Ultra budget Vs ultra high end...

[Tillygti6]

I think it's fair to say that most my gear is getting up there a bit but this morning I've just arranged the procurement of 4 of these bad boys for the clubs scout days.

They're getting increasingly popular so we needed a few more rifles for the indoor ranges..

I introduce 4 of these..


£100 each

Supposedly junior sized, whatever that means.. half the scouts are bigger than me...

6ftlb ,spring powered and open sights in a plastic stock which is good as the young ones always migrate towards tactical looking stuff.

What do we reckon? Cheap thrills or a waste of money?

Dunno but either way I'm actually looking forward to having a play and getting them set up.

Maybe I'll do a video busting some cans up

 

[Vinnyp]

Can’t see’em lasting long if they’re the ones with the plastic breech’s

 

[Vinnyp]

Could of got 4 smk xs12’s for the same price, I know not tactical but I would think they’d last a lot longer…….

 

[Davey Sprocket]

They're gonna need big hands with that trigger reach...!

 

[Tillygti6]

Could of got 4 smk xs12’s for the same price, I know not tactical but I would think they’d last a lot longer…….

View attachment 654224

Absolutely not mate, if you've ever had the misfortune of dealing with smk you'll see why the vast majority of clubs stick with known established brands.

It'll be Interesting to see how they last especially at the modest price.

The clubs gamo cheapy PCPs whilst very crude are putting in the work still.

Whilst I'm not really a big fan of BSA nowadays (I was) they will always look after the scouts should we have any problems.

100quids not a lot of money nowdays relatively speaking, I'm curious what they'll be like

 

[Neil54]

I have come to prefer the Gamo over the XS15 guns.
Both do the job.

 

[Martin Lucas]

I did my NSRA Youth Proficiency Scheme Tutor Course last year with those exact Gamos.

For under 10m shooting they are perfect for kids and surprisingly accurate.

The course was run by the instructors for Hampshire Scouts - they sold me some of their old (5+ years), very well used and abused ones for a tenner each. And they still shoot well - just look a bit crusty!

They replaced their original fleet of Gamos (after years of abuse).....with more Gamos.

So definitely not a waste of money based on my (limited) experience

 

[Jamex]

That SMK already has a "broken" barrel .

 

[Wing Commander]

I think it's fair to say that most my gear is getting up there a bit but this morning I've just arranged the procurement of 4 of these bad boys for the clubs scout days.

It's nice to hear about getting youngsters interested in the sport.

I did 20 years as a Cub Scout Leader. . (Yes, I had probably been bad in a previous life.. ).
During my tenure, I bought a job lot of six, beaten-up BSA Meteors for £20 (it was about 30 years ago).

I shortened the springs to reduce the power and also make them easy for an 8-year-old to cock.
I also cut a couple of inches off the stocks at the shoulder so they fitted the kids a bit better. . The guns were already shabby so it didn't really matter.
The kids loved them.
We used them on a 10 yards indoor range. It was always a popular activity.

Apparently they are still going strong after all these years. I have no doubt they probably look even shabbier now after lots more rough handling.

 

[Tillygti6]

I did my NSRA Youth Proficiency Scheme Tutor Course last year with those exact Gamos.

For under 10m shooting they are perfect for kids and surprisingly accurate.

The course was run by the instructors for Hampshire Scouts - they sold me some of their old (5+ years), very well used and abused ones for a tenner each. And they still shoot well - just look a bit crusty!

They replaced their original fleet of Gamos (after years of abuse).....with more Gamos.

So definitely not a waste of money based on my (limited) experience

Yep they're quite popular around the scouts groups by all accounts. It'll be fun to put them through their paces on the 10m range.
Maybe an xti/gamo shoot off

Interesting about the yps course too. I've been asked if I'll train up to actually run the yps training courses in time. I'm giving it some serious consideration.
Just done my RCO course so can now run live and air ranges

 

[Tillygti6]

It's nice to hear about getting youngsters interested in the sport.

I did 20 years as a Cub Scout Leader. . (Yes, I had probably been bad in a previous life.. ).
During my tenure, I bought a job lot of six, beaten-up BSA Meteors for £20 (it was about 30 years ago).

I shortened the springs to reduce the power and also make them easy for an 8-year-old to cock.
I also cut a couple of inches off the stocks at the shoulder so they fitted the kids a bit better. . The guns were already shabby so it didn't really matter.
The kids loved them.
We used them on a 10 yards indoor range. It was always a popular activity.

Apparently they are still going strong after all these years. I have no doubt they probably look even shabbier now after lots more rough handling.

I've got 2 young fellas just joining the club mate. It's really odd considering what we got up to at 16... They fall in that 16-18 age range where they can join the army or get married and have kids,but their mum's had to come to supervise them at the club.
Anyhow they're both at college doing countryside management so I'll make sure to put them right regards the shooting. They both want to be gamekeepers..
They're sound young fellas too.

 

[Rudolph Hucker]

Any start is a good start.

Maybe hang up some cans down range - they'll love hitting those

Give them a whirl mate. I reckon we sometimes have the most fun with the most basic kit

 

[Mike Woody Watkins]

I think it's fair to say that most my gear is getting up there a bit but this morning I've just arranged the procurement of 4 of these bad boys for the clubs scout days.

They're getting increasingly popular so we needed a few more rifles for the indoor ranges..

I introduce 4 of these..
View attachment 654220

£100 each

Supposedly junior sized, whatever that means.. half the scouts are bigger than me...

6ftlb ,spring powered and open sights in a plastic stock which is good as the young ones always migrate towards tactical looking stuff.

What do we reckon? Cheap thrills or a waste of money?

Dunno but either way I'm actually looking forward to having a play and getting them set up.

Maybe I'll do a video busting some cans up

Well they certainly look like a good choice to me and I’m sure they will appreciate them once they get shooting. Well done for getting youngsters involved in the sport, we need as many as possible !

 

[Vinnyp]

Absolutely not mate, if you've ever had the misfortune of dealing with smk you'll see why the vast majority of clubs stick with known established brands.

It'll be Interesting to see how they last especially at the modest price.

The clubs gamo cheapy PCPs whilst very crude are putting in the work still.

Whilst I'm not really a big fan of BSA nowadays (I was) they will always look after the scouts should we have any problems.

100quids not a lot of money nowdays relatively speaking, I'm curious what they'll be like

I’ve never had to deal with smk thankfully, I can’t really see why you would need to deal with them? You’re only buying 4 cheap springers…….

My point with the xs12 is that it’s an all metal and wood construction, baring a main spring snapping there really isn’t anything to go wrong with them…..

The gamo on the other hand is majority plastic with limited metal only used in the places they couldn’t get away with plastic, the breech being in my opinion the daftest part to replace with plastic, a little bit of sideways force applied by an inexperienced scout whilst cocking could see the breech snap, and it’s happened before too.

I do hope the gamo’s work out but I still would of picked something less plasticky

 

[Littlejon365]

nice to hear about youngsters getting into shooting and im sure they'll be more than happy with the rifle choice.
one of our local cub scout places has just started a bit of air rifle shooting as a friend of mine is a leader there. they all seem to really enjoy it.

 

[jesim1]

Total crap for BR, totally brilliant as a "fun gun", everything has a place, it's all too easy to get jaded and turn your nose up at anything under a grand

 

[Neil123]

For £400, I'd have probably gone for 6 of these and enough change for a couple of tins of cheap pellets.

Cracking rifles for the money and great for youngsters with smaller hands

 

[wildtapholer]

For £400, I'd have probably gone for 6 of these and enough change for a couple of tins of cheap pellets.
View attachment 654368
Cracking rifles for the money and great for youngsters with smaller hands

My son in law bought one of these and thought it was great, being brand new, what a piece of crap, even with a scope on you were only ever going to shoot at tins in back garden, don't bother thinking about hitting a rifle target, well maybe at fifteen yds with a six inch spread.

 

[Neil123]

My son in law bought one of these and thought it was great, being brand new, what a piece of crap, even with a scope on you were only ever going to shoot at tins in back garden, don't bother thinking about hitting a rifle target, well maybe at fifteen yds with a six inch spread.

My 8 year old grandson has one (kept at my house and only used supervised obviously )
He's getting much better results than that.
O.k it's not an ultra accurate specialist target rifle but what do you want for £65
My grandson is shooting out to 20 yds now with a cheap 4 x 32 on it.
He's hitting 3" targets 90% of the time.
I've had a go with it and it's capable of much better with practice.
Maybe you got one with a bad barrel, or maybe pellet choice?
I buy him RWS Hobby for his, it's less than 6ftlb so the lighter the better.
They seem to work well with good consistency.

 

[Mike Woody Watkins]

I think this thread is more about what Tilly has bought and not what he could have bought! I certainly believe he made a good buy and for those wondering what they are, they’re Gamo Deltamax’s