO2?
Wulfraed,
In essence, that is exactly what is happening.
B.B.
BB,
I am looking for a repeating pistol suitable for Bullseye timed/rapid fire practice. I currently use a modded 2240 for slow fire — my slow fire actual fire is now better than my timed/rapid. With the cost and availability of .22lr, I am looking for something to fill the need for timed/rapid. So far, I have been able to identify these: Walther CP88 and variants, Beretta 92FS, and the 1911. I think Daisey may have an option, but the price is so much lower I wonder about it.
My critera include having a good trigger and comparable accuracy to at least a 1911. I plan to shoot at 10M for the most part (as I do mostly now with the modded 2240 although it is pretty good at 25yds, too).
What would your recommendation be?
Best,
Joe
Maryland
Joe,
The Beretta 92FS would be a good choice, but6 it won’t keep up with a 1911 in .45 ACP. I would expect about 1.5 inches at 10 meters.
The absolute best would be a Crosman 600, which has a better trigger than most firearms and will keep them all on a very tight shop at 10 meters. Another good one is the FWB 55CM, though the Aeron B96, which is five-shot and costs less than $600 new is nearly as good for a fraction of the price.
The Desert Eagle Magnum is a great gun, but the grip is a little large for most people. But it is accurate enough and has a nice trigger. I would think it could get 1-inch groups at 10 meters.
B.B.
i need a part for my gamo p-25 the 02 gas is cum in out bad so can i get a new 1 pls and ware thanks love the gun its got some kick
Paul,
This is a blog. Contact the dealer who sold you your pistol for parts.
B.B.