GTA

All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => European/Asian Air Gun Gates => Gamo & Spanish AirGun Gate => Topic started by: MossbergKid on January 12, 2013, 01:43:39 PM

Title: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: MossbergKid on January 12, 2013, 01:43:39 PM
 On any sites I view, the info and reviews for this particular gun are limited. I am looking for some straight forward to the point reviews for the IGT Rocket. All replies are highly appreciated .... Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: thekid on January 20, 2013, 11:48:42 AM
I have no experience with this particular gun but...
Welcome to the GTA!
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 20, 2013, 03:46:03 PM
I haven't been into airguns that long but have been around firearms all my life so I can only give limited observations. First, if you want an air rifle that doesn't sound like a rimfire .22, get something else. The Camo Rocket IGT is loud! Second, the trigger is as bad as most people say it is. It pulls for a 1/4 mile before the round finally leaves the barrel. From the sound of it, that problem is easily fixed with the aftermarket trigger.  As for accuracy, it's good enough to hit a squirrel's head @ 60ft with the factory set up. Good enough to put food on the table or do recreational target shooting. Other than that, I'm happy with the fit and finish and would recommend it to anyone who doesn't need single hole grouping in their airgun.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 23, 2013, 01:01:36 AM
More to report on my Camo Rocket. It shoots all of the pellets that I've tried much better if I put a dry patch or two through the barrel every 25 rounds or so. Keep it clean and it will return the favor with consistent shots. The best pellet so far has been the Beeman FTS. My last 25 shots at the longest range I can set up indoors, 18yds, could be covered by a quarter. It loves the these pellets.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: ezman604 on January 23, 2013, 09:30:43 AM
Let me toss a few comments out there.
First off, try a search of Gamo IGT Rocket on Google or here. Sorry there hasn't been a review posted, that I can find, in our Airgun Review Gate. Here is one post that might be of help.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=31919.0 (http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=31919.0)

Next, the loudness of ANY airgun can be a sign of shooting too light of a pellet. Any projectile that exceeds the speed of sound (1080fps) will go super sonic and make a loud crack. When it does that, accuracy goes away too. Pellets are small and light weight (versus a pb round) and breaking the sound barrier and coming back through will cause a light pellet to become unstable. So try the heaviest rounds you can that will shoot accurate in that particular gun. It will be quieter and should be more accurate as well as deliver more punch down range.
Next is the cleaning part. An airgun is not like a powder burner. It does not foul or have a buildup of chemicals from the burning process. An airgun needs an initial cleaning with Goo Gone and patches run through with a piece of weedeater string. And a few dry patches to clean out the Goo Gone residue. THEN it should be shot to season it in by leading. The bore of an airgun should not be cleaned again unless accuracy falls off which SHOULD be well over 1,000 rounds. After you clean an airgun bore, it needs to be leaded in to fill any small imperfections in the bore. Repeated cleaning will prevent it from seasoning.
As for the trigger, I didn't see it listed on his site but the GRT-III might fit the Gamo Rocket. Will have to get Bob to chime in on that to be sure. But that one piece would make a WORLD of difference in the way the airgun performs, if it will fit the Rocket.

Welcome to GTA also and please keep us informed on your airgun adventures. Maybe one of our members that has had the Gamo IGT Rocket for a bit will step up and post a full review of it for us.
SAFE & Happy Shooting!!!!
Dave
 8)
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 23, 2013, 01:14:41 PM
I read some stuff on seasoning, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Gamo uses a different philosophy on their barrels. They are made of steel, supposedly don't require the normal break in period, and their site says to clean the gun as often as needed to maintain performance. Since I didn't know any of this until researching it just now, I tried going 100 rounds or more in between light cleaning when I first purchased the gun. Although I was still learning how to hold the gun properly, as well as re-learning general shooting technique that I had lost over the last 20 years, I could tell from the random groupings that something just wasn't right. After doing a thorough, deep clean of the barrel with a plastic brush and many patches, it is now very consistent a pellet or two after each cleaning.

I'd love to hear some experts chime in on cleaning Gamo steel barrels.

GRT-4G trigger is in the mail ;D I've learned how to get around the shortcomings of the stock trigger, but sometimes I have to make 2 or 3 attempts to get the pellet off before it actually fires.  :(
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: ezman604 on January 23, 2013, 01:33:40 PM
All airgun barrels are steel, not just Gamo. There is nothing special about their barrels that doesn't pertain to any other airgun. :)
Airguns use steel but it's not the same treated steel of a pb gun. Big difference in the chamber pressures in pb and airguns.
Besides the initial cleaning, once again, is not needed nor recommended unless the accuracy falls off. And that is generally over 1,000 rounds. The initial cleaning is to remove any remnants or foreign matter left behind in the manufacturing process or treatment they applied to prevent rust while in storage.
Main thing in an airgun is make sure all bolts and screws are tight. Not over tight but snug. Best to use blue loctite on all fasteners to prevent vibrating loose. Especially the breech bolt of a break barrel.
Good deal on the GRT-4. You will see a significant difference in the shooting cycle, guaranteed!!!!
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 23, 2013, 02:06:50 PM
I know I'm a noob and probably look like a ego maniac for debating the issue any further but I can't make sense of the observations that I've experienced with this particular gun unless cleaning is a necessary part of making it shoot consistently. Here's a pic of some shots I took yesterday from 18yds. The dots to the top left and far bottom right, with no circles around them, and with really nice grouping, were taken right after a clean and were the Beeman FTS pellets. For size reference, those circles were traced off of a roll of electrical tape. All of the other shots are RWS wadcutters from the looks of it and the scope was getting some final tweaks too.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 23, 2013, 02:23:00 PM
My brain just realized something that may make sense out of the situation. I only did a cursory clean with dry patches when I first got the gun. Maybe the deep clean that I did recently with the plastic bristle brush and multitude of patches finally got the barrel clean enough to start working right for the first time. I'll go back to minimal cleaning and stick with the FTS pellets for a while to see what happens.

Thanks
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: ezman604 on January 23, 2013, 02:46:12 PM
Good deal.
The Beeman FTS is 8.64gr. The Gamo Rocket is rated at 1300fps and that has got to be with PBA ammo that should NEVER be shot in this rifle. I would suggest, since this is a magnum springer, getting heavier ammo. I have had good luck with Crosman Premiere brown box 10.5gr rounds. But something closer to 10gr might improve your accuracy and as I said before, also give more punch down range.
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-premier-heavy-177-cal-10-5-grains-domed-1250ct?p=154 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-premier-heavy-177-cal-10-5-grains-domed-1250ct?p=154)

Rather than invest in such a large box, send me a pm with your mailing address and I can drop you a few in the mail to test with. I think you will see a big difference in performance, if the gun likes that diet.
 ;D
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 23, 2013, 02:54:20 PM
Good deal.
The Beeman FTS is 8.64gr. The Gamo Rocket is rated at 1300fps and that has got to be with PBA ammo that should NEVER be shot in this rifle. I would suggest, since this is a magnum springer, getting heavier ammo. I have had good luck with Crosman Premiere brown box 10.5gr rounds. But something closer to 10gr might improve your accuracy and as I said before, also give more punch down range.
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-premier-heavy-177-cal-10-5-grains-domed-1250ct?p=154 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-premier-heavy-177-cal-10-5-grains-domed-1250ct?p=154)

Rather than invest in such a large box, send me a pm with your mailing address and I can drop you a few in the mail to test with. I think you will see a big difference in performance, if the gun likes that diet.
 ;D



I appreciate the gesture but I've got a pellet assortment on the way. The JSB Exact Heavy should do the trick if my speeds are up above 1000fps. Chrono is next since I'm getting really interested in what my pellets are doing down range. This hobby may delay my return to racing 1/8 rc offroad. :o
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: ezman604 on January 23, 2013, 02:59:44 PM
Quote
This hobby may delay my return to racing 1/8 rc offroad. :o

LOL
Yep....or any OTHER hobby.
Welcome to the addiction!!!!
JSB Exact Heavy's should do the trick. Good ammo.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 23, 2013, 03:48:25 PM
Since you consider this gun a magnum class gas springer, do you think that anything produced in .177 would be too heavy as far as being hard on the gun? I bought some H&N Rabbit Magnums(15.74 grains) for varmints before reading that heavy pellets can be just as bad as ones that are too light.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: ezman604 on January 23, 2013, 04:47:57 PM
It is a NP or gas piston and can handle heavier ammo, but I wouldn't recommend anything over 11gr. The ratings are 1000fps with lead ammo, so I'd personally recommend staying in the 10-11gr range. Since it's NOT a spring powered gun, you are not going to damage it shooting too heavy of a round. Might be a bit too much resistance for the piston seal but again, maybe not. I would say under 11gr you are safe.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 24, 2013, 07:51:03 PM
GRT-4G trigger installed. Wow! After the scope settled in and the gun started grouping again, I put a fresh dime sized dot on the target and shot 5 pellets from 10yds. Here's what a stock Camo Rocket IGT and $35 trigger can do with JSB Exact Heavy's. (Dot on left, center of frame)
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 26, 2013, 12:39:07 AM
Well......After being very happy with the guns grouping today, accuracy started falling way off again. We were nailing potatoes at over 30yds, very fun targets by the way, with very good consistency earlier in the day and I put about 50 rounds through the gun. Just now I went to shoot some dots at 18yds and couldn't get anywhere near the target. After putting up two fresh targets to do a comparison, I shot another 10 rounds with the barrel as is. The results looked like bird shot out of a shotgun. Then I cleaned the barrel and put 10 more rounds through the second target. All I can say is this gun is getting cleaned every 50 rounds from here forward if that's what it takes to keep it shooting like a gun that is double the price.

P.S. There are 2000 JSB Exact Heavy's in route to my house ;D This gun loves them, 50 at a time!!!
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: ezman604 on January 26, 2013, 12:43:07 AM
Good luck...
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: gene_sc on January 26, 2013, 11:01:40 AM
Let me say this. Gamo's air rifles today are throw away's. Just like transistor radios. Gamo used to make decent air rifles but not anymore. Barrels are thin sleeves of metal wrapped in plastic. One of the cheapest ways of making a barrel IMO. Also triggers are all plastic and very difficult to work on or fix. You cannot buy much in the way of parts for a Gamo. Gamo is market driven and are like the toys you buy for kids at Christmas. They wear out fast and you throw em in the trash. The standard power plant is the same spring powerplants that they have used for over 20 years with the exception of the gas rams they are using now. And all they do now is just add a gas ram without any other changes to support the rams.

On real air rifles you initially clean the barrels with goo gone. And you do not need to clean with solvent again for at least a couple thousand shots unless accuracy starts to fade. Then you only run dry patches through barrel. Or in Gamo air rifles through the metal sleeve they call a barrel.

I can't believe the prices Gamo charges for these new air rifles and all they do is just change the looks of them... :) Makes me laugh.
Sorry for the negativity but it is true. Gamo air rifles will never be like they used to be when they used solid steel barrels and steel triggers.

Gene
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 26, 2013, 02:45:54 PM
I'm happy with mine if I maintain the barrel like a regular fire arm. No dime within 18yds is safe around my Gamo and it's approaching a thousand rounds after only a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: edfmaniac on January 26, 2013, 11:37:27 PM
In case you experts can tell anything from looking at cotton patches, here's what is left in my gun after a known number of pellets. The first patch was run through after 25 pellets, the second after 50 and the last patch was after the middle one to see what was left behind. The gun was performing very well throughout the test. The first shot following the last patch was within a 1/16" of my point of aim.

Questions: Am I getting too much build up for the number of pellets that I'm shooting? Do you think there is enough lead in the barrel to still be seasoned after looking at the last patch that came out of the gun? No oils or solvents used in the making of this photo. :D

Thanks for the info and I hope this thread is within bounds of a review thread since gun performance is part of the discussion.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: ezman604 on January 27, 2013, 02:25:35 AM
This isn't a review thread and we need to not hijack the OP's original thread. If you want to talk about maintenance and acuracy of your airgun, please start a seperate thread.
Thanks.
Title: Re: REVIEWS FOR THE GAMO ROCKET IGT
Post by: Marco2021 on July 07, 2016, 08:55:11 PM
gene-sc is right on the money, Gamo Mach 1 plastic fantastic $599 in New Zealand. You can buy a new HW 80 Weihrauch for that which will last a lifetime and not be thrown in the skip after 2 years!