Gamo Bone Collector Swarm Gen 3i breakbarrel repeater.
This report includes:
- Loading pellets into the magazine
- Loading the magazine into the rifle’s magazine loader
- Inertial function
- Remove the empty mag
- Can a pellet be loaded directly into the breech?
- The safety
- Trigger
- Safety concern
- Scope
- Summary
Today we finish the introduction of the Gamo Swarm Bone Collector Gen 3i multi-shot air rifle. Most of what we will do today centers on the Inertial Magazine. As a reminder, the Inertial Magazine only works with the Gen 3i repeater. It uses the recoil of the shot to unlock the magazine to allow it to rotate to a new pellet. If you tried to cock the rifle a second time after cocking it once (which loads a pellet into the breech) but not firing, nothing would happen.
Can the magazine be unlocked manually to allow rotation to a new pellet? Yes. There is an unlocking toggle (I’ll call it a switch) on the magazine that allows that.
Gen 3i magazine. Here you see the unlocking switch.
I have zero experience with this system, which is why I made today an extension of the description, rather than moving on to the velocity test. I need some practical experience with the operation of this magazine so you and I can see how it works. There will be a little shooting today, but not any velocity testing. Let’s get started.
Loading pellets into the magazine
The Gamo manual lacks instructions about how the pellets should be loaded into the Gen 3i Inertial Magazine. There are pictures but they are not pictures of the Inertial Magazine. They are muddy and indistinct photos of some other magazine. Therefore, I will show you how to load the Inertial Magazine with pellets and also provide pictures. I’m doing this for me as much as for you.
This is how the magazine should be oriented when you load it. The pellet hole you will load is half-aligned inside the circle where the pellets are inserted, nose first. After each pellet is loaded, rotate the white pellet carrier to the next pellet hole. You will hear a click as the pellet chambers are rotated.
I have now loaded two pellets into the Gen 3i Inertial Magazine. Time to insert the mag into the rifle’s mag loader.
Loading the magazine into the rifle’s magazine loader
See the shelf on the bottom of the magazine (bottom of the picture)? That will be inserted into the rifle’s magazine loader to anchor the mag. That is shown in the manual, but the photos are far too small and also extremely muddy.
The mag has been inserted into the rifle with that shelf tucked under the rear of the mag loader. All that remains is to press down on the mag part sticking up on the left in this photo.
“Click!” Press the mag down and it clicks in place.
Inertial function
I then cocked the rifle and fired and the magazine advanced to the next loaded chamber. I tried to cock the rifle again and nothing happened. The Inertial Magazine does prevent double loading.
When you cock the rifle the magazine does not advance. But when you shoot the rifle the magazine jumps to the number of the next available pellet. To show that I loaded two more pellets into the magazine and put it back in the rifle.
The rifle has been cocked and pellet number two has been loaded into the breech, but the magazine still shows the number two.
The rifle was fired and the magazine jumped to the next pellet. There is one pellet remaining in the rifle.
Remove the empty mag
After the second shot the mag was empty, so I pressed forward on the green plastic “ears” and the magazine popped out of the rifle easily. I had fired the rifle into duct seal to verify that the pellets were loaded correctly (i.e. coming out of the muzzle nose-first). I belabor this point because the manual simply fails to describe how pellets are loaded into this magazine.
Can a pellet be loaded directly into the breech?
I see no easy way to load pellets directly into the breech. They must load from the magazine. Yes, you can load just a single pellet into the magazine if you want.
The safety
The safety is manual and does not come on when the rifle is cocked. Bravo for that Gamo!
Trigger
I had to fire the rifle in today’s evaluation, so I know how the trigger works. I’ll save the details for the velocity test but I will tell you that the straight trigger blade feels very nice and the trigger is two-stage.
Safety concern
Because the shooter can’t see whether the breech is loaded there is a safety concern. Most people won’t forget there is a pellet in the breech of the cocked and loaded rifle during a shooting session, but if you go away and come back later how can you tell? I don’t see any way other than trying to cock the rifle and noting that it’s already cocked. At that point you must assume the breech is loaded.
Can the rifle be cocked if the magazine is empty? Yes it can. I tried it and succeeded. That means the breech was empty. Did I then have to dry-fire the rifle one time? No. I loaded one pellet into the magazine, put it back in the rifle and cocked the rifle once more. Of course the gas piston was already cocked, but that pellet did feed into the breech this time. So, if I find a cocked rifle and don’t know if there is a pellet in the breech I can load one pellet into the mag and load it as I just described. The worst that would happen is a double feed. This is a consideration for all potential buyers.
Scope
There are no open sights, but a 3-9X40 scope is supplied with the rifle. The one-piece mount is already on the scope and the scope is tight in the rings so all you have to do is attach the mount to the rifle. Until I do that for the accuracy test I won’t know for certain whether the vertical reticle is aligned properly, but as close as I can tell, it seems to be. According to the scope box, the scope has fixed parallax at 25 yards. I will verify that for you.
Summary
Gamo’s Swarm Bone Collector Gen 3i multi-shot air rifle is a different animal that shooters need to learn in order to operate safely. As long as I went by the book, the rifle functioned just fine. And I have described the major safety concern of not being able to see the breech.
This is definitely a different breakbarrel air rifle, that’s for sure. I’m glad we are looking at it.
B.B.,
GAMO misnamed this magazine!
It should have been called the NANNY Magazine…LOL!
From your description of the Manual photo(s) quality and the lack of clear instructions buyers of this airgun should make representations for your immediate Sainthood for this blog and the clear photography.
shootski
I second that! Maybe Tom could go back to manual writing as a part-time gig?
So, shooting the rifle unlocks the magazine and allows it to rotate and cocking the rifle installs a pellet into the breech. Now how does the pellet actually get pushed into the breech?
My Mag Fire Ultra uses a cam operated, spring loaded secondary ‘air tube passage breech’ that moves within the breach block to push a pellet out of the mag and into the primary breech that holds the pellet.
That vertical magazine has pellets in line with the barrel like most. How does this horizontally loaded pellet / mag manage to align a pellet with the barrel and get inserted during the cocking cycle?
It appears to remain in position on the barrel block when the rifle is cocked. What flips and pushes the pellet into the breech?
Inquiring minds need to know.
NEVER MIND, I just watched the video on Gamo’s website.
Bob M,
thanks to your last sentence I think I saw how the magazine rotates in the opposite orientation to the barrel being cocked until it sits, like a lid, atop the breech. Further barrel rotation, appears to push a probe down through the loading port of the magazine thereby inserting a pellet into the breech.
The above was on the gamo usa website, while on the gamo com website, there is a Manual for a plastic stocked Gen3i airgun (‘Swarm Magnum Pro 10x Gen3i’).
Anyway, I wonder if this online Manual is better, with clearer pictures, than what B.B. Pelletier received?
( https://www.gamo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Manual-GEN3I-USA-NACIONAL-print-96730.pdf )
Well KISS it is not!
At my range we insert a flag into the breach when the range is cold. How can you do this with this rifle?
-Y
Yogi,
That’s a good question and one I didn’t think of. Thanks,
BB
B.B.
I still do not understand how the magazine loads the first pellet?
Since the firing action advances and loads the pellets, how do you load the FIRST pellet??
-Y
Yogi,
The mechanism has a probe that passes through the magazine that has turned so it can be passed through and pushes the pellet into the breech.
BB
Yogi,
I think I understand. Firing does not load pellets! Cocking does.
So, the first pellet also has to be loaded by cocking the airgun. 🙂
————
pictured below is what I believe is an almost fully cocked airgun. I understand that the barrel opening/ breech can only be seen because no magazine is inserted…
Yogi-
Plenty of guns out there that don’t permit chamber flags. Use a CBI- Clear Bore Indicator- instead. Easy peasy.
How would this apply to this airgun??
-Y
Yogi-
All the muzzleloaders I’ve shot over the years did not permit chamber/ flags. Leave the ramrod or range rod int the bore indicating the gun is not in shooting condition. Many of the CO2 powered lookalike guns do not have an accessible breech, so again, a CBI inserted into the bore from the muzzle works as a visual indicator that the gun is not in shooting condition. CBIs are a cheap effective aid in range safety. In our programs, we use string trimmer line. I usually use blaze orange, .095 diameter line (I buy rolls at end-of-season markdown) because it shows up well at a good distance.
Per this particular Gamo, I am assuming (I know) that with the magazine removed and barrel broken open, that a CBI can be inserted from the breech like any other break barrel. Let’s have BB check. Hope this helps.
Hope he does.
-Y
So the main selling point of this rifle is the magazine and they don’t even cover it properly in the manual?
I think this is mainly aimed at airgun novices, and the potential for accidents with this system is high. Not good!
Ade C,
Well, the manual is a “one size fits all” type of manual that addresses several different models. And in this instance, that is the kiss of death.
BB
BB-
When utilizing hi3’s manual, the instructions seem pretty clear. Barring any instructions at all, the ‘Load’, directional arrows and pellet pictogram on the magazine’s top surface sure seem like enough guidance to preclude anyone from inserting pellets backwards.
pacoinohio,
yeah, that’s what I thought too. I think B.B. Pelletier’s Manual sounds like it’s a poor quality print of an older version, while, by contrast, the online version, seems to show how important a decent Manual can be!
————
pictured below is that online illustration of how to load a pellet into the Gen3i Inertial Magazine…
hi3,
Great — except that IS NOT the Gen 3i Inertial Magazine. Compare that picture to the ones in this report.
BB
B.B. Pelletier,
I had just edited my post.
And forgot that we can’t edit our comments when they include a picture, hmm…
So yeah, you’re right. In the Manual, below that picture, it even says: “The 10X, 10X GEN2 and 10X GEN3i Quick-Shot systems have different types of magazines, please make
sure to always purchase and use the appropriate magazine for your 10X Quick-Shot version.”
And yet, it clearly shows how to load a pellet in, I have to assume, any one of those magazines, including the Gen3i Inertial Magazine.
The ‘one size fits all’ Manuals really are confusing (read Crap!).
And so am I in my haste to help, SORRY !
Hi3-
As BB points out, that magazine pictured is different, but the same in loading procedure. No need to be sorry.
Paco,
No, I believe that magazine load from the opposite side. If not, see the confusion it causes?
BB
With the earlier iterations of the Gamo magazine systems, the system was easily removed so as to allow the air rifle to function as a single shot. Can you tell if this system is easily removed?
It seems that Gamo has come a long way with their sproingers over the years. Hopefully some of BSA rubbed off on them. There are those who seem to think highly of Gamo. With luck, this series will show that they have indeed come a long way. We shall see.
RR,
Remove the system? I’ll look into it.
BB
RR,
I looked in the manual and it does seem possible to remove the entire Inertial Magazine system. Once again there are small muddy pictures. I will go to You Tube where I’m sure someone has shown how to do it clearly.
BB
B.B. Pelletier,
without showing much detail, I wonder if Gamo’s diagram of the Gen3i breech area would help?
Pictured below is a small part of their exploded diagram ( https://www.gamo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Swarm-Magnum-Pro-Gen3i.pdf )…
3hi,
Thanks for the diagram. I do think that block is left over from the old sight mechanism. From what I have been able to piece together from YouTube is that by unhooking the cocking spring and removing two pins, the system will lift right off. You do not need to disassemble the entire barrel assembly as is shown in your illustration, but it does appear that Gamo has gone to the hinge pin system as used on the BSA sproingers. Bummer.
H13 and RR,
This is a place to make haste slowly.
BB
BB,
You are indeed correct. First thing I would have to do is chase the moths out of my change purse and pull out the pretty pennies this thing will cost. Then I would have to take a long, hard look at this thing. Haste can indeed make waste.
BB,
From what I have seen, it is relatively easy to remove and replace if necessary. This is a good thing in case the mechanism should break while you are in the field, good barrel cleaning or an easier single shot mode.
Now I guess I am most interested in the trigger and how well it works or doesn’t. I am also most interested in its inherent accuracy, though with some of these “old gals” around here, it will really have to impress. It would be refreshing to see Gamo finally step to the forefront. They have been at it for a number of years.
What are you shooting?
“R1”
“124”
” 97K”
” The Gamo Swarm Bone Collector Gen 3i Multi-Shot…”
Sigh.
If the system proves to reliably and consistently load pellets without damaging skirts, pellet pouches may be a thing of the past? Is that the problem looking for a solution? I always considered repeating soringers to be a gimmick or a novelty that introduced unneeded complexity into a simple and graceful machine. Still can’t visualize how the pellet gets into the breach, but I’ll look at the videos and see.
Roamin,
Eye Health, Thanks for mentioning Lutein. It’s not currently on my list.
Funny, the email notification of your comment spelled it ‘Luteal’. What in the world would a Menstrual Cycle have to do with eye health? Had me going.
That was the cell phone spell checker. I went back and edited the comment. You must have received the email notification before I could edit it. ;o)
B.B.
I guess I’m different than most. I see this (a repeating break barrel) as the future. Think of a hunter in the woods, not having to fumble around, trying to get a pellet out of a tin or pouch for a reload (not to mention if wearing gloves). Just cock and shoot. I think it will be perfected someday, hopefully sooner than later. I also think the same with pump guns. My examples, I had a Remington .22 rifle that was bolt action with a 5/10 shot magazine and a single shot try adapter. For me, it seemed to do better with the single shot adapter but I had more fun using the magazines. Next I have a Crosman 2100 that is a single shot pellet gun or a repeater with bbs. I can tell you if just plinking, bb’s are much faster, simpler and more enjoyable. I keep thinking a high end maker will come out with one eventually. But each to his own.
Doc
FM is sticking to his HWs, but to each their own and different strokes for different folks. It is irksome when a company designs something that, on the surface, is clever/innovative and then puts out a sucky “instruction” manual to go with it – that’s a bummer/turnoff in FM World.
FM
If you check out the online manual, you’ll notice a vast improvement over the printed one. Something I noticed, tho, is that the Spanish and French versions, which are right below the English one, are much more complete and even have more pictures of the parts and procedures. It would seem that English was an after thought.
I have owned an earlier version,, in fact it might be the earliest as it has an actual spring instead of the gas “thingie”. Mine has proven to be quite reliable and certainly tin can accurate out to 25 yards. I haven’t bench tested it for accuracy,, but I hesitate doing that for fear of ruining my good opinion.
Ed
Point taken, edlee; still believe this is not great marketing on Gamo’s part – smacks of “well, we don’t care that much about the N American market so we’ll just throw some basic instructions in that direction and let it go at that.” Some customers no doubt still prefer a good printed instruction/reference/maintenance manual to come with their purchase. It’s that Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing speaking inside FM’s head but since he is not a Gamo Beancounter, what does he know? Nada!
FawltyManuel,
Perhaps it has nothing to do with the N American market! Someone in Spain might still be upset about the dreadful Armada thing in the English Channel!
And anyways, those English airgunners are a SMUG bunch too! Serves them right.
shootski
Or perhaps someone is still upset about that naval fiasco in Santiago Bay, Cuba back in 1898. Let’s not forget Manila Bay either…
FawltyManuel,
So many slights and insults!
May they NEVER be forgiven or forgotten.
Hate on ’till the dawn breaks.
shootski
BB, and all-
I just wanted everyone to know about the important info on the first page of Spanish language instructions in the manual hi3 linked to above.
Right there in big, bold print- It says- ‘Do Not Use BB’s Pellets’!
Pretty definitive proof that Gamo is looking out for our fearless leader!
Oh No!!
Now you’ve gone and let the cat out of the bag! “BB’s pellets” are part of a top secret project under development at an unnamed European ammunition manufacturer. They will have a proprietary pyrotechnic compound placed in the skirt, ignited by the heat of compression. Similar to base bleed artillery shells, this will not INCREASE velocity, but have just enough thrust to MAINTAIN muzzle velocity to at least 100 yards. A secondary benefit is that the smoke trail acts as an excellent tracer.
Remember this is TOP SECRET, so keep it under your hat!
You’re about a month and a half early, Ron.
Ed
From my experience with the 2nd gen version and limited experience with the 3Gi. The magazine is one of the best features. They are robustly made, very sturdy, easy to load, and work flawlessly. Hundreds of shots without a single issue so far. They are so ‘head and shoulders’ above the Marauder style mags that it is no comparison at all. They are different, and as BB has shown, have a small learning curve but they work so much better in my experience. I think he will love this magazine before the testing is complete.
Bob
Bob,
Seems that you are among the lucky ones that bought a Gamo with a magazine that “works flawlessly”.
The airgun forums and the internet are littered with folks that have had nothing but problems with the magazine systems. As stated above, many got so frustrated that they removed the magazine system and now shoot their Gamos single shot.
Kind of ironic since the marketing hype around all of these iterations of Gamo springers/rams with magazines were about a multi shot system. The multiple generations of these Gamo airguns was centered around trying to improve the magazine system. This latest iteration touts that Gamo has now fixed the double loading problem with this new design in this new generation.
Maybe magazines/multi shot systems are the future of springers/rams but my opinion is that the jury is still out on that.
Glad to hear that you got a good one. Hopefully it will withstand the test of time.
Kevin,
Interesting…I only know one other person with one, a 2nd gen and we chat about them occasionally and his experience mirrors mine. No issues after a couple of years of use. Small sample size I know. Thanks for sharing!
In my opinion, the best magazines out there are made by Carm in Romania. They replace most of the marauder styled mags and are top notch. I won’t be surprised if some big name company buys them out some day. They are top notch.
Maple Industries in Canada uses the same design style. I just picked one up for Dragonfly .22 but have not used it yet.
Bob
Kevin,
I have seldom seen a magazine system of any kind that hasn’t created problems for some portion of the users. Could it be that our “modern” two dimension based educational system has put an end to most folks being able to comprehend, visualize, or think in the third dimension?
It is a major issue in Flight Instruction nowadays.
shootski
B.B.,
Could you provide a photograph of the obverse side of the GAMO NANNY magazine please.
For Orv and other COLD weather hunters:
There are gloves/mitts from very thin to Arctic rated that have a feature to peel back at least the Thumb and Index finger (to include hold back) that allow temporary exposure for fine motor skill feel and function.
There are also any number of stock riding systems that allow for ready ammo storage.
shootski
Shootski,
Next report. Won’t be long.
BB
B.B.,
No hurrying on my part needed.
I really hope this generation or perhaps no later than the next generation fixes this problematic feature GAMO has self inflicted.
A little more effective DT&E might have precluded the problem(s) in an earlier generation/stage of product development and a good OT&E Program would have put the icing on the cake with a better Manual or User Guide.
shootski
Magazine problems,
May not apply to this rifle, and I did make the point before, but when I got the Crosman Mag Fire I looked up reviews and the mag was high on the list of problems. I contacted Crosman and asked what the main problem with the mag was. “Failure of the users to follow the Owners Instruction Manual and recommendation for pellets to use.”
It says “Designed for use with Crosman pellets” or expect damage. It also tells you how to avoid double pellet feeding. They do not seem to sell wadcutters in 22 cal. and they all have domes or partial, rounded edge, for easy feeding. Except for the Red Flight Penetrator, it’s pointed but they did not recommend using pointed pellets, in the reply email. They may interfere with mag operation. Nothing in the manual says that.
Not sure they even fit. Look too long.
So it looks like they took a chance that people would read the instructions, and … actually follow them, rather than make the mag fool proof. They have modified new magazines.
Any special instructions with this Bone Collector? “For best results, use Gamo standard size pellets”
Thanks BB. My suspicions have been confirmed. As We say back home in Mississippi, “That is way yonder too much sugar for a nickel”.