I have a Wyoming elk hunt coming up where shooting will be between 200-400 yards and a shooting window may only last a few seconds. These conditions require extreme accuracy and often hitting a “bull” is much more about the skills of the shooter and less about the accuracy of the rifle. Just as archers practice regularly, center-fire shooters should too, yet going to a range can be time consuming or nearly impossible as the other hunters gather to tune up not to mention the cost of ammo which can rise to $50 per box if you shoot a magnum rifle. A great solution is a .22 caliber Gamo airgun. Recently, I used one on a squirrel hunt and now practice in my backyard. While barbecuing I set up a target and use the heightened angle of the deck to shoot safely in my backyard, despite it’s proximity to other houses.
After setting up a scope, I shot a five-shot group and was somewhat disappointed at the one-inch group. Succeeding groups got smaller and smaller leading me to believe that the rifle needed “breaking in.” Finally, I put two pellets in the same hole and realized this was not about the rifle at all. Shot grouping was all about me and the more I shot, the better the groups. The Whisper Fusion Mach 1 .22 caliber makes a modest report and thanks to the suppressor on the muzzle is quiet enough to not annoy neighbors. Additionally, the rifle has a safety, trigger squeeze, scope sighting, and basically all of the elements my .300 Win Mag will have on the elk hunt.
Gamo air rifles are inexpensive, fun to shoot, and make practicing extremely simple. The Whisper Fusion weighs 8 pounds (about the same as a high-powered rifle) and has a trigger pull of 3.74 pounds, a bit heavy, but one that will make my shooting more accurate. I popped on a TruGlo Scope which very much duplicates the big game experience. … [continued]
