Anybody have opinions on the Gamo Silver Shadow?

[scubaduderon]

I'm buying one from a fellow GTA member and want to know what to expect from it.

Would this be a good airgun to first get into springers? Are there update options? I'm also wondering about the history of it. The different models which produced over the years and where they were made.  I live in Guam, a long ways away and servicing anything is a bear, so I need to know any potential issues it may have. I think this one is an older model.

Thank you,
Ron

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

 Ron the basic design of the Gamo powerplant has gone thru only minor changes over at least the last 15 years if not more. With the exception of the lower power guns aimed primarily at the youth market and a few '1250' magnums ALL of the Gamos are the same powerplant with only external 'costume' changes to make it seem to the consumer that they manufacture a lot of different rifles.

 Others more intimately familiar with the Gamo models will hopefully respond with a direct answer to your specific question----just try to bear in mind my words above.

 To make it even a wee bit more complicated the Chinese brought out a Gamo clone---the B-18/-19 series @ a decade ago. The Crosmans and MANY other familiar and time-honored brand names are based on that rifle which was cloned from the 220/440/890 guns which are also the origin of current Gamo production.

 Recent 'improvements' include a new trigger group that is heavily plastics based. Many have deplored them as even worse than the predecessor from which they sprang, but I have had great good fortune turning them into sweet triggers.

 Gamos are egregiously overpowered in consideration of the materials and build quality. They are the poster child for difficult to shoot because they feature the two things that cause the worst problems---over-powered and too light to dampen themselves properly.

 All that said a good tuner can make sweet shooters out of them. For my own uses I de-tune them to shoot just a bit over 800fps---basically the British 12 fpe standard. At that power level they can be both user-friendly and much more accurate if the barrel is good-----ALWAYS a concern with Spanish, Chinese and Turkish guns.

 All the above is only my opinion of course, though based on more years experience than most can claim. In any case I doubt that any can refute it in a reasonable fashion.    HTH, Tom

[shadow]

I don't think they make em anymore and that's when Gamo was still putting some energy into making a decent airgun. A good tune will bring out the best in em too and they are considered a midpowered springer and should be shooting in the high 800's to 900fps. Ed

[Charles Outdoors]

  I believe it is the same as my shadow 1000, except nickel plated which should look great and be very durable were you live. I'm amazed how light they are compared to most springers in the same power range. Makes it really nice to shoot. Mine shoots are 900 fps with 7.9 grain pellets. That's only 100 fps less then my RWS 48 and weights about half what the 48 does. Only upgrade done on mine is a GRT trigger from which makes it so much nicer to shoot. Factory trigger has a long rough pull.
 Very possible the trigger has been upgraded.   

[prm]

Charlie 'da Tuna tuned my Silver Shadow 1000 in '08... it is still the most accurate, sweetest-shooting rifle I've ever had the pleasure of firing... it was a mess before he got hold of it, though... it definitely needs to be tuned and triggered to put the fun in it!

[scubaduderon]

Thanks to all of you, I have learned quite a bit about the Silver Shadow from you. Unfortunately having the SS tuned is unlikely.  I live on Guam, and shipping from here makes that impossible. At any rate I may experiment with a new trigger at some point.

Thanks again,
Ron

Charlie 'da Tuna tuned my Silver Shadow 1000 in '08... it is still the most accurate, sweetest-shooting rifle I've ever had the pleasure of firing... it was a mess before he got hold of it, though... it definitely needs to be tuned and triggered to put the fun in it!

[RedFeather]

Just get yourself Charlie's trigger.  It shouldn't be too much shipping to Guam.  The new trigger will make all the difference in the world.  I would also get a rube of RIG, put a small dab into a soft cloth, work it around and then wipe down your metal parts after each use.  Also a can of Birchwood Casey Barricade.  A little bit on a cleaning patch run over the metal before wiping with RIG and then store in a silicone impregnated gun sock.  That's about the best protection you can get and you will need it in that humidity.  They still have those egg-sized rain drops?  Man, I can still remember being topside for muster (was on a sub in Apra Harbor), watching that morning squall line approaching and wondering if we would finish in time to haul buns back down the hatch, LOL!  Dampness you can cut with a knife.

[Charles Outdoors]

Maybe you'll get lucky and it will have a gold trigger already. Most airgunners online upgrade that trigger pretty quick.

[scubaduderon]

Just get yourself Charlie's trigger.  It shouldn't be too much shipping to Guam.  The new trigger will make all the difference in the world.  I would also get a rube of RIG, put a small dab into a soft cloth, work it around and then wipe down your metal parts after each use.  Also a can of Birchwood Casey Barricade.  A little bit on a cleaning patch run over the metal before wiping with RIG and then store in a silicone impregnated gun sock.  That's about the best protection you can get and you will need it in that humidity.  They still have those egg-sized rain drops?  Man, I can still remember being topside for muster (was on a sub in Apra Harbor), watching that morning squall line approaching and wondering if we would finish in time to haul buns back down the hatch, LOL!  Dampness you can cut with a knife.

Great reply. I'm gonna have to do research and all those things to follow your reccomends...

Yeah, the raindrops here are huge. Not only that, they fall closer together! It is unreal how much water can pour from the sky. Theres a 15 by 15 inch wide flat topped light outside my window, one of those boxey ones. When it rains hard, the water pours off of it like water pouring from a pitcher. Tropical rainstorms are something to see. My wife and I were snorkeling at family beach in Apra harbor and watched one of those storms sweep over the mountain and int the harbor. It was really cool to watch it come in from water level.

Ron