# I need help picking a gun!



## EricE7 (Sep 19, 2011)

I want to get a air gun and use it for rabbit and squirrel hunting! My friends go all the time and i am tired of missing out.
which gun do yall think would be better? the Gamo Big Cat 1200 Air Rifle/ http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/produ ... 7.12115093 or the Stoeger X-10 177 Caliber Airgun/ http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/spor ... /cat100023

thanks for the help


----------



## EricE7 (Sep 19, 2011)

anybody have any ideas at all?


----------



## zzyzx (Mar 20, 2010)

If you read many posts on this question you will find Gamo is not held in high esteem by most with experience.

Am not familiar with the Stoeger.

A good all around shooter is the RWS model 34. Fair price, good power and a nice shooter. The 34 Panther has the black composite stock and is good for what you are looking at.

Don't be misled by claims of high pellet speed. Approaching the speed of sound makes pellets unstable. Just part of the design and workings of these rifles. 850-950 fps is generally good for your use in .177. 650-950 in .22. Be aware that the magnum rifles in pellet shooting are not easy for many to master. Double recoil is harsh and many have trouble with the higher power as a result. They work well but take more finesse.

No matter what you get figure basically 50 yards and closer. A bit less for the lower powered rifles, but the many claims of 100 yard plus shots are just that for most making them.... claims. Few pellet rifles have the power to reliably take game at those distances. The shooters who do it regularly are good shots, usually shoot a lot and tailor the rifles to the shooting. Not lower powered rifles but the more refined and powerful air rifles.

Good luck. A bit of searching here will get you a lot more information.


----------



## Deadcalm (Oct 5, 2011)

My first post. All i can tell you is that i bought a Big Cat 1200 the same day i bought my Mosin/Nagant M91/30 rifle. I paid more for the Big Cat than the Mosin. Bought it with out any research, just because it looked good and was 7 pounds. Well i put the scope on it, fired a few shots at a target then shot a gopher through the head at 33 feet while standing. All i could see was his head. First time with a pellet rifle, i have been shooting since i was 8 years old. I was very lucky as it started shooting all over the place after that. After months of steady shooting i have found that Gammo ammo is junk. I use Beemans coated hollow points. After much research on the net i have it dialed in. The kill zone is up to 50 yards. All that i need to remove birds and small game. I have found i have to shoot almost everyday. Hope this helps. It helps to shoot from inside the house to muffle the sound. People who have problems with this gun just do not spend the time to lear how to use it, in my opinion. Killed a Jay bird today at 45 yards, one shot, no problem.


----------

