Gamo 5880 Shadow Kit Air Rifle

I don’t think there’s a better air rifle available for the cost, whether buying one all by its lonesome (around $35-$45.00) or as part of the handy and practical Daisy Poweline 880 Kit (around $55-$65.00). The airgun is very easy to set up and start using, the accuracy is almost unbelievable, the trigger is easy and responsive and it’s phenomenally easy to pump up, click off safe and fire with no kick whatsoever. The sights on the air rifle are pretty good too; especially if, like me, you’re one of those lucky enough to find yours dead-on right out of the box (once you find its favorite pellet), which absolutely amazed me. It seems that this actually happens fairly often, based on reviews I’ve read from buyers at websites everywhere. Unfortunately, if it isn’t dead on right out of the box, you may have some work ahead to get it sighted in, as some users have reported trouble making adjustments to the rear sight, but you might get lucky there too. Regardless, once you do get it sighted in, if that even proves necessary, this little gem is accurate, powerful (dangerously-so if used irresponsibly), super easy to use, has no notable recoil and even can stand up to a little rough handling, more so maybe than one might guess considering the majority of the construction material is some type of plastic. Even so, all the plastic, metal and other material was very carefully considered for its purpose in and on the rifle; was put together just so and the end result is obviously a very well-thought-out and fairly well-engineered air rifle that should last for years and decades with care. Of course, Daisy could and almost certainly does have the occasional flawed product end up on the shelf for sale, but judging from the vast majority of excellent reviews and professional press I’ve seen, it doesn’t happen often and the model 880 Powerline Daisy air rifle often is included in just about any and every list of 10-Best Variable Pump Air Rifles one will find online or in print.

If you bought the kit, you ended up with the all-black version of the 880, which I very much prefer over the brown version, which is actually brown and black: brown plastic where wood might be on the forearm and buttstock of a rifle and black plastic everywhere else. I think she looks much better with everything the same color, and besides, with the all-black version, you know nobody is trying to convince you the plastic should be mistaken for wood, fake molded-in woodgrain or no (which the Black version has too). 🙂
Also included in the handy kit is a very basic, no-frills 4x “Daisy Model 808 Air Rifle Scope” (or equivalent) with reticle, adjustable windage and elevation controls, front, rear and control cap-covers and installation hardware. The built-in sights are no longer visible with the scope mounted, which is a shame. Still, many find the product helpful, although many others don’t, and users already familiar and experienced with telescopic sights probably will be underwhelmed at best. It could be useful, but really isn’t meant to to be anything more than an ‘introductory’-level unit: it can be tough to get your rifle zeroed in with it, as It’s lacking in basic features and the optics aren’t fine enough for long periods of continued viewing without causing eye-strain (the included manual warns against this). New shooters especially might like to try it out, but in my opinion, all users without exception should learn how to sight in and use their rifle first with only the ‘iron’ sights provided. Master those and you’re basically ready to try aiming at a target with just about any rifle made, since nearly all have such sights built-in (although all may not have the same kick!). Even if the scope isn’t particularly appreciated by a user, it can always be sold for a few bucks on eBay for those who would like to try it.

On the plus side, also included in the kit is a pair of very useful safety glasses, cheap, simple and basic but no worse than the less expensive models available alone at Amazon, Walmart and elsewhere for ~6-10 bucks. Daisy also thoughtfully includes a large tin of 500 lead, flat-head (wadcutter) pellets, as well as a tin of 500 steel BBs (the rifle can fire both and has a 50-BB storage area built-in) so everything necessary to get going right away is included. Not bad at all! Figuring the rifle costs about $35-$45.00 alone, the glasses are about $6-$10.00 and the ammo at least $5 or $6.00 per container, the cost of the kit is pretty much covered even if the user hates the scope and chooses not to inflict it on anyone else. 🙂 Such a deal!

It’s not like I’m a die-hard, Daisy-only air rifle fanatic. I am gettin’ up there in age now, so I’ve tried and used MANY other air rifles over the decades. I’ve also owned a few, including four different Crosman air rifles over the years. All were nice and for the cost, I was happy enough with them at the time, but unfortunately, only the one around $150.00, more than twice the cost of the Daisy kit, was even close to this incredible and inexpensive air rifle. I can’t remember the model off the top of my head (maybe 1077W?), but it was made with real wood and was totally gorgeous, used very handy 12-pellet ‘magazines,’ was semi-automatic, very well made and pretty accurate, but the trigger was awful and being CO2 powered, it wasn’t nearly as powerful as the Daisy Powerline 880. In fact, none of them were, although one claimed to be in advertising, but fell well short in reality! The first two were essentially the same and comparable to the Daisy in terms of being entry-level and able to use .177 pellets and BBs both, but the Crosman I had when a very young man, although made with real wood, wasn’t even close to the Daisy in accuracy and power. The second, bought to replace the first one many years later was the new version and I had high hopes. It turned out to be pretty much exactly the same as the first, although the nice wood had been replaced completely with plastic by then and it was just as entry-level in performance and power as the first. I hardly used it and eventually quit altogether and don’t even know where it is now. Not that long ago, I moved up to a mid-level Crosman pumper at just about $100.00, more in-line supposedly with middle-of-the-road quality air rifles, and while it was adequately accurate and nice enough, it too was man-made materials only and wasn’t really nicer than the Daisy! To top it all off, yet again it lacked the power of the much cheaper airgun! I sent it back and I have to say I think I am a Daisy convert now. 🙂

Of course I’d love to have a Diana 34 gas piston break barrel (~360.00) or one of the ‘affordable’ $200.00 Benjamin (owned by Crosman) variable pump pellet rifles in .177 or .22 caliber (the 370s or the Vaporizer), but this cheap Daisy has impressed me big time and now I think my next step up most likely will be the very affordable Winchester (made by Daisy) 1977XS air rifle and scope, which is basically a higher quality, higher performance Daisy 880 based on my research! Even so, the Winchester is twice the cost of the 880, although I very much doubt it’s anywhere near twice the airgun, even if it is nicer, and many satisfied users say it is in terms of build quality and power, so it’s on my radar. How nice to have such wonderful products available at such low prices — very rare indeed nowadays.

But that hasn’t happened yet and who knows what I might decide to try in the future — there’s really no pressing need at all to try anything else, and besides, for now, I’m still really loving my Daisy 880 and totally stand by my assertion it’s the finest airgun available at the price. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Based on it’s phenomenal accuracy, inexpensive but good build quality and better-than-adequate power, there’s simply nothing that can touch it at anywhere near the same MSRP, and even those that come closest still aren’t nearly as affordable or powerful. If you happen to be interested in starting or restarting an Air Rifle Hobby, or introducing a mature young person, friend or spouse to shooting and money is a major consideration (when is it not?), this absolutely is the air rifle to get. Sure, there always will be the possibility of a rare lemon coming off the assembly lines, but short of that unlikely event occurring, this is a great choice and in my opinion, the best you could do for less than twice its cost! The Daisy Powerline 880 has a fabulous reputation, it is very accurate, it’s more powerful than anything comparable and nothing else comes even close to matching the performance at the cost. Do some research of your own and I feel sure any remaining doubts you might have pretty much will be dispelled and eventually disappear. The Daisy 880 is an inexpensive air rifle and even looks the part, but it’s well made and absolutely the best performing air rifle around for less than twice the cost. The Daisy Powerline 880 almost certainly is the very best choice possible for an introductory or entry-level airgun for less than $100.00 to $150.00. Others may come close to matching its low price, but they won’t match the performance of the Daisy. Do yourself or someone you love a favor and give the 880 a shot. 😉 I love it!

It’s a great rifle! Scope sucks so don’t bother with it. Iron sights are great! Definitely worth the price