Last month up in New York I bought a top of the line ($240) .22 Gamo for a nephew to hone his shooting skills. Worked fine with iron sights, came with a probably idiotic variable 9x scope.

The barrel-cocking effort on these things is considerable, the specs said 41lbs, felt like it too.

"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744