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Gamo

Gamo Pellets, Air Rifles and Targets in South Africa

Gamo is the most widely shot pellet brand in South Africa, and for most airgunners it is the default box on the shelf. The reason is availability and consistency at a sensible price rather than match-grade precision. NeonSales carries 193 Gamo products, from R46 for a tin of 250 Hunter pellets up to R3,730 for a Swarm Maxxim rifle combo.

What Gamo products does NeonSales stock?

  • Hunting pellets: Hunter, Pro Hunter, Red Fire, Rocket, Rocket Destroyer and G-Hammer in .177 and .22
  • Target pellets: Pro Match and Match wadcutters, TS-10 and TS-22
  • Expanding pellets: Expander, Hollowpoint, Tomahawk Expansion and Lethal
  • Alloy pellets: PBA Platinum for higher velocity
  • Air rifles: the Swarm family, including multi-shot combos supplied with a scope
  • Targets: assorted paper targets in bulk packs

Which Gamo pellet for which job?

Type Head shape Best suited to
Wadcutter (Pro Match, TS-10) Flat Paper targets, since the flat face punches a clean scoreable hole
Domed (Hunter, Pro Hunter) Round General shooting and longer ranges, the most forgiving shape in wind
Pointed (Rocket, G-Hammer) Sharp Penetration on pest control at moderate range
Hollowpoint (Expander, Tomahawk) Cupped Expansion on impact, best at close range where velocity is still high

Does pellet weight matter?

More than head shape, in practice. A .177 pellet in this range runs from about 5.5 grains up to 15.4 grains, and a .22 from roughly 9.7 to 21.75 grains. Lighter pellets leave the barrel faster and shoot flatter at close range. Heavier pellets hold energy better downrange and drift less in wind. Every barrel has preferences that do not follow the spec sheet, so the only reliable method is to buy three or four types in small tins and group them at your normal distance before committing to a bulk pack.

What is the difference between .177 and .22?

.177, also written 4.5mm, shoots flatter and is the usual choice for target work and general plinking. .22, or 5.5mm, delivers more energy on impact at the cost of a more curved trajectory that demands better range estimation. Your rifle is one or the other and pellets are not interchangeable, so check the calibre marked on the barrel rather than assuming.

Common questions

Are alloy pellets worth the extra? PBA Platinum and similar lead-free pellets fly faster and are useful where lead is restricted. They are also lighter, which means they shed velocity sooner and are more affected by wind. For general shooting, standard lead usually groups better.

How should pellets be stored? In the tin, somewhere dry. Loose pellets rattling in a pocket deform at the skirt, and a damaged skirt is the single most common cause of an unexplained flier.

Which tin size should I buy? Start with 100 or 250 counts while you are testing what your rifle likes. Move to 500 once you have found the pellet that groups, since the price per pellet drops considerably.

Related: 4.5mm Pellets · 5.5mm Pellets · Airgun Ammunition · Air Rifles · CO2 Rifles · Airgun Spares · Accessories