3gun Shoot-Off 22 cal.Gamo Magnum Gr/25 Cal Hatsan125/22cal Hatsan125@45 yards

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I did a 3 gun shoot today at around 1 PM.
I placed 3 targets out at 45 yards.
I took 10 shots with each rifle.
I shot my rifles in this order.
 #1. 22 cal. Gamo Magnum GR
 #2. 25 cal. Hatsan Magnum TH
 #3. 22 cal. Hatsan 125.

I shot semi off hand from a standing position.
The rifles were braced on my garage back door.
When I shot the Gamo Magnum the wind was dead calm.
When I shot the 2 Hatsan's the wind was blowing like crazy at around 25 to 30 mph and rapidly changing directions.
The wind blew the hardest while I was shooting the 25 cal Hatsan 125 TH.
I rushed things a bit while shooting the Hassan's as a thunder storm was moving in fast and I needed to wrap things up quickly.
Right after I finished shooting, the thunder storm hit and it rained hard.


I tried to mach up the pellet weights and manufacturer between the 22 cal. and 25 cal. pellets the best I could.
The 22 cal. pellets were 21.14 gr. Beeman Kodiak Domed Pellets mfg. by H&N.
The 25 cal. pellets were Hatsan Vortex Supreme 19.91gr. Domed Pellets mfg by H&N


Best Wishes - Tom

In the Radar Image I am North of Minneapolis/ St Paul about 50 miles






The National Weather Service Forecast around the time of the shoot off.

Thunderstorm In Vicinity
75°F
24°C
Humidity   74%
Wind Speed   SW 18 G 36 mph
Barometer   28.52 in
Dewpoint   52°F (11°C)
Visibility   .5 mi
Last update   5 Jun 12:50 pm CDT

[Mark 611]

The top group is not bad at all!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Hi Mark.

Thank You for your complement & reply sir.

I finished just in the nick of time today.

Best Wishes - Tom

[Mark 611]

You are welcome! and it's raining like that here as well! as of 6:35pm! EST, 

[Novagun]

That is a good group from the Gamo but the other two rifles didn-t have the same conditions so not really fair . I would like to see you do it again with even conditions. This is a very useful comparison with similar rifle  .Thank you .

[Back_Roads]

 I agree try on a calmer day, though might be best with each guns favorite ammo, as down range energy matters less than accuracy , Besides it will keep you out of trouble
 Wow that's more rain in the air at one time than should be allowed 

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

That is a good group from the Gamo but the other two rifles didn-t have the same conditions so not really fair . I would like to see you do it again with even conditions. This is a very useful comparison with similar rifle  .Thank you .

Hi Hugh.

You are right.

When I set out to do the shoot off it was over cast but I did not realize there was a thunderstorm coming.
I shot the Gamo then I went in and got the 2 Hatsans out of my gun safe.
By the time I had everything all set up to shoot again, I could hear thunder and see lightning flashes along with the increase in wind.

There are big differences between all three of these rifles, in the way I must shoot them.
The 25 cal. 125 has a thumbhole stock and the hold is different than the 22 cal. 125.
Both 125's have the Quatro trigger and that style trigger has it's own unique trigger pull style.
If I do this again, I think I will take some practice shots first, with the 25 cal. first, just to bet back in the groove shooting the Quatro trigger.
Then I will shoot the 22 cal. 125 and lastly I will shoot the Gamo.
The Gamo is pretty much a, straight forward, grab and shoot rifle.
I like all three of these rifles, but for me, the Gamo is the easiest to shoot accurately.
All three of these powerful rifles are hunting accurate at 30 yards "when I get it all right"  but none are target shooters.
"Getting it all right" is the challenge that, for me, makes things interesting and imparts a feelling of satisfaction and accomplishment.


Best Wishes - Tom

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I agree try on a calmer day, though might be best with each guns favorite ammo, as down range energy matters less than accuracy , Besides it will keep you out of trouble
 Wow that's more rain in the air at one time than should be allowed 

Correct James !

I had checked the weather that morning and the forecast had been for a 30% chance of rain after 3 pm in the afternoon.

It had been nice and sunny all morning but had stormed the previous day.
Next  time I'll check out the weather forecast right before I go out to shoot.
All of this takes time though and I am usually fairly busy each day.

Speaking of busy, I need to go out now and put out weed & feed fertilizer on the lawn.
After that I need to go over to my daughters place, feed her cats and make sure the power is still on.
She is out of town and up in Bemidji seeing my granddaughter.


Best Wishes - Tom

[Novagun]

None are target shooters. quote 1
Getting it right . Quote 2.
Words of wisdom and consolation. That Gamo is an accurate gun, more accurate than the capabilities of the average airgun shooter in an day by day shoot  The others might prove to be so as well . A flyer is not the end of the world and there is always the prospect of doing better with the next shot .
I looked at your semi offhand hold and it raised some points with me but i don-t want to be critical and it was just a camera pose .
Kia ora ehoa .

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

None are target shooters. quote 1
Getting it right . Quote 2.
Words of wisdom and consolation. That Gamo is an accurate gun, more accurate than the capabilities of the average airgun shooter in an day by day shoot  The others might prove to be so as well . A flyer is not the end of the world and there is always the prospect of doing better with the next shot .
I looked at your semi offhand hold and it raised some points with me but i don-t want to be critical and it was just a camera pose .
Kia ora ehoa .

Good points Hugh.  All true. Thank you for your reply sir. 
I will always take into consideration constructive criticism, so feel free to comment on my shooting style. There are always ways to improve.
Maybe I should have said that... I am not much of a paper target shooter.  I do better under actual field hunting situations.

The idea of my semi-off hand shooting style is to mimic how I shoot while hunting out in the woods.
Sometimes I have to shoot off hand but if I can, I will try to brace my shots on dead falls, tree trunks and tree branches.
The idea is to let the fore-stock rest in the V between my thumb and fingers and let the gun just float while I shoot, without trying to manage the recoil by holding it down.
If I do it that way the rifle should repeat its actions each time. Sort of a take off from the artillery hold. I tuck these guns tight to the shoulder at the trigger & hand grip wrist area. If the recoil repeats its actions each and every time then I can zero the scope to that. Leastwise that is what I am trying to achieve.  Some days I shoot better than others.

My accuracy has NOT improved with age. I am 75, not as strong as I once was and a little shaky these days.  The Hatsan's take a lot more concentration and follow thru than the Gamo does. With the quarto trigger on the Hatsan 125's, I need to squeeze off the shot with an upward motion by letting my trigger finger ride the curvature of the trigger guard. The reach for the trigger is quite different between the two 125's, as the reach is shorter on the 25 cal. Hatsan 125 with the thumb hole stock.
The forward balance point is different on those guns too because of the different rifle stock configurations. The weight on the 125 Hatsan's is around 10 1/2 to 11 Lbs scoped.  Both the Hatsan 125's  are about 2 1/2 Lbs more than the Gamo .  The game has a slightly lighter trigger. at around 3 lbs. I could install a longer screw to lighten up the triggers on all three guns but I that would risk the guns becoming unsafe so I have not done that. The sears on those magnum rifles have to hold back a lot of spring force. I don't change out triggers, do bearing mods or go beyond factory specifications.




Best Wishes - Tom

[Novagun]

Semi offhand hold.
Kia ora Tommy Boy .

I tried your hold resting in the V of the hand. It works so no criticism. I didnt find it comfotable so will continue to use the flat of the palm opened wide.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Semi offhand hold.
Kia ora Tommy Boy .

I tried your hold resting in the V of the hand. It works so no criticism. I didnt find it comfotable so will continue to use the flat of the palm opened wide.

Hi Hugh.  Thank you for your reply.

If I shoot off hand. I also use the flat of the palm open wide.

I use the semi off hand method when I have something around me to place my hand on.


Best Wishes - Tom