by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Benjamin Cayden sidelever repeater.
This report covers:
- Today at 10 meters
- The test
- Sight-in
- JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy
- Second group of Jumbo Heavys
- Time to try the H&N Slug HP
- Trigger
- Air Arms 16-grain dome
- Discussion
- Summary
Today I start testing the accuracy of the Benjamin Cayden repeating PCP. I read Part 3 of this series before starting the test where I see that I tested the velocity of the 23.1-grain H&N Slug HP. The one I tested was the 0.218-inch size and not the 0.217-inch one. I got the larger size to make certain they would fit most .22 caliber pellet gun bores.
Today at 10 meters
Because of the slug, which is a solid pellet that looks like a bullet, I tested today at 10 meters. I have never had much success with solid pellets in the accuracy department. They don’t have the drag that diabolos have and they tend not to stabilize. I’ve also encountered loading issues, though we learned in Part 3 that the H&N Slug HP loads quite easily into the Cayden’s breech. I would normally begin testing a potentially accurate PCP like the Cayden at 25 yards, but I didn’t want those slugs going haywire inside my house.
The test
I shot at 10 meters off a bag rest. I scoped the Cayden with an apparently obsolete UTG 4-16 SWAT scope with an illuminated glass-etched reticle. But I never turned the illumination on. At $155 this scope is a real value, because the optics are so sharp and clear. Because of the Cayden’s 12-shot rotary magazine that sticks up above the receiver, I had to use 2-piece rings, and this scope comes with a nice set of 2-piece Weaver rings that fit the Picatinny rail on the rifle. It took just five minutes to mount the scope that was already perfectly installed in the rings.
The UTG 4-16 SWAT scope fit the Cayden well.
I shot 10-shot groups, and remember — I am only this close to the target because I’m not certain about one of the pellets I’m testing. I will back up and give you a more realistic 25-yard test in the next report.
I set the power of the rifle to around the three-quarters mark — mostly to stabilize those slugs if nothing else. That means today’s pellets are moving out at around 775-825 f.p.s.
Sight-in
I started the sight-in at 12 feet, and when the first shot struck about one inch below my aim point I knew I was done. When I move back to 10 meters the shot will climb about an inch. The first shot was a little to the left of center, so I made a small adjustment.
The second shot at 10 meters was also too far to the left, so I dialed in some more right correction to shoot my third shot. The third shot was just a little too far to the left and after another small correction the fourth shot was in the black. It wasn’t in the center which was good because with a scope this sharp I could put the crosshairs over the dot in the center of the bull. So I didn’t want to shoot it out.
JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy
The first 10-shot group was shot with JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy domes. The second pellet passed through the hole made by the first and so did pellet number three. I never saw the paper move! Talk about a one-hole group. After 5 shots I wanted to stop and move to another target, because the group was less than a tenth of an inch. However, shot 6 landed low and opened the group which after 10 shots measures 0.142-inches between centers. Remember that the distance is just 10 meters, but this is a great result! It earns my coveted gold dollar for comparison, which, at 14 mm, is the smallest American coin I own.
On the first group at 10 meters the Cayden put 10 JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy pellets into a 0.142-inch group, center-to-center. For all groups that measure under 0.15-inches between centers I use a gold dollar for comparison.
Second group of Jumbo Heavys
I should have switched to a different pellet at this point but instead I shot a second 10-shot group of the JSB Jumbo Heavys. This time 10 shots went into 0.214-inches at the same 10 meters. That’s not that much larger, but it only rates the dime for comparison, because it’s over 0.20-inches. Remember — these are 10-shot groups, not 5!
The second ten-meter 10-shot group of JSB Exact Jumbo Heavys was a little larger — 0.214-inches between centers.
Time to try the H&N Slug HP
Now that I knew for certain the Cayden was accurate it was time to try the H&N Slug HP solid pellets. I knew right from the start they were not going to be as accurate when the second shot landed apart from the first. Ten Slug HPs made a 0.739-inch group at 10 meters. Not only did they open up, they also struck the bull in a different place than the JSBs.
Not so good. Ten H&N HP solid pellets made a 0.739-inch group when shot at 10 meters from the Cayden.
I need to test the H&N HP pellets in other .22 rifles that are more powerful than the Cayden. Perhaps if they were driven at 1,000 f.p.s. they would spin fast enough to stabilize and become more accurate. That is something I hope to do soon, because these pellets do seem to load well, unlike all the other solid pellets I have tested. But for now let’s try another pellet we know to be accurate.
Trigger
I must comment on how the trigger feels at this point. Accuracy tests always reveal the trigger function better than just measurements because so much relies on the trigger when you are going for the best the rifle will do.
During this test I felt one tiny bit of creep in the stage two pull. It was consistent, and I quickly learned where it was, and that the trigger would release soon after it was encountered. That allowed me to keep the crosshairs on target to the best of my ability
Air Arms 16-grain dome
The last pellet I tested was the 16-grain Air Arms dome. I know JSB makes this pellet, but in other tests it has proven to be significantly different than the 15.89-grain JSB Exact dome. The Cayden put 10 of them into a 0.149-inch group at 10 meters. That’s good for a second gold dollar!
The 10-shot group of Air Arms 16-grain domes measures 0.149-inches between centers — just small enough to qualify for the gold dollar!
Discussion
Without question the Benjamin Cayden is very accurate! Now that I have sighted it in, the next test at 25 yards should tell us just how accurate it is. Next time I will shoot it at full power.
Summary
Several readers indicated they were interested in the Benjamin Cayden. They like the looks and how it operates. I haven’t tested it as much as I’m going to, but without a doubt the Cayden is a very accurate PCP.
Errata-
Section- Sight In, first paragraph, third sentence-
‘The firast (first) shot was a little….’
Paco,
Fixed.
Thanks,
BB
B.B.,
I know this topic may have been disproved already, as far as pure lead pellets are concerned, but since the H&N Slug HP are wax coated would seasoning the barrel prior to doing an accuracy test be a good thing to do to give it a fair trial?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
I thought about that. Yes, it might have helped a little, but enough to matter is another thing.
BB
BB,
How about giving this rifle a nick name?
Golden Dollar?
Fish.
B.B.,
I looked at the wax on the H&N HP solid pellets in the previous posts and i kept thinking great no oxidation but was bothered by how uneven that coating looks in the pictures. So, could you wash off the wax (hot water and Dawn?) and shoot one group of 10 H&N HP solid pellets at 25 yards? I keep thinking of coated bullets an my DAQs and other BIG Bore NOT liking anything but bare Lead.
I also had some thoughts about the barrel band to pressure tube conection that effects POI on DAQs as you well know; but that should show up in the diabolos to!
shootski
PS: posted this yesterday late:
https://www.foxnews.com/health/human-coronaviruses-inactivated-mouthwash-oral-rinses-study?cmpid=prn_newsstand
If this is only half as effective as the Penn State Medical College believes it to be it is HUGH!
shootski,
I probably won’t do that test. I have too much bad experience with solid pellets that I really doubt anything will improve their performance.
BB
B.B.,
I get that.
Can’t blame me trying!
Maybe someone else or even me could do a comparison. I do have a Marauder in .22 that i could but I believe .25 is the breakpoint for solid pellets in the typical Twist and power level. So i havent bought any in .22 caliber.
Maybe???
shootski
Shootski,
I did read it. So my takeaway was that if I keep a hip flask handy with some 100 proof “bug juice” in it,… and take frequent swigs throughout the day,.. that I will be just fine? 😉
As for the oral rinse,… ok, makes sense. But,.. I am not sure how long that would last (efficacy) for either catching or spreading the virus. Minutes? Hours? Plus, what does this do if someone already has it? I am not sure that I see the practical application/use in the everyday real world. Maybe I overlooked something?
Maybe Jello shots? I could whip up a batch and suck on those all day,.. eh? 🙂
Chris
Chris USA,
I hoped for more in depth info so i will see if i can get a copy of the actual study report.
What you may be missing, as so many of the media do, is that it takes a certain level of virus load to get infected. Yea, it seems to vary from person to person but it takes time for the virus to multiply enough to overwhelm the bodies defenses. So if yo take a strong enough Shot Block on the right schedule you may eliminate the nasal/oral entry point as a viable way for the virus to get into you. That means only your eyes and skin breaks remain as a probable place for it to gain entry and infect you. Those have been reported in other studies as very small probability entry points.
I’m going to use mouthwash…it cant hurt and the occasional Bourbon, neat-water on the side, won’t hurt my psychological perspective either ;^)
https://thestockandbarrel.com/bourbon-for-beginners-the-best-ways-to-drink-bourbon/#:~:text=Drinking%20a%20beverage%20%E2%80%9Cneat%E2%80%9D%20means,a%20few%20drops%20of%20water.
shootski
Shootski,
I see. Maybe get a mouthful and breath through the nose for a minute or two. Swallow,.. and inhale deeply, hold. Mouth, sinus’ and lungs all covered in under 2 minutes. It might work? 😉
Also,.. maybe a good argument for bar owners to get back to full capacity? 😉
In the end,… you might end up with a bunch of alcoholics,… but at least they would still be alive!
I rarely could ever do bourbon. I did, but did not care for it. More like good Vodka. I did have some (way too much) George Dickel one time that went down way toooooo good. Never had it since. Yes, room temp., no mix/cut.
Chris
100 proof Southern Comfort, chilled in freezer, straight up.
RR,
Yukon Jack,… same way. Like cough syrup,… but yummy! 😉
Chris
Chris,
I will stick with others wearing a mask to protect me as I protect them by wearing a mask. If they want to gargle before they put on the mask all the better.
Don
BB,
Looking good so far. Maybe give the .218’s a try at 25 yards. Heck,… the .217’s too just to prove they will (not) be better due to spin stabilization. Regarding that,.. many people feel that it takes 50+ yards for the slugs to out perform pellets,… in that it takes that far for them to in fact stabilize in flight. At any rate, just an idea. Of course, fps, barrel twist, choke/no choke, slug OD size, slug weight and length all factor into that “mess”.
It would really be something if you had either slug do better at 50 than they did at 25.
Chris
Chris
Hmm, maybe some pellets will stabilize better at 50 yards than 25 yards.
I do remember I brought that up before. You remember?
Chris,
Why don’t you do those tests? 😉
BB
BB,
Outdoor shooting is about over here in Ohio. Plus, I only have the HN Grizzlies in .25. The JSB pellets did better in the M-rod and Red Wolf. I do not recall taking them out to 50 yards with either gun, but not sure without a records check.
Nope,… ain’t going down that “rabbit hole”! 😉
Now you,.. on the other hand,…. that’s why you get paid the “big bucks”! We get to send (you) down the rabbit hole,.. first! 😉
Chris
I have been testing these slugs in a higher power LW barreled Marauder that I am setting up for benchrest shooting, and I can attest to the fact that the .001 size difference can make a huge difference in results. They really need to be sized for the barrel, and if the barrel has a choke then that becomes the constraint on sizing.
Alan,
In your testing of slugs,… have you ever seen any evidence/indication of better accuracy at further distance? (vs worse at closer)
Chris
Chris,
Unfortunately I am in the early stages of the testing, and I have not shot them any farther than the 55 yard limit I have in my yard. I have found some that group well at that range, but this gun (a .22) still shoots the JSB Redesigned Monsters better than the best slugs at that range, at least in calm conditions.
I will say that the good slugs look the same indoors at 20 yards – the Monsters are a bit better, but the slugs are pretty good on their own. I my limited experience, I have not seen any case where the slugs actually “get better” at distance, but I do expect there will be a distance where the slugs may do better than the Monsters by not deteriorating as fast (not by actually getting better in terms of actual MOA).
Hope that helps!
Alan
BB
Isn’t hay wire known as bailing wire? 😉
I wonder how hay wire translates in other languages?
Gunfun1,
In German it would be Bindedraht; literally binding wire.
The English spelling is baling wire if you search with that it might give you better results. We called it farm wire.
shootski
Shootski
I never searched how to spell it.
What I was wondering is how someone speaking a different language would translate something going “haywire” like BB described above in his report.
That’s what I ment by translation.
Gunfun1,
drunter und drüber gegangen (to have gone under and over)
shootski
GF1,
I should disqualify myself from that question. My dad would not pay someone to bail our hay so we pichforked it on a trailer and then pitchforked it to haystacks. But the bailing wire would get into lots of stuff and mess it up. When haywire balled up stuff it was a mess. Wrapped around anything spinning or just tangled up in the baler it was a mess. Even the cows would eat a piece of it and it would poke a hole in their stomach. We had to shove a magnet down their throats to pull the wire, nails, or staples out of their stomach lining. We would salvage the magnets when we butchered them and use over. I just used the last of my baling wire a few years ago.
You will not believe the fight it was with the spell checker on this comment. I am worn out.
I did use some soft tie wire for some gas welding last week. Miss the baling wire. I got 5 cents a bale to pick up in the field haul to the stack and stack in the barn with my own equipment when I was a kid. Not my best business venture.
Don
Don
We didn’t grow hay on the farm. We would get a few bails here and there though.
We would use the bailing wire for various things. But check out my reply to Shootski.
I’m still pulling for this one. Don’t know why. Hope it keeps putting them in small groups at distance.
me 2.
Off subject but readers need to be aware of a piece in November issue of American Rifleman: Glimpse Of Toy Gun In Student’s Home Prompts School Officials To Call The Police.
I don’t need to draw a picture of why this could become an issue for our sport.
Deck
I like the looks of this rifle pretty well, except for the clip sticking up in the air.
Shows good promise at 10M with pellets.
25 yards should tell the story.
tt
TT
I just wish it would cost less.
Seen in an Academy outdoor store. Perhaps they will start selling PCP airguns in big box stores.
Man, if I could just get one without a hand pump.
RR
Right. They should offer it that way also.
One day, maybe.
RR
Maybe.
It was only $224 with the pump. I was momentarily tempted but I’m saving my pennies for a better air rifle…or maybe a nice stock for my Maximus. It keeps shooting better and better 🙂
Brent
Brent
We was just talking about that the other day about this gun.
I think its pretty cool. I hope it follows at other stores.
Brent, Glad to see these in sporting goods stores. Big box stores have to be the market for these. I bet we’ll see them there soon.
Brent,
Seeing those empty shelves reminded me,… just came back from Walmart and they were full up on air rifles. Not so much on pellets. Like 6 cans of some gimmicky ones. bb’s nil. FYI for anyone interested.
Chris
BB,
I can understand why you have had issues with bullets (read slugs). with the lower power levels of airguns plus the twist rate, it gets pretty hard to hit anything.
From what I have been hearing, this air rifle seems to really like bullets (read slugs).
/product/hatsan-neutronstar-air-rifle?m=4786#9537
RR,
Interesting. I plan to trey the Slug in either a Condor or an Escape next.
BB
Here is Steve’s take on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJZNGszt0E4
RidgeRunner,
Thanks for that, it is interesting the Neutron Star seems to like slugs better than pellets.
Like you said it is a power/twist rate thing and that Hatsan has some power. I have seen a few other videos on slugs and it does seem that about 1000 fps is kind of a requirement to shoot them well, with a faster twist rate you may not need that much speed but I do not know.
Mike
B.B.
Would it be possible to try shooting the H&N Magnum sniper 17.9 grain pellet?
Nice shooting!
-Y
Yogi,
O have something called a Sniper. I’ll have to see what it is.
BB
BB,
A quick question… This photo is from your Embark report. Where did you find the stock extention?
/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/12-19-17-01-Umarex-Embark-scoped.jpg
Uh, that stock color – I’ll have to figure out how to paint it black cheaply. I think it’ll shoot better than a 499 under 10m.
Fish.
Fish,
If you mean the extra buttplate extenders, they came with the Embark.
B B
BB,
Awesome!
In this case, yesterday, I wished for something that already existed. 🙂
Embark then might entertain me until I find a Diana 23 to buy. I wonder if 23 and 27 share the same LOP…
Fish.
BB,
Nevermind my Diana 23 question; I’ve just found the answer in your blog. It seems it has the same LOP with Diana 27. I’m officially in the market for a 23 then. It has everything I want.
/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/05-22-20-03-Diana-23-with-27.jpg
Is there a airgun that you haven’t tested yet, by the way… 😉
Fish
The Cayden seems to be an attractive and accurate airgun. Thanks for the report.
BB,
Interesting to compare the round pellet groups with the zig-zag group for the slugs. It almost looks like vertical stringing turned sideways. At least the slugs don’t seem to be keyholing.
If you run out of things to try with the Cayden, or just need a laugh, I vote for paper patching .217 slugs.
Or spagetti… 😉
BB
Correction is needed to UTG scope high lighted. It does not have an etched glass reticle.
Deck
Deck,
Well, I delinked the scope. Too bad it doesn’t seem to be available anymore.
Good catch!
BB