Benjamin Gunnar.
This report covers:
- Perfect day
- The test
- Crosman Premiers
- Adjusted the scope
- Second Premier group
- Air Arms 18-grain dome
- JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy
- Refilled the reservoir
- Second group of JSB Exact Jumbo Heavys
- Summary
Today is the 50-yard accuracy test of the .22-caliber Benjamin Gunnar. The last report was way back in April. I had to read all the past reports to remind myself of how the rifle operated and I think if you want to make the best sense out of today’s report, you should too.
Perfect day
I was at my rifle range early in the morning and the day was perfect. There was not a hint of breeze and, at 69 degrees F, it was a cool morning. I couldn’t ask for better shooting conditions.
The test
I shot with the Gunnar rested on a sandbag. The rifle was resting directly on the bag. I shot 10-shot groups, which are easy, given the Gunnar’s 12-shot rotary magazine and the sidelever bolt. There were no failures to feed during the test and every pellet fed like mercury going through a seive.
To start off the rifle was filled to 3,000 psi and the power was set at the 2/3 mark (two clicks down from the top), which is where it was set at the end of the 25 yards test. Given the Gunnar’s accuracy at 25 yards I thought it prudent to start there.
If you don’t remember the Gunnar is scoped with an Aeon 8-32X50 scope with a sidewheel parallax adjustment. It was reasonably clear at 50 yards, but I’m afraid the clarity of the new Meopta scopes have spoiled me. And don’t forget that Leapers new premium line of Integrix scopes is coming out soon. I will test those for you as soon as I get them.
Crosman Premiers
The first group was made with Ten 14.3-grain Crosman Premiers. They did reasonably well in the 25-yard test (a 10-shot group there measured 0.505-inches) so I thought I’d try them at 50.
The first shot landed below the bullseye, and in line with the center. That was good, I thought, because the scope was still sighted for 25 yards. I finished the group and it looks horizontal to me, though I remind you there was zero wind. So that was a function of the Premier pellet in the Gunnar set to this power level.
Ten shots made a group that measures 1.329-inches between centers at 50 yards. It’s not what I would call a good group, but I wanted to give this pellet one more chance. Maybe it was me?
At 50 yards the first ten Crosman Premiers landed in a group that measures 1.329-inches between centers.
Adjusted the scope
Through the scope it seemed that the center of the group was about one inch below the center of the bull that I aimed at. The Aeon scope has 1/4-minute clicks, so I adjusted it up 8 clicks, because a quarter minute of angle at 100 yards is about a quarter inch. At 50 yards it’s half that, so 8 clicks equals one inch.
Second Premier group
Changing nothing else I shot the second group. It actually rose by an inch, so the scope’s adjustments are spot-on. This group was both horizontal and also a bit vertical. It measures 1.563-inches between centers. It’s close enough to the size of first group that I can say the Premier is not the best pellet for the Gunnar — especially past 25 yards.
The Gunnar didn’t do any better on the second group. Ten pellets made a 1.563-inch group at 50 yards.
Air Arms 18-grain dome
Next up were some 18-grain domes from Air Arms. These are made for Air Arms by JSB, but I have found them to perform differently than the JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy that weighs 18.13 grains. They are also often the most accurate pellet in a .22 rifle. But not this time. The first pellet hit the target paper 2-1/2 inches above where I aimed. Shot two went 1-1/2 inches to the right of that. Shot three went another 1-1/2 inches to the right of that and shot 4 dropped 3 inches below the previous shot and 4 inches to the right of the aim point. At that point I checked that was shooting .22-caliber pellets. I was, but in the Gunnar they just didn’t work. So I blew off the remaining 6 pellets (shot them into the ground).
JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy
In my test at 25 yards the JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy was the most accurate pellet of all. I’m not saying that it is the very best — just of the four pellets I tested. And at 10 meters I put 5 of these pellets into 0.051-inches, the best of all pellets in that test, too. Therefore I had confidence that this pellet would be the best at 50 yards.
On the first group the Gunnar put 10 JSBs into a horizontal group that measures 1.35-inches between centers. Remember, there was no wind. I looked at the onboard pressure gauge after this group and saw that it was right at or just above 2,000 psi. At the end of this group I had fired a total of 40 shots.
With the Gunnar set to 2/3 power the JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy went into 1.35-inches between centers.
Refilled the reservoir
I refilled the rifle to 3,000 psi and dialed the power up to full. That is a JSB Exact Jumbo Heavy going out at 891 f.p.s. I wondered if it would make a difference.
Second group of JSB Exact Jumbo Heavys
This group went a little to the right of the previous group and became vertical instead of horizontal. Ten pellets landed in 1.068-inches between centers. It’s a little better than the last group and was the best I was to see on this day, for I had a second test to conduct.
0
On full power the Gunnar put 10 JSB Exact Jumbo Heavys into this 1.061-inch group at 50 yards.
Summary
Well that is my test. The Benjamin Gunnar is a nice precharged pneumatic air rifle that has a smooth sidelever and a regulated power for plenty of shots in the 30 foot-pound range in .22 caliber. The trigger is nice. I said in Part 2 that it’s not adjustable, but in fact it is.
The magazine does not stick up above the top of the receiver, so the scope can be as low as the outside of the scope and the mounts will allow. Besides the two magazines, tools and regulator, the rifle comes in a very nice hard case with a handle on one end and wheels on the other.
The Gunnar is a lot of airgun but the thousand-dollar price is also quite a lot. It’s in with some serious competition. And now you know what it has to offer.
Everyone,
Yepper — this was a Word Press foul up. All my scheduling had been erased and I had to reschedule all over again.
BB
I had to log in twice today, too.
BB,
It sounds like the Gunnar goes into the same pile as the FX Dreamlite. I am sure that with a lot of fiddling, both can become quite accurate, but at that price I personally would expect a lot better right out of the box. My Maximus will do this well and at this price I can do a lot of “accurizing” to it.
This is sad really. Has the dollar value fallen so much that we should expect mediocrity in this price range of PCPs? I may have to keep my HM1000X. It will do this well at 100 yards.
BB,
Might the barrel of this be actually for slugs?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
I wouldn’t think so. Crosman would have mentioned that in their advertising.
BB
BB,
Probably only if the Turks told them. Is it going to be worth trying?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
To shoot slugs the rifling twist rate has to be faster. I would expect it to be something Crosman would have touted in this thousand-dollar air rifle.
I shot slugs in Part 3 and they did poorly at 10 meters. I don’t expect them to get better with distance. I think I’m done with the Gunnar, unless I can be convinced to try it again.
BB
BB,
Then this is one rifle that will disappoint it’s buyer. Not accurate enough for the price. It might benefit if Crosman replaced the barrels with their own although that might add to the already high price though.
Siraniko
B.B.
The PCP guys at the range talk about tuning the regulator to the pellet. then tuning the hammer spring to the regulator pressure. If you are not doing this, you are not deep enough down the rabbit hole to shoot in the darkside! Try heavier weight pellets! My springers shoot 14.6 grain .22 pellets. Try something closer to 18-22 grains.
-Y
PS Now I know what they mean when they say, “Stop the Presses”. Should be WordPress’s slogan!
Yogi,
You are beginning to sound like a potential Disciple of the DarkSide, LOL!
Should I call you Yogi Wan Jenobi until you join the DarkSide?
shootski
Shootski and Yogi
LOL!
Two of my favorite pros having fun with each other.
Deck
Poor Crosman allowing theirselves to go down this path.
I thought they was getting somewhere finally with thier new barrel making process.
Haven’t liked thier .22 caliber barrels forever. My Semi Auto Marauder (SAM) has surprised me in accuracy. And to note it likes the Crosman Premiere hollow points. But not the regular Crosman Premieres at all.
Same on other of my .22 caliber guns. Premiere hollow points yes. Non hollow point premiers no.
Gunfun1,
I read some of the reviews on PA and three items stood out.
The first was complaint(s) about Crosman QA.
Folks thinking the general quality isn’t what they anticipated for the “big” price tag.
Last one was the most interesting to me was a complaint about the accuracy which caused the buyer to inform Crosman. They sent a replacement barrel and the writer was happy with the 2nd barrels accuracy.
So it seems it is still a game of barrel roulette at Crosman. I have played that game in the past multiple times and it always was a 5:1 in the old days and that seemed to have gotten to the 2:1 when they started reaming the tubing.
Small sample size in my experience but it appears another barrel might get you some improvement.
You can return/exchange it and hope or just buy a number of barrels and see if the roulette wheel goes your way.
Shouldn’t be that way.
shootski
Shootski
Yep.
BB
You need some more help testing your guns?
First off send them to some other blog members. Not me.
Just something for a change up.
Let’s see what happens. Might show a change. Might not. ?????
And to note those groups would probably be sufficient for bigger pests like possum, skunk, racoon and ground hog at 50 yards and in.
I volunteer!
Roamin Greco,
If you get to I would remove the cap, shroud, spring, and baffles and see if the naked barrel can shoot as a first step.
shootski
In my dreams, Shootski, I will certainly do that. I will also try every pellet and slug available at every possible combination of power setting, hammer spring tension, and regulator setting. All in my spare time.
But it would be fun!
RG,
And you would put together a spread sheet like you did for me. 😉
;o) You know me so well.
B.B. and Readership,
This is a shooter’s LAMENT. How on Earth can we airgunner ever get any respect from manufacturers and suppliers when this is a “quality” review:
“Here is the problem that the average shooter doesn’t know and most pros don’t talk about. It’s matching the twist rate to the speed of the pellet. looser lower twist rate you want to shoot the pellet at its lower end of the velocity gap. With a higher and tighter twist rate, you can shoot the pellet at its maximum velocity gap, If one is amiss then it il never be super accurate. The Gunnar twist rate in .25 is 1:15 which is way too loose for a .25 cal pellet or slug that doesn’t have enough bite. The .22 Gunnar is 1:24 which is a perfect test rate for pellets and slugs with plenty of bites. I would test the .22 it will shoot better.”
I ask; IS any of that review correct?
shootski
Consider the source and the source’s experience in such matters. Sounds impressive, but from what I have gleaned from this blog, each barrel is an individual to some extent. So generalizations have to at least have the proviso that one barrel may like HN FTT with 5.53 mm heads and another barrel from the same model may like Crosman Premiers. Where does that bite you?
Roamin Greco,
I the area Forest Gump spoke of.
Take a look a Stephen Archer’s HAM blog today:
https://hardairmagazine.com/buyers-guides/whats-the-best-slug-weight-for-my-pcp-air-rifle/
Then, if you care to, read my off topic post on the PA Blog today.
shootski
The only Crosmans I own is a 101 and a Maximus. I am not impressed with anything that company has put out for some time. They did well with the Disco, Mrod and Prod. After that…