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Education / Training Benjamin Maximus: Part 1

Benjamin Maximus: Part 1

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Benjamin Maximus
The Benjamin Maximus.

This report covers:

  • $100 PCP
  • What is the Maximus?
  • Finish
  • Sights
  • Trigger
  • Dual fuel?
  • 2,000 psi
  • Differences
  • Yet to come

Okay — this is the report you have been waiting for. Today we begin looking at the Benjamin Maximus precharged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle. The rifle I’m testing is in .177 caliber, but they also come in .22 at the same price. They are available for sale, too, so the game is on.

$100 PCP

Two years ago Dennis Quackenbush and I experimented with the most inexpensive PCP we could envision. I called it the hundred-dollar PCP, and you might remember the series, Building the $100 precharged pneumatic air rifle. It was an experiment that we hoped would get people both thinking and talking. Well, it certainly did! One dealer was already selling a PCP for $100 that he was converting from a CO2 rifle. When he ran out of the initial supply of rifles, though, the price jumped to around $180, I believe.

Crosman representative, Chip Hunnicutt told me at the 2015 SHOT Show that his company was looking very hard at what could be done in this arena. But I must admit I was surprised to see the Benjamin Maximus announced at the 2016 SHOT Show. That’s fast! Now let’s look at what it is.

What is the Maximus?

The Maximus is not the $100 PCP. Crosman took their own Benjamin Discovery as the starting point and shaved cost, rather than following the route Dennis and I took, which involved starting with a $60 rifle and building it up. I think they did that for liability reasons. The rifle Dennis made was just a proof-of-concept gun that no company would ever produce. Dennis knew that the rifle would be in my hands for the test and I would never do anything to it that he didn’t approve of. The same cannot be said for something sold over the counter.

At least two CO2 rifles that were converted to precharged air operation have already exploded. So Crosman’s approach was to take a rifle of proven quality and see how much cost could be eliminated. Even at a retail of $200 they cannot be making very much money on the Maximus. The Discovery is already a budget PCP, so how much more can be saved?

The Maximus has a synthetic sporter stock with a schnabel at the tip of the firearm. The stock sounds hollow at the butt, so when the gurus on the forums prepare a list of all the things Crosman did wrong, that will be near the top. Actually, Crosman is giving you a PCP you can restock, and they aren’t charging you a lot for what comes on the rifle. I like both the shape of this stock and the feel as I hold the rifle. It feels svelte at the place where I hold my off hand. It’s very light, which helps the rifle’s overall weight of just 5 pounds.

The buttpad is also hard synthetic instead of rubber. So be careful when you stand the rifle on its butt!

Finish

The metal parts are finished matte as expected on a rifle in this price range. Wipe them down ocassionally with Ballistol and they will remain rust-free for a long time. The stock is also matte black, so you have the perfect non-reflective finish for a hunting rifle.

Sights

Both front and rear sights are fiberoptic, and I don’t mean the common dark fiberoptics found on Asian guns these days. These tubes are bright, and they gather light well. I’d say you had better either get used to fiberoptics or color the tubes with a black marker.

The rear sight adjusts for both elevation and windage. The adjustments are basic, but they work. I do plan to test the rifle with the open sights first.

Benjamin Maximus rear sight
The rear sight adjusts in both directions. It’s simple but should be effective.

Naturally an 11mm dovetail for mounting a scope is cut into the top of the steel receiver. I do plan on testing the Maximus with a scope, as that will be the most likely sight shooters will choose. I just like the fact that Crosman gives you the open sights because of the low price point of the rifle (some buyers may not be able to afford a scope) and also because there is a small but passionate group of shooters who only use non-optical sights.

Trigger

The trigger certainly feels like a Discovery trigger to me. It’s single-stage, but there is slack in the linkage that feels like a short first stage. It’s non-adjustable and will be another platform for the forum airgun engineers to redesign/fix. For real shooters, it does work, though it is by no means in the same class as the trigger found on a Benjamin Marauder. I will measure the pull force for you in Part 2.

Dual fuel?

The gauge/manometer that is built into the gun at the bottom of the stock (yes, they did put a pressure gauge on the Maximus) has a scale for both CO2 and air. But the owner’s manual makes no mention of CO2. I think Crosman has given up that idea because it caused a little confusion among first-time users of the Discovery and Marauder. I imagine they are using up the supply of dual-fuel gauges, but think air, only, when you buy a Maximus. Will it operate on CO2? I’m sure it will because of the low operating pressure, but you’ll have to find your own coupling to fill the gun.

2,000 psi

The rifle is filled to 2,000 psi (yea, Crosman!) and it operates down to around 1,000 psi. I will find out how many useful shots you get in Part 2, but I’m guessing the valve is a lot like the one in the Disco, and the number will be 20-25. And of course I will test the velocity with several pellets.

Differences

What are the differences between the Maximus and the Discovery? Well, the stocks are the big ones. The Disco has a wood stock that adds a couple ounces of weight to the rifle. And the Disco barrel is 24.25-inches long, while the Maximus barrel is 2 inches longer. That may make a small difference in performance, but I’m going to wait to see what it is. There are probably some other differences, but I don’t know what they are. I hope the Maximus barrel is as accurate as a Discovery barrel. And that’s what we will find out together.

Both airguns are loud by today’s standards, because there is no attempt to moderate the muzzle blast. I’m sure most readers know there are aftermarket products to do that, but just as the BATF knows exactly what a “solvent catcher” is (a silencer for a firearm), they are also not fooled by the term lead dust collector. Airgunners completely encrypt that term, though, by using just the initials, LDC. Fly Silencer Airways at your own risk.

Yet to come

I will test the velocity and shot count next. I plan to use the Air Venturi G6 hand pump to fill the gun because of the low fill pressure and the small reservoir (135cc). Then I plan to shoot the rifle at 25 yards with both the open sights and a scope. If the accuracy seems good enough I will also do a 50-yard test.

Let’s try to keep our perspective in this test. Yes, the Maximus is a PCP, but it’s being built to the lowest possible price. I can forgive less accuracy from a rifle in this category, though it still has to be okay.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

99 thoughts on “Benjamin Maximus: Part 1”

  1. The other day a link was posted about somebody else reviewing the Maximus. It was mentioned that the gun had more shot count and a flatter velocity spread and about the longer barrel and possibly a different valve.

    I’m thinking the barrel being longer is helping the velocity spread. And maybe they just went to a little smaller inside diameter on the transfer port orifice instead of designing a whole new valve. Especially since they’re trying to keep cost down.

    But I like what I see so far. I like the idea of the longer barrel. And I like the stock as well. But I do wish they would of put a different trigger assembly on the gun.

    Anyway good for Crosman to put out a nice pcp and at a cheaper price. Usually it goes the other way around. If they sell cheaper you usually get a lot less now days.

    Can’t wait to see what it does on paper. If it shoots as good as the Discovery’s I had it will be a winner at that price.

    • GF1,

      Don’t be a “forum guru”. You know the trigger is the most expensive assembly on an air rifle. You also do not want to put a FWB300 trigger in the hand of a newbie. The triggers really aren’t that bad and with an aftermarket part, it is pretty decent.

      • RR
        There you go again. Have you ever shot a Discovery?

        And I didn’t say anything about a FWB 300 trigger you did.

        And yes I wish they would come up with a better trigger for the Discovery and the Maximus too if it’s the same as a Discovery trigger. The triggers are junk compared to most pcp triggers that (I have shot).

      • And while we’re at it. How much does that aftermarket trigger piece cost. Not much. And if Crosman added it to the Discovery or Maximus it wouldn’t change cost. Heck they probably got parts from another gun they could put right in.

        • GF1,

          LOL! Yes, I have shot a Discovery and no, it is not to be confused with a match trigger.

          What needs to be kept in mind is the whole idea is to keep cost to an absolute minimum. You have worked in manufacturing long enough to know that any changes to design, tooling, etc. increases production cost. I am sure you have noticed that although Crosman can at times seem to be innovative, they are always about doing it as cheaply as possible. The Discovery is one of their CO2 rifles that they converted to PCP.

          Also keep in mind that this is for entry level into the world of PCP. After the average sproinger trigger, even a Discovery trigger feels great.

          • BB
            True but look at some of the break barrel guns they put on the shelves at the big box stores. Some of them are adjustable.

            And I don’t recall seeing a Discovery on the shelves at a big box store yet.

            They could of done something with the Discovery trigger in the beginning and we wouldn’t be the wiser cost wise of what they charged. It still would of been a fair price that would only maybe be a few more dollars in cost. Then a good trigger could of been passed on to the Maximus.

            Look at all the modding people do to junk triggers. Wonder what a good lawyer would do with that in court. I can hear the lawyer now. Why would somebody need to change this trigger to make it work better. Just a example but you know how they can twist stuff around.

            I say let it have a good trigger and be done with it.

            • GF1,

              LOL! But where do you stop? Crosman actually did take a Discovery and put the Marauder trigger on it. It was the Katana. Everybody immediately wanted a clip added.

              • RR
                I remember the Katana. I liked the stock it had too. Why did they stop making it I wonder.

                Nice action, nice trigger and nice stock??? What’s wrong with that picture?

                • Think about it, every time we ask for an entry level priced gun, the new people wanting to get in will be thrilled with it as long as it is accurate, and within their price range.

                  The More experienced Airgunners say “if only they would add this trigger, or add these sights, or this option”, all of those additions add to the price.
                  Knocking it out of contention as an entry priced gun.

                  Think back when you got your first airgun that you had drooled over and wanted so bad you could taste it, you were thrilled with it, then after a little time together, you started thinking about how to improve it.

                  The Maximus is that entry level platform.
                  Most of the first people buying it or the complete shooting Kit, will be thrilled, after a while, they will look into modifications to address what they perceive as its shortcomings.

                  There are tens of thousands of people out there that love their Chinese made springer with a horrible trigger and bundled scope that more experienced guys would never spend their money on.

                  They love it because it falls into their price range, and does the job they want it to.

                  Let’s see it for what it is, a stepping stone into the PCP world, at the price point that will bring in new people, that may start to explore other parts of the hobby.

                  If the Marauder is Crosman’s Mustang,
                  the Discovery is the Focus,
                  then the Maximus is the Festiva.

                  They all get you down the road, some with better style and amenities.

                  They will sell thousands.

                  • 45Bravo
                    Agree with that.

                    But for some reason “What If” always comes up.

                    Sorry but what the if the Discovery and Maximus had a better trigger.

                    Its less that would need changed as a person became a more advanced air gunner. And maybe they would be more comfortable shooting that gun which would probably make them continue to be a air gunner.

                    • GF1,

                      “What if always comes up”,.. you say,… well of course it is always going to come up,….. you are a “tuner”. Not all of us, me (not) included, thinks that way.

                    • Chris USA
                      Hmm maybe I should be setting at one of those round table discussions at Crosman when a gun design is being talked about.
                      😉

                  • 45Bravo,

                    With all due respect and apologies, it is my opinion that it is the inexperienced that cannot accept it for what it is and want the changes, such as adding a magazine feed to the Katana.

                    The new Evanix Rex pistol for instance. They are already commenting on the PA sight that they want the air tube under the barrel and a magazine feed blah blah blah blah, and they have not even tried one yet!

                    Don’t get me wrong, some of these things were just meant to be tinkered with. That is why I have a pile of parts right now that used to be a Talon SS.

                    I have just about decided to go ahead with one of these. I am positive I will put in a new sear and a power adjuster, but I think I will try to leave the rest as is. A light, easy to handle plinker / hunter has a place in my modest collection.

                • GF1,

                  If I recall correctly, the Katana was actually a special order design for PA who sold it exclusively.

                  The main problem with it was it was too early. The Discovery had not been out that long, followed closely by the Marauder, which by the way had all the bells and whistles that everyone was screaming for in an affordable package.

                  I think the market would accept the Katana now. Many are building such anyway by taking their Discos and adding the Marauder trigger assembly.

                  I have just about talked myself into a Maximus. I may have to find a new home for the 46E.

                  • RR
                    I don’t remember the time fame exactly when they all came out. Well what I mean is how close they were released to each other.

                    I do know this. I was going to get a Katana. I was going back and forth between it and another gun. By time I decided I was going to get it. It was to late. They had just sold the last one when I called to make the order. I was kind of mad at myself. So I learned that you snooze you loose also applies in the air gun world.

                    And if it was me. I would let the 46e go for a Maximus. But again. That’s me. And I have shot the 46e. 😉

                    • GF1,

                      The only thing I have against the Diana 46E is the same thing I would have against the TX200 or the LGU. Lugging one of those things around in the woods in the mountains of Virginia would not be very fun, very long.

                      If I was into field target, it would be a good one to hang on to. I was shooting well enough with it at the Fun Shoot that I was getting the attention of those who were shooting TX’s and such. Once you get used to how to load the pellets in it, it works pretty nice and is not hold sensitive. The trigger is pretty sweet also. The only real drawback for field target is that because of the loading port you cannot put on one of those super dooper long scopes.

                  • RR
                    I actually didn’t like the trigger on the 46e or the shot cycle. Or the accuracy. So that said the Discovery trigger is worse than the 46e trigger.

                    My TX blows it away on all accounts. So now you see why I don’t own the 46e anymore.

                    Like I said. I would rather have a Maximus than the 46e.

                    • GF1,

                      You’re just spoiled. If you picked up a Maximus you would not be happy as you would very shortly be comparing it to the Marauder and find it lacking.

                      You are right though that the 46 would most definitely benefit from a tune. I have seriously considered doing such, but I think I would rather trade it on a HW 95 and put the tune into it. I would like to have a good hunting sproinger around.

                  • RR
                    I look at it a different way. I would not compare it to a Marauder. I would look at the Maximus for what it is.

                    If there is something lacking on it I would acknowledge what it is. Which I have on the Maximus. And that if it has the same trigger could as the Discovery it was a mistake on Crosman’s part.

                    Heck I could go on and wish it had shroud. But that only affects sound performance. The performance of the trigger could is something that shouldn’t be over looked.

                    Look how many times you have griped about different cheap springers and nitro piston guns that had junk triggers. And only what If they would of put a better trigger on them you mentioned vacancy you would by that gun or change it out.

                    Think about it. And yes I can say more if you want. Or just drop it. Your opinion my opinion. So what. 😉

                    • You are quite correct. Crosman has a history of making bad triggers. That is why I do not own any of their air rifles so far.

                      I am actually amazed that they did as well as they have with the Marauder. Crosman has such a poor reputation with me that had it not been for thousands of positive reviews and comments concerning the Discovery and Marauder, I would not now be considering owning one of these.

                      It will likely all depend on whether AOA will let me use the 46 as a trade in on an HW 95 or not. The Maximus sure would be a good entry into the PCP world for my grandson. I will take care of it for him until he is old enough. 😉

                  • RR
                    I have bought used guns and traded guns in at AoA. Have had no problems. But the only thing I don’t like about them is they want usually close to top dollar for their used guns. They won’t usually come off their price on them and they will at the most give you half of what the guns worth your trading in.

                    I found it better to just not trade a gun in to them and sell it another way.

                    But they do end up with some interesting used guns for sale.

                    • GF1,

                      Thanks for the tip. I pretty much figured it would be that way. Hey, they have to make a living. If I go that route and I don’t like the offer, it will not be the first time I have walked away from a deal.

                  • BB,

                    Everybody said they wanted that, but they really wanted the Marauder. It is just like the Maximus. They are already wanting shrouded barrels, magazine feed and tunability.

                    I saw the Katana and fell in love. By time I had saved up enough change, they were gone.

  2. Pyramid has the Maximus .22 rifle, pump, pellets, glasses and a steel target for $380.
    Where the discovery .22 rifle and pump is $425.

    Making the Maximus a better deal for the first time PCP buyer, as EVERTYHING you need to shoot is in the package, from the eye protection to the target.

    From reading other reviews, and some user comments, I agree with it probably having a different transfer port, and or probably a different spring. (Either hammer spring, or internal valve spring.)

    From having modded a standard discovery into a $900+ gun, (it sneaks up on you, $20 here, $10 there)
    I don’t see where they could have cut the cost as much as they have other than the stock, front sight assembly, and barrel. (The parts with the least danger of product liability.)

    If Crosman did source a different barrel For the Maximus, I do sincerely hope it is as accurate as the discovery barrels.

    It will be interesting to see how it stacks up.

    • 45 Bravo,

      I guy I know who built a Double Disco put a smaller transfer port, .129″ I believe, said it really improved his shot count, quieted it down a bit and he did not really lose power.

  3. Overall, very nice. I like the looks, the lines and the overall visual balance. I am a sucker for Schnabel’s, so kudos for that. I like the idea that open sights are included. People seem to love or hate fiber optics, but I think they are good and help to define the sight picture better. If they work, (gather light), very well, all the better. You mention “a rifle that you can re-stock”,… but does one exist? A Disco stock? As for weight, or lack thereof,….. having 3 that top the scales over 10#, the lighter weight would be a welcome change for some off-hand shooting.

    As for the technical aspects,… a simple call to Crosman could verify if the barrel is the same or different than the Disco barrel. No “secret” data would need to be divulged,…just,…. is it the same barrel or a different one?

    Overall, I am rooting for this one. Some 50 yds. would be cool. At least see what it would do.

    • Chris,

      There are aftermarket stocks available for the Discovery, some of them are really nice. It depends how much money you want to sink into it.

      Lloyd and I discussed the Maximus at length on our last road trip. We even compared the specs. The barrel is different than the Discovery, because it is longer. You ad production cost when you order a barrel longer than you want and then shorten it.

    • Chris,

      The way this works is — a new rifle comes out, then stockmakers star building stocks for =it. It takes a while for them to catch up, but there will be stocks for the Maximus. Maybe the Disco stocks will fit — I don’t know.

      B.B.

          • B.B.,

            And Ridgerunner,…. Thank you. I do not know if I would be in the market for one, but they nailed the looks. My curse is LOP,… rather long. Having 2 nice springers, with 1″ Limbsaver butt pads slipped on, and still too short,…. I really have to think hard on adding to the “herd”.

            And,…. while I am on LOP,… I ordered a 6 position stock w/cheek riser. I use a 6 position full out, with a RAI offset adapter. The new stock is 1″ shorter from lock pin to butt pad than the UTG stock (like B.B. has on his M-rod). We shall see. The riser should be a good improvement though.

  4. BB,

    I have been looking forward to this review! I have one of these on my Wish List. I have been wimbling about this or a Walther Terrus. I have been wanting a nice, light .22 plinker / small game getter and I think this will be a little gem.

  5. .” I’d say you had better either get used to fiberoptics or color the tubes with a black marker.”

    I gave up on the markers. I not just use flat black spray paint on the rear sight. I don’t have a big problem with the front sight.

  6. Crosman website is selling the Euro version with a threaded barrel.
    What they should do is glue on a moderator like the Fusion has and call it a day. Sell it as something from the custom shop.

        • StevenG,

          Should you get one of these things, you could put a lighter hammer spring and maybe a little smaller transfer port in it and bring it right down to around that. It would be fairly quiet right there, but if you needed less noise I am certain you could figure something out.

        • StevenG,

          They make a power adjuster that fits the Discovery and I am certain it would fit the Maximus also. I am seriously thinking of finding out. I am not a power hog, but it would be nice to tune the power level to what gives the best accuracy.

  7. I’ve been looking around the internet for reviews, no luck, no luck… boing, suddenly there’s 8 of them. Looks like the trigger might be better than the Disco?Of course, that varies from gun to gun. It’s been a financially challenging year of lots of unexpected expenses for me so probably no joy until next summer. I’m looking forward to the review on the Maximus.

  8. I am so glad that in creating a cheaper product they did not go into the extent of making the breech out of engineering plastic similar to the 13xx series.

    • Siraniko
      FWIW, I used to slap a steel breech on all things Crosman as soon as I got them. Then I wanted to try a peep and couldn’t find one that would work with a standard front. I put the plastic breech back on (a 1377 or 2240 with a stock) and really liked it; much lighter and it shoots well I just received a new 2260 which i ordered with a plastic. It shoots one hole groups at 10 m. And is all i need for pests.
      Not knocking the steel, which is the only way to go with optics, just reporting my good experience with the plastic and peep.
      Fido3030

      • Fido3030
        Check this gun out. It’s based on the Discovery. And peep sights can still be used with the still breech.

        /product/crosman-challenger-pcp-co2-rifle-open-sights?m=1925

        • Gunfun1
          Thanks, If I were into 3 position I would certainly consider the Challenger. Kudos to Crosman for some really creative guns, some perhaps inspired by people like yourself on this Blog. Truly it’s the golden age of airgunning.
          I’ve owned a lot of classics like the Diana 27, BSAs etc. and I wouldn’t go back.
          Fido3030

          • Fido3030
            I like air guns. Even the ones that ain’t as nice as others.

            But I just always have this thought in the back of my mind. They get real close to making a nice gun and at a good price then they don’t finnish the gun up with that one little thing that could make a big difference in the performance of the gun. And it’s not just guns. It’s cars and motorcycles and so on.

            But it is nice that some manufacturers cover a broad range of options on their products. Crosman does do that.

      • I would be satisfied with peep sights especially at the short range of my backyard that I usually use my airguns for. Unfortunately very few would be satisfied with a basic peep sight and they would bemoan the fact that Crosman “forces” them to upgrade their plastic breech to steel just so they can mount a scope on it.

  9. BB,
    Off topic.
    Do you know if PA will be stocking the new Beeman double barrel with the .22 and .177 integral barrels? I see they have the double barrel in .177 only. I have a strong interest in that rifle since you mentioned it in last years Shot Show. I have budgeted for that rifle since then.
    Thanks.

    • Ton,

      I myself have been curious about this thing, mostly from an engineering point of view. If the build quality was that of Air Arms or Weihrauch, I might consider owning one as a “collectable”. But when you consider the mass of the extra barrel, the operation of the transfer port selector, the complicated sight system and the fact that you still have to cock it each time you shoot it, it would be great to pull out and plink with when friends drop by but I do not think I would want to lug it through the woods all day.

      If I had to have dual calibers in one package, say to insure ready ammo supply, I would elect to have something like the Beeman dual barrel rig that you can swap out. Or better yet, buy an HW 95 and a spare barrel assembly in a different caliber.

      Having said all that, I would like to play with one for a little bit. 😉

      • RidgeRunner,
        I have a Beeman RS 2 with the swapable barrels. As soon as I get it tuned and shooting well with its preferred barrel, that barrel is staying put. I just like the cool factor of the double barrel – the fact that a second shot of a different caliber is just a crank away is really nice. Now tell me if airgunning isn’t the coolest sport!? Lol

      • BB,

        If you reviewed one of these, you could probably get a lot of blog articles out of it. At least 12 just regulate the barrels and find the right pellets for it. If you found one in the pawn shop, they would probably want $400 for it just because it looks exotic. Right alongside the $90 beat up Gamo. If I ever find a Dual in a liquidation store at the right price; though, I’ll probably buy it just to mess around with it.

        • But what is it good for? It looks like something the Japanese would invent just for the fun of it. They even have a term for it which I found in Wikipedia:

          Chindōgu (珍道具?) is the Japanese art of inventing ingenious everyday gadgets that, on the surface, seem like an ideal solution to a particular problem. However, chindōgu has a distinctive feature: anyone actually attempting to use one of these inventions would find that it causes so many new problems, or such significant social embarrassment, that effectively it has no utility whatsoever. Thus, chindōgu are sometimes described as “unuseless” – that is, they cannot be regarded as “useless” in an absolute sense, since they do actually solve a problem; however, in practical terms, they cannot positively be called “useful”.

  10. I don’t know if anybody mentioned it in the comments above, but I think it looks great. I loved the schnabel. And lightweight… The Maximus and the Discovery are like the M-1 Carbines of the PCP world.

  11. B.B.,

    The Maximus appeals to me quite a bit so far. If the rifle is accurate, I’ll probably get one.

    For me the attractions are the light weight and 2000 fill maximum (maximus?). I also like the longer barrel because it makes it less likely I would bump the crown with something while I filled it,

    There are online businesses that already offer trigger mods, power adjusters and regulators for the Discovery. And the Maximus’ low price makes paying for such work reasonable. And as I shoot to thrill, not to kill, reducing the power might make the Maximus quiet enough that a lead dust collection system would not be necessary, not to mention it would increase the shot count.

    Michael

  12. The extra barrel length will make it a snap to add a glue on type sound moderator, as compared to the Disco. I think the genius of Crosman will be found in the custom shop. Having spent nearly a grand on improving three different 1322’s, I can see this as a perfect tinkerers gun. It has the steel breech already–has to at that price point–but would be amazed if this doesn’t get supported like the 13xx series. Yep, this IS a good intro to PCP’s, but that price point makes it perfect to build a gun Johnny Cash style, “One Piece At A Time.”

    I find that buying a gun then modding it keeps the peace in the household far more than dropping the entire amount in one go. Momma just doesn’t get as cranky when I’ve spent $600 plus over two years than when I’ve dropped it in one fell swoop. She looks at the 1322’s the boys and I built as $60 dollar guns. There isn’t the resentment built as on the Condors, even though she is fully cognizant that the Big Brown Santa Truck keeps dropping of little fifteen to thirty dollar parts. Also, when gift time rolls around, the boys drop a word that they or dad needs a trigger, or barrel band, or breech, or scope, and all of a sudden, the pressure is off mom on trying to figure out what gift to buy. I hope this gun gets devoured by the newbies AND the aftermarket crowd. I’ll have one on my wall for sure…IF! At this price point:
    It’s minute of squirrel to 30-35 yards
    The barrel is a keeper
    User friendly maintenance
    Parts compatible with other established Crosman/Benjamin products (don’t want an orphan)
    Kudos to Crosman/Benjamin!

    • One more thing…I don’t know if I’d scope this boy. Plinking open sights, popping pidgeons and tree squirrels, and smacking pop cans and spinners is all I’d ask of it. I could see teaching the grandkids to shoot with a gun like this…
      I was looking at a Chipmunk style 22 for the first grandson, and you can bet his mom (and the neighbors) would be more comfortable with this. I wouldn’t feel a bit bad about trimming the stock down, filling the stock with expanding foam, and making a new epoxy/glass end cap for it, so a little guy could reach a bit better. Pumping it would be grandpa or dad’s job, and that would be a safety of sorts–the little guy won’t be able to pump it up and shoot without supervision until a teen. And by that time (and way before) shooting safety is gospel in our house.

      • I had a Taco red dot sight’s on both of my Discovery’s I had. Worked great.

        Matter of fact I got one of the Tasco’s on my Tx 200 for some time now and love it on it too.

      • Hi BB,

        I’m confused. You wrote it “will work on co2 but YOU have to find the way to fill it.

        Isn’t it filled the same way a Discovery is filled with co2 ??

        Some time ago Paul Capella produced a very informative video on using co2 in a Discovery … including how to fill it, and numbers for pellet size, fps, fpe, decibels, shot count, and other goodies.

        Are Paul’s instructions what you mean by “YOU have to find the way to fill it” ??

        jh

  13. Hey it’s just me Mr off topic again. I have A Condor question
    I Read the blog about changing it to A Talon SS. I’m thinking best to buy the Condor frame/power plant & parts to Talonize it 🙂 so as to have nice hunting platform just in case.. But basically keep lower power setup for my fun and not so serious hunting as in Talon SS. Guess wanting an opinion if this just me being a want it all. Lol
    Thanks for any input and all the great chatter that goes on here
    Rock

    • Rock,

      I said how to change a Condor into a Talon? I don’t remember that. It’s not a good idea.

      Now I did say how to double the Talon SS power to 44 foot-pounds by the addition of a 24-inch .22 caliber barrel. perhaps that is what you refer to?

      You might be interested in the Condor SS, too.

      B.B.

      • /blog/2006/03/turning-an-airforce-condor-into-a-talon-ss/

        That’s the link to the post, and yes I read the 24″ barrel to add power. its part of what I had planned in the first place. To Purchase the Talon SS in .177, then the 24″ barrel in .22 guess I will stay on that path.
        Thanks again,

        Rock

  14. Think I wiped out my question will start again. Have a AirForce Condor SS the problem is the scope is 3 inches above the barrel this causes the pellet to cross the line of sight at a steep angle. At 17 yards you can completely shoot over or under a sparrow. Stretching it out to 25 yards cuts this space down some but it still over shoots at 5o yds. My general shooting distance is 12 to 35 yds. So any experience on a good sight in range to cut down on the crossing effect of this 3″ spread. .20 cal or 5mm.

    • The best way to initially setup your airgun is to use a ballistics program. I use Hawke Chairgun Pro, free software from Hawke Optics. Search for it on Google. This ballistics software let’s you plug in all your guns characteristics, scope height, power, reticle type , pellet weight, ballistic coefficient, fps, zero distance and etc. The result is a nice set of graphs and tables showing exactly where your POI will be. It even has an auto
      calculation feature that will give you

  15. Continued
    It even has an auto calculation feature that will give you the best POI distance per your input parameters. It’s a great piece of software that only takes minutes to learn to use.
    Cheers
    Dave

  16. Continued
    Sorry for the multiple replies but the tablet is acting up.
    This software gives you the ability to print out ballistic charts or even retical /distance cheat cards. My cheat cards are about the size of business cards a d shoe the mil dot reticle with the distance scale running up the side. Works well.
    Cheers
    Dave

  17. Thank you Mr BB Pelletier and Redrafted for your informative replies. At first I thought I had deleted my question then I thought I had been banned from the blog. I’m going “self how can you manage to get banned from a pellet rifle blog with pellet rifle questions. That is only something you could do.” 😀

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