Many spring guns come complete with mounts, scopes, and other accessories to make it easier for people to start shooting. You don't see this type of deal with PCP air rifles. Anyone buying a PCP will need a way to charge it. Although some gunshops offer a top-up service for PCP owners it is not the best way to charge your rifle. Although a dive cylinder is the most convenient way to 'topup air rifles', they cost around £200 for small bottles and a modern high-pressure pump at a comparable price.

Gamo saw a gap in their market and launched a new rifle complete with scope, mounts, gunbag, and gunbag. But that's not all! A high pressure pump was also included in the launch. This is a great deal, & costs less than you think!

Gamo's 'Phox Pack" is dominated by the rifle. It has the same barrel-over-air reservoir layout as most PCP companies. This action is a carbine version the Gamo Coyote. It uses a 10-shot rotary magazine system as well as a rear-mounted bolt.

A figure of eight-shaped collar is placed at the front of an air reservoir to support the barrel in a 'belt & braces' fashion. Although it doesn't really need this extra support, it is a comforting addition for air rifles that might be out in the field after vermin. An accidental hefty blow shouldn't result in loss of zero, but it's better to not knock your rifle around. A synthetic Whisper silence is mounted to the barrel's front too.

The barrel and air reservoir are polished and fitted to a gloss black anodised block. This makes the entire action look well-constructed. An air pressure gauge is located on the front end of the air cylinder at the end of its quick fill port. To charge the gun, an O-ring seal probe is installed. A sliding cover prevents any nasty things from entering the internals. Even the smallest bit of grit can cause havoc to a PCP's internal parts so this cover is well worth the price. It's still a surprise that other companies that use similar port charging systems fail to provide a cover.

10 shot magazine

It is similar to the magazines used in BSA PCPs. The magazine is easy to fill. The internal pellet rotor rotates against spring pressure, and pellets are dropped into the holes according as they appear. Until the magazine has ten rounds on board, The bolt can be withdrawn, and the mag is placed in the housing from the left. A hidden magnet holds it in place, so no additional retaining catches or catches are needed.

The inner wheel is red for the.22 calibre tester rifle. However, it is numbered around its circumference. If you want to see if your last shot is about to be fired, look for the white dot in the mag's rear face.

The black, ambidextrous stock of the Phox is a one-piece, synthetic affair. It's very stylish and we are really blessed when it comes to stocks that fit modern air rifles. The forend is rounded at the front and has two gripping panels either side. Although the panels appear to be the kind of grip tape skateboarders use to give their boards extra texture, they were actually made during production. The trigger guard is also moulded into the grip. The grip's cutout behind is big enough to fit even the largest hands. There are also gripping panels on either side. The cheekpiece is very high to ensure perfect alignment with the scope. The cheekpiece is finished off nicely by a rubber recoil pad that's ventilated and curved behind the action. Although the stock is hollow because it's so light, it's not flimsy or rigid. Gamo deserves top marks!

The Phox arrived with a Gamo 3-9x40 scope, a one-piece mount and was ready to go. It was also nicely zeroed.

PCP Top Up

Before I began shooting, it was obvious that the pump needed to be out. Rubber grips are on the handle of the T-shaped pump. The tube it is attached to is the 'outside" portion of the pump, which travels up and downwards the shaft. The outlet is located at the base of the unit, with the hose attached. A pressure gauge is above it. A baseplate is made from a central plate, two hinged footplates on either side and a spring connecting them. This spring ensures that the footplates can be folded or kept out depending on how the pump is stored or used. A quick fill plug is included with the pump to make sure it is sealed when it is first set up. However, the rifle's brass filler probe can be screwed in place. The 20-inch length of the filler hose is sufficient.

To prevent kinking, the hose is fitted with a spring and a loop of cord at the end. This allows the hose to be clipped out of the way when it is not being used.

Although the pump was not as simple as a dive cylinder, it proved to be very easy to use. It wasn't difficult to bring the Phox's reservoir pressure up to 200 bar after firing 90 shots. Once the pressure was reached I just had to bleed the air out of the hose by unscrewing the bleed screw at its base and then pull out the quick fill probe. Don't forget to put the dust cover back on the filling port. Although it isn't too tiring, it's worth it to allow your heart rate to return to normal before you start shooting again.

Conclusion

A few range sessions proved to have been very enjoyable. I was able to achieve very good accuracy up to 50 yards using H&N Field Target Trophy pellets. The Whisper silencer was very effective and maintained a good level of consistency. The Phox Rifle Pack comes at a reasonable price and will allow many people to experience the joys of shooting a PCP. Gamo Phox Combo Kit