Yeah, I’m still alive. 😁

Looking for a moderately priced air rifle. Online reviews are dodgy.

What you lot think?

I'd personally try to pick up a used RWS, if trying to keep the $ modest.

I’ve had great luck with my ruger airhawk

Gamo works great on rabbits and rats. What are you shooting with it?

Squirrels

Was looking at Gamo Wildcat??

Plenty of people like Gamo. I can’t stand them. I’ve never shot anything that comes close to RWS. If that’s too much, I thought the Ruger was very good, for the money.

I picked up a Gamo F4 - https://www.crosman.com/f4

I've been pleased with it.

I had a Gamo Varmint in 17 cal, it was a pretty good one.

I have a Beeman .22 cal. Killed a lot of critters with it to 25-30 yds. After that they get pretty inaccurate. Cheap and effective.

Thanks, guys. Good answers. Time to research more.

I've got the RWS Diana 48 with the TO6 trigger, it's as accurate or more accurate than most of the 22 rifles I've owned. Mines 22 cal. I've popped Eurasian Dove out to 50 yards and they drop like rocks.

Keep your eyes peeled and sometimes you can het an RWS 34 for under $200 in a promotional deal.

You can't do better for less than $200.

Gamo- spring or gas rams okay out to maybe fifteen yards. The quality isnt there for consistent accuracy one gun to the next. Also flimsy guns.

Gamo PCP's are pretty nice.

The biggest problem with cheaper brand pellet rifles is their ability to hold zero due to cheap mounts and poor glass.
My RWS was sighted in 15 years ago and has never needed adjustment.

I've had a RWS forever it seems that always seems to get the job done.

I don't necessarily agree with this. The number one issue is usually quality of materials and worksmanship.

The poor scopes and rings they often come with also can be an issue. But in the case of a Gamo breakbarrel they are definitely not a huge handicap to what the gun is really capable of.

I am interested in what model exactly is your RWS, and especially the round count and the brand/model of scope and rings?

Not often that a scope even lasts 15 years on a spring gun, nevermind holding zero.

As to Gamo or other- unless you are buying a precharged pneumatic, definitely "other".

RWS are not cheap air rifles. They are among the best spring guns you can buy.

RWS350 Magnum, .177 cal. RWS 300 scope with factory mounts. Over 1000 rounds using RWS Super Domes.

Prior to purchasing the RWS, I bought a $150 Gamo .177cal.rifle/scope combo that offered similar velocity, I don’t remember the model, but returned it for a refund after having to adjust the zero multiple times. As I remember the mounting screws were very soft and couldn’t be tightened enough for the springs recoil.

1,000 rounds isn't a whole lot of use for an air rifle in 15 years or even at all. How many tins? Those factory RWS scopes are prone to failure on a 350 mag especially.

I've gone through three of Gamo'sbottom end rifles. They have gotten worse over the years. For what it is- a cheap pellet rifle- they are not bad but 15 yards max for small game.

I have never had a Gamo scope mount slide on my reciever. Usually the scope fails before the rings if it is mounted properly.

The real problem with the cheap guns is the poor craftsmanship and materials. Plastic washers in the pivot, even in the lockup detent on some Gamo rifles. Slop in the lockup causes vertical stringing. Really bad triggers, etc.

With some work they can be made to shoot well.

Another thing to beware of is the velocity claims. Gamo exaggerates- rather, outright lies to us about their rifles, the claimed velocoty is normally 25-30% higher than what the guns can do.

A lot of them lie to us about it these days but not like Gamo.

https://texashuntingforum.com/forum...-win-25-06-leupold-and-zeiss#Post7565708

Link to a classified in this very forum. An RWS 350 Magnum for $250. Suuuuuper deal especially if it is the late model with T-06 trigger.

I target practice with it every now and then but mainly use it for small varmints around the house. A tin has 300 pellets, I’ve gone through a few tins in the 15 years.

I bought one of these a couple of years ago and have been quite pleased with its performance:

https://www.gamousa.com/product.aspx?product=Swarm%20Maxxim%20.177%20Cal.&productID=603

The 10 shot magazine is nice to have for follow-up shots or missed shots. Since I initially zeroed it, using 8 different pellets until I found the one it liked at 30 yards, I've not done any scope adjustments. Being a gas gun rather than a springer, it probably doesn't punish the scope as much. I have a couple of other springer GAMO's and an RWS that are gathering dust since the SWARM came on the scene. One of the things I like about the gas gun is that I don't have to worry about leaving it cocked; it's ready to go as soon as some varmint makes an appearance. I've taken lots of squirrels, raccoons, and 2 armadillos that were determined to wreck my yard.

I've had my reservations about these but it looks like a lot of fun

Here's a fun one to watch. My son's girlfriend competes in this. She did really well in April, and will be competing again next week. Some of the full race guns are amazing!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPuxVhgPAYo

I started out with an RWS 34 and moved up to an RWS 48. Excellent accuracy with both.

I now use a Benjamin Marauder PCP and the RWS 48 resents me for it.