Looking for the best Gamo air rifles under $300 in 2025? You’re in the right place. Gamo has built a solid reputation for making affordable, high-performance air rifles perfect for target shooting, small game hunting, and backyard plinking. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced shooter, plenty of budget-friendly options don’t compromise on power, accuracy, or durability. Let’s dive into the top picks for this year!
1. Gamo Swarm Maxxim Air Rifle
Highlight: 10-Shot break barrel allows you to shoot up to ten pellets without reloading.
Constuctive Review: So I wanted to get a proper airgun for pest control and small-game hunting around my semi-rural home. I wanted something quiet enough to not upset the neighbors. After doing a ton of research, I decided that I wanted a .22 or .25. Something that would stay sub-sonic but still have plenty of punch.
I’m also trying to avoid plastic, so I looked for something with a wooden stock. I settled on a Benjamin Trail XL Nitro in .25. When it arrived, I first noticed that it weighed a ton! More than my 1940s-era .30-06 deer rifle! Second thing I noticed was that the barrel seemed to be pointing a little to the left.
Well I mounted the scope and started shooting, and the next thing I noticed was that, although it was definitely shooting hard to the left, it was also amazingly consistent. Tiny groups, even though I hadn’t yet given it a proper break-in. But the misaligned barrel, plus a stripped screw at the front of the trigger guard, plus the incredible weight, made me decide to return it.
That’s when I ordered the Gamo Swarm in .22 to replace it. Lighter and quieter, just as accurate, and the 10-round magazine works great. Even the scope, while nothing special (no focus adjustment), works fine so far.
Tried three different kinds of lead-free pellets, and one is much better out of this gun than the others (I won’t say which, because each individual gun barrel is unique, and you need to find out for yourself). Got it all sighted in. Then yesterday I dropped a squirrel out of an apple tree at thirty yards. Right through the head, he hit the ground and never twitched.
It’s still early days and I’ve only put a few dozen pellets through it, but I’m totally satisfied. This is an awesome airgun. I may change out the scope, but maybe not. And the trigger is pretty clunky. I’ve adjusted it as far as I can, and I may mod it to make it even crisper. But then again, since I’m shooting quarter-sized groups right on the X, maybe I’ll just leave well enough alone.
Highly recommend this gun! -A. Burgess
Trending Review: This is gonna be an extensive .177 review. First off this gun is incredible. I’m pretty sure I read every review before I bought this gun and watched every video on YouTube. Unboxing and putting the scope on was simple. I read how some people screwed up the scope after breaking open the barrel. To me, really have to not be paying attention to screw it up.
Out of the box the scope has a notch where it fits on to the premounted rail. Put it on, tighten up three screws with the included torx wrench and you’re off. I went through and cross tightened all the other screws on the scope just to be sure. After that, you’re ready to break in the gun. In MY experience, I didn’t start getting consistent shots until at LEAST 75 shots got ran through it. After that I started getting consistent groups and THEN started adjusting the scope.
People saying that their scope isn’t accurate, I think may have been trying to adjust it too soon. I sighted mine in to be dead on at 25 yards since that’s about how far I need to take out my pests. However, aiming high, I was able to knock down 4 paint cans with 4 shots at around 55yards. It’s going to drive nails, it’s a pellet gun, you can’t expect that. I will say though that even at about 40 yards with a 10gr pellet, I could get 3 shot groups within a 2” circle.
So that’s the accuracy aspect. How does it feel? It feels comfortable, the scope is easy to see, the “whisper barrel” or whatever…if anything provides a nice large barrel to grab on to. The magazine works great – surprisingly and the cocking is amazingly smooth but my girlfriends 70yo dad had some trouble. Just be sure to push the pellets ALL THE WAY IN.
So there are some downsides but nothing that I fault the gun for. First you CAN double cock it. Obviously you don’t want to fire it with 2 pellets loaded but you can take the second pellet out with some needle nose pliers. Also, you can dry fire the gun (which I haven’t done that). Both of these problems are easy to do when you get caught up having so much fun and don’t pay attention.
I’ll try to remember to write an updated review after I put a few hundred more shots through. I expect it to only get more accurate. This gun is seriously a ton of fun. And remember, this is not Ralphies Red Ryder. This is a dangerous weapon and the power does cause a lot of ricochets. Pay attention and shoot safe! -Berleigh16
Reassuring Review: GAMO Swarm Maxxim in .22 is a FANTASTIC air rifle! The 10 shot magazine is simply an amazing feature on a very accurate – out of the box – .22 break barrel air gun.
Those who have the many positive reviews posted here of this air rifle are NOT overstating the many great features of the Swarm .22.
But I want to only focus on the ACCURACY and the 3-9x 40 GAMO SCOPE.
There are many folks (on this and other air gun web sites) who for their own reasons have posted very poor review ratings for this Swarm Maxxim .22 on ACCURACY and even have literally called the GAMO scope “junk”…but from my own experiences…I have found the exact opposite to be true for me.
Now I am an experienced air rifle shooter, and I am very comfortable around shooting in general…so when I received my Gamo Swarm Maxxim .22 today (thanks Amazon PRIME) …I immediately bench mounted the scope, and laser sighted it at 20 yards with a barrel mounted laser…(it took about 8 inches of elevation and 4 inches of right adjustment) to get it on paper with my barrel mounted laser sight. The adjustments needed were several 360 degree cranks of Up MOA clicks and about one full 360 degree turn MOA clicks to the Right…the laser then sighted well with the Gamo 3-9 x 40 scope which came with the Swarm Maxxim .22 right out of the box.
So I loaded 4 shots (Crossman Premium HP .22 at 14.3 gr) into the magazine and hand held but bench rest fired it outdoors at ~20 yards…the actual photo of the target for the first 4 shots is attached…sorry for the lack of photo rotation (darn iPhone photo)…it was getting dark and cold so I only had daylight to shoot this 4 shot test target.
Shot 1 was a bit high and ~1 inch left – I adjusted 32 MOA clicks Right & 8 MOA clicks Down
Shot 2 was evidence of my over correction and this shot was 1 inch right and a bit low – 16 MOA clicks Left & 4 MOA clicks Up
Shot 3 was centered but a bit low and still a touch right – 2 MOA clicks Left & 1 more MOA click Up
Shot 4 is right where it needs to be – close to perfection.
I am one happy Swarm Maxxim .22 owner! Richard
2. Gamo Swarm Fusion 10X GEN3i Inertia Air Rifle With 1,000 fps Velocity
Highlight: Developed to subdue the taxing stresses placed on your scope from the intense recoil of air guns and high-powered rifles.
Constructive Review: Few observations, I have had it a few days now and what i found out so far. Take 100 pellets and just shoot, don’t try and zero the sights. I tried zeroing it in. got frustrated considered returning it.
have fun, let grand-kids shoot, wife neighbor. use cheapest you can find.Take 2nd set of 100 and learn to hold. a soft rest and light against shoulder worked great. @250 or so pellets i can now shoot 1/2 dollar size groups @25yards. it is getting better every mag full. out the box stock scope was close. sight in@25 yards not 20 or 20. easier math
The 10 shot mag, brilliant. flawless so far. pumps easy. I am 62 and manage just fine, neck surgery, 3 separated shoulders.
for the math 1/4″@100 yards is 16 clicks for 1″ at 25 yards. stock scope could be better. might replace. i dont know.I already see i will need 2 or 3 mags when i am squirrel hunting. probably 3.
overall it is light took it out for a walk pickin up trail cams. killed a couple trees. easy carry w/sling
Disappoints-
1) thought it came with iron sights. gen3i does not.. pics show a gen2, buyer beware
2) does not come with any pellets or target or sling. pellets would have been nice,
3) no mount for a sling, you will need a looped sling on both ends to carry but end maybe drill for swivel.packaging was fine, even came with 2 star wrenchs, yes star not allan, good thing came with it.
scope mounts easy enough. load mag pump shoot, just that easy
enjoy all. – Maryland
Trending Review: I have had rats in my yard as well as my house. We took care of the rats in the house but had witnessed multiple rats in our yard. I have a mad amount traditional guns, but I live in an area where you cannot legally fire a typical gun.
Being that air rifles are not considered “guns” in most US states and the fact this gun is also quiet enough to not raise alarm with my neighbors, it is perfect for killing rats and other vermin in my yard. Currently rats are my only enemy for this rifle.
I one shot kill them from about 25ft. I have some groundhogs I just discovered and from my target testing, it will be hard to hit them precisely at 100ft. It may take them out, but I am still working on dialing in my scope to ensure I hit them where it matters, at least until I dial in this scope at the distance I plan to dispatch them. Back to the rats though.
It kills these mofos instantly one shot aiming at the base of their head at 20-25ft (iron sights, i dont really use my scope right now). The pellets I am using did not puncture its body so I think the kinetic energy alone was enough to shut the lights off. For the price, its a pretty cool gun. The optics cover for the front of the scope do not come off while attached because the hardware on the gun are in the way. That is really my only complaint. -Just a Jones
Reassuring Review: Lots of good things about this rifle and a couple of oh shit moments, but quickly addressed by manufacturer.
Iron sites shot true out of the box – quarter grouping at 10yrds, 2″ grouping at 30yrds. Added scope and after 100 shots windage just didn’t dial in. Contacted Gamo and they immediately sent me out a replacement. That worked great and was a very happy camper with quarter groupings at 30yrds. However, another 200 shots later the loader came off the guide grove/cam. What a pain! Being comfortable fixing things, removed pins and re-assembled. Worked fine until i forgot to treat it with TLC, slow break – it came off again.
Do over and then shot 9 magazine before it unseated itself again. Was done with it, but again, Gamo sent out a replacement within a week and it continues to work great. As mentioned everywhere the scope is, well, limited. No AO with focus set to 25yrds.
Find it good for up to 50 yards. Upgraded the scope to a Pinty 4-16X40 AO Red Green Blue Illuminated Mil Dot. Sweet scope for $54. Unfortunately, it was way too long and sat over the break of the barrel which depressed me – had to send it back and will live with Gamo’s.
Found that it works best with 18 grain pellets at 25 yards plus. 25 grain slugs drop considerably -approx. 2″ at 30 yards. At 30 yards 18 grains demolish 3/4″ plywood! -Truce aenlle
3. Gamo Swarm Magnum 10X GEN3i Inertia With 1,300 fps Velocity
Highlight: Shot technology enables you to shoot up to ten pellets without reloading. Single cocking system.
Constructive Review: They advertise “Lightning-quick follow-up shots” which to me is false advertising. To me, a follow-up shot is a shot that can be taken within a second or two and without taking your sights away from down range / your target.
This is an absolute misnomer in the context of this rifle because YOU HAVE TO CHARGE IT BETWEEN EACH SHOT by breaking the barrel again. So, even with the very helpful 10-round magazine, there are no actual follow-up shots happening, just plainly another shot.
Speaking of the break barrel, it is quite stiff out of the box. As a 250-lb guy who is strong enough to do a few pull-ups, I must be doing something wrong with my technique because it is much stiffer than I was expecting, and far stiffer than my other rifle.
Hoping it loosens up over time. I eagerly popped in a full mag, charged one shot up (with difficulty), discovered that I have to break the barrel between each shot, and promptly put the rifle away back in its case. -Jones
Trending Review: First of all, wow. This rifle has phenomenal power. I’m new to the world of modern air rifles, and I was quite surprised by just how hard this rifle punches- and kicks for that matter. Not that it kicks as hard as even a .22 powder rifle, but I was still surprised to feel the recoil on my first few shots.
So far, I have put 50 H&N Barracuda Hunter Extreme 18.52 grain hollow point pellets through the rifle, and I’ve got it pretty well sighted in. I didn’t want to use a bench since I won’t be using a bench in the real world, and it feels like the recoil might be adding some inconsistency into the equation. But then again, it’s still very accurate and I haven’t gotten it properly broken in yet, much less settled on the most accurate and consistent pellet type.
The rifle is much louder than I expected, but I am not experienced enough with modern air rifles to make any determination or comparison as to how loud it “should” be.
What I can say is that I bought this for eliminating pigeons in my back yard, and I went WAY overboard. I wanted something that will instantly and ethically dispatch a pigeon, and a well-placed shot with this will more than achieve that goal. But as I am in a neighborhood, this may actually be too much power and also be a bit too loud to just start plinking like I had expected. I feel a bit naive, and that I didn’t do adequate research for my specific purpose, but that should not take away from the quality or amazing-ness of this rifle.
I’ve now read reviews of this thing taking out coyotes, and I do not doubt it one bit. Highly recommend for its intended purpose of hunting! Plinking pests in the back yard might warrant further consideration. -Sean I.
Reassuring Review: Amazing air rifle and great customer service. Fast and they make things simple and easy. I’m very impressed with Amazon and Gamo USA.
This air rifle is no joke. It’s a beast. I love it and so very happy I bought this air rifle. It’s worth every penny. I bought this in .22cal. It packs one hell of a punch. This is not for a weak person. I can put 5 rounds in a group the size of a dime at 49 to 50 yards.
I just received it and it is still breaking in. I haven’t shot any further than that yet. I will be shooting it further once it finishes settling in. It’s very impressive. Gamo USA is on there game with this air rifle. I now want one in .25cal. -Martin
4. Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 Air Rifle
Highlihgt: The GAMO Whisper Fusion is powerful, quiet and accurate.
Constructive Review: Ive been putting this off for a while but i want to tell people how much i like this air rifle. There was little doubt for me that i should get the .22 instead of a .177 but i feel good with this decision.
This is not an entry level air rifle even if it as marketed as one. Really this is about as advanced of a single shot air rifle that one would ever need because if you need more than a single shot or more than a 1000 fps .22 then perhaps this is not the correct projectile rifle for you.
Works great for me as a varmint poaching rifle and good accuracy for plinking and target shooting. Accuracy is good as it gets for a .22 air rifle. Im down to iron sights because the included 3 dot fiber optic iron sights are such good iron sights, that it would be a shame to put a scope over them.
I prefer to iron sight this rifle and it works well. the trigger is adjustable but i found it to have a nice clean and crisp pull to it that there was no need to adjust it. you could probably adjust it down to a very light pull, but i did not feel the need. at about 6 lbs it is heavier than some, but not as heavy as all. this is just the weight and power of an air rifle that i want to stay at and as for stopping power, it is very good. once i got the barrel “seasoned” and broken in it is quite accurate and really a lot like .22 LR subsonic rimfire ammo for stopping power.
Pellet selection is very important and must be consistent for accuracy. the noise dampener whisper baffles are reasonably quiet and work well enough. its not so quiet that an animal cant hear you fire it, but it is quiet enough that you might get a second or third shot. quieter than any standard firearm ive heard. Maintenance and care are important for this design and you would do well to keep the finish and exposed moving parts as clean and LIGHTLY oiled as possible.
Rust makes me angry and i get a large amount of travel time with moisture, sweat and dirt exposure. the barrel length is on the long side but that adds to the velocity and ease of pulling the barrel to ready it. polymer stock is great for durability and functional purposes. The safety is in the tradditional gamo location and works well. ive actually stored this rifle for severlal days with the piston compressed and ready to fire and this has not been a problem because it is an inert gas piston. as for range and distance, i can consistently hit a man sized target at 100 yds very well with good pellet and good placement. this is a rifle for iron sights most of the time and a 100 yd shot is impressive for any .22 air rifle.
I get a lot of strange looks and interactions with the police because they think that it looks like a firearm. it handles a lot like a .22 firearm and i would compare it to one. the barrel does not have a very fast twist to it and that is probably a good thing for accuracy at this velocity. The advertised claim of 1020 fps would be for a very light pellet about 9 grains or less. i estimate that im pushing 14 grain pellets about 800 fps or so and this is very good. ive seen water strikes with numerous pellet types and there is little doubt that this rifle is well capable of shooting .22 hollow points to the point of expansion. it is clear to me that hollow points do expand very well on water strikes and dump a lot of energy. less expansion with pointed or domed pellets obviously. I wouldnt exactly say that this should be your first air rifle, but it should be my last air rifle. I like this rifle and am very satisfied with it. -Clark
Trending Review: I just received the air rifle two days ago and got to shoot it for the first time yesterday. I initially didn’t put the factory scope on the gun and purchased a different scope. Despite good reviews, the scope I purchased didn’t work out so I put the stock scope on the gun.
With the stock scope it took 4 shots before I had the scope zeroed in. After getting it sighted in I was able to put 3 out of 3 shots in a 1/2” circle without any problem. I was using my children’s red wagon as a rest so not a very stable platform. The factory scope seems to hold 0 and once sighted in, seems to be consistent. I did take all of the screws out of the scope rings and applied a little thread lock (blue lock) to prevent them from loosening when I shoot.
The gun seems pretty powerful. I put a target on a half inch piece of plywood and it shot through the plywood and halfway through a 3/4” piece of plywood that I had sitting behind it at about 20 yards.
I live in a development so I needed something quiet and the gun is very quiet. There is a farm adjacent to my property which has a groundhog problem.
That translates into groundhogs coming from the farm onto my property and I needed something that would send them back to their maker. I tried trapping but there are too many neighborhood dogs that could end up in a trap by accident. I tried a .177 cal break barrel spring gun but they wouldn’t kill the groundhog. I’m hoping that this has enough power to dispatch the ethically and prevent more holes from being dug around my property from the pesky groundhogs. -Gotta_Clue
Reassuring Review: First the plastic emblem fell off the scope, so could this be a sign that I bought a bad item purchasing this gun….NOT! I just got some Gorilla Glue and stuck in back on. Hahahaha This Rifle is no JOKE!!!! It is not a toy and should not be treated as such!!!
Always use the safety BEFORE and AFTER shooting this “BEAST” I wanted to use the gun awhile before I wrote a review on it. The rifle came in a white plastic covered box and is sealed well. After carefully researching and weighing my option for over a year, I chose this rifle. The price was very good, and I’ve always wanted a pellet rifle without hearing when I was younger “You’ll Shoot your eye out boy”, but as long as I keep the safety on that will never happen.
The Whisper Fusion Mach1 was heavier and bigger that I had imagined. Oh my God, cocking this thing is a CHORE. It’s so much easier putting the but end on the ground and cocking it than trying by hand. The nice part is that is not that loud as some reviews say. It just depends how quiet your surroundings are.
I used the Benjamin assorted pellets, and some of those pellets would not fit into the rifle. I’ll use GAMO pellets from now on. This gun works very well. The problem was adjusting the scope. I’d recommend that if you use the scope to find it’s bearings, I would start close like ten yards and calibrate your aim.
First calibrate the side scope first, and then your up/down siting. Make a bulls eye, then shoot, and mark the bulls eye each time you shoot to pin point your accuracy. Now this may take some time, because it did for me at least over an hour. (Even the instruction say to be patient) Once you get your aim at ten yards, with every ten yards from your target you should to turn you scope one revolution, because this worked for me.
And every time you go hunting with this scope you will have to do the same thing especially when distance is involved. So you may just want to spend the money and get a laser scope, or not use a scope at all. So it depends on you hunting skills and techniques. To each his own, and so far this is a good rifle for me. Please remember to use the “GUN SAFETY’ each time you shoot whether loaded or not!!!!! HAVE FUN AND SHOOT SMART!! -JL Smooth
5. Gamo 611006875554 Swarm Whisper Air Rifle
Highlight: The Whisper Technology makes this gun really quiet, and you will appreciate the reduced recoil thanks to the buttpad equipped with the Shock Wave Absorber.
Constructive Review: I HAD a problem with those pesky little red squirrels. They were getting into my motorhome and just being destructive little pests.
I went for this pellet rifle because of the reviews and some YouTube videos. From what I learned is that Gamo makes a good product and even their less expensive models are really good. While I haven’t shot the top of the line model, I am totally satisfied with this one.
Its plenty power enough for small game and accurate enough to ensure a well placed shot. The 10 shot mag allows faster follow up shots and has so far worked flawlessly. I went with the .22 cal for a little more thump and I have to tell you, I don’t have any more red squirrels to bother me. -Shannan
Trending Review: We bought this air rifle for target practice. It works great for my husband and adult son, but I’m not able to break the barrel to cock it. Maybe if my arms were longer, I just can’t get leverage on it. The spring is very strong and it delivers a powerful shot without having to continuously buy cartridges. The build seems very strudy andit should last for years.
The included scope works great for shooting targets that aren’t too far away. None of us see all that well, so we’re not able to test out the distance capabilities just yet. The rifle and scope together seem to be very accurate at the range we’re using. My son took his first shot ever with a rifle and hit the target perfectly, which says a lot for its accuracy.
I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a decent air rifle at a decent price. -Charlie
Reassuring Review: Purchased this rifle because I always wanted one and because I have some tiny intruders that need to be dealt with.
This air rifle with H&N projectiles and the included scope is suitably accurate to 25 yards from the bench–as in it will consistently hit an area about the size of a silver dollar with a crosswind. I am certain that a better scope would improve the accuracy, but when I was mounting the scope I discovered that the rings were ultra-tight on the 1-inch plastic tube. So I took everything apart and re-torqued the rings to 18 inch pounds before sight-in. I don’t know if it made a difference, but I did it anyways. The scope bases are some metal and seem to work fine–I’ll likely retain them when I invariably replace the free scope. Optimally, one would try several types of ammo and pick the most accurate, but the performance I experienced with H&N 18 grain Barracuda Hunters is acceptable for my use, so I didn’t bother with trying a bunch.
The rifle is quiet–from a distance, it sounds like clapping two sticks together. It certainly won’t bother any neighbors, but it is a bona fide weapon for small game so all gun safety rules apply. The rotary mag works as intended. This thing is fun to shoot.
I’m not crazy about the safety lever being inside of the trigger guard, which is a style that is obsolete at best, but it does work as intended.
One final note–I wish Gamo would teach firearm companies how to build a stock. This rifle feels good in hand like a high-quality polymer, not hollow plastic. -Mat B
6. Gamo Wildcat Whisper Air Rifle
Highlight: The rifle is accurate and a lot of fun to shoot.
Constructive Review: UPDATED: GAMO Not only makes a Great Air Rifle for the money, they back up their products with GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. The single pump gas is the way to go for a rifle. It is much easier to shoot than a multi pump, I could shoot this gun all day long and not get tired. As for noise, several years ago I had a spring loaded single pump 177 cal it jarred when shooting, and was almost as loud as a 22, this one is much quieter and smother shooting. I was not all that enthused with the scope, actually I was disappointed with the scope and will be looking for a replacement. it took a lot of shooting to sight it in.
I think the windage adjustment after a certain point was sticking or moving the cross hair backward. I got it close but never really dead on. It only took a month for the Back lenses cover/rim to pop-off. The piece is threaded but appeared to have some type of adhesive on the threads and it will NOT screw back in place. I tried to put my (Pinty 2.5-10×40 Red Green Illuminated Mil-dot Tactical Rifle Scope) but the bracket grip will not close-in enough to tighten down on the groves.
I am trying to glue the cover back in place, now I will have to go though the sighting in again. Just speculation but I’m thinking the scope was defective and returned and was put back in the box with gun I bought.
If the gun came with a better scope or reduced price without the scope and purchase a good scope separately I, would probably have given it a 5 star.
Update, 5.26.21 I contacted GAMO via email, their email response included a phone number and requested I contact customer service via phone, which I did. I explained the issues with the scope and the representative didn’t hesitate or question the scope failure, but instead took my mailing information and told me while we were talking he placed an order to send me an upgraded scope replacement.I upgraded my rating to a 5 STAR Product and a 5 Star Company to do business.
Update, 6.2.21, I received the Replacement Scope from GAMO, and like the Gamo Representative said it was an upgrade from the original Scope. It was easier to mounted, and seemed more stable, and it’s magnification brings targets much closer. I can hit a inside a 4″ target over a 100′ away, granted it takes a little practice for elevation. -Steven K Wilson
Trending Review: First things first, Amazon did a shameful job of NOT packing this item. It arrived in just the manufacture’s retail packaging, no outer box or additional cushioning. The box was in poor shape when USPS handed me the box it had obviously been dropped a few times, even the scope box inside was beat up. Luckily I was unable to find any real damage to the weapon itself other than a couple of scuffs to the stock.
The weapon was pretty much what I had expected based on all the reviews. It is powerful and accurate but with problems. I was able to hold nickel size groups at 10-15 yards relatively easily once I had it sighted in.
The first problem is the scope which is just junk. Expect problems keeping the scope attached to the weapon and I found the the ocular adjustment and lock ring would not stay tight no matter how tight I made them. I have resorted to an ample application of thread locker, I don’t as of yet know if that will do the trick as the scope is plastic and therefore will flex. Expect to be replacing it if you plan on shooting this weapon much
The next issue is the trigger, the second stage is very firm and has a long travel. There is a hack out there that involves replacing the adjustment screw which does help some if you want to go that route.
The last two issues are minor in comparison. The weapon is loud, using heavy .22 cal. hunting pellets, its still as loud as a 22 short. Related to the noise is the recoil, the recoil is significant, and more that a regular 22 LR. Neither of these are an issue for me but may deter some.
All in all I can recommend the weapon but not the scope and will update if that changes. -Michele L. Adkins
Reassuring Review: I was pleasantly surprised with this gun. I took a flyer on it as I knew nothing about it other than the reviews I read across several sites. Was on the fence over this or the .22 sized ones and went with this and have no complaints.
It nails a standard size 10oz can at 50 yards with a nicely wider exit hole cleanly through the other side. It will take anything up to a rabbit at that distance. It would probably work much farther, but I have not tried at those distances, and cant say on the knock down/penetration power past 50 yards. Targets get small out that far too, but give it a try.
Very powerful on squirrels within that 50-yard or less range. The gun shoots very fast so getting the sighting requires a paper target and some glasswork, but once you get it set its highly accurate, very little drop, and not too much adjustment up/down.
Left/right was almost dead on out of the box. I sighted it from about 25 yards then verified at 40, and found it still works to 50. Pro tip: Use the rear focus feature to set it up so you can see the target WITHOUT your eyeglasses on, and then do NOT wear your corrective glasses when you shoot – that messes the refraction up. No corrective lenses and its focused and nails the target. Re-tighten the scope screws every now and then and its good to go.
I only gave 4 stars on the noise level – its not Hollywood whisper quiet, but I’ve missed squirrels, and the sound doesn’t spook them so I could re-load and shoot again. its just not super quiet, but I may not have enough experience with other air-guns and clearly the game doesn’t care. The directions aren’t clear on loading – just break the action downward and put the pellet flush into the hole on the barrel half and close it up. Good luck! -Frank Louthan
7. Gamo 6110017154 Varmint Air Rifle
Highlight: Synthetic Monte Carlo stock with dual raised cheekpieces, manual safety, Steel barrel with fluted polymer jacket, and Anti-beartrap mechanism.
Constructive Review: In the world of a great Barrel air rifles, this deal is one of the most practical deals. For you to get a break barrel with scope, delivered to your home for under a hundred bucks, that’s a deal.
It’s usually about 130 and even that is pretty good. Especially with inflation you know. It seems like all the 130 guns are like 150 now. So I’ve been looking at this deal for a while I have the earlier version of this rifle without the sound suppressor Barrel. It’s a good rifle and I thought I’d get this new version of the varmint and check it out and add it to my collection for this cheap price. After receiving the rifle I’m happy with it for the money.
It is fairly light even with the scope with its synthetic ambidextrous stock. The muffled Barrel does help too quiet the rifle as far as the sound coming up from the barrel there’s not much of it. What you do here more is the sound of the spring telling you that yes I am a Springer.:-). Unlike my other rifles from Amazon this one was single boxed and so the Box took a beating and part of the barrel was kind of sticking out a little bit but after looking over the rifle there was no damages.
However the cover that you put back on the scope when you store it was damaged. But that’s minor it’s just the cover so I’m okay with it. I was lucky. The rifle is okay for a starter rifle for a teenager or something it’s powerful enough, and also for an adult.
It does shoot pretty straight though I must admit. This is the first rifle that after mounting the scope, shot straight! I mean I didn’t have to adjust nothing not even one clear I was amazed by this and was also Lucky in this way. For most rifles you have to zero. Miss rifle will shoot just as good as the more expensive ones that’s for sure, for the most part anyway.
I use the Craftsman hollow points and I’m sure it is not particular when it comes to pellets, of course some pellets will shoot better than others, but it is nice to have a rifle that is not too particular and will even shoot a cheap pellet good. So yeah if you’re looking to get into break barrel air rifling and you don’t want to spend a whole lot of money, and yet still get a decent product that is good for right handed or left-handed shooters this might be the rifle for you. Just another fine addition to the collection. -Gregory Perreira
Trending Review: My experience as someone new to air guns. Overall I like the look, quality and fit & finish for a relatively cheap air rifle. Buy it and have fun!
PROs: Weight and appearance; Ease of setup; Relatively accurate; Affordable; POWERFUL
CONs: Trigger pull is heavy; adjusting the trigger action didn’t work; Scope is basic; Directions in booklet to change scope windage were incorrect
SCOPE Hints: You need to make sure the scope pin is seated snuggly in and against the aft part of the rifle’s anti-recoil hole…and hold it there while tightening the scope clamp bolts otherwise the scope will drift under recoil. Don’t change the pellet type when zeroing it in (I’m using Daisy Destroyers but others seem to really like the Gamo Tomohawks with this gun and at the current price for 750 pellets I wish I’d used em).
Remember, when you change the pellet type you’re changing the ballistics and need to re-zero the sight. I got 1” inch groupings from 20 yards after using 25-30 pellets to find zero. My initial scope settings were way off (elevation required 1 full turn, windage nearly 2 full turns). After 75-100 shots, check the scope zero because the rifle needs time to “settle in”.
SAFETY: Like others have said, watch your backstop/background…this rifle has more punch than you think! -Karl
Reassuring Review: This is the gods truth!
If I had purchased this Gamo Varmint 177 caliper pellet rifle to begin with,
I would have saved a lot of time, money and effort to find one that does everything a pellet rifle should do!
Targets, Plinking, easy! Fun, Good for the kids.
Hunting sport, easily take small game rabbits squirrels,
Guaranteed to come home with dinner.
Noise level is very low,
The look and style are very nice and ergonomic to hold while out hunting for long periods of time.
Over 2 years old, still accurate, still as strong as when I got it,
Not much to say!
Hope your experience is as good as min, with quality by Gamo you can’t go wrong.
Happy hunter, -Rodney Christensen
Final Words For The Best Gamo Air Rifles Under 300$ In 2025
Choosing the best Gamo air rifle under $300 in 2025 doesn’t have to be complicated. Gamo offers plenty of budget-friendly options that deliver solid accuracy, power, and reliability. Whether you’re into target shooting, small game hunting, or just having fun in the backyard, there’s a rifle that fits your needs. Now that you’ve seen the top picks, it’s time to grab the one that suits you best and start making the most of your shooting experience!