Benjamin pump up rifles

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Why aren't the Benjamin 392 and 397 air rifles imported any more?

Can they go over 12fpe, or is there just not much of a market for them?

[tinbum]

I bought a new 392 earlier this year and put a Williams peep sight on it. 7 pumps gives you just under 12 ft/lb

[Lumberjack]

Why aren't the Benjamin 392 and 397 air rifles any more?

Can they go over 12fpe, or is there just not much of a market for them?

I asked a similar question a while back. The feedback suggested that some importers anticipated risks/issues with the power being in excess of 12fpe.

The quality of todays versions may not be comparable with the originals but I still fancy one. If you want to order up 10 or so, I'll buy one .

[robhw97k]

how much are these guns and who sells em ??

[Geezer]

Why aren't the Benjamin 392 and 397 air rifles any more?

Can they go over 12fpe, or is there just not much of a market for them?

Both.

That, and they aren't very good quality compared to the older Benjis and Sheridans. Which aren't too hard to find, used.

[tinbum]

Both.

That, and they aren't very good quality compared to the older Benjis and Sheridans. Which aren't too hard to find, used.

I compared my brand spanker against older ones at the Bash earlier this year. It was every bit as good as far as I could see, and much easier to pump and use. Was there perhaps a nadir in Benjamin QC that has passed?

[Geezer]

I compared my brand spanker against older ones at the Bash earlier this year. It was every bit as good as far as I could see, and much easier to pump and use. Was there perhaps a nadir in Benjamin QC that has passed?

They may well shoot as well. But the ones I have looked at are bulkier in the stock, less nicely finished, have more plastic and just feel less trim and solid than the older stuff. But I am an old nostalgic who thinks his Sheridan C9 and is just rather cool in a retro sort of way.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I bought a new 392 earlier this year and put a Williams peep sight on it. 7 pumps gives you just under 12 ft/lb

Where did you get it, Nick?

Import I suppose.

[Geezer]

I bought a new 392 earlier this year and put a Williams peep sight on it. 7 pumps gives you just under 12 ft/lb

PS - how is it on 8 pumps?

My recollection of the early 90s Crosman "Sheridans" is that they were so restricted as to hardly break 10ft/lbs. Perhaps over-caution by the then importers?

[averageplinker]

Where did you get it, Nick?

Import I suppose.

Ditto from me, never had a pumped and quite fancy scratching that itch.
Rich

[tinbum]

PS - how is it on 8 pumps?

My recollection of the early 90s Crosman "Sheridans" is that they were so restricted as to hardly break 10ft/lbs. Perhaps over-caution by the then importers?

It's not lacking in oomph. I think the blow-off valve may need some attention.

[TonyL]

I can't rightly now remember if they were banned over here, or if the then importers decided to pull the plug on them. And the reasoning for them being classed as "naughty" has been recounted on here a few times in the past.....some numpty shooting at construction equipment or something wasn't it?

Even if they weren't banned, demand for these rifles was dwindling by the early 80s. The rifle's main attraction for many was its high power output, at a time when many of the British rifles were not perceived as power monsters. Once we got rifles like the HW80, Webley Vulcan, Original 45 etc etc, which could all make legal limit power easily and with just one cocking action, demand was waning. And the rise of the modern PCP a few years later would have provided the final death blow.

I believe the earlier rifles were restricted just on the hammer spring length? And the later (were they called the C9A models) were restricted by a blow-off valve on the pump head?

I had a few tries with various earlier Sheridans, Benjamins and Setras many years ago. And I'd always fancied one since, mainly due to their slim lines, classical feel and sensible heft. When I joined the BBS I bought one of these later versions. I seem to remember that it made 7.5 on five pumps. And any extra pumps just caused the blow-off valve to dump pressure, meaning no amount of swinging on the pump handle would raise the power. I suppose I could have just blanked the relief valve off and then adjusted the hammer spring, but I really couldn't be bothered. So off it went. I still slightly regret getting rid to this day, but I'm also not convinced that I would have bothered using it, like the thought of owning was more appealing than the actual ownership and using it.

It was bloody accurate, mind, and a lovely, solid thing. Trigger not up to much. I seem to remember these later ones share the same trigger "cassette" as the Rabbit Stopper? And maybe, also, the later Discovery?

[TonyL]

Correction!

Just referring to my post above, although the high powered Sheridan was, reportedly, the gun involved, I seem to remember that this event was the major catalyst for the introduction of the 12ft.lbs power limit. The gun wasn't banned and we later "enjoyed" the castrated later versions. Maybe a reduction in hammer spring length initially, followed by the relief valve on the pump??

And I'm pretty convinced that the coming of springers capable of the required power, with just one easy cocking stroke, built to a higher level of quality and with better triggers than the American pumpsters, led to dwindling popularity and appeal.

And, as per above, those pesky PCPs.......