by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
The El Gamo XP-68.
This report covers:
- Sighting in
- JSB Exact RS
- RWS Superdome
- RWS Hobbys
- Evaluation so far
Today I will shoot the .22-caliber El Gamo 68-XP for accuracy at 10 meters. I have full use of my right eye that I normally use for sighting, so everything was very clear in today’s test.
For some reason I only shot 5-shot groups instead of 10-shot groups today. The rifle is easy to load and shoot, so I don’t understand why I did this, but I did. For the first group, though, I actually shot 6 shots. I will explain.
Sighting in
I shot off a sandbag rest, using the artillery hold. The first shot hit a couple inches below the target paper, so I cranked in a lot of elevation in the rear sight thumbwheel. That brought shot number 2 up to just under the bull at 6 o’clock. I was using a 6 o’clock hold, so the rifle was now hitting exactly where the sights were placed at 10 meters.
JSB Exact RS
I adjusted the sights several more clicks up, thinking I was moving the group to the center of the bull, but when the 5 shots were finished there was just a large hole where the sighting shot had been. So the first group, which was shot with the JSB Exact dome, includes that one sighter, for a total of 6 shots. It measures 0.648-inches between centers.
Six JSB Exact RS domes went into 0.648-inches at 10 meters from the El Gamo 68-XP.
That’s pretty fair accuracy for an old air rifle like this one, but there was more to come. The rifle was shooting well, with no vibration. The trigger was heavy but crisp and positive. In general, it was a pleasure to shoot.
RWS Superdome
Next up were RWS Superdomes. I didn’t know what to expect from these, but I did adjust the rear sight 6 more clicks up from where it was for the first group. This time my shots landed just beneath the center of the bull, in a group that measures 0.374-inches between centers. Now, that is a group!
Five RWS Superdomes hit with their centers within 0.374 inches of one another at 10 meters. This is a group to be proud of!
RWS Hobbys
Well, I was happy with that last group, so I wondered what the rifle could do with .22-caliber RWS Hobbys. The Hobby is an accurate pellet in many air rifles and pistols, and I have noted that it does best in the lower-powered guns like the 68-XP. So I shot a 5-shot group of Hobbys next.
Five Hobbys went into a group at 10 meters that measures 0.41-inches between centers. It’s only slightly larger than the Superdome group.
Five RWS Hobby pellets made this 0.41-inch group at 10 meters.
Evaluation so far
Now we know how accurate this .22-caliber El Gamo 68-XP air rifle is. I think it’s pretty good. I would like to back up to 25 yards and try it again.
I think I will try to adjust the trigger to be lighter next time. However, after reading my 6-part report on the .177 68-XP I don’t hold out a lot of hope that this will succeed.
The 68-XP does have a short 11mm dovetail cut into the top of the spring tube, but I don’t want to mount a scope. At best I would mount a dot sight if I were to do anything, but I really don’t want to do even that. This rifle has a good set of open sights and, as far as I’m concerned, they are all you need to hit your mark!
B.B,
You are going to need to aim a little higher to reach the 25 yard target. The sight set up seems optimal up to 15 yards only. A little moly grease might help with the trigger.
All in all a nice fun gun.
Siraniko
BB, Good job on the stock repairs.It is nice to see a distractingly plain air rifle that shoots good.Looks like she would be nice enough to dance with,or at least shoot some frogs!lol!-Dan
Oh THANKS Dan…
Three feet of ice on the lakes and you have to remind me about frog-hunting – that ain’t gonna happen for months!
mmmmm frog legs… *sigh* 🙂
Actually we are having above normal temperatures and it looks like the shooting season will be early this year. Keeping my fingers crossed for that.
Happy Friday all.
Hank
Awwww hell. It looks like BB is like Steve Austin with his new eye.
(That would be Six Million Dollar Steve Austin, not Stone Cold Steve Austin)
You are a machine my friend. Look to the east, can you see how many fingers I am holding up?
SL,
If you had not mentioned “Stone…”, it would have never entered my mind. That is how old I am. In fact, I have only heard of him, never watched his antics.
B.B.,
It is good to hear that you have full use of your right eye, really good.
Ha ha. I couldn’t have said it better. That is a validation of the eye as well as the gun. I know from the way my 100 yard groups have been deteriorating with iron sights.
Regarding the 1077, I’ve done the math, and there’s no way around it. It is just not worth it to send mine in for repair instead of buying a new one. Thanks, Mike, for the suggestion about parts, but I’m not equipped to ever make my own repairs on a 1077 even if I had the time available. So into the trash she goes. Would you have any use for it? If so, let me know, and I’ll send it to you.
Matt61
Thanks Matt for the offer. However, it is really unlikely that I will ever own one of those.
Mike
Matt61,
Maybe take some screws out and dump some parts and then bend the barrel real good? Then,… say a few words for the “‘Ol Girl” and send her on her way. After saying a few kind words,.. of course. 🙂 Chris
Matt
At least hold on to the ‘magazine’ and the pellet clips! You can certainly use those in your new 1077 should you decide to get one. And due to the wear, they will likely function better than their new counter parts.
As for the rest of the rifle, do not throw it away. Offer it up for the price of shipping plus a dollar or two for your troubles.Someone out there desperately needs parts from your rifle. They will do no good for anyone sitting in a landfill.
SL,
Good points. And, yup on the landfill. As for selling,.. I have never done that. Mine are all keepers.
Chris
I haven’t sold a single airgun either. But I did give my ex my 1377 converted to a 2289. That gun is a laser and was my first airgun to boot!
Can anyone advise me on how to pick a lock? ;^)
I can. Can you wait till we meet to go for a ride? If not, there’s always Youtube.
Fred DPRoNJ
SL……you were at my house that ENTIRE weekend…..wink wink.:)
Hm, you’ve got me thinking about conservation and my civic duty to the airgun community.
On another note, you’ve really done it this time. I don’t know Stone Cold Steve Austin, but somehow that reference reminded me of the Journey song that I now can’t get out of my head.
Those suuummmmer nigghts are calling
(Boom, Boom!)
Stone in Love!!
Have a good weekend!
Matt61
Matt
I have benefited greatly from my brothers in the airgun community. Wayne Burns and Frank B in particular have been extraordinarily generous to me, and I have never even met them in person. It seems to me that airgunners (with a few exceptions) are generally the very salt of the earth. Yes, it is our civic duty to help one another.
Journey rocks! There are far worse songs to get stuck in your head.
I am having a great weekend! I hope you are too, my friend.
Hold on …..HOLD ON! I am not nice…….I just can’t hold my liquor.Now Wayne Burnes on the other hand……him I would give my GOOD kidney!
Seriously though…..Wayne gave me my first BOI on the yellow,and layed it on SO thick I have to be nice now.:)
Matt61
Make sure to try to pull the trigger a few times with out the magazine and clip in the gun. And (Don’t) have a Co2 cartridge in the gun. Look in the bottom and see if that little latch like deal moves that cycles the magazine.
I’m wondering if that part broke off or if something jammed up in the magazine that rotates the clip. That should at least determine if it’s one or the other.
Let me know if you haven’t already sent your 1077 out to sea.
I believe that I’ve tried pulling the trigger in every possible configuration, but I’ll try again.
Matt61
Matt61
Ok and take the magazine in your hand with a clip in it and hold the clip so it don’t move and shake it and see if anything rattles.
Then take the gun and shake it also with the magazine not in the gun. See if you can hear anything rattle in it.
If you hear rattling then something broke off or a spring came out of place maybe.
Matt61
And I should add that’s if the trigger even moves. Then something is broke in the gun if the trigger does not move.
BB,
I bet you are tickled with your matched set.
BB,
Glad to hear that your surgery paid off. I have difficulty with open sights because I’m near and far sighted and, of course, can only use one lens of my glasses at a time. This means I can never see the front sight,rear sight, and target clearly, at the same time. I wondered if you or any of the older readers have any experience using those apertures that clamp to your eyeglasses to improve depth of field when aiming with open sights.
Halfstep,
/blog/2008/6/10-meter-pistol-shooting-part-4/
Yes, they work!
B.B.
Nice little gun. Bet it’s quiet when it shoots to.
As I mentioned before. I have a early 70’s air gun catalog that has one in it. Have to check and see if it’s the same model. It’s like the first gun in the catalog. Along with a 2 page discription about the gun. That’s what was cool about those old catalogs. Each gun listed for sale had basically a full report wrote about it.
I really need to get that catalog out and read through it again. And I know right where it is now. Sitting right on top of my gun case. Couldn’t find it for years when I packed it away in a move.
And alot of guns in that catalog I dreamed of getting when I was a kid. One is a FWB 300s. But I did finally get one. Well matter of fact 2 of them and loved them. There was alot of German guns listed in the catalog.
Maybe that’s what I should do is pick out some of the guns I liked in the catalog as a kid and put it on my bucket list to get. Bet I wouldn’t be disappointed with any of them made back then.
GF1,
I do enjoy the catalogs. I do not have any old ones like you though. P.A. has not done one in quite awhile. I used to get several,.. even between orders. As I said before,… send them. Us P.A. devotee’s will pass them on. I am “collecting” them too. At least 1 of each. Not sure where the breakeven point is on printing one, but I think us old fogies’ enjoy them in an unrushed moment over a cup of AM coffee or a PM cold one.
Chris U
I like the PA catalogs too. My daughter’s like to look at them as well. I think they are nice also cause I can thumb through and mark a page with a gun than go to another page with a gun I pick out and compare.
Heck I’ll have 20 guns circled by time I go through the whole catalog. That’s the nice part of a catalog verses my phone or laptop.
But yep the catalogs do have their advantages. And me and the daughter like ready the articles in the PA catalogs too.
Gunfun 1
I’m glad to see your Daughter has developed a keen interest in shooting airguns with her father. My Daughter first professed an interest in shooting reactive targets, and general plinking with airguns at about the age of 16. That was about 10 years ago, and she has long since flown the coupe for the bright lights, and opportunities of Vancouver, BC. Every time she pays us a visit, it isn’t long before she suggests we pull out the Weihrauch HW50 in .177cal she’s always preferred, and we have a couple of hours of informal, and fun competition. I’ve recently purchased a black synthetic stock HW30 in .22cal. I’m hoping she takes a shine to this coming Easter. When shooting airguns gets stale, we break out the guitars, and have an impromptu jam session.
Because of our mutual interest in airguns, and guitars, we have developed a relationship that I know will last our lifetime. I probably don’t need to tell you what a great feeling it is spending a few hours of quality time with your Daughter.
Straight shooting bro.
Ciao
Titus
Titus
Yep they both like it. And I’m sure they will remember it throughout time. I know I will. Hopefully BV when they have kids they will be able to do the same.
B.B.,
Nice shooting and it must be great to have your sighting eye back. “The proof is in the pudding”, as the saying goes. Not sure where that saying comes from,.. but I am applying it to your fixed eye and your fine groups. Super 🙂 happy for ya’.
Chris
BB
So are you wearing your glasses when you shoot after this recent surgery or do you shoot with your glasses off?
I was wondering this too.There are precious few things you can have “repaired” at any age that perform “BETTER” than before the problem occurred.
Also BB,can everybody hear the “boop,boop,boop……..” when the bionics are working or just you??LOL
GF1,
Glasses off, except to read.
B.B.
BB
Ok that’s good. And you might of mentioned it already but I couldn’t remember if you did.
That’s got to feel better for you. I have shot with glasses so long that I probably can’t without.
BB—-I have a Diana Mauser 98K question. After firing this rifle about 5-600 shots, the compression cylinder is covered with a thin film of lubricant) when it moves into battery. It used to be dry when it moved forward. Is this normal for a rifle with a sliding compression chamber ? ——-Ed
Ed,
Most sliding chambers remain dry in operation, but perhaps yours had some excess lubricant that got onto the surface. I wouldn’t worry about it. Wiping it off always concerns me, because that is how so many hand pumps got destroyed. But I think we are talking about a different technology with a sliding compression chamber.
B.B.
BB—I wiped the cylinder clean with a silicon cleaning cloth. 75 shots later the cylinder is still clean with no sign of lubricant on it. ———Ed
BB—-50@ shots later, the lubricant is back on the cylinder. I share my basement range with my cats litter pans. I dont want dust to stick to the lubricant, so I will wipe it off to keep the cylinder clean. —-Ed
Good Mornin,Zimbabweed, are you talking about the exposed cover on breech above pellet port?-Dan
Dan— It is the sliding compression cylinder ( chamber ) that moves to the rear ( when the rifle is cocked) exposing the end of the barrel ( to load the pellet ), and moves forward to cover the breech end of the barrel when the cocking lever is returned to complete the cycle. BB may be right, this rifle had a dry chamber when new. However I have had a Vortek tune kit installed. ——Ed
Ed
Sounds like the spring got lubed up to much and making its way up around the part your talking about.
I would just shoot it and I bet it will eventually go away.
Gunfun1—-I think that you are right. Thanks for your input——Ed
Ed
Yep and let us know if it does go away in time. I would like to know.
I just got really lucky this morning at the flea market! I managed to acquire a Crosman 1322 Medalist first series (with the steel breech,separate three ring cocking knob and hollow flow thru bolt) from the late ’70s in essentially UNUSED condition for a whoppin’ 40$.There is no wobble to the pump arm pivot at all and even the breech sliding cover has yet to leave the skidmarks indicative of wear! I have been looking for this model for a great while but only badly neglected 1377s tend to show up.
The ONLY downside is that I could end up easily spending 5-6 times that making it “better” LOL
p.s. NO, Slinging Lead…….I don’t think it was your EX. 🙂
FrankBpc
Sounds like a nice find.
I found one in 22 about 15 years ago. It was on an odds and ends table at a local gun shop. It was missing the front sight assembly and was in rough shape. I worked on the trigger because it was making a callous on my trigger finger. I replaced the spring under the transfer bar and was able to get it under four pounds while still being safe. The seal was shot so I replaced it with a synthetic seal. I also replaced the main spring and lubed it. It is still very easy to cock and I am getting 545 fps with RWS Hobby pellets. I put a scope on it because of the missing front sight. I added a muzzle weight to hide the ridges that held the front sight on. The only problem left is that the rear sight adjustment stud can’t be removed. It would look better without it but I just can’t bring myself to cut it off. I might run across a front sight some day. It shoots very accurately and is one of my favorite knock around rifles. I had read your previous blogs on the 177 and was happy to see this one dealing with the 22. Keep up the good work!
Dave,
Welcome to the blog.
Aren’t these nice little air rifles?
B.B.
B.B.,
Thanks for the welcome. They are nice little air rifles, mine brings me endless enjoyment. My first “precision air rifle” was an El Gamo 300 I bought from Doc Beeman in 1979. That was back in the days before the instant gratification of the Internet. I ordered a Webley Hawk MKIII out of the back of G&A. I received a letter a few weeks later that said they were sold out and would I be interested in the El Gamo. I decided to get it and it is still one of my favorites. I have many newer more powerful and accurate airguns but I still like the old El Gamos. I picked up an Expo-matic as well years ago and it is a favorite of my grandkids.
Dave