Author Topic: Chrismas big cat. 22 have questions (Read 694 times)

urnuts73 · « **on:** December 31, 2011, 09:30:10 PM »

Hi all, I recieved a new big cat. 22 for chrismas from my kids. I have a few question to ask. The first thing I did was clean the barrel. When sighting it in I have found that the groups are not tha great. And I questioned the power of the rifle. Today a I shot a tree rat at only 15 yards with a crosman hollow point in the head and it did kill it but I exspected it to go right thought it and it didnt. Should I be concerned about it or is this what i should exspect. My benjamin 392 .22 whould have punched a hole straight though it. And the big cat is rated at a higher feet per seçond. Do you think mine is defected. And sould I send it back. I been reading the reviews and my gamo does not seam to have the same proformace. Please help was hoping the is due to the break iñ period I only have like 60 pellets though it.

Earl of Squirrel · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2011, 10:35:27 PM »

Yes there is a break in period. Shoot a couple hundred pellets through it and see where you are. Also, be sure the scope is secure. My BC has been pretty accurate all along, but it has certainly gotten better with age and the GRT trigger.

shadow · « **Reply #2 on:** January 01, 2012, 09:17:01 AM »

As mentioned there is a break in period and run some lead through. The BC should have enough power to dispatch a nutter at 15yrds. Don't let the fps rating hype be your guide since most .22 Gamo mid powered springers push standard .14.3 grain lead in the mid to high 600's. Ed

urnuts73 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 01, 2012, 02:58:16 PM »

Thankss guys this makes me feel better. I love this site.

_

urnuts73 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:06:41 PM »

Hay all thanks for the input. I have ran about 600 crosman pellets though it thing didn't get much better. At 20 yards it will not group better than a 5 inch group. Wow this realy bothering me. I was hoping it would work out. It was a gift. But I will be sending it back. Tree rats been chewing the eves of my house. I need some pay back . Was thinging of a crosman nitro venom. 22 . Any thoughs about that rifle.
_

Lambchops · « **Reply #5 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:11:56 PM »

If you are considering a Crosman Nitro Venom for $150, then I HIGHLY recommend a Hatsan Mod 95 from AirgunDepot. It has a much, much better trigger.

makenzie71 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:21:29 PM »

What scope are you using on the Big Cat? If you're using that stock 3-9X40 piece I would set it aside. Some people seem to not have any issues with it, but I have read of a number of people who have had quite a problem with it.

What ammunition are you using?

I can say though that I am quite fond of my Titan even though I've only had it for a few days...it's got the same guts as the Venom, if I'm not mistaken, just a synth stock.

thekid · « **Reply #7 on:** January 17, 2012, 10:24:17 AM »

Lots of people have found bad piston seals in these kinds of guns.
Perhaps a tune is needed, with new parts. I think you might say ( but it is brand new). Still in box condition with shot seals is not uncommon to hear of.
This is why there are tuners for these, many want the control and repeatability of a powder burner. Send it to shadow you will get that. Other option look up tuning and tune it yourself, They become different beasts all together and are much more controllable.
Rob

Tom @ Buzzard Bluff · « **Reply #8 on:** January 17, 2012, 11:12:27 AM »

'thekid' nailed it in all likelihood!

Gamo is infamous for not cleaning up sharp edges in the compression tube. That results in the seal being chewed up in the installation process. So the customer takes a new rifle out of the box and it starts hammering itself to death with the first shot. Nor is Gamo alone in this. It's more common than not on the vast majority of the less expensive airguns---especially those from Spain, Turkey & China.

While barrels are strictly luck-of-the-draw on rifles from the countries listed above even good ones have a hard time producing accuracy from a gun that's hammering itself into an early junkyard. And bad triggers (for which Gamo is equally infamous) just multiply the problem.

The choice really devolves to either doing a good tune on the affordable guns or spending the $ for the high end products such as AA.

Sorry----reality can be ugly. Tom

Danco · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2012, 11:11:18 AM »

Quote from: urnuts73 on January 16, 2012, 10:06:41 PM

Hay all thanks for the input. I have ran about 600 crosman pellets though it thing didn't get much better. At 20 yards it will not group better than a 5 inch group. Wow this realy bothering me. I was hoping it would work out. It was a gift. But I will be sending it back. Tree rats been chewing the eves of my house. I need some pay back . Was thinging of a crosman nitro venom. 22 . Any thoughs about that rifle.
_

I am having a similar problems with my Big cat .22 I purchased on line w/ Amazon gift card. not sure but I think it will cost me the shipping restocking fee I am trying to stay within the $150- $200 range.Would I be beating a dead horse considering "the tune" I haven't shot as many pellets as he has, should I wait ? or treat it like a hot potato, and treat the restocking fee as the cost of school and doing business.

makenzie71 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2012, 11:41:16 AM »

Quote from: Danco on January 18, 2012, 11:11:18 AM

and treat the restocking fee as the cost of school and doing business.

For a defective item? Absolutely not. That's not what you paid for. Contact the vendor and tell them the problem and they should be liable for all shipping and replacement goods. If they do not help you, contact Amazon directly since you paid with an Amazon gift card. This is why I prefer to pay with a credit card...you can reverse charges.

However, I have to repeat myself and I am sorry for that...but replace that factory scope. Go to Wal-Mart, buy a better scope. Wal-Mart sells a 3~12X40 Bushnell for $60~70 that will work fine and, if you still have issues with the gun Wal-Mart will take the scope back.

The only gun in the Big Cat's cost range that I've seen come with a decent scope is the Beeman 1073 they sell at Wal-Mart and other big box stores...and even that one I can only base my opinion on having not read a complaint about it nor had issues with it myself.

Danco · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2012, 01:57:49 PM »

I Just don't wanna psych myself out from all the other negative reviews here on the forum.maybe as others have suggested run more lead through it,maybe re-zero the scope. I am a new to Air guns and as others have said, it takes time and practice to get the feel of air guns. I just don't want to be disappointed in the end.
any guidance from the old timers, tuners, would be helpful sorry for the hijack I felt it was along the same line.
as the original poster

makenzie71 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:37:46 PM »

How many rounds have you run through it? If you haven't gone through a whole tin and done some basic things (proper barrel cleaning being the biggest) then shoot some more. See if things tighten up.

But maybe you can elaborate a little...how is it shooting? What kind of pattern is it holding at, say, 30ft?

Tom @ Buzzard Bluff · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2012, 03:21:54 PM »

"What kind of pattern is it holding at, say, 30ft?"
************************************************************
Reality Check:

10 yard groups are essentially worthless as an indication of accuracy! I see people extol groups at that range constantly. Even my smoothbore Benjamin 340 BB rifle will hold groups at that range using pellets that others seem to think accurate. 5 more yards and you can begin to get an idea----at 25 yards you know something.

10 meters (almost 33') a good ISU rules match rifle & shooter will stack pellets in the same hole. Only the size of the hole separates winner from losers. A good R7 or FWB 124 will do almost as well. Anything worth shooting should do tiny cloverleafs at that range. Tom

Tater · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2012, 06:06:41 PM »

@Danco

Since you mentioned that you are new to airguns, maybe I can help as I'm fairly new too and recently got started with a Gamo Hornet. Through posts and some very helpful messages I picked up some things that helped me out a bunch. I apologize if any of these are things you have done or seem like common sense.

First, clean the barrel as Makenzie mentioned. I couldn't find weedwacker cord (out of season here) so I just pushed some heavy fishing line through and tied the patches to that.
I am using the crappy scope that came with the gun, but I was told here to make sure the set screw is in the hole in the barrel and Loktite all of the screws. This has helped hold very well so far.
Unscrew the back of the stock and stuff it with foam or expanding form to deaden the echo sound. There are many threads about options to fill the space in.
The last thing that helped me so far was learning the artillery hold. Jyst search this site or google for more info.

GTA is an excellent site and I've never seen so many knowledgeable and helpful people on any forum of any type.

thekid · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2012, 07:15:04 PM »

For all new members who are new to shooting air guns:
Clean the barrel with goo-gone and weed wacker line, use the weed wacker line to pull the patch through the barrel from breach to muzzle. Melt one end of weed wacker line and flatten, then sharpen the other end so it can be pushed through the patch.
You will not need to do this for a long time after wards, have not cleaned my rws barrels in 2 years.

Tuning an airgun is not that difficult. You will need a spring compressor, many will be glad to post directions or links to how to sites.
All things needed for a home tune can be purchased at AIRRIFLEHEADQUARTERS.COM. springs, seals, lubricants and sometimes tune kits depending on airgun. A brake hone or steel wool or a dowel with 180 grit sand paper can be used to cross hatch the compression tube.
Spring ends will need to be polished, piston seals changed, and a new trigger from charlie da tuna.

When considering whether or not to tune or replace, keep in mind that the best airguns CANNOT be had for 200 bucks and some can cost thousands.
Can't expect perfection from the low class group. That is why we tune them to make them mid class so we can enjoy them. Learn the artillery hold and just have fun.
Rob

makenzie71 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2012, 01:27:17 AM »

Quote from: Tom @ Buzzard Bluff on January 18, 2012, 03:21:54 PM

Even my smoothbore Benjamin 340 BB rifle will hold groups at that range...

Yeah? Step outside and whack the thing against a steel pole a couple times and then try it.

If you suspect a problem you start close and move out...you don't start where the rifle should have worked fine and wonder where your projectiles went.

Danco · « **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2012, 12:38:22 PM »

Thanks Guys!! as mentioned back to basics.
I Tightened the screws, realized that the scope slipped I installed it wrong the 1st place I thought I had the set screw in the hole well now I have a nice beauty mark where it slid backward.

Next I will need to Clean it with the patches and goo gone. The artillery stance already have that down and practicing, next I need to measure my distances work my way back and fire a lot more rounds. As far as groupings based on the fact that my scope was out of alignment well we won't go there Doh!! on my part.
I will have more time this weekend and I will have to wait a little on the upgrades
I'll let you know how things are going thanks again Dan

makenzie71 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 19, 2012, 12:50:54 PM »

Good to hear...keep us posted. There's a lot of mixed emotions about the big cat it seems. Updates will be helpful for a lot of people.

urnuts73 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:09:02 PM »

Well I
I returned my bc and and had them send me a new one. I hope this one will be better. I realy want this gun to workout. Will re post when i get off duty .