Author Topic: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods  (Read 19722 times)

Offline TheStoneyVibes

  • GTA Donations
  • ******
  • Posts: 17
Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« on: May 04, 2010, 02:51:08 PM »
Hey Hows it going I was just looking at another post for a  couple hours about the gamo big cat noob questions and I had a few questions of my own. I'm pretty new to air rifles i had stumbled upon them while at dcks sporting goods a few months back i bought a pumpmaster 760 and instantly i was hooked. I upgraded to the big cat and have recently invested in a few minor upgrades such as a tasco scope and a bipod, but i kind of wanted to take it further like with the GRT III trigger and the GAMODEAL spring upgrades. Here's the problem though. I've never dissasembled an air rifle or any type of rifle but I still want to gain some experiance in the field by doing this myself. Does anyone have any tips? and does anyone think that this is a stupid idea? i just want some help on the subject cause I really want to upgrade my gun i love it stock but I want more out of my investment. oh and I've already stuffed the hollow stock with a few socks but i'd like to hear a few ideas on good components to fill it with. Thank you for your time

Offline ezman604

  • Owner/Executive Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 886
RE: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2010, 04:02:43 PM »


Hey Steve, welcome to GTA Forums. Glad you joined us, we're a large group of airgun addicts.



There's a TON of good info to be had here, on just about any aspect of airgunning. Many of us are like you and enjoy exploring the innards and trying to make them work even better. To disassemble a springer you want to think safety FIRST. The first thing you will need is a spring compressor and a few common hand tools. You will need the specialty lubricants and some extra time. Then you need to gather as much instructional info and read BEFORE you start. Again, there's safety issues involved that could cause very serious physical damage to an individual and surroundings. Large springs under pressure do not discriminate when released. They will tear into whatever gets into their path.



Not trying to dampen your enthusiasm for home tuning but HAVE to mention the safety issues.



Check out the Library section for a lot of useful documents. Also use the search function above. I'd suggest searching for the key words "spring compressor", "Big Cat" and especially inThe Shop and Air Gun Mods & Tunes forums. Youcan findlots of photos and descriptions of spring compressorsyou can build or suggestions forones you can purchase that others have built. Look in Air Gun Mods & Tunes for any posts for the Big Cat to find out what others have discovered that will help you. And there are a LOT of helpful folks here that own theCat and have done maintenance and mods on them. You will find a lot of help here. And the GRT-III is the BEST mod you can make to any airgun it fits!!!!



Again, welcome.We're looking forward to seeing and hearing about your airgun adventures. Be sure to post picturesoften.It helps feed our addiction. LOL



Happy Shooting!!!!



Dave



Crosman/Revelation 760 PumpMaster (Vintage 1967)
Powerline 1000S .177 (semi-tuned by me)
Benjamin Super Streak .177/.22 (semi-tuned by me)
Benjamin Trail NP XL1500 (bone stock)
Benjamin Trail NP XL1100 (project gun)
TF89 .22 (tuned by Gene)
Winchester 1000WS .177 (semi-tuned by muwah)
QB57 (l

Offline gamo2hammerli

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6261
    • http://
Re: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2010, 05:38:06 PM »
Steve, a BIG WELCOME to the GTA forum and family.

Yes, safety first....build yourself a spring compressor.  Take a look in the "Library" here....there's a few threads on how to build one.

In the GTA Library....I believe there's a thread or a few on how to take apart an air rifle...specifically a spring piston rifle.  I did not go there for my lesson/info....I went to Pyramid Air Guns website...over there, there's a 13 part series/blog  (Short and easy read) on how to take apart, clean, deburr and lube an air rifle by Tom Gaylord - Pelletier.  I read the whole series twice and attempted my first "home tune"...and it wasn't hard at all.

Good luck in the tune.  Btw, some of the upgrades you can put into the Big Cat....GRT III trigger (If the original is a metal trigger (If it's plastic...the GRT III might not be a drop-in)), Telsa or Apex piston seal and a Jim Macarri spring...and some of his heavy tar on the spring and Moly paste on contact points (Don't over lube though).
Gamo: Expotec .177 + Big Cat .177 + Viper .177 + Whisper .177, Hammerli Titan .177, Diana model 24 .177, RWS-Diana P5 Magnum pistol .177, Crosman: G1 Extreme .177 + Storm XT .177 + Sierra Pro .177 + 1377 pistol .177, Air Arms S410SL .22, BSA Scorpion T10 .22, FX Cyclone .177, Remington Air Master 77 .177 + BB\'s,

Offline jay morgan

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 290
    • http://
Re: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2010, 06:51:45 PM »
stoneyvibe's if you are mech. inclined it's not that hard I found out,but I have worked on powder gun's a long time,please take these guy's seriously about safety that spring can take your head off,just ask my son on here michael90t he had a freak acc. with just cocking handel and it really came close to takeing his eye out & scared crap out of us (eye lid split in 3 place's & could of been worse pics. on here somewhere?)read all you can, ask these great bunch of people any thing you need & go slow ahead with project ,it really is fun & easy with right info.& to your qestion's I used rag's out of my gun room in stock some use foam just pack it tight for sound damping & I used lead shoot in forearm & epoxy resin over it (just don't over fill or no place for cocking arm to ride) j.m. kit is nice .really just enjoy shooting gun for a while until it break's (it will) & accumalate knowlege as you go it is addicting sport AND A BIG WELCOME FROM ANOTHER NEW GUY (REBUILDING WHISPER, MY FIRST TOO)
N.R.A.(endowment),G.O.A.(life), N.R.A. trainer for,c.c.w.,all firearms &reloading /\" NO FREEMAN SHALL EVER BE DEBARRED THE USE OF ARM\'S\"(Thomas Jefferson)

Offline shadow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11453
    • http://airguncamo@yahoo.com
Re: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2010, 09:36:10 PM »
Welcome to the GTA family Steve and as always the family here has given you some great advise. :) Feel fee to post pic's and or update on your shooter and if you do any hunting/pest control we have a Hunting Gate also to post your story and or pic's. Ed
I airgun hunt therefore I am... };)  {SHADOWS Tunes & Camo}  airguncamo@yahoo.com

Offline djmyers

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 489
    • http://
RE: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2010, 12:07:41 AM »
Welcome to he forum!

Here is the list of things I did to mine at home in my garage and it went from a good shooter to unbeleivable. These guns have alot of potential.

 http://www.gatewaytoairguns.com/airguns/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=27137&mid=213968#M213968

good luck and don't worry it's easy and if you get stuck there is alot of expertise here to help. Also use the search for a ton of links to everything you'll need to do the job.
Gamo Hunter gas piston GRT 3 leapers 3-9x40ao
Big Cat GRT 3 leapers tactedge  
Diasy 120
RWS 350 mag PG2 leapers 4-16x50ao
Crossman 2200
Crossman 2250
Crossman 1377
Daisy 880
2 Chinese underlevers
2 European break barrels.

Offline TheStoneyVibes

  • GTA Donations
  • ******
  • Posts: 17
Re: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2010, 12:43:33 AM »
Thanks for all the help guys I really appreciate it I've heard people say that its pointless to upgrade a big cat because its not the best air gun in the world... Obviously, but I think with enough tuning and customization it can fight right up there with the other more expensive gamos. Thats why I chose this site, becasue all of the online kids in the yahoo forums just loooove complaining because they dont know how to properly take care and upgrade their guns. I will definitely look into making a compressor. Thank god for you guys and my allan wrench not being the right size or Id probably be in the hospital right now instead of sitting here talking to you guys. I was going to take apart my gun last night but the size of the screw was too big so I decided to do some web surfing. low and behold my head would have been taken off if i didnt! thanks again guys and ill defintely update you on the status and ill upload some pictures. I also greatly appreciate the lack of people trying to mess with you telling you to put bed springs in your gun and such. These things are investments the last thing we need is someone trying that  or something else stupid and basically throwing away the 150-300 they spent on their new baby.Another thing is I just invested in a UTG low profile dragon claw bipod. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31in-AF7ZkL._SL500_AA300_.jpg Only because I like resting my gun when i shoot for stability and i noticed the underside of the body of the gun was getting scratched up and i didnt appreciate that. Im just wondering if you guys think its a good investment or if its pointless. Personally I do hence why I bought it :p It'll get here on friday thanks to amazon prime :D Oh by the way amazon has quite a bit of air rifle stuff and if they directly ship it you get updates every step of the way instead of having it be a waiting game. And if you open a new account they offer this thing called prime which gives you 4 dollar next day shipping and free two day shipping for a month. So check that out if you want. But back to the topic at hand I expect to get the trigger sometime next week but like i said the wrench is too small do i need a special star shaped one or can i just walk down to my neighborhood hardware store and pick up a set? thanks again for all the help I appreciate it and i absolutely love this website i've been on it since 7 PM last night reading all sorts of helpful things

Offline djmyers

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 489
    • http://
Re: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2010, 01:24:55 AM »
I think its an outstanding entry level gun. It was my first gamo and is now my daughters first good gun. After a little work and a little cash it competes with alot of more expensive guns. And you get the satisfaction of the fact you did it yourself. I like it enough I alomost bought another yesterday down at dicks in wilmington. They had a about 10 on the shelf and the open one had the magical metal trigger. I wanted one for me since the one I worked over was for my daughter. Got all the parts just waiting for the gun. And the best part is if you do break it beyond repare it was 100-120 bucks not potentialy alot more.

They are sweet shooters.  Enjoy it.
Gamo Hunter gas piston GRT 3 leapers 3-9x40ao
Big Cat GRT 3 leapers tactedge  
Diasy 120
RWS 350 mag PG2 leapers 4-16x50ao
Crossman 2200
Crossman 2250
Crossman 1377
Daisy 880
2 Chinese underlevers
2 European break barrels.

Offline Bogey

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 976
    • http://
RE: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2010, 03:29:15 AM »
The Gamo Big Cat is a decent AG to start your adventure into airgunning.    And a good AG to practice working  on.    Practice safety always.   And read all you can find before you attempt tearing one down.   Best upgrades that basically do  not require too much disassembly would be the GRT 111  trigger and a better scope than the one shipped with the AG.  

Check first and determine if your  BC  can be upgraded to the GRT.   And if your idea of making your BC better is stupid ,   then.......Welcome to the Club.
Gentleman of Fortune.

Hum-bug!

Offline jay morgan

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 290
    • http://
Re: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2010, 04:46:19 AM »
HEY BRO. get a shooting bag instead or some kind of rest to shoot off of, bi-pod o.k. for pcp or side cocker but a break barrell I'm not sure where you will mount it? and not being a smarta** or nothing but it sounded like you were just removeing stock , that's safe, it's inner's too worry about & you will def. need more than a star bit to even start your new love of airgunning.BED spring's that's a hoot,I'm glad I found this place first (thank's son), stay here vibe's enjoy & be safe with these guy's & gal's they are the best!!!!!!READ & LEARN THEN READ SOME MORE?
N.R.A.(endowment),G.O.A.(life), N.R.A. trainer for,c.c.w.,all firearms &reloading /\" NO FREEMAN SHALL EVER BE DEBARRED THE USE OF ARM\'S\"(Thomas Jefferson)

Offline TheStoneyVibes

  • GTA Donations
  • ******
  • Posts: 17
Re: Gamo Big Cat 1200 noob mods
« Reply #10 on: May 08, 2010, 06:31:22 AM »
jay I mounted the bipod ill upload the pictures and show you the kill i got on the bird in the hunting section was all thanks to the bipod it works amazingly