I bought an inexpensive Gamo Varmint .177 break action as a first air rifle with intentions of thinning the red squirrel herd eating all our pecans, eating the deck, and drowning in the pool.

So I started with some common Crossman Destroyer 7.9 grain pellets. Those were all over the place, and cracked a report like a .22. So I picked up some Gamo Whisper 10.5 grain to reduce report, and for that they work well.

Problem is grouping. The Gamo pellets talk about 7/8" group at 20 meters.  Well I can barely get a basketball sized group offhand. Baseball sized with support.

At first I was holding the rifle too tight and learned about the artillery hold. After that the groups were better, but no WAY I would shoot at a squirrel without at least a quarter size group.

I've watched videos and read various threads and blogs.  What am I doing wrong??

Gamo Varmit with 4x32 scope

I don't know the answer - hoping someone will chime in - but did you post an earlier thread about wanting an airgun to shoot squirrels, where the Gamo silent cat whisper was recommended by several posters?

If so, I'm wondering why you decided to buy this model rather than the silent cat (which I've been considering for dispatching squirrels with extreme prejudice)...

I think that this one is a bit less expensive than the silent cat and is rated for the same max velocity, but maybe not as quiet...

Yes, that's my thread. I wanted a $100 rifle and the first suggestions on this site almost always ask you to double your budget :)

The Cat has the same velocity and same scope, with a tacticool stock and built-in can (or whatever the whisper technology is).  I thought I was getting a very simiar base rifle for half the price.  I paid $75

Shoot the heck out of it. From what I've read you need to put a couple hundred rounds through it before accuracy comes in. Worked on my crosman. It went from basket ball to golf ball, quickly once it broke in. If the trigger sucks, maybe the ball bearing hack for crosman will work. Check all screws for snug fit....

Well I'll keep shooting until it breaks in or return it to Amazon.

Better pellets.  RWS R10 Match, 8.2gr; H&N Sport Finale Match Rifle, 8.18gr; H&N Sport Field Target, 8.49gr; and JSB Match Exact Diabolo, 8.44 gr should all group better than the Gamo or Crosman pellets.

You mentioned artillery hold, so you've done your research.

They can be fickle tools.

You need to be very consistent.

You also have to be careful with the sound barrier. These rifles are at risk of going supersonic, and inconsistently. Use a heavy pellet.

I kill pigeons with a cheaper variant than you have, it can be done.

I miss on occasion, though - probably because I accidentally put some new pressure on the stock somewhere.

But, meh, it's a .177 pellet.

http://www.airgundepot.com/392-rm.html
For  $130 you can eliminate "the artillery hold".

For a fairly cheap break barrel I keep hearing good things about the Beeman Silver Kodiak with 2 barrels. You get 2 calibers (.177 and .22) for a hundred bucks at Walmart. But as mentioned before you need to put about 2 tins of pellets I hear before tighter groups start happening. Also a higher end pellet like H&N, JSB or RWS are better for hunting accuracy.

So I'm over 100 rounds, and I can hit an iron railroad baseplate 4 out of 5 shots at 100 feet.

After another hundred or so rounds, I'll decide if this rifle has tightened up enough, or not.

Please recommend a heavy, accurate .177 pellet.

The Crosman 10.5 domes shoot pretty good from my Diana 34, they might be worth a try.

You have several variables to monitor here

First, these guns so tighten up as they wear in. It can be three or four hundred rounds. I normally like a full tin of 500 before I start watching close.

Second, you're getting better already. Me hold new gun etc.part of your improvement is learning to shoot this well. I think shooting Springer guns accurately offhand may be the hardest challenge in shooting.long terrible trigger pulls, long dwell times in barrel, shock and motion through the entire cycle. It's hard.

Third, these systems are not all that inherently accurate, the pellets aren't really uniform, they have terrible aero profiles, the guns are light etc.

Fourth, the guns are often super picky about pellets.get a sampler pack with lots of different brands.sometimes I see huge groups, then a new pellet attacks then in there in tiny little groups. So try a few types of pellet too

So keep working, groups will get tighter and tighter, don't give up right away on the gun. It already sounds pretty good from what you are seeing.

Also don't forget to tighten all the screws, especially the screws that hold the action in the stock, the pivot screws for the barrel and finally any screws holding the scope. Airguns have a weird harsh recoil. Try the gun with iron sights if it has them sometimes the scopes that come with the guns are little more than paperweights.

Update 4 months later: our neighborhood has about 34 fewer squirrels, which doesn't include some my oldest son shot.  This cheap air gun and scope gets the job done.

I love me some squirrels - don’t hate them like I hate pigeons. But, I can appreciate successful marksmanship.

Bravisimo!

Glad you stuck with it.

Gamo is a good rifle, with most being made in Spain....some even in England *gasp*

Magnum springers are very much a learned skill.

This. Artillary hold, light grip, is so foreign. When I miss, it’s often because I held a tight grip.

glad it's working out for you. Springers are sooo sensitive to hold, variations in technique etc.  

you'll be surprised how much better of a normal rifle shooter you are because of your work with the springer.

The other thing is you may be able to fit a Charlie da Tuna gold trigger to that gun and make it a LOT easier to shoot.  I fit them to all my spring guns.