Customer Reviews

Gamo Nitro 17 Air Rifle

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Gamo Nitro 17 could be a good buy for the recreational shooter, as it is capable of producing decent target groupings, and has sufficient power, and produces enough velocity to take out small game. Caliber is .177, and stated maximum velocity is 1000 FPS.

The rifle looks well constructed, and it does not take a lot of effort to cock. The fiberglass stock is light, and feels pretty good in the hands, though it would be nice if there were genuine checkering at the grip. Hard rubber padding at the buttstock is a good safety feature, and the hard rubber grip bars at the front of the stock may be helpful for some shooters. The barrel is fluted, which supposedly helps with heat dissipation, although this should seldom be a concern for an air rifle. Total length is 42.5 inches.

There are no iron sights, so the rifle's performance and accuracy is largely dependent on proper setup and mounting of the scope, and good optical performance. The quality of the included Gamo scope, certainly could be better, but it does an adequate job, and is adjustable from 3-9X magnification. A bolt can be screwed through the rear ring of the scope mount base, which prevents the scope from gradually sliding backward. The provided lens covers are a little loose, but they are better than nothing. Since scope performance is so critical, if the Gamo scope doesn't do the job, it should be replaced.

The operation of the safety, which is located just in front of the trigger, takes a little getting used to. As does the action of the trigger itself. The trigger is two stage, and it seems that there is a lot of take up in the second stage, before the gun actually fires. The trigger action is adjustable. Some spring piston rifles can be uncocked to release the spring, but not this one. Not ideal for safety, but at least the rifle will not fire with the breech open. Use of eye protection is always recommended.

Noise level is a little loud, but not excessive. The gun is not the smoothest sounding, but this should improve over time, as the gun is broken in. Recoil is solid, but not excessive, and should not be an issue for most shooters. Provisions for a strap would have been nice.

German manufacturers of precision air rifles, have been the industry leaders for decades. The workmanship of the Nitro 17 is probably a few notches below, comparable German made economy grade air rifles, and construction may not be as solid, but for the price, the Nitro 17 is a good value, and is probably equal to or higher in quality, than most American made rifles in this price range.

I purchased this air rifle here on Amazon, due to a squirrel problem in my backyard.
This item is shipped with scope (there are no iron sights on the rifle) and 50 pellets for sighting in.
I was very surprised at the high quality of both the rifle and the supplied scope. This air rifle is truly neutral, viable for both right and left handed users. I now find myself enjoying target practice and am thinking of stepping up to a more competition type air rifle with iron sights. This air rifle should provide many years of service if properly cared for. I have enjoyed this item and am very pleased with the purchase.

I am no expert on air guns. The main reason for my purchase is a cheap, single cocking action unit that doesn't make loud noise.

The recoil effect of this gun is much stronger than I anticipated, and I am quite disappointed.

The cocking effort (30 lb) is quite strong. If you haven't tried a single-cocking unit, you probably should try one before ordering this piece. I didn't like it, but I am not giving this one up because I need quick readiness to catch some opportunities.

My main use is to drive away deers and rabbits. I don't want to kill. I just want to deter. So, I purposely choose small size.

For me, the scope looks very good. Of course, this is probably because I haven't seen better scopes.

For $150, I think this unit is a very good value.

This gun is great for the money. I had a squirrel problem in my yard and let's just say I no longer have that problem due to this helpful little item. It is pretty darn accurate and the gun is cool looking too. Had it for a year and would not give it up for anything.

Shoots well, easy to break barrel, the scope is good for the money. Recoil is very little and some people say it is loud like a 22. It is not loud at all and it sounds more like a air tool not a bang like a 22. You can shoot in the city without getting neighbors upset.

Very quite and accurate air gun. Easy to assemble, view through the scope is very clear, and easy to use. I'm very pleased with this purchase.

I am very impressed with quality of this gun. It looks and feels very much like a real rifle, say the Remington 700. The cocking requires quite a bit of strength, which I think is a plus, since it will prevent little kids from using it. I've made several test shots and I thought the recoil feels pretty mild. It makes a noise more like that of popping a paper bag, so it's not very loud. The trigger feels quite nice. For the money I think it's a superb buy.