Shooting Sports/ December 2007

Run Bambi Run !

by Pete Wadeson

Pete Wadeson keeps on his toes as he tests the Gamo Moving Target System. So it looks like there will be no excuses for missing those runners...

It’s OK, I know for hunting the air rifle is used for hitting a suitable static target. However, it doesn't mean we can't have some fun on the garden range and thanks to the GAMO.. Ok, I know for hunting the air rifle is used for hitting a suitable static target. However, it doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun on the garden range and thanks to the

Gamo Moving Target System (GMT) there are other positives such as helping improve reflexes and gun handling skills.

The system comes as a DIY kit – but can easily be put together, as long as you follow the comprehensive instruction sheet. When built it offers a 6ft long galvanized steel track with a solid raised barrier (for the target carrier) and angled pellet deflector plates. The motorised carrier holds two targets that resemble deer, which run along the track.

Ingenious

Ingeniously those clever ‘bods’ at Gamo have made a system that incorporates two knockdown targets on a motorised ‘robot ’that runs back and forth for your pleasure and practice. It’s able to do this due to it having a pressure switch on the side that activates as it hits the end of the track to send it back in the opposite direction whereupon it continues on this back and forth travel until it’s manually switched off. Power is supplied by six C-sell batteries.

There are two deer-type (stag’s head) targets, one offers a side-on view and the other a front-on angle. These will fall when hit but on reaching the end, the target to the rear of it will automatically rise up to take its place for the return journey. Gamo have painted red heart/lung blobs to give you an aiming mark.

The switch that operates the carrier has three speed settings and a random mode. The latter sets the target to run at varying rates and is very testing at longer range. The bonus of this system is it can be used with low power rifles and full power 12ft lb hunting rifles (.177 calibre though), and if shooting close range, it’s advisable you wear protective shooting glasses.

Centrefire Conversion

Incidentally, on the packaging there’s a distance conversion table for centrefire rifle conversion to airgun target set up, indicating air rifle power in m/s used fired from a certain distance and how it equates to a fullbore cartridge at longer range for the actual game. I presume this means deerstalkers or boar hunters can get their eye in on a running target but in the safe confines of a plinking range with an air rifle. But is it a bit vague as it says it ‘assumes the average muzzle velocity of a centrefire rifle’ which is not very specific.

However, for the airgunner this is a very addictive target system and a full load of batteries will run it continuously for approximately four hours. A definite ‘thumbs up’ for shooters who want to put more fun back into their garden gunning