Gamo Viper .177 rifle

Am I the only one that thinks the Gamo Viper .177 rifle is a good rifle?  Mine has been making good 10 meter groups since I got it.  I've tried a variety of pellets and it does at least fair with all of them and given high quality pellets, it does even better.  The stock changed my mind about synthetics, it is very comfortable. The trigger is my only area of complaint with the rifle, and it is getting better as I get more pellets through the rifle.  Now the scope that came with was a bad joke. it was a BSA 3x9 setup for 100 yard shooting (judging from the parallax setup). Totally inappropriate for a springer.  It lasted about 200 shots.  BSA in Florida should receive it tomorrow (Wednesday). The rear Ocular was flopping around.  One phone call and they said "send it in" and waived the $10.00 fee that would be usual. So...Kudos to BSA for standing behind their product.
Well this has been my take on what seems to be an overlooked rifle judging from the lack of posts and reviews.  But, I think it is a keeper.

Terry Bassett  w9trb

Hey Terry welcome to the GTA forum where all your question can be had.  I do like the looks and feel of the Viper and glad to here it’s a good performer.  As for the trigger check out CDT's web site where his GRT III trigger will solve all your problems as it did mine.  As BSA and Gamo are part of the same company they will take care of you.  Anyhow, check out Charlie's sit on the GRT trigger, you won't be disappointed.


http://charliedatuna.com/

[shadow]

Welcome Terry,GTA what a place.  You know I was going to get one myself awhile back, nice look. When I seen the Shadow Sport I had to have her. :p I stilll give the Viper a look now and then, still nice. a  DaTuna tune would really make her sing. Ed

[Silo]

Welcome Terry, I like the Viper too. For my first AR here in the US it was a toss up
between the Viper and the CFX.... The CFX won the toss.
But you are right, it is a good looking gun and shoots well. I think all the S1K based
rifles are great.

I sent off to CDT for a trigger and have hopes of improving some with that and then later sending it off for a tune...

Terry Bassett

I purchased a Gamo Viper a couple months ago and have since put about 2000 pellets through it.

I am quite satisfied with mine. I have not had any issues, at all. The scope has remained true and I only need to adjust it for weather conditions.

The range at my friends house where several of us tend to congregate about every other weekend, is from his covered patio, to a backstop set at 100 feet, with various targets (paper, spinners, silhouettes, etc., though, we "killed" the metal stand up silhouettes, shooting their stands off). The back stop even has protected lighting for night shooting and if we miss, there are 100 yards of woods and an elevation change to take care of any wayward pellets.

I would choose this air rifle again, even after the fact of researching anything I can find on air rifles in the last several months, on a daily basis.

I wouldn't mind getting something like and Air Arms TX200 Mk III, or equivalent, but, that would be out of my friends price range and I would hate to have them feel that I am “buying” accuracy (though, they probably won’t think that, since I also shoot a Crosman 1377C pump action pistol, as well, at those ranges, sometimes better then they do with their open sight and even scoped rifles).

I can typically count on sub 1” groupings at 100 feet, using Crosman Premier Lights, 7.9 gr, in the 1250 count bulk box. Most of us have found that the Crosman Premiers tend to be the most accurate and consistent pellet in our guns, which are made up of mostly 1000 FPS air rifles from Gamo for the most part as well as Crosman, Daisy, Marksmen, a Chinese lever action and a $25 Cummins lever action that shoots in the 650-800 FPS neighborhood. Most of the 1000 FPS rifles shoot somewhere from the mid 800’s to low to mid 900’s, with my Gamo Viper usually topping them in the 950 range on a typical day. This is in Washington State, at about 1000 foot elevation, a few miles away from the Puget Sound.

I also have a Gamo Shadow 1000 that came with the BSA 4x scope, which I left in it’s wrapper, for times I want to go with no scope.

Overall, the looks, quality, craftsmanship, velocity, consistency, balance and feel is better then the Shadow 1000. It just seems like it’s high quality air rifle. A couple of my friends are considering getting one themselves, or, maybe the new Whisper, when it comes out, since they appear to be similar.

I have a pending review at Review Centre - CRT_Leech's review of the Gamo Viper .177 Air Rifle

Hopefully, that will be up in the next couple of days.

I hope that your replacement scope holds up as well as mine.

Laters,
CRT_Leech

[Gene_SC]

Let us know what you thing of the GRT-III trigger Terry. I have not seen an unhappy person yet who has bought one from CDT..

Gene

[Gene_SC]

Hey Tim, Welcome aboard the GTA.. Good to hear we have some following in the Seattle area.. I used to work up there and it is very pretty in the spring and summer.. Never could get used to the rain in the fall and winter..
Sounds like you and your friends are having a blast when you all get together. Allot of us do not have people close to us at the moment, but as time passes there will be more air gunners all over. We do have an Events Forum which will help bring air gunners together. Enjoyed you post and I personally hope you come often with more posts and pictures..

Happy shooting

Gene

Thank you for the warm welcome.

Yup, it rains up here, but, not as much as most people think, it's just spread over about 350 days in the year, LOL.

Now that I have found this site, I'm sure I'll be visiting it on a regular basis and I'll try to contribute positively, as well.

Thanks,
Tim

Well, It has been several shooting days time now and I have to say that the GRT III has been a serious improvement for my Viper.  I have stocked up on several types and brands of pellets and once I settle a little issue of my fourth surgery in fourteen months, I hope to have time to post some targets.  I have shot a total of 44 blackbirds out at my Brother's house.  So, I feel the Viper is an excellent performer, if not one of the most overlooked of the Gamo offerings.  This is probably due to the shotgun version that most people shy away from, thereby causing little notice of the Viper rifle.  But, I can honestly say that my Viper is a wicked tool.

Terry w9trb

[JMG]

Hate to Hijack the thread but whenever I see someone from the Seattle area I get home sick lol. Welcome to the GTA Tim and umm hmmm I went to Ballard high school... ring a bell?

John

I'm actually in the Lynwood/Mukilteo/Everett area, but, I've heard of Ballard. Heck, anyone familiar with Seattle and Almost Live! has heard of Ballard.  =)

It's good to see others from this area out there with like interests.

Thank you all for the kind welcome to this forum.

Oh, I just received notification that my review of the Gamo Viper was approved and awarded an Expert Review Status: http://www.reviewcentre.com/review247473.html

For what it's worth, I tried to be brief, lol. I may decide to write a more in depth review sometime, with pictures and such, like some of the groupings I've achieved at 100 feet, penetration, pellet differences, who knows. Also, closer details of the air gun itself, which can be difficult to find.

I like to write/document stuff, and I know I appreciate information about products that I have an interest in, but, not a lot of working knowledge with and I like passing said information down, so others may get multiple opinions, which may make it easier for them to decide for or against a certain product.

Laters,
Tim

[Gene_SC]

Tim, I read your review as listed and it is one of the best detailed review that I have seen. I do not think you missed any good or bad points on the Gamo Viper. Hope to see more of your reviews in the future. Your review really helps the new air gunners make an intelligent decision on the Gamo Viper air rifle purchase..

Thanks for sharing with us.

Gene

Thank you kindly.

Thanks,
Tim

Hello Terry. Pardon the late post but I'm still finding my way around at GTA. Bought my Viper after looking at and shouldering 4 or 5 other air rifles and the Viper just felt the best to me. It looked and felt good and we went home together. I started doing some research online and here we all are. Installed one of CDT's triggers and that made a world of difference, can't say enough good about CDT and his trigger. Will probably do a review after I get up to speed and have some targets I'm not ashamed to post!!! Have fun.