Gamo Powerline Model 35 Multi-Pump Gun

I just got the Model 35 from Amazon (thanks, Amazon, as always). I’m going to do a writeup with more to follow.
I had become interested in this smooth bore BB and pellet shooting multi pump air rifle, as I had decided I would like a smooth bore so I could shoot targets with BBs and not have to worry about damaging the rifling on my very accurate Remington Airmaster 77. The reviews on the Daisy were pretty good here and at Pyramidair.com. However, when I read the review at Tom Gaylord/B.B. Pelletier’s blog, I had big reservations. Tom’s 3 part review showed his gun to have attrocious accuracy! His example couldn’t even keep all the pellets or BBs on the target sheet of paper, let alone in the bullseye, or any kind of semi-respectable groupings. Then I read a thread on the GTA airgun forums and the writer was getting decent groups with his with both BBs and pellets. So, I took a chance and ordered one for myself.

It arrived and when I finally got a chance to try it out, I decided to start with pellets. I shot from a picnic table and small rest at about 10 yards/30 feet. The open sights are actually quite nice, and if my 59 year old eyesight wasn’t so bad, I probably would heve done even better. I tried shooting this mutli-pump with both 3 and 5 pumps with 4 different pellets. It did not like the RWS Diablo Basic pellets. But I did get some good groups with Crosman Premier wadcutters and hollow points and with some Gamo Match wadcutters. The rifle shot a little high and to the left, but just slightly, so I didn’t adjust the rear sight, as I was just interested in group size. The very best groups I got were right about 1/4 to 5/16 inch measured center to center. The good news is that I got groups of that diameter with each of the three pellets above.

I am going to scope this rifle and try again, as conditions were not very good the day I was shooting, and my previously mentioned eyesight problems. I will try these pellets again when scoped, and will try shooting Daisy BBs. It is established by air gunners that Daisy BBs are more accurate as a rule than Crosman’s (sorry Crosman, but you make better lead pellets than Daisy).

The gun looks great, handles really well, is fun to shoot. It is also VERY quiet compared to my other air rifles (both CO2, Multi-pump, and spring piston powered). The quiet aspect is important, as I shoot on my property and have great neighbors that I do not want to disturb.
So far, I am happy with this air rifle. I will report back after testing it with a scope and will try BBs also.

It is easy to pump, and a little tough to load with pellets. I found a way to load it by opening the bolt all the way, then slightly closing it so you can just see the ram. There is a possible problem when loading pellets of getting a pellet stuck in the BB feed hole to the rear of the bolt where the ram comes out. Hence the technique of slightly pushing the ram forward to prevent this. Then I hold the rifle level and set the pellet just into the loading area and roll it into the breach. You can’t pump air pressure at all with the bolt closed. So, you open the bolt, put the safety on, pump up to 10 pumps max, then load your pellet and close the bolt etc.

I am really happy that my Model 35 groups well. It is 100% obvious to me that Tom Gaylord’s test rifle had a big problem. He is maybe the most knowledgeable air gunner in the country and a fine shot. I wrote to his blog (before I got my Model 35) asking him if his gun may be a lemon. He replied that that may be, but he can only test the ones they send him as they are sent. So, if you are on the fence about this rifle as I was, I think the reviews here at Amazon and the ones at Pyramidair.com are pretty accurate.

I’ll update this shortly as mentioned.

Jon

First update: 2/27/13 I remembered I had some Crosman Destroyer pellets, so I decided to try them. I am still waiting for my scope, so again, I shot at 10 yards from a rest with open sights. I shot two 3 shot groups. One with 5 pumps and one with 3 pumps. The five pump group was all right. The 3 pump group was great. I put all 3 rounds in one tiny hole. That is as good as it gets, and with a smooth bore barrel to boot! Amazing. Can’t wait to see how I do with my new scope.

Second update:3/12/13 I had ordered a Tasco 3x7x20mm objective lens scope made for the air gun and .22 rifle dovetail/11mm/3/8″ mounting base (these sizes are all the same). When I got the scope, I first wanted to try it on my lower end Beeman spring piston air rifle to give that gun another chance. Either that gun is inconsistent as heck or I am just not a spring piston air gun shooter. I tried a variety of pellets again, and again the gun gave me a decent group here or there but WAY too many fliers. I gave up and swapped that scope onto my Daisy Model 35. I have had it with the Beeman. It goes up for sale soon.
Now, as above, I had got some spectacular groups with the Model 35 with open sights, but my bad eyesight was holding the gun back. I sighted the scope and Model 35 in with Crosman Premier hollow points. I shot those, the Gamo Match wadcutters, Crosman Premier wadcutters, and the Crosman hunter pellets. I was very happy with the results. The gun gave me about 40-50% of the groups were tiny one holers. This, at 10 yards from a rest and using 3 pumps. I got tiny groups with each of these pellets, though the Hunters were the least consistent. Still, a pellet sized hole with 3 going through it…well, it just doesn’t get better than that, unless you can get groups like that every time you shoot. I darn sure can’t. But the scope lets me do it much more often than with open sights.
With the results I am now getting I have upped the rating to 5 stars. If a $35 smooth bore air rifle can shoot this well, then that is a 5 star gun plain and simple. There are still lots of pellets I haven’t tried yet, but many are just not available where I live. I am going to believe that at longer distances the accuracy is going to drop off due to the smooth bore barrel, as compared to an air rifle with a rifled barrel. But at 10 yards this gun is giving my rifled air guns a real run for the money.
So, if you would like a very quiet, easy to shoot and inexpensive BB/pellet rifle, give this Daisy Model 35 some thought. I still haven’t tried shooting any BBs since I scoped this gun, but with open sights I did get a 5/8″ group. I know it will do better with the scope on. The reason I am only using 3 pumps (it can take 10) is because, at 3 it is accurate and quiet, and easy on the gun. Remember, I am not hunting, just going for accuracy here.

Great BB gun.

1. The 35 is a smooth bore so it is optimized for BB’s. The 880 is rifled and therefore optimized for pellets.
2. Pumps very easy and I actually prefer the short throw pump lever over the longer 880.
3. It pumps up quietly without the prominent clacking sound.
4. It has a shorter length of pull but even at 6’2″ tall, I can still shoot it easily.
5. The rear sights us windage and elevation adjustable. The front sight is white dot.
6. The gun is very light and maneuverable.
7. It has a dove tail on top for mounting scopes.
8. The gun shoots very very accurate with BB’s at 6-8 pumps and does ok with pellets but really is a BB gun.
9. The open breech design makes it easy to clean the manufacturing grime out of the barrel before shooting.
10. Most of the inexpensive air rifle and 22 rimfire scopes will with the dove tail.
11. Prints nice groups at 15 yards using Daisy Precion Max BB’s, shooting from a resting position. You do need to keep count of your pumps as one extra pump can cause a flyer.