A breakthrough in break-barrel airgun technology comes this year from GAMO – the Spanish-based global leader in the field – which premiered the Swarm Maxxim break-barrel multi-shot air rifle at the 2017 SHOT Show.

Available in both 4,5mm (.177) and 5,5mm (.22) variants, the GAMO Swarm Maxxim air rifle was conceived to fulfill several roles, from small game hunting to pest control (where legal), down to the standard roles of leisure plinking instrument and training aid for unexperienced shooters. The GAMO Swarm Maxxim mates the simplicity of break-barrel action with the high capacity of a proprietary rotary magazine to be practical and fun at the same time.

Built around a black polymer stock and integrating several GAMO proprietary technologies such as the SWA (Shock Wave Absorber) recoil-reducing buttpad and the adjustable CAT (Custom Action Trigger), the GAMO Swarm Maxxim air rifle feeds through a rotary style magazine called the Quick Shot, which holds ten pellets in either gauge and is fitted inside a slot located on top of the barrel.

Once the magazine is inserted, the GAMO Swarm Maxxim air rifle works just like any other break-barrel airgun – except it doesn't have to be loaded at the breech every single time since the pellet will be fed from the magazine.

The barrel takes a 30 lbs (ca. 13 kg) of effort to cock the GAMO-patented IGT (Inert Gas Technology) piston, providing up to 1300 fps of muzzle velocity and an average of about 40 Joules of muzzle energy at every shot. A low-power (7,5 Joules of muzzle energy) version – which would be available for over-the-counter sales in most of Europe, without licensing or registration – is however also in the plans.