Gamo has created a long list of great gas-piston break-barrel guns over the years. The new model Swarm 10X Gen 3i Magnum Pro follows suit with the same great features as earlier models, but with the addition of an ergonomic stock for great handling. In the spirit of family holidays, my brother Chris and I shot this air gun together (and we bet your NRA Family will want to do the same). We paired it with Gamo’s Redfire .22 pellets in 15.4 grains for the test.
Specifications
- Action: .22-caliber steel-barreled single-cocking air piston rifle
- Optics: Included Gamo shockproof, fogproof 3x9x40 scope.
- Velocity: Shoots up to 1,300 fps with alloy pellets.
- Magazines: One 10-shot rotating horizontally positioned inertia-fed magazine comes with the rifle.
- Trigger: Gamo patented Custom Action Trigger developed by GAMO. Trigger pull averages 3 lbs.
- Cocking effort: 41 lbs.
- Measurements: 49.2”, weight 6.88 lbs., length of pull (LOP) 15”
Special Features:
- Recoil Reducing Rail, advertised as reducing the recoil by 99.9% to maximize your scope lifespan.
- Whisper Fusion sound suppression
- All weather molded synthetic stock
- Five-Year Warranty
Normally I shoot a laundry list of pellets at targets to find the best fit for each gun. If you are an avid airgunner, you know that each rifle is usually best with a certain pellet and often it takes several brands and weights to find the correct one. We shot some Daisy Quicksilver pellets, but they were not very accurate or consistent. However, the GAMO Redfire pellets were really impressive. Shooting off a bench at 25 yards we were printing a big hole with most shots touching. There really was no need to go searching any further given how well those pellets shot! We shot the gun with and without a rest, but for the accuracy testing and sighting-in, we shot off a bench with a Lead Sled (that I use for high powered rifles and slug guns). This air rifle shot very accurately as noted above.
The 10-shot inertia loading magazine is quite good and easy to load. The magazine indexes using the inertia force from the recoil of the air rifle—creating a smoother and more precise breech loading process. Having a second magazine on hand to shoot when hunting is a good idea. Chris found that some of the older style pellets like the Daisy Quicksilvers were tougher to load. So, you will find that some of the lower-quality lead pellets may be slightly deformed making them a bit more difficult to push into the magazine.
The stock fit well and was easy to grip and maneuver. The scope was fair to good, but not high end. If I had to change something on this rifle, it would be the scope. I would get a higher quality scope that had a better objective lens adjustment. My brother noted that he wished the scope could be mounted a tad further towards the shooter to make it easy to shoot when wearing a heavy coat while squirrel hunting (which we did).
Gamo’s patented Custom Action Trigger gives shooters a crisp, clean trigger pull to improve accuracy. The first and second stages are adjustable independently. Trigger pull averages 3 pounds.
Although the gun is long and a bit heavy, it is balanced and looks great. My brother commented that he liked the exposed metal barrel vs. the complete plastic shroud that some guns have. At a 41-lb. cocking effort, this gun requires some strength. Keep that in mind. Young shooters or those with shoulder or strength issues will not be able to use this gun easily.
My brother also commented that the instructions include a warning to be sure to pass a cleaning rod through the bore to ensure that it is clear of obstructions. When doing, so you might as well run a cleaning patch, as this gun's bore was dirty. The patch came out black from the grease or oil in the barrel. That is good advice, as a clean gun shoots much better than a dirty one!
This gun is great for squirrel hunting and I see a definite use for it in areas where homeowners may have just a small parcel to hunt on, and noise and bullet travel are a serious consideration. My brother has under 10 acres and we can see houses through the woods, yet we felt comfortable hunting with this airgun provided we were careful of the backstop and direction of the shot. Shooting downhill, into dirt or a tree trunk was key to some impromptu squirrel hunting fun.
Gamo continues their line of break barrels with another great product. The Swarm 10X Gen 3i Magnum Pro is a game-getter and a joy to shoot. Pair it with the Redfire pellets and you have a winning combination! MSRP $319; GamoUSA.com.
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