Looking for opinions on a break barrel .22 air rifle from owners of PAL type airguns

I second most of the replies here. Last summer I had a gopher digging under my shop. One day I was out with my Gamo 950 fps 22cal pellet rifle loaded with hunting pellets. It works great on squirrels. I came around the corner and there was that blasted gopher right out in the open! I wondered if the pellets would do it, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I lined up and got a perfect headshot. He slumped immediately, but was squirming all about quite horribly. I ran right up to him and emptied the rest of the 10 pellet mag right into him at point blank range, and he was still squirming and groaning. I felt horrible, so I turned and ran to the house as fast as I could to grab my 22 rifle with the hollow points I typically use on the raccoons. The gopher was dead by the time I got back to it. But it was not a humane death at all, and I was a bit upset with myself.
Bottom line, just use your 22. It's not as loud as you think. I just found out that my neighbour has been shooting his squirrels with his 22 for years, and even though I was out doing the same thing, I never once noticed or heard that he was too! I just happened to see him one day. So it's not as loud to the neighbours as you would think.
 
A 22 cal airgun at 950 fps should have no problem dispatching a gopher, especially at close range. When I was a kid I shot my share of gophers, squirrels, etc with my little Slavia 618 which wasn’t anywhere near 950 fps, just saying.
 
Callee said:
I second most of the replies here. Last summer I had a gopher digging under my shop. One day I was out with my Gamo 950 fps 22cal pellet rifle loaded with hunting pellets. It works great on squirrels. I came around the corner and there was that blasted gopher right out in the open! I wondered if the pellets would do it, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I lined up and got a perfect headshot. He slumped immediately, but was squirming all about quite horribly. I ran right up to him and emptied the rest of the 10 pellet mag right into him at point blank range, and he was still squirming and groaning. I felt horrible, so I turned and ran to the house as fast as I could to grab my 22 rifle with the hollow points I typically use on the raccoons. The gopher was dead by the time I got back to it. But it was not a humane death at all, and I was a bit upset with myself.
Bottom line, just use your 22. It's not as loud as you think. I just found out that my neighbour has been shooting his squirrels with his 22 for years, and even though I was out doing the same thing, I never once noticed or heard that he was too! I just happened to see him one day. So it's not as loud to the neighbours as you would think.
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I'm sorry but you fired 10 950 fps .22 pellets into a gopher at point blank range and it was still moving? Unless you were dealing with Super Gopher something's not right here.:unsure:
 
ted_dent said:
I'm sorry but you fired 10 950 fps .22 pellets into a gopher at point blank range and it was still moving? Unless you were dealing with Super Gopher something's not right here.:unsure:
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i can only tell you what i saw happen. Typically 2 of those pellets would do a squirrel, but after all 10 (i'm assuming i started with a full mag, but i usually did) that thing was still moving enough that i ran for my 22.
 
Callee said:
i can only tell you what i saw happen. Typically 2 of those pellets would do a squirrel, but after all 10 (i'm assuming i started with a full mag, but i usually did) that thing was still moving enough that i ran for my 22.
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I’m going to assume you’re talking about a groundhog and not a gopher. Big difference between the two and I’ve never seen a gopher in Ontario but lots of squirrels in all colours and chipmunks. A 22 pellet at 960fps would produce similar energy as any 700-800 fps 22 rimfire. I don’t think your Perfect Shotwas perfect either but admire your ethics on wanting to quickly dispatch animals!!
 
Callee said:
i can only tell you what i saw happen. Typically 2 of those pellets would do a squirrel, but after all 10 (i'm assuming i started with a full mag, but i usually did) that thing was still moving enough that i ran for my 22.
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Sounds like you have something like a Gamo Swarm DX or a Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X (basically the same thing). These are relatively inexpensive air rifles that the manufacturer claims "up to 1,000 fps with .22 Cal. Alloy Ammunition." With lead .22 cal. pellets that will weigh much more, the MV will be much less than 950 - 1000 fps.

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Callee said:
I second most of the replies here. Last summer I had a gopher digging under my shop. One day I was out with my Gamo 950 fps 22cal pellet rifle loaded with hunting pellets. It works great on squirrels. I came around the corner and there was that blasted gopher right out in the open! I wondered if the pellets would do it, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I lined up and got a perfect headshot. He slumped immediately, but was squirming all about quite horribly. I ran right up to him and emptied the rest of the 10 pellet mag right into him at point blank range, and he was still squirming and groaning. I felt horrible, so I turned and ran to the house as fast as I could to grab my 22 rifle with the hollow points I typically use on the raccoons. The gopher was dead by the time I got back to it. But it was not a humane death at all, and I was a bit upset with myself.
Bottom line, just use your 22. It's not as loud as you think. I just found out that my neighbour has been shooting his squirrels with his 22 for years, and even though I was out doing the same thing, I never once noticed or heard that he was too! I just happened to see him one day. So it's not as loud to the neighbours as you would think.
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Likely that gun is shooting around 780-850.

Never believe the speed claims on airguns. One of my guns claim 850, shoots maybe 700 with regular pellets.
 
Longstud said:
I’m going to assume you’re talking about a groundhog and not a gopher. Big difference between the two and I’ve never seen a gopher in Ontario but lots of squirrels in all colours and chipmunks. A 22 pellet at 960fps would produce similar energy as any 700-800 fps 22 rimfire. I don’t think your Perfect Shotwas perfect either but admire your ethics on wanting to quickly dispatch animals!!
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I literally just Googled " Gophers versus groundhogs" and looked at the pictures, and I think you might be right. That would explain my experience. I still think the op should just get a 22 though.
 
To answer your original request, I bought a new Diana 34 in .22 , recently from Bullseye North for 360.00 . Full,length stock, looks good , shoots great . For a reasonably priced air rifle, not bad and made in Germany not China to boot.
 
Q: I want to buy a break-barrel air rifle to shoot gophers. Which should I buy?

A1: Why do you want to shoot gophers?
A2: Why do you want to use an air rifle?
A3: Why do you want it to be a break barrel?

Dang...I love CGN! :) When someone asks a vague question, we demand more detailed info. When someone asks a specific question...we demand him to explain his logic. :ROFLMAO: Then, as often as not, we tell him why he's wrong about what he thinks he wants.

Sounds like a girlfriend I had long ago. She asked me why I liked guns; I asked her why she would question my enjoyment of something I had done all my life; she asked why I "always" answered a question with another question; I replied "Do you think I do that?" :)



I'd recommend a Diana 34 in .22 caliber.
 
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jjohnwm said:
Dang...I love CGN! :) When someone asks a vague question, we demand more detailed info. When someone asks a specific question...we demand him to explain his logic. :ROFLMAO: Then, as often as not, we tell him why he's wrong about what he thinks he wants.

Sounds like a girlfriend I had long ago. She asked me why I liked guns; I asked her why she would question my enjoyment of something I had done all my life; she asked why I "always" answered a question with another question; I replied "Do you think I do that?" :)
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Peggy Bundy: "Al, what are you thinking?"
Al Bundy: "If I wanted you to know I'd be talking."

Got to Love "Married with Children". :ROFLMAO:
 
ted_dent said:
Early last year I decided to waste some money and buy a high powered air gun. Didn't want to spend a lot so I picked up a Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X GEN3i .22 from Bass Pro on sale for about $280. These are supposed to be 1000 fps but that's with the lightweight pellets so I'm guessing more like 700 fps with regular 14-16 gr. lead pellets. That being said I have overall been pretty satisfied. It's a gas piston gun and comes with a 4x scope which, though nothing special, allows it to group 1" or better (sometimes closer to 1/2") regularly at 25 yards. Most of the Gamos have an adjustable trigger which can be dialed down pretty low for a surprisingly good trigger pull. It also comes with their 10 shot magazine system so reloading is just c o c k & shoot which is a lot less tedious than reloading after every shot.

It certainly is not a tack driving Olympic quality gun but for the money it's actually been a lot better than I expected. I've looked at the PCP airguns and most of them seem well made and very accurate but quality costs so you'll be paying for it. The other issue is the charging. Unless you have arms like Popeye and don't mind manual pumping you're into an electric pump which will cost you a good portion of the value of the gun. In fact by the time you've purchased a decent PCP gun and a decent pump you're getting close to $1000 which isn't far from CZ 457 MTR or AT-One territory.
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A while back I picked up one of the earlier Benjamin Discoverys (.22) as a package with hand pump. I had tried a big springer in .25 calibre, but I really had trouble adjusting to the movement and having a light enough and consistent hold to shoot very accurately.

I'm happy I went PCP, as it's easy to shoot, and easy to scope. Put an inexpensive older big game scope on it, and don't have to worry about it being shaken to pieces and and doesn't slide around on the dovetail either.

Low pressure, so I find it pretty easy to top up. With the hand pump it's about 2 pumps per shot, and it's about 30 some shots to get to where the power slightly dips. Alternatively it can also be run on, CO2 from a paintball tank for less power, but about double the shots.

Break barrels can suffer from barrel droop after awhile, so that's something to keep in mind also.

Rimfires have their place, but having a good air rifle is great gor the reduced range.

Also have a semi classic 392 which is probably harder to shoot, but fun too.
 
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