My plan was to take some time while out here in the West Texas desert to pull out the big bores for a little testing. Unfortunately, weather and schedules have prevented that from happening. Fortunately though, I always like to have a backup plan for when things don’t quite go the way I’d like.
Since I’ve not had the time to take out the Sam Yang 909, I pulled out my Gamo G2 Whisper .22 and decided to get in a little pest bird target practice. We have about 300 +/- acres to play on out at “the ranch” which is covered with mesquite, wild grass, creosote bushes, various cacti, and all kinds of other ground cover. It’s been really wet which means that shooting distances are greatly reduced, perfect for the Gamo G2.
When you here the word “desert” this is NOT what you expect.The Gamo G2 .22 as a field gun.
Having been on several hunts in the past, one thing that I’ve grown to appreciate and love is a light airgun, or at least one with a good sling. I was out for a couple of hours this morning and the G2 was not a burden to carry at all. The lightweight adjustable stock along with the SAT trigger, really makes it enjoyable to shoulder and shoot.
I’ve added the Hawke Sport HD 3-9×40 AO Mil-Dot scope to my G2 which has proven to be a reliable choice. One thing that I failed to do before going out in the field was to check my point of impact when shooting from the shoulder. When my first couple of shots missed their mark, I found a dirt bank and setup at about 20 yards. Since the foliage is so thick I don’t think I’ll be taking any shots further than that. After a couple of test shots and a quick scope adjustment, I was on target in business.
Gamo G2 taking out pests in West Texas – I’m testing the aim point on my Hawke Sport HD 3-9×40 AO ScopeThere’s nothing like a live target
The ranch has a lot of pest birds, mostly English sparrows also known as common house sparrows. These sparrows are not native to this region and they are a highly adaptive and pervasive species that dislodge and even kill native songbird varieties. They are also prone to carry parasites and germs that can cause issues on the range. So, while they are quite cute to look at, they need to go. This provides the opportunity to quite literally “kill two birds with one… well pellet.” First, I’m able to thin out the pest bird population which is helpful to the ranch. And second, I’m able to get some actual trigger time on live targets. As a guy who primarily shoots from the bench on a nice range, hitting tiny targets at strange angles and varying distances without the assistance of a rest is a real challenge but one I greatly enjoy.
The kill zone on these starts around .5” and goes up to about .75” maybe as much as 1” on larger birds. That’s not a lot of room to put a pellet from a breakbarrel airgun while shooting from the shoulder. The only way to get better, is to get out and get in some trigger time.
Having a lot of fun
There are some folks that may not see the point of taking out pest birds or any other type of small game. I certainly respect their point of view. However, airguns are used for a lot more than just tipping over tin cans in the back yard. In fact, most airguns like the G2 are purchased for pest control and small game hunting. For airgunners looking for a good, pest control / small game hunting option, the Gamo G2 may be a good choice for them if the rest of the specs line up with their wish list. Mine is in .22 which is what I’d recommend for this type of shooting. Because the rifle is very light, you will need to work on maintaining proper technique to see consistent shots, especially when shooting from the shoulder.
Gamo G2 Taking out pests in West TexasI find days like today very enjoyable and a lot of fun. I get out in nature, just me and my airgun, and I find out exactly where my skills are hitting the mark and where they need work. Sometimes A LOT of work. In the end, I’ve gotten a little exercise, the ranch is down a few pests, and I know where my skill set it lacking.
As for the Gamo G2
I was about 33% today with my Gamo G2. That’s not a fault of the G2, that’s a fault of my inability to aim straight trying to shoot from the shoulder as well as not being able to correctly read angles and pellet rise and fall at various ranges. When the shots were inside 15 yards, I was pretty close to 100%. But, as the ranges increased out to about 25 yards it went south pretty quickly. I know the .22 caliber G2 can group under 1” at out to 25+ yards from the bench, so the deficiency is not the gun, it’s all me. So, I guess I’ll work on getting in a little more practice!
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Supplemental articles on the Gamo G2:
