Gamo Viper Express Air Shotgun & Rifle

I have worked up a reload for the shells that print better than the factory shells!

Pros
At first I was skeptical. My intent was pest control in the back yard and FUN! My Seneca Double shot is just TOO LOUD in that environment! I had seen 2 youtube vids where the guys had hunted smaller rabbits at closer range with success so I figured I would give it a try! I am very happy with this purchase. Within 2 weeks I saw a rat scurry accross our fence and SNAP! 1 less Rat! Cool! I have also shot pellets; at 50 feet the accuracy is reasonable! I really enjoy the fact that the sound mimics a nail/staple gun! I also enjoy the fact that shooting shot gives me a better chance on a moving target! Also; the obvious safety factor as shot looses energy so fast.

Cons
I have no complaints about the gun itself. The very night I got that Rat I lost the brass insert from my shirt pocket.... Darn thing is so small I can't find it! I now have 3 spares. I also heard the ammo became scarce and I had seen people reloading the shells with OK success (see note below). Neither of these are faults of the gun. Wait: I do have a minor complaint; I have not figured out how to de-cock the gun! It appears that the normal break barrel method does not work on this gun!? So the only way to empty the gun seems to be shooting it.

Pros
I like the results at 20 feet.

Cons
It would be nice to be stronger and not a spring action.

Pros
Received my V.E. gun yesterday and tried it out at 10 yards. Pretty good grouping using 22 FX Atomic pellets. They all went clear through a 1/4 " Masonite panel which I recently removed from the garage due to a woodpecker setting up his nest. Next up was the shot shell which was less impressive. First off the size of the cartridge doesn't provide a lot of confidence in its abiliies. The box containing the 25 shells was about the size of 2 12Ga cartridges. At 10 yards, the spread was small, maybe 6". The shot damaged the surface of the masonite but none were embedded. Instead, many of the pelles bounced off and hit me, with no concern of injury (I wear glasses). Only time will tell if the shotgun aspect of this is useful or just a novelty. I had considered a PCP shotgun, but was concerned about how far the shot would travel in my back yard since the closes neighbor is only 600' away. A 12Ga is definitely out of the question for my critter control needs.

Cons
I would have liked the ability to upgrade to a Nitro Piston, but these kits don't seem to be available (or dealer installed) anymore. As others have said, the shells are relatively expensive for what you get. I'll probably be reloading them especially since they were out of stock for months which prevented me from buying this gun. Maybe that was an omen and I should have listened better...

Pros
Very lightweight and quiet when using in an area where houses are close. Shot shells are readily available and less expensive than .22 birdshot, if you can find the .22 birdshot.

Check your parts and also tighten the screws and such oil the parts.

Pros
Fast shipping nice gun for close shooting

Cons
Missing item said would send part weeks ago or a refund for ones I had to buy separately so as to allow the exspress shotgun to be able to shoot 22cal pellets that was to be included yet wasn't never heard from Airgun depot yet.

great for reducing the population of Rats

Pros
I have had one for years, LOVED IT SO MUCH I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE

Cons
can't think of one

Pros
The viper is awesome,I love it.

I used to have a HW80k 22 cal springer, and it's shooting the same energy as the HW but weighs 3 lbs less.

Pros
I was surprised! Gun is well made and it was well packed for shipping. Barrel has some kind of polymer coating. Everything mostly plastic, but good plastic. Trigger a crisp 4-5 lbs out of the box... no need to adjust. For a smoothbore it's quite accurate with pellets... just hold it like a springer. I filed a notch in the rear ramp for a rear sight. It's shooting CPHP 14.3gr at 710fps, 16fpe. Don't know about the shotshell fps. I'm calling it a 5-10 yd gun with the shotshells... 5 yards and the pattern is 5 inches, 10 yards and it's 10 inches. 20 #9 pellets is not a lot of shot, but I loaded another 10 pellets of #9 in the shell on top of the factory load, and used an egg carton and standard hole punch to hold it in. Patterns the same but more dense. 11mm receiver appears to be painted metal.... but a good paint job... maybe powder coat?

Cons
Needs more shot in the shotshells.

I have been shocked at the knockdown on small animals like pesky house sparrows at close range. I've been shooting air guns for 40 years and have basically every type, but in my opinion, this one is the most fun to shoot. You definitely need to learn its capabilities and stay within that...it won't take a squirrel at 40 yards, but when house sparrows are attacking your chickadees and bluebirds...I haven't missed a shot yet. Especially when rodents or house sparrows are moving around, it gives you that bit of wiggle room to still hit the target when they scoot to the side right when you shoot. It's also an amazing gun for my younger hunters to practice with. I have literally killed thousands of mice, rats, house sparrows, and starlings over the years. Where was this gun when I was a kid? But I feel privileged to have one now! I absolutely love this thing!!!

Pros
Feels great in my hands; feels like a real shotgun. Relatively quiet. No kick. Ultimate air rifle for skittish mice, rats, and house sparrows. Perfect survival gun.

Cons
I would LOVE a .30 or .35 caliber version of this thing!

Had mine converted to nitro piston, and it's still junk.

Pros
Nothing really.

Cons
You might kill a mouse at point blank range. Took me 3 shots to do one in. It's no good as a pellet riffle either. The pellet adapter will destroy the breech seals.