buying new gun, need advice

[khaled.shams]

hi every body.

i'm thinking about buying a new rifle.
i do not have many choices as i'm on a budget.

i think you would be surprised when you hear the prices of air rifles here in Egypt.

i will be using it for shooting pigeons at 30-40 meters with open sights as scopes are prohibited here in my country

so i have to choose between the following air rifles :

1-Gamo CFX Royal (for 475$)
2-Gamo Stutzen (for 320$)
3-Cometa Fenix 400 (383$)
4-BSA Meteor Evo  (361$)
6-Gamo hunter 1250(377$)
5-Gamo hunter 440 (261$)
6-Gamo shadow 1000 (188$)
7-Cometa 220 (191$)


-the cfx royal is very nice ,very expensive but it is well known here and easy to sell
-the stutzen is very classy, i also like the metal open sights (better than new gamo open sights ). i prefer under lever rifles, they feel more solid to me

- the rest of the gamos i don't have a problem with them except that they use too much plastic , i hate that the breech block is made of plastic. and the rear sight is mounted to it with a pin that can not be removed without ruining the gun, i had this exact problem with my brother's gun (shadow 1000).
but they have good value for money.

- the Cometas
the Fenix 400 has a better build (from my point of view) than the Gamos and i hear very good things about it
the cometa 220 have very good value for money, light and it will be very good for my wife and kids. but it is also weaker than the rest. and i think its build quality is better than the Gamos

i hope you would help me with your opinions because my head is going to explode.

[xtred1]

Welcome...

 I am sorry I do not know the guns you ask about, but I am sure someone will. How do you purchase an airrifle there? From a store or mail order?   With no scopes what do old guys do who have pests to shoot?

Paulus

[khaled.shams]

I would buy from a store, or from I guy I found on a group on Facebook .

People use scopes here but they are illigal and you would go to jail if you got caught.

As for pests. We would use mouse traps or poison.

Thank you very much.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Marhabaan Khaled.

 I have owned two Gamos and neither impressed me BUT they were low end Chinese guns (Big Cat, Recon) not the fine Spanish made.
If you can get a Gamo Stutzen for $320 I think that is a very good deal. We can no longer buy them new here in the US. They are reportedly Very nice and I like a Stutzen style stock.
Being an underlever will solve a lot of "Break Barrel" rifle issues. Especially at the ranges you are looking at with open sights.
 One odd thing is the way you load it. It has a "POP UP" loading port bend the rear sight.
I do not know how dependable that would be.

[xtred1]

I would buy from a store, or from I guy I found on a group on Facebook .

People use scopes here but they are illigal and you would go to jail if you got caught.

As for pests. We would use mouse traps or poison.

Thank you very much.

Very interesting, here we consider pigeons pests like rats, we shoot them both. ( some use traps and poisons) That Stutzen is very regal I think that would be fun to try.  Are you allowed to change the sights for another type of sight? LIke a diopter peep sight. Sorry for all the guestions, but it is not every day I get to chat with a guy from Egypt on the topic of air rifles.  What gun are you having a preference for?

Paulus

[khaled.shams]

I think there is no problem if i installed a diopter but open sights would be easier for me.

you just can't use sights that can be used by military like red dot or scope,

i love the stutzen for its looks and it feels more solid (it has a fixed barrel after all) but the loading port is really odd, i started thinking about it after Hoosier Daddy mentioned it. i knew about it and i was trying to ignore that issue but now i can't  get it out of my head , all i think about are things that can go wrong with this gun(thank you Hoosier Daddy, you ruined it for me!  ).
so i downloaded the parts manual, apparently the loading port slides against the breech seals . it has 2 breech seals of the same size one fitted to the barrel in front of the port and another fitted to a cylindrical part (not the piston) behind the port which it self (the cylindrical part) needs another seal of different size to be fitted to the cylinder. so you need 3 seals instead of 1 in normal cases to keep it air tight, also many things can go wrong with the plastic loading port. and the idea of plastic rubbing against the seals is very annoying,also it is a discontinued model which means i may have trouble getting parts for it (i was actually told so by the seller).
i think the next thing would be the gamo cfx royal but it is very expensive. (you can get a diana 52 in usa for the same price)
so that leaves me the cometa fenix 400, bsa meteor and all the other gamos.

[K.O.]

Any chance that you could find an old Hakim trainer to fix up...

[Hoosier Daddy]

Sorry for ruining your dreams Khaled.
 There has been a Stutzen on the auction site here for $400, It's been listed for quite some time and I was looking into it myself.
What you learned is why I thought it worth mentioning...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gamo-Stutzen-177-Caliber-Air-Rifle-Very-Nice/233170712665?hash=item364a0eb859:g:pewAAOSwOttcg1SB] [url]https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gamo-Stutzen-177-Caliber-Air-Rifle-Very-Nice/233170712665?hash=item364a0eb859:g:pewAAOSwOttcg1SB[/url]

[Mossonarock]

My number one choice of those you listed would be the Cometa Fenix 400 in .22 cal.
The BSA Meteor EVO would be my second choice. However, I don't have personal experience with either rifle. I'm just saying that based on the specs.

Do you know what caliber you are wanting? I'd recommend .22 particularly since you plan on shooting pigeons.

Don't be too attached to getting an underlever. Break-barrels tend to be lighter and so are easier to aim without resting the rifle on something- just keep those barrel pivot screws tight.

Whatever you get, please let us know how you like it!

[anti-squirrel]

Hello- I'm a fan of Cometa rifles in general, and though I'd personally love the Gamo Stuzen, for pigeon extermination, I'd lean heavily toward the 220.  I'm a fan of the more-compact length and after shouldering a Cometa 220, I can honestly say I've never felt any springer shoulder so well- not even my CZ-634.

The trigger is good, and the front sight is about as perfect a front sight as I've ever experienced.  The Fenix 400 is a nicer gun but for the role your fulfilling, the 220 is inexpensive enough to where if it gets banged up a bit, you're not going to sweat it.

[khaled.shams]

Hello- I'm a fan of Cometa rifles in general, and though I'd personally love the Gamo Stuzen, for pigeon extermination, I'd lean heavily toward the 220.  I'm a fan of the more-compact length and after shouldering a Cometa 220, I can honestly say I've never felt any springer shoulder so well- not even my CZ-634.

The trigger is good, and the front sight is about as perfect a front sight as I've ever experienced.  The Fenix 400 is a nicer gun but for the role your fulfilling, the 220 is inexpensive enough to where if it gets banged up a bit, you're not going to sweat it.

i actually like compact rifles too
of all my previous air rifles the norica 56 was my most favorite gun.
i've had a gamo hunter 440 and bsa airsporter mk7 they never felt that good.

[K.O.]

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=104708.0

[lizzie]

Out of the choices you listed, I'd opt for one of the first two (Stutzen or CFX) since they are fixed barrel, and what I'd consider "substantial" size. At the distance you're shooting, I wouldn't have enough confidence in the others for consistent accuracy at that range.

[avator]

A pigeon at 40 meters with open sights? With my old eyes I would need a rocket launcher. I suppose that would be frowned on in Egypt as well.
I did read about the pigeon issues you folks are having there in another thread. How are the historical monuments being protected from people shooting the pigeons around them?
And BTW.... welcome to the GTA.

[Brazos]

I would skip all that junk and buy a HW95 from Krale Shooting Sports or a RWS34.  I know that is harsh but I am just looking out for you and your money.

[Rick67]

I would skip all that junk and buy a HW95 from Krale Shooting Sports or a RWS34.  I know that is harsh but I am just looking out for you and your money.

Harsh but it is the truth.

The problem is that he may encounter importation obstacles, or the custom fees may be too much---same as I did back then, I had to seek help from my uncle who is a police general because my package was subject for confiscation.

When I imported two 2400KTs from the US to the Philippines it set me back almost $300 (custom fees), IIRIC, excluding other fees from airgunexporter.com and the cost of the 2 airguns---this was back in 2012 or was it 2013?

[Brazos]

Sorry.  I did not pick up on the fact it appears the OP is in Egypt.  Though I have never shot a Cometa they look nice.  Don't get hung up on power with a spring rifle.  Lower powered spring rifles are your friend.  Since a scope is not an option look for a rifle with good sights.  One of the reasons I suggested the HW95 was because of they have nice sights.

[anti-squirrel]

Cometas are not junk.  Calling them such without owning/shooting one is prejudice.

I used an R-7 heavily for a 6-month stretch working for an avian abatement company in the SF Bay Area.  And as nice as the D-34 is, the Cometa 220 shoulders better than either and has the calm shooting demeanore of the Hw-30/R7 with more oomph.  The Cometa 220 also doesn't have the weight of the HW-97.  And the "fiber-optic" read sight on the Cometa 220 makes target acquisition a snap- perfect for an open-sight pesting machine.

When I eventually purchase my next springer, it will be a 220 from Aceros De Hispania, unless a C-1 comes up for cheap.

[Daniel L]

Living in New Zealand, I am used to crazy high prices for airguns... like a Crosman 2240 pistol for $140 USD!!

Of the ones you have mentioned I like the Gamo CFX but I personally found them too nose heavy and so I put lead into the stock.   A CFX Royal would be awesome.

I have owned a Stutzen, and they look nice but the CFX is the better shooter and easier to cock.

Other than that, I would take a Cometa 400 - they are very common in New Zealand too.   Usually very accurate and better triggers than standard Gamos.  I prefer their balance, and prefer a break barrel.   Cometas are solid... I've had Cometa Gas Rams and Springers.

BOTH Gamo and the Cometa would require some deburring and lube tuning to be a good 40m shooter .  The Gamo will definitely need a trigger replacement I expect.

So if you're tight on a budget I'd get the Cometa 400 and tune it, and buy a few pellets for testing (usually JSB works).  The balance is much better in my opinion, and easier to work on.  Trigger can also be adjusted pretty low without an aftermarket trigger - usually about 2.5 lb (or less).