Kiwi Airgunners Forum : Your first airgun

Kiwi Airgunners Forum : Your first airgun www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/ This is an XML content feed of; Kiwi Airgunners Forum : Tips and things to look out for : Your first airgun Copyright (c) 2006-2012 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:37:55 +0000 Wed, 14 Jun 2023 18:07:31 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 10.14 360 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=10 Kiwi Airgunners Forum www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_images/logo.jpg www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/ Your first airgun : I remember we had a Jacana break... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=7068#7068 Author: RangerPete
Subject: 10
Posted: 14 Jun 2023 at 6:07pm

I remember we had a Jacana break barrel in .177 when I was very young, must be 35 years ago…
I can’t remember what happened to it, I think my dad gave it to my uncle and it ended up going to my two cousins. Who knows where it is today.

Many years later I bought my self MY first Airgun, which was at the time a very expensive Diana model 48 side lever in .177.
A beautiful rifle that was heavy but lovely to shoot.

Many years after that I became a game ranger and my every day constant companion working rifle was a CZ .458Lott which I had custom fitted to my very long arms and big hands. As a charge stopping rifle it had no fancy optics, just simple, reliable, easy and quick to find open sights and was intended to stop a charging Buffalo, lion or elephant at 10m. To be able to shoot quickly (very quickly) and accurately with open sights takes a lot of practice and building muscle memory, but at $15 a round practicing with .458Lott ammo gets expensive quickly!
So I took my old Diana to the same gunsmith who had restocked my Lott and asked him to replicate my Lotts dimensions, I wanted them identical in every way, including the sights and sight picture.

The end result was that I could pick up and shoulder either rifle with my eyes closed, and when I opened my eyes I would be looking stright down the barrel with the sight picture perfectly lined up on what I was pointing at.
I lost count of how many tins of pellets I put through that Diana, one pellet at a time.
Shoulder, aim, shoot, quick as you can. Shoulder, aim, shoot. Shoulder, aim, shoot.
At 12m freehand it was pellet on pellet one hole groups all day long.
I loved that rifle, both of them.
]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 18:07:31 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=7068#7068 Your first airgun : nungas dead right bout gamos,they... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4170#4170 Author: dvlnme
Subject: 10
Posted: 19 Jul 2022 at 1:42am

nungas dead right bout gamos,they way over priced for what they are,i still have and use a 29 year old early 22 gamo shadow,thats been really worked over and has an excellent trigger but didnt leave factory the way it is today you can bet on that,i allways make on fit a recoil block to stringers to prevent the mounts moving but allways use top quality scope rings and good quality scopes,found this lot cheaper and less frustrating than constantly having scope and mount problems with hi powered springers,personally if looking for a good springer i would allways be looking for top quality second hand rifles which you can often buy in top condition second hand cheaper than a new gamo,you cant beat the really good older german and british made springers the build quality is suppurb,as they were made to last,

cheers mike

]]> Tue, 19 Jul 2022 01:42:41 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4170#4170 Your first airgun : nunga wrote:The first problem... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4161#4161 Author: J-S
Subject: 10
Posted: 16 Jul 2022 at 7:21am

nunga wrote:

The first problem is the name, Gamo. the second problem is they are crap. Ive done a lot of trigger conversions for them which did improve them a little but they are a cheap rifle with a high price tag.

This is the sad truth, in New Zealand Gamo is well overpriced - guessing because they are high margin guns for hunting stores they push sales of them more because they make more on them.

In USA they are much cheaper and this should likely be the price they should be here. GC pushing $999 fr a gamo multishot is madness - thats almost weihrauch / air arms money at the time.

Gamo had a vast % of market share and huge potential to launch a really good air rifle designed from the ground up, but they keep replacing steel with plastic and trying to put out the fastest FPS claim they can without building a rifle that will shoot the speed well or even last shooting that speed for any decent 'lifetime'..

Gamo rant over, if you have one and like it thats great, get an older Gamo CFX / CFR - thats about the best gamo you will get

]]> Sat, 16 Jul 2022 07:21:09 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4161#4161 Your first airgun : The first problem is the name,... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4159#4159 Author: nunga
Subject: 10
Posted: 16 Jul 2022 at 5:29am

The first problem is the name, Gamo. the second problem is they are crap. Ive done a lot of trigger conversions for them which did improve them a little but they are a cheap rifle with a high price tag.
]]> Sat, 16 Jul 2022 05:29:37 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4159#4159 Your first airgun : Your not the only one who has... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4150#4150 Author: Billbobnz
Subject: 10
Posted: 09 Jul 2022 at 11:59am

Your not the only one who has had those problems.

Its not the problem the the game ram vs spring as I have had the same problem the spring powered gamos and a couple of my friends who own gamos have the same as well particularly with newer models. I've got rid of all mine

]]> Sat, 09 Jul 2022 11:59:26 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4150#4150 Your first airgun : A Tale of WoeBrought a Gamo Whisper... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4146#4146 Author: grbaker5
Subject: 10
Posted: 09 Jul 2022 at 9:15am

A Tale of Woe

Brought a Gamo Whisper Gas-Ram .177 for rabbit control. I had shot airrifles before but never pruchased one.

It had quite a bit of recoil and I had to check and tighten almost all the screws from time to time.

After about 2 tins its POI started to drift and then not even hold zero... so I took it apart.

I quickly found the stop pin on the scope was carving its way out of its mount. The Mounts stop pin was carving its way out of the barrel and the barrels break bolt had also snapped at one end.

Soft metal all around. Lets say I would be very careful about buying too cheap.... and quite frankly I would take a Spinger over a Gas-Ram any day...

It all a learning curve. :)

]]> Sat, 09 Jul 2022 09:15:24 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4146#4146 Your first airgun : Yeah, this is great mercs!I forgot... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4092#4092 Author: Myson
Subject: 10
Posted: 22 May 2022 at 1:43am

Yeah, this is great mercs!

I forgot to mention that dad carried that old Ronson Lighter (with a big dent in the centre!) for the rest of his life and would tell the story to anyone who would listen!!! Smile

And that little BSA Cadet rifle started a 65-year love of Shooting that lead me to smallbore, fullbore and shotgun competitions, pest control and hunting trips around the world!

It's amazing what a little bit of air can do eh?!!! Wink

]]> Sun, 22 May 2022 01:43:24 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4092#4092 Your first airgun : I am liking this, anyone else... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4091#4091 Author: mercs
Subject: 10
Posted: 21 May 2022 at 11:36am

I am liking this, anyone else have a first rifle or liquorice story to share.

]]> Sat, 21 May 2022 11:36:33 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4091#4091 Your first airgun : My very first at age 5 (in 1957)... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4090#4090 Author: Myson
Subject: 10
Posted: 21 May 2022 at 4:30am

My very first at age 5 (in 1957) was the BSA Cadet .177:

Many hours of fun and learning shooting sparrows out of the ivy on the front of our home in rural Suffolk, UK.

Best remembered shot was my dad's old cigarette lighter! He hid it behind a Horse Chestnut leaf at about 20yds and said to this 6 year old who was smaller than the rifle (!): "Hit that son and you'll get a bag of liquorice....!"

Silly ol'bugger.... that cost him a bag of liquorice!!!! Smile

]]> Sat, 21 May 2022 04:30:27 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4090#4090 Your first airgun : i have been shooting feral roosters... www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4085#4085 Author: dvlnme
Subject: 10
Posted: 20 May 2022 at 3:51am

i have been shooting feral roosters around here for years i use an old gamo 22 shadow which bout same power as the crosman,dumps them every time as it does for rabbits and possums too,the triggers in crosman and gamo pretty much the same and can be vastly improved quite easily my gamo set up to break cleanly with no creep at just under 3lbs,tho rifle was accurate to start with improving trigger significantly improved its accurracy ,i allso remove the pain in butt bear trap safety bars,so i can uncock the rifle,dont knowif removing this useless safety device helps improve the trigger,but cant hurt either,these things are just put thereto protect idiots from themselves and to cover the factory from product libility issuses.

cheers mike

]]> Fri, 20 May 2022 03:51:38 +0000 www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=10&PID=4085#4085