Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle Review
Do you have a pesky rodent problem? Are squirrels or rabbits getting into your vegetable garden or raiding your bird-feeder? Or are you thinking about becoming a marksman and take up target shooting? Maybe you just want an air rifle that’ll do a bit of everything.
With the sheer number of firearms and air rifles available in today’s market, it’s hard to decide on which one suits your needs best. If you happened to answer ‘yes’ to any of the suggested shooting needs mentioned above, then without a doubt the Gamo Silent Cat Air Rifle is the rifle you want in your gun locker!
Why buy a Gamo air rifle?
The Gamo Silent Cat is one of the most reliable and trusted air rifles on the market. Why? Because of the earned trust and integrity of the manufacturer. The Gamo company’s name and inception goes back to 1889 with the founding of ACSA in Spain.
Back then they produced high-quality lead products, then led them in 1950 Antonio Casas Serra (ACSA’s son) began manufacturing high-precision airgun pellets. This was as a direct result of the supply and demand nature for these products as the firearm industry grew across Europe.
From 1961 Spanish-based Gamo began focusing on designing and crafting high-quality low-medium cost air rifles and elite airguns. Then, in 1970 they began exporting these firearms across the globe.
Since then, Gamo has been an innovative market leader. The Gamo Whisper Silent Cat air rifle is just one of their many rifles that have been designed and crafted with the shooter’s needs in mind.
Their rifles are known for being lightweight, comfortable to hold when sighted on target for long periods, and when combined with high-precision airgun pellets they have pin-point accuracy.
So, let’s take a look at the Silent Cat in detail.
Gamo Whisper Silent Cat air rifle at a glance
An In Depth Review Of The Silent Cat Features
The Whisper Silent Cat is a .177 cal air rifle that is able to achieve a 1200 fps rate that will dispatch any nuisance animal without a second thought. Combine this with PBA (Precision Ballistic Alloy) ammunition, bare-bones stock and the included scope, and you’ll have every right to be a bit trigger happy.
It’s lightweight, weighing on average 15% less than competitors’ models, and simple to use. The single-shot rifled barrel is easily loaded with a break-away action and its near whisper-quiet action is unparalleled. It is good to note that it is recommended to only use pellets with this air rifle, as BBs may cause damage to the barrel
The Silent Cat airgun also offers physical support to the shooter with its shock absorbing pad at the butt end. This added feature means your shoulder will be able to endure hours of recoil action without causing any discomfort to your shooting arm.
Other impressive features of this rifle package are the included 4×32 fibre optic scope, synthetic all-weather stock for increased durability, and ND52 noise dampener for even greater reduction in noise – up to 52% quieter! No wonder it’s one of our top picks for the quietest air rifle for backyard use.
Some purchasers may initially find the breech difficult to reload, as the break-action can be tight when the air rifle is new. This will ease over time, with many shooters finding the action becoming freer with use – just another reason to get out and enjoy a few rounds with this rifle!
The Gamo Silent Cat also comes with a 1-year limited warranty just in case you have any concerns. However do not take this rifle apart, or modify it in any way! Doing so will void your warranty. If you have any service issues, it’s always best to see a reputable gunsmith for assistance.
Shooters who regularly use this rifle have found it to be highly reliable, accurate, quiet, easy to load/sight/fire without any issues once the scope has been dialled in. On average it takes a single pump to provide adequate pressure for the round to successfully hit its target.
It’s also worth remembering that this is a single shot rifle. If you need to hit your target quickly with multiple shots, this particular airgun is not suitable.
Scopes
Before taking this firearm into action, make sure you zero your scope on a scope target. You don’t want to be wasting ammo after all. The scope is easily zeroed in, we’d recommend following these step-by-step instructions to get the best results for your setup.
Most users also comment on the rifle’s speed and precise accuracy at distances of around 40-70 yards. Some users have suggested using heavier pellets (rounds in the area of 7.9gm), for increased noise reduction and impact, though this may decrease the feet per second rate.
Pellets
A quick word on pellets, do remember that there are several varieties of pellets that are compatible with this rifle. However, many shooters have found that they experienced better results using official Gamo pellets – other manufacturers pellets may not sit properly in the breech or may be more prone to either a misfire or to veer off target once fired.
Many shooters have also recommended using hollow point or ballistic pellets, these are likely to improve over-all proficiency due to the additional weight. However, if you do change to another style of pellet, you will need to sight-in your rifle again as each type will behave differently.
We recommend trying the Gamo Cone Pellet Trap, Game Rocket Pellet Trap, or Gamo Squirrel Field Target for the best sighting-in results, and to maximise your overall safety during the process.
Alternative Model: Raptor Whisper
Now, if you’ve enjoyed this Gamo Silent Cat review but want something with a little more oomph, there is an upgraded model: the Gamo Raptor Whisper Air Rifle. The Raptor has many of the same features as the Silent Cat but includes an increased speed of 1300fps at .177cal or .975fps at .22cal.
The Raptor also utilises IGT (Inert Gas Technology) that replaces the spring mechanism of the Silent Cat, this alteration has increased noise reduction, adding to the overall stealth of the airgun.
One of the Raptor’s other benefits is the SAT (Smooth Action Trigger). This maximises precision and pinpoints accuracy by minimising shake or shudder when the trigger is pulled and released.
Finally, the Raptor also has the added benefit of an SWA, or Shock Wave Absorber, recoil pad for additional comfort and stabilisation, meaning your shoulder is even more supported with impact prevention.
Gamo Air Rifle Accessories
As with all Gamo rifles, there are a variety of accessories you can purchase to personalise your new air rifle. These accessories include: gun covers or carry cases, beanbag/sandbag rests, interchangeable sights and scopes, pellet and hunting targets, maintenance and servicing kits, together with rifle bipod-style rests just to name a few.
Any or all of these products will add to your shooting experience and increase your enjoyment of this much loved past-time.
Our verdict on the Silent Cat Air Rifle
With enough clout to take down the Arnie Schwartzen-squirrel or Rocky Raccoon in your backyard, the Whisper Silent Cat airgun will have you shooting more than just the breeze!
If you’re wanting to work on your accuracy, we’re confident that the Gamo Silent Cat will have you heading to the range for hours of shooting fun. After all, Gamo is a brand you now know and can trust to get the job done!
Whether you want to take a few pot shots at some dastardly vermin that’s giving you grief, or if you’re thinking about trying out for your country’s Olympics shooting team, the Gamo Silent Cat is the go-to air rifle to get yourself on target.
