The Benjamin Marauder Wood Stock Air Rifle is a pre charged pneumatic (PCP) single shot air rifle that comes in three calibers, being the .177, .22 and .25 cal. Dependant on the calibre, it can reach up to 900 - 1100 fps. The .25 cal model can generate up to 50 fpe. It stands out with its rebalanced wood stock that not only looks, but feels impressive.It is 42.5 inches in length from the tip of barrel to end of the butt stock. It also has 11mm dovetail grooves. PCPs are usually much more accurate than the single pump gas ram or spring-piston type of airguns. Unlike a break barrel rifle, when you pull the trigger there are no heavy parts jumping around inside the rifle. It stays dead calm, essentially zero felt recoil. This permits the rifle barrel to remain steady while the pellet travels down its length, allowing accuracy that is impossible to obtain with break action air rifles. This high level of accuracy is true of the Benjamin Marauder. The other benefit of using PCP air gun is that it is often more fun to shoot. Once you fill it up you get a certain number of shots, instead of having to constantly cock it like a spring piston gun. With a max psi of 3000, the Benjamin Marauder retains a high level of power for longer. This air rifle is also able to reach out to longer distances more accurately. As you don't feel the recoil like a spring piston air gun, this can also translate to you being able so see the impact through the scope. The significant weight of the gun and its great trigger also helps with the performance of this air rifle.
With all these features, the Benjamin Marauder is definitely no toy. With a heavy pellet, it will go right through a 3/4" pine board. As it is so accurate, you might even find that it gets a little boring if you are shooting it regular as it consistently hits it mark! The Benjamin Marauder also comes with a rifled and shrouded barrel for accuracy and resonance dampening. It is baffled for silence straight from the factory. When you go to use this air rifle, you will find that it is very, very quiet. Some shooters have even been able to shoot one squirrel and another squirrel close by not even notice or hear the shot. The main thing to worry about is the sound that is made when the pellet hits the target - that's louder than the actual shot out of the air gun. This rifle is heavy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing! If you're going to be carrying it around though, you will most likely want to consider getting a sling. It doesn't usually come with one, but has the capability to attach a sling as well as a bipod if desired. This air rifle is the perfect option for target shooting, pest control, small game and varmint hunting. Game as large as turkey, fox, hogs and coyotes are no match for the Marauder's relentless accuracy and quiet power. Which Benjamin Marauder Caliber Should I Get?As the Benjamin Marauder is available in 3 calibers, being a .177, .22 and .25, you may be interested in adding one to your air rifle collection, but you may not be sure which one to select that will best meet your shooting needs. The first question you should ask is whether what your shooting involves a demand for accuracy at distance and what energy is needed when the round gets to the target. If your shooting tends to be frequent precise shots at fairly close range, then the .177 is possibly going to be a good option. It is has a cheaper initial purchase cost, ammunition is cheaper with lots more options, plus a larger number of shots per fill with a highly reasonable performance at closer range. If you are looking at slightly larger targets, then the .22 is also an option as the "inbetweener". It is a similar pucrchase cost, though there is a slight increase in the ammo cost. With the .22 cal, you should be able to get about 30-40 shots from it before you need to fill it again. It shoots very accurate, until the pressure gets below 1500-1750. Some might find that the barrel on the .22 is a bit on the large size. If you are taking infrequent shots at larger targets and need greater effect at a distance, the .25 caliber dominates the decision without question. The .25 caliber model of the Benjamin Marauder comes with a significantly better quality barrel than the .22 cal. The .25 cal also provides a larger and more stable bullet at distance and the greater energy is more effective on larger game. The downsides are that due to the Green Mountain barrel and a few other special parts, the .25 costs more to purchase. The ammo is also more expensive per shot, and you get fewer shots per fill as each shot takes more air. The quality of the .25 barrel in comparison to the other models is such that it enjoys the most frequent praise in spite of the additional cost to purchase and the increase in ammunition cost. Best Pellets To Use with the Benjamin MarauderIt's usually a no brainer to use pellets created by the same manufacturer of the air rifle, and Benjamin has created these high quality, precision 27.8 gr heavy weight pellets that are perfect for the Marauder .25 cal. The extra weight of these pellets gives them great knockdown power. These premium domed pellets are designed to compliment the power and accuracy of Benjamin .25 cal PCP guns, and will enhance the performance of any and all air guns. Accessories For the Benjamin MarauderAside from the rifle, if you don't already have one, you will need either a hand pump or an air tank with a yoke to get air into the gun. The hand pump can be a lot of work, and smaller individuals will struggle to get over 2000 psi, let along to the max amount. Pumping it up by hand 4 or 5 times will certainly raise your heart rate no matter how strong you are. Expect to take at least 100 pumps by hand to completely fill the air reservoir. Our recommendation would be to get a scuba tank. Once you fill your scuba tank, it will last for quite a long time. Remember, to use the scuba tank, you will also need an adaptor, such as the Scuba Yoke Adaptor For Benjamin/Crosman PCP Airguns. After filling the gun at least a dozen times from the scuba tank, it has barely made a dent in the pressure of the scuba tank. So once you fill your scuba tank, it should last quite a long time. The post Review of the Benjamin Marauder Wood Stock Air Rifle (.177, .22 and .25 Cal) appeared first on Air Rifle Pro. from https://airriflepro.com/benjamin-marauder-wood-stock-air-rifle/
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The Black Ops Sniper Rifle is a .177 calibre air rifle, and can be used with any .177 pellets. It's a perfect air rifle for shooting small game and eradicating pests such as squirrels, rats and starlings. Features of the Black Ops Sniper RifleBasic features include a rifled barrel, 44" in total length, and can reach up to 1000 fps. Once sighted, it's accurate up to 100 yards. It's a break barrel air rifle and holds only one pellet at a time. For those who aren't sure how a break barrel air rifle works, the basic concept is that when you pull the barrel down it cocks the rifle. You then load the pellet, push the barrel back up which locks it in place. It then launches the pellet using a gas powered spring piston. You will require a bit of strength to cock this air rifle, and it may not be suitable for young children/teenagers to use as they generally won't have the upper body strength to do this repeatably. Another thing to note is that when you cock this type of rifle, it automatically sets the safety so it can't be accidentally fired. Before taking a shot, the safety will need to be released. As you have to cock this air rifle for each shot, if you like to put pellets down range quickly, this might get a bit tedious loading one pellet each time. However, due to the high velocity that this air rifle produces, cocking it each time is actually the best way for consistent shots. The benefit though of break barrel air rifles is you don't need to worry about refilling with a pump or CO2 cartridge! For the best results and to ensure a high level of accuracy when shooting, it's always a good idea to purchase quality ammo. It has been made using Power Piston Technology. In comparison to the older spring powered air rifles, it has a longer lifespan and also increased consistency over time. To avoid spooking game and to keep the noise to a minimum, it does include an attached suppressor which helps make it a bit quieter. Note that there is a cheaper model of this air rifle that looks like it has a suppressor, but it is just cosmetic. Also, depending on the ammo you select, you may still end up breaking the sound barrier and still get a crack when using. For the type of air rifle, it is on the heavier side - out of the box it weighs about 8lbs, plus any accessories you add to it. For it's size, it is quite powerful and has a bit of kick to it. Although it has the suppressor, it is still loud in comparison to air rifles such as the Gamo Whisper Fusion. It has a smooth trigger pull, but doesn't tell you how to reduce pull on trigger though. To make it look more like an actual tactical sniper rifle, the manufacturer has incorporated a bolt to make it look more authentic. However, this bolt is definitely not functional! If you want to customize your air rifle, you can accessorize and add your own scope using the 6 inch tactical rail. It also has an adjustable cheek rest to get it sitting comfortable for you. Lastly, the 1yr warranty from the manufacturer helps give a bit of piece of mind when buying. Review of the Black Ops Sniper Rifle AccessoriesThis air rifle comes with several accessories as standard. For those that are experienced, they will seem useless and you will most likely end up wanting to upgrade them straight away. For beginners, these will at least get you started. To start with, it does come with a 4x32 scope, plus basic covers to help keep it protected. As to be expected for the price range of this item, the scope is poorer quality in comparison to what you can find on the market. If you are a beginner, it will definitely get you started and having fun. Upon receiving the air rifle, you will also need to mount the scope and adjust things such as eye relief, elevation and windage to suit you. If you want to use this air rifle seriously, be prepared to purchase another scope to replace the one it comes with. If you put something like a 3/9/56 scope on it, you can easily get this air rifle shooting very accurate at 50 yards. If you just don't want to bother with a scope, it also comes with a dot sight. The adjustable bipod is another accessory that comes with the Black Op Sniper rifle. The legs can extend from about 8" out to 10" and if they're not needed, they can be moved out of the way by folding them up. Some buyers have found that the bipod legs are not as stable as those of a much higher quality bipod, so they could seem a little floppy when using them. If they seem loose, you can try putting it on with locktite for a more secure fit. One obvious let down is that this air rifle has no sling attachments. If a sling is a requirement, you will need to look at getting the attachments mounted yourself. The post Black Ops Sniper Rifle Review appeared first on Air Rifle Pro. from https://airriflepro.com/black-ops-sniper-rifle-review/ When people think of air rifles, they often don't take them seriously. However, the Benjamin Bulldog will change that perception as it's a serious hunting rifle. It is a .357 Pre-Charged Pneumatic repeater, classing it as a big bore air rifle and suitable for hunting large game, such as wild hog. This air rifle packs a punch, especially when used with the right pellets, and can easily reach 900 fps. It's bullpup design means its action is located behind the trigger area, making it more compact and lighter then other similar sized air rifles. The lever action is smooth and effortless, giving it a clean and crisp feel when using, all good things. As a PCP air rifle, it has a maximum fill capacity of 3000psi which will on average get you 10 shots before having to refill. To refill, it has a quick disconnect filler as opposed to a probe. minimizing the possibility of leaky o rings. However, the plastic cover for the charge quick disconnect is not permanently connected and seems flimsy in construction. It has the potential to fall off and get lost if out in the field. This seems like one of the little things that could have been done better, either by recessing further or having it remain securely connected to the rifle when it is opened. The pressure gauge is easy to see so you can ensure it is refilled to the correct amount with no fuss. As with many big bore air rifles, they are air hogs, and this one is no different. Although it can be refilled with a high pressure hand pump, to hit the 3000psi limit it will take a lot of effort and may not be achievable for many who don't have the strength or body weight behind them. If you are unable to hit 3000psi, you may need to re-pump every 5 shots instead. We recommended getting an air tank to refill, it will make shooting this air rifle much more enjoyable in the long run. As it's a big bore air rifle, it's going to be loud in comparison to smaller calibres. It comes with a SoundTrap baffle-less trapezoid-shaped sound suppression setup, however don't expect it to be silent! It will be quiet if using heavier ammo such as the Nosler 145 gr bullets. There are two components to the loud sound of this air rifle, the barrel bark and the air tube ping. Although the barrel bark can be reduced, it makes the "ping" more noticeable. There is the option of installing a depinger, but one that is effective would end up reducing the air tube volume, and still won't make it that much quieter. As a big bore air rifle, it's still going to be louder, and there isn't much that can be done to completely remove this. The Bulldog will still hit approximately 100db and you should wear hearing protection whilst using it. It has a 28" rifled barrel, but it's total length is only 36" due to its bullpup design. Without accessories it weighs 7.7lbs, though as you start adding scope it can easily increase up to over 12lbs. The sling mounts enable an easy carry, and due to its bullpup design, it sits flat across your back and is less likely to get caught up on branches or other items as you walk around with it. It has a manual safety instead of an automatic one, so you don't have to worry about having to turn it off after each shot. The location of it though might get in the way a little for some users. The trigger is 2-stage, taking approximately 2lbs to reach stage 1 and 3lbs to reach stage 2, with a clean break. Unfortunately, it's non-adjustable, making it one of the few negatives for this air rifle. The trigger is plastic, so seems a bit flimsy in comparison to the rest of the rifle but is still smooth. It's also made for accessorising, with several mount points. It's full length Picatinny rails make it more flexible with your accessories, and any optical accessory made for the AR platform can be fitted. When mounting a scope, the rail might seem a little low compared with the stock, but a spacer can easily fix that if required. The grip is by far as plastic as the Bulldog gets, and should have had a rubber coat on the grip or some grooves added, however you can easily add a rubber sleeve to improve the grip if needed. Don't despair if you are left-handed, this air rifle has a reversible bolt and is designed to enable the sidelever to be switched to the other side of the gun. With the ambidextrous synthetic stock, this is a great air rifle for those who are left-handed or like to shoot from both sides. Make sure if your target shooting you have a solid strong backstop. When using lead slugs, it hits with real authority. Make sure when you are using this air rifle, you are aware of what's around you and where you are shooting as it can do some damage. You will most likely attract a lot of attention when shooting it and have to deal with everyone wanting to try a couple of shots themselves. You will probably surprise a few on how powerful air rifles have become. And even if the look of it takes a while to grow on you, it's power and accuracy will have you falling in love with it in no time! Best Bulldog AmmunitionAs with most things, the better quality the gear the better the experience. The same when using the Benjamin Bulldog air rifle. Benjamin have produced the Benjamin Nosler ballistic tip .357 cal 145 gr bullets that specifically go with this air rifle. These are a favourite to shoot, but they are quite expensive in comparison to others on the market that are available! Some other options are the domed JSB Match Diabolo Exact, .35 Cal, 81.02 Grains. These will be much louder in comparison to Nosler bullets due to being significantly lighter but they are a cheaper alternative and can still get great results with them. If these don't suit you are you really want to try some other alternative, these are also available on the market: Bulldog Auto Indexing Magazine - 5 shot
The Bulldog uses a 5-shot magazine which is a big plus as many big bore rifles are single shot, increasing the practicality of a follow-on shot. It's easy to load, smooth, and no jamming. As the Bulldog air rifle is able to comfortably maintain 10 full shots before requiring a refill, but only comes with a single 5-shot magazine as standard, it's also a good idea to have an extra magazine on hand. This magazine even tells you when you are out of pellets! It has a handy feature of a green and red indicator to show when it is full or empty, so it's quick and easy to tell what the status of the magazine is. If you forget to keep track of how many shots you've let off, this will save you from shooting air at something accidentally. It also has the ability to auto-rotate a fresh round into the breech with each cocking motion of the rifle. Benjamin Bulldog Big Game Hunter's PackIf your looking to buy accessories for your bulldog air rifle, the big game hunter's pack is good value. It comes with a range of additional items, being a bipod, scope with a lens cover, 25 rounds of Nosler ballistic ammo ($25 value alone), sling, carry case, and cleaning items. As with most packs or kits, the extra items are not going to be the highest quality available on the market. The scope which comes with the hunter's pack has some chromatic aberrations in the image at distance, though this is not as noticeable when looking at a black and white target. The bipod is reasonable and will get the job done. If you are after a top of the line bipod, this is not it, but for the price of it, it is still a good addition to your kit. The post Review of the Benjamin Bulldog .357 PCP Air Rifle appeared first on Air Rifle Pro. from https://airriflepro.com/benjamin-bulldog-357-pcp-review/ Spending an afternoon at home plinking is a great way to relax and get in a bit of target practice to keep your shooting skills up. Although there are lots of homemade DIY plinking target ideas for those who want to get a bit creative themselves or need to find some targets on a budget, there is also a whole range of entertaining and challenging targets being made for those who want to try something different. We have put together a list of fun plinking targets that are available to buy, which will not only provide a good laugh for family and friends who might be watching, but also help you improve your shooting accuracy by continuing to practice and test your skills with different types of targets.
Jumping TargetsThese targets, which jump back each time you hit them, make for hours of fun. Made of four reversible sided targets, you spend less time setting up targets and more time actually practicing your shooting in quick succession. The targets will also make you improve your accuracy by ensuring you hit the target as close to the centre as possible. If you don’t, it will either not flip over, or throw it off centre, making it even more challenging to continually hit your mark. To make things even more fun and create a bit of competition, you can get two jumping targets and race your friends and family. You can race by seeing who gets the furtherest along either by having a set number of shots each or a certain time limit. BUY ON AMAZON
Duelling Tree Target
If you are looking for something that is much more exciting then just shooting at paper targets, then the duelling tree target will provide hours of shooting fun. It has six steel reactive plates that swing from one side to the other side when hit, allowing you to compete against friends all day and not have to go down the range once to reset the target. Due to the forward leaning center stand, the targets are gravity reset. By using gravity to do the hard work, it doesn’t rely on springs or mechanisms. This makes it much more reliable and ensures all shooters continue to have a fun experience every time without the worry of easily breaking it. It is also made of good, heavy steel and is very sturdy. Depending on what calibre you try, or looking for extra stability, placing some sandbags or weights on the legs will ensure it stays in place. BUY ON AMAZON
Tic Tac Toe Target Spinner
A family friendly game that combines shooting skills and strategy in one target. This fun target will provide hours of shooting entertainment for both adults and kids alike, whilst helping to improve you shooting accuracy. As there is an X and an O on each plate, the player who succeeds in placing three perspective marks in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row wins the game. Although it can be hard to predict which side it will land on, you can still just aim, shoot and have fun until a winner is declared! The target has a corrosion resistant powder coating finish and is of a sturdy durable construction for its size. BUY ON AMAZON
Ferris Wheel Target
The Champion VisiChalk target ferris wheel provides hours of shooting fun with your air rifle. Once loaded with the 9 VisiChalk targets, get ready for some continuous shooting. The wheel rotates each time you hit it as the weight changes as when each target gets picked off. It’s a challenging game that helps you hone your shooting skills whilst providing interactive fun for all ages as it spins back and forth. This ferris wheel target comes with 18 of the Visichalk colored chalk targets to get you started, and you can buy extra packs containing 48 targets. The targets are approximately 2.5″ in diameter and .25″ thick in size, and are environmentally safe as they are made out of non-toxic chalk. If you crumble them up you can easily wash them away or let the rain dissolve them over time. It is made with a sturdy metal frame to keep the pinwheel stable and it also comes with 3 extra holders in case any get damaged whilst shooting. BUY ON AMAZON
Competition Spinning Airgun Target
This spinning target is a fun competition game which is designed for either 1 or 2 shooters using a pellet gun up to 1000FPS. Hit the orange target on the side to move the logo in the middle from one side to another. A fun target to practice your aim on your own, or race against a friend and test your accuracy and speed. Either way it will help you hone your shooting skills whilst being enjoyable as you see the logo move across. The target frame has a corrosion resistant powder coating. It is also easy to assemble and disassemble, making it perfect for storage or transporting it to and from the range. BUY ON AMAZON
The post Fun plinking targets that will improve your shooting accuracy appeared first on Air Rifle Pro. from https://www.airriflepro.com/fun-plinking-targets-that-will-improve-your-shooting-accuracy/ If you own an air powered pellet gun it’s important to understand CO2 cartridges for your air rifle. Carbon dioxide cartridges are a common power source for many types of air rifles and they have come a long way since their invention. Understanding how these devices work can help you maximize their use and also stay safe when installing them. We’ll outline how they are made so you can understand which brands are the best for your particular rifle. You will also learn the basics of how long they last and how to store them so you can get the most out of your investment. CO2 cartridges can be purchased at many major retailers and sporting goods stores. They are relatively inexpensive and are a very efficient way to power an air rifle. Shooters can typically get 100 to 200 rounds out of a cartridge before needing to change it. Here are some other common questions about CO2 cartridges. How Do C02 Cartridges Work?CO2 cartridges for air rifles are compressed CO2 gas in a stainless steel container. They are small, cylindrical cartridges that are about 4-5 inches long and about an inch and a half in diameter. At one end, the bottom of the cartridge is rounded off. At the top end where CO2 is dispensed the metal comes together to form a thin neck. When the cartridge is installed in a rifle, they are typically placed in a chamber with a seal and puncture nipple at one end and a screw at the other. The screw is used to push the cartridge against the nipple, puncturing it. There is a thin skin of metal on the neck of the CO2 cartridge that when broken, releases the CO2 gas into the chamber of the rifle, prepping it for firing. A seal around the cartridge prevents gas from escaping. How Are They Made?The process for manufacturing CO2 cartridges starts with raw steel unrolled from huge sheets. The sheets are run through a machine that stamps out metal discs using hundreds of pounds of force. The disks are then shaped into small pieces of metal that look like little cups. These small cups then go through a process called re-drawing where they are constantly moved in and out of a series of punches that lengthens them. In the end of this process, the cups look more like long tubes. The tubes then move to the next part of the process where the open end of the tube gets heated by an induction coil. This makes the steel malleable. Another machine then goes to work pinching and shaping the end of the tubes until it becomes very narrow. At this point they look like little bottles. Next the necks of the tubes are shaved by a lathe and a lip is created. They are then washed and dried before heading to a filling station. Keep in mind that the whole process is automated. A filling head pumps liquid CO2 into the filling cartridges and then caps them. The last step in the process is a quality control check before the cartridges are packaged and shipped to retailers. Do C02 Cartridges Expire?Some manufacturers may have recommended use by dates however these cartridges are manufactured to hold in the liquid CO2 pretty well. As long as the seal holds, cartridges should remain good for many years if not decades. Of course external factors can always cause that shelf life to shorten. For example if cartridges are stored in high heat, very low cold, in corrosion prone environments or if they are damaged in any way; this could cause the cartridge to fail prematurely. Manufacturer defects are another potential cause of short shelf life. As a best practice you should always try and use cartridges in a timely manner to avoid losing them to one of these external factors. How Should I Store My Unused C02 CartridgesMake sure you follow all manufacturer specifications for storage of your CO2. Here are some other general storage instructions. Store in a temperate area: any cartridge under extreme pressure does not do well with extreme temperatures. Avoid storing your cartridges in very high heat or very low cold. These can cause the seal to crack and even break. Avoid corrosion prone environments: Do not store cartridges in areas where there is an excessive amount of moisture or salt. These minerals can cause rust to form on the outside of the cartridge and eventually weaken the seal. Keep out of reach of children: You definitely want to store your cartridges in a place where children cannot get a hold of them by mistake. Children playing with cartridges may inadvertently break the seal and cause the cartridge to erupt. Avoid shocks and bumps: Try not to frequently store your cartridges in areas that experience shocks, shifting, bumping, or other jarring. For example storing in vehicles, boats, or other conveyances can increase the possibility that a seal could get punctured inadvertently. ConclusionIf you understand C02 cartridges for your air rifle, you can be better equipped to know what to buy, how to care for them, and how to use them appropriately. CO2 cartridges have come a long way thanks to sophisticated manufacturing processes. They are an incredibly reliable power source for your air rifle and have a pretty long shelf life. The post Understand C02 Cartridges For Your Air Rifle appeared first on Air Rifle Pro. from https://www.airriflepro.com/understand-c02-cartridges-air-rifle/ |
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