Gamo PT-85 Tactical

From All the Bells and Whistles Down to Just a Whistle

It’s time to deconstruct the PT-85 Tactical, an airgun that comes with a lot of extras for the money. To begin this final review of the PT-85 Tactical I am going to do three separate tests beginning with the total package; all the bells and whistles, optics, laser and light. In this fully outfitted configuration the PT-85 is a spymaster’s handful, so let’s begin there.

The Tactical version comes with three sets of accessories, actually four if you count the removable bridge mount. The faux silencer is not removable for all intents and purposes since it exposes the internal barrel, which is a little too delicate (as in could get bent) to remove the protective shroud that fronts as a silencer. Taking the fully equipped gun into the filed it is ready to shoot since there is no holster combination possible that could hold all this. The first test is a run through of the basics, average trigger pull, weight and balance, and velocity.

Totally Tactical

With all of the tactical gear mounted the PT-85 weighs a hefty 3 pounds, 3.0 ounces and as you might guess is a little muzzle heavy, front-loaded as it is, but all of the gear has a purpose. I’m going to start with the tactical light and shoot an indoor test in the dark with tactical light and the optical sight (on the green setting) at 21 feet. But first, a quick trip to the chronograph with Meisterkugeln Professional Line 7.0 grain lead wadcutters to see what this CO2 model can deliver.

The 7.0 grain lead wadcutters delivered a high velocity of 521 fps, a low of 475 fps and an average velocity of 479 fps. Switching to lighter weight Sig Sauer 5.25 grain Match Ballistic Alloy wadcutter pellets the PT-85 delivered a high velocity of 577 fps and an average velocity 544 fps. The final standard test was trigger pull on the DA/SA model which, after the first shot fires SAO, averages 5 pounds, 1.0 ounces, but remember, this is a rotary magazine fed airgun so the trigger pull no matter double action or singled action has two functions, the first of which is to rotate the next pellet into battery, just like a revolver firing double action. A 5-pound average trigger pull is pretty good. However, take up on the Gamo’s trigger is a full 1.0 inches. It feels like a two-stage trigger, the first 0.437 inches has no resistance and then there is light stacking as the trigger moves another 0.3125 inches to rotate the rotary magazine. There is a final 0.3125 inches of pull to fire and this offers the most resistance totaling 1.05 pounds (as measured on a Lyman trigger pull gauge). Throughout the total 5-pound average trigger pull it takes approximately 3 pounds, 9 ounces to rotate the magazine. Once you are familiar (comfortable) with this step in the trigger it feels more like staging the hammer on a revolver. If you are wondering, the double action trigger pull for the first shot averages 8 pounds, 10.0 ounces.

Lighting the Way

The first target test was shot at 21 feet in a dark room using the tactical light to illuminate the target and the scope to sight in the shot. I ended up shooting a little low but the PT-85 punched seven of 8 shots into 0.74 inches with multiple overlapping hits with a single “flyer” almost dead center in the bullseye of the 10-meter target; definitely an illuminating airgun experience.

I sighted the laser to overlap the green dot in the scope and that delivered a nice tight 8-shot group on the 10 Meter target from 21 feet. Fired offhand using a two-handed hold, eight lead wadcutters punched a 5-shot group in the 8 and 9 rings measuring 0.437 inches and three shots clustered below it again at 0.437 inches for a total 8-round group measuring 0.687 inches.

After that it was time to lighten the load and remove the light and laser from the rail, and go to 10-meters with the scope. My first 10 meter target with the scope was shooting below POA, so I adjusted the scope again and also switched to the red dot. I shot one entire magazine (16 rounds) on a new 10 meter target and this time my groups were what I had expected. My best 8-shot group was one ragged triangular rip to the right of the bullseye measuring 0.625 inches, less than the circumference of a dime (0.687 inches).

No Bells Only a Whistle

And so I am down to the bare bones, which on the PT-85 Tactical is the gun and faux silencer. With the optics bridge removed (a total of 5 screws) the front sight is now visible and completes a trio of white dots. Just like many centerfire guns, when fitted with a threaded barrel and a silencer the top edge of the suppressor falls right in line with the sights. Those that are higher require raised sights.

The PT-85 just makes it, so you can shoot with the white dot sights lining up with the top of the silencer. For the final test I shot another 10 meter target (from 10 meters) with open sights to see what that 12-inch barrel finally brings to the game without any assists.

Peering over the top edge of the faux silencer you can’t quite get a spot on sight picture but the PT-85 can still deliver some accurate shots. Out of eight rounds I managed four shots lining up through the 8, 9, 10, and X rings at 0.687 inches, with the remaining four rounds all inside the black. My total spread measured 1.75 inches.

Conclusions

The Gamo PT-85 gives you a lot of gun and a lot of accessories for the money, and as pellet-firing semi-autos go, this one is pretty accurate with more than ample recoil (for a CO2 pistol) and the necessary accouterments to shoot it as accurately as a 10-meter target pistol with optics.

Dennis Adler

Dennis Adler has been an author and contributor to Blue Book Publications since 1997 and was co-author of the First Edition Blue Book of Airguns. He is an airgun collector and enthusiast for over 20 years and wrote the Air Show column on air pistols for Combat Handguns magazine and other publications before joining the Pyramyd Air writing team. His articles appeared in the Pyramyd Air Airgun Experience blog and provided readers with expert reviews and in-depth articles.

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