6 yard pistol... Alecto or Compact?

[harvey_s]

I wasn't dismissing your comments and I was careful about adding the fact that it was personal opinion.
I still stand by my opinion about the Compact being the better choice despite some others to the contrary - they're entitled to their own opinions as well.

Whilst there is a huge amount of very good advice on the entire BBS - when it comes to asking for individual gun recommendations it tends to get a little 'focused' at times....its a small price to pay and far better than indifference

It also depends of course if you're looking for new or S/H as well, cos' if its the latter - what's available at the time can have a large part to play as well.

[humperdingle]

Thanks for all the input folks... Managed to get a very nice Gamo Compact S/H off the forum.

No pellets, though, so can't try it

Fits nicely in the hand, though

[peteswright]

Thanks for all the input folks... Managed to get a very nice Gamo Compact S/H off the forum.

No pellets, though, so can't try it

Fits nicely in the hand, though

Congratulations! they're a great target pistol if you get on with the anatomical grip. I always found Geco's fine as a cheap pellet until you want to experiment with more expensive R10's maybe. Did you get a manual with it? are you aware of all adjustments possible? Two drops of pellgunoil or magic9 ssp oil every 250 pellets in the air hole will keep it sweet. ATB. Pete.

[humperdingle]

Congratulations! they're a great target pistol if you get on with the anatomical grip. I always found Geco's fine as a cheap pellet until you want to experiment with more expensive R10's maybe. Did you get a manual with it? are you aware of all adjustments possible? Two drops of pellgunoil or magic9 ssp oil every 250 pellets in the air hole will keep it sweet. ATB. Pete.

No mate, didn't come with a manual... Need to start researching. I'm waiting on some RWS Hobby pellets before I can test it.

Is it OK to dry fire the Compact?

[Adam77K]

It should be fine to dry fire any SSP.

[clarky]

It should be fine to dry fire any SSP.

Can recommend the Hobby pellet for it. I would not dry fire it personally and it only comes with anatomical grips.
The sporter style grip which shows up on web searches is merely someones attempt to sporterize the gun, by removing the palm shelf and slimming down the wood. Or....it is not a true Compact only ever intended as a true budget match pistol.

In regard of dry firing, the HW75 can be happily dry fired, or rather hammer cocked to set the trigger. A nice feature due to having an external, manual hammer. Not so the Compact. Thus trigger testing would require complete cocking cycle to test. However, in my opinion you would be firing much faster air through the tiny valve system (with no forward pressure of the pellet to slow it) and could risk scorching the seals.
The odd accidental shot wont hurt but continual firing is not recommended.

[Adam77K]

Can recommend the Hobby pellet for it. I would not dry fire it personally and it only comes with anatomical grips.
The sporter style grip which shows up on web searches is merely someones attempt to sporterize the gun, by removing the palm shelf and slimming down the wood. Or....it is not a true Compact only ever intended as a true budget match pistol.

In regard of dry firing, the HW75 can be happily dry fired, or rather hammer cocked to set the trigger. A nice feature due to having an external, manual hammer. Not so the Compact. Thus trigger testing would require complete cocking cycle to test. However, in my opinion you would be firing much faster air through the tiny valve system (with no forward pressure of the pellet to slow it) and could risk scorching the seals.
The odd accidental shot wont hurt but continual firing is not recommended.

I must have dry fired (with pressurised air) my 75 hundreds of times in the 18 years or so I've owned it. It's never been serviced or even apart as it's never needed it.

I would have thought that if anything the rapid pressure loss would chill the seals.

[peteswright]

Can recommend the Hobby pellet for it. I would not dry fire it personally and it only comes with anatomical grips.
The sporter style grip which shows up on web searches is merely someones attempt to sporterize the gun, by removing the palm shelf and slimming down the wood. Or....it is not a true Compact only ever intended as a true budget match pistol.

In regard of dry firing, the HW75 can be happily dry fired, or rather hammer cocked to set the trigger. A nice feature due to having an external, manual hammer. Not so the Compact. Thus trigger testing would require complete cocking cycle to test. However, in my opinion you would be firing much faster air through the tiny valve system (with no forward pressure of the pellet to slow it) and could risk scorching the seals.
The odd accidental shot wont hurt but continual firing is not recommended.

Whats your opinion on just lifting the barrel arm to 45 degrees to set the trigger, then dry firing. I've done this on my ssp's without problems. ATB. Pete.

[harvey_s]

Handbooks and exploded views for all Gamo guns are available here : http://www.gamo.com/portal/internati...Portlet=111442

Dry firing should not cause any issues and indeed is not mentioned as harmful in the manual, however its just unnecessary and loud - as Pete mentions, just open the action a little way to set the trigger and all you get is a nice quiet 'click' when the trigger is pulled.

By the way the triggers on compacts can be made quite exceptional for the price at no extra cost.
The details are here if you're interested : http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread.....-Gamo-Compact

(the original 'postcards from spain' article with photos is long gone although the original text can be seen via the wayback machine)

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I found the HW75 uncomfortable to shoot two handed because of the palm shelf.

For me any gun with a palm shelf is a one handed shooter.

[clarky]

I found the HW75 uncomfortable to shoot two handed because of the palm shelf.

For me any gun with a palm shelf is a one handed shooter.

You mean the Compact....because the 75 has an ambidextrous grip with no palm shelf.....ideal for 2 handed shooting!

As regard my opinion of cocking the Compact barrel to 45 degrees to set the trigger......yes you can do this but it is not a perfectly true feel.
With the 75 the full hammer is set and strikes the valve as if proper firing. The Compact however, merely sets the trigger without the valve strike. We are probably only talking ounces of difference but fact remains its not exactly replicating the regular charge.

In regard dry firing and air cooling the O rings.....Wrong. Cold air passing more quickly over seals does not cool them down, quite the opposite. When air is passed through tiny volumes, transfer ports etc, it super heats due to friction. As example Jet aircraft have their wings super heated by the passage of air even at high altitude where the air is freezing. No cooling effect here then. Crosman pistol O rings are quite routinely found scorched due to dry firing but operating at higher pressures of course. Dry firing is not recommended by lots of manufacturers, although at the lower pressures of SSP pistols, possibly a much lesser effect than multi pumps or PCP.
Its only my recommendation....you do not have to follow it, while O rings do not cost much to replace even if they do get scorched. Its just the valve head ring is tricky to replace compared to the easy piston head ring, which is not subject to heat friction incidentally. Im talking about the tiny O ring on the small diameter valve stem which allows high pressure through it when moved down from its seal position by the trigger. Tricky to get at.

[peteswright]

You mean the Compact....because the 75 has an ambidextrous grip with no palm shelf.....ideal for 2 handed shooting!

As regard my opinion of cocking the Compact barrel to 45 degrees to set the trigger......yes you can do this but it is not a perfectly true feel.
With the 75 the full hammer is set and strikes the valve as if proper firing. The Compact however, merely sets the trigger without the valve strike. We are probably only talking ounces of difference but fact remains its not exactly replicating the regular charge.

In regard dry firing and air cooling the O rings.....Wrong. Cold air passing more quickly over seals does not cool them down, quite the opposite. When air is passed through tiny volumes, transfer ports etc, it super heats due to friction. As example Jet aircraft have their wings super heated by the passage of air even at high altitude where the air is freezing. No cooling effect here then. Crosman pistol O rings are quite routinely found scorched due to dry firing but operating at higher pressures of course. Dry firing is not recommended by lots of manufacturers, although at the lower pressures of SSP pistols, possibly a much lesser effect than multi pumps or PCP.
Its only my recommendation....you do not have to follow it, while O rings do not cost much to replace even if they do get scorched. Its just the valve head ring is tricky to replace compared to the easy piston head ring, which is not subject to heat friction incidentally. Im talking about the tiny O ring on the small diameter valve stem which allows high pressure through it when moved down from its seal position by the trigger. Tricky to get at.

True about setting the trigger by lifting barrel arm not giving a true trigger feel on the compact, but even the purpose made dry fire facility on the HW45 is nothing like either. as you say the 75 has it all! I prefer not to dry fire practice anyway, and always live fire, so as to have the true feel of the trigger and get feedback from seeing where the pellet ends up. After all, the cost of ammo for air pistols is not comparable with powder burners!!! ATB. Pete.

[humperdingle]

Finally got round to testing my new (to me) Gamo Compact...

Rather an impressive pistol, i'd say! Tried a few 6yd target groups and it's brilliant - very similar in operation to the HW40, I suppose.

What impresses me, apart from the accuracy, are the lovely, stippled handles... A slight adjustment and my hand was being hugged like a hand likes to be hugged

Very happy with it and cheers for all the advice and words of wisdom