Today reader RidgeRunner, tells us about testing his .25-caliber Benjamin Armada more before he starts tuning it. If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog, please email me at blogger@pyramydair.com.
Take it away, RidgeRunner
Tuning my .25-caliber Benjamin Armada: Part Two
by RidgeRunner
My Benjamin Armada as it is currently set up.
This report covers:
- To the range
- FX pellets
- H&N Baracuda pellets
- Stretching it out some
- FX pellets
- JSB King Heavy MK II
- What the future holds
- To the range
It was not too bad outside today, so I decided to haul this big honker out to the range and see what it would do. I was able to figure out how to get that corset off of her and I was able to see that — One-I was not the first one to peel her out of the stock and — Two-the transfer port was already opened all the way.
OK, fine. I thought I would give her a try with the hammer set as it was before I made any other adjustments. I shot at twenty-five yards with the Armada resting directly on my shooting bags. I am shooting eight-shot groups because that’s what the magazine holds. However, I am loading each pellet singly.
FX pellets
The first .25-caliber pellets I tried were the 25.39-grain FX pellets. With the fill pressure starting at 2900 PSI, eight of them went into a group that measures 0.31-inches between centers. Not too shabby.
Eight FX 25.4-grain pellets went into 0.31-inches at 25 yards.
H&N Baracuda pellets
Next I tried the 30.86 grain H&N Baracuda pellets. These were shot at a pressure that started at about 2600 PSI. They made an eight-shot group that was 0.5805-inches between centers. Not bad, but not as good as the FX pellets.
The Armada put eight 30.86-grain H&N Baracuda pellets – 0.58” at 25 yards
Stretching it out some
While I was already out at the range with this Armada, I decided to go ahead and shoot it at fifty yards. I was really curious as to how this gal danced at longer ranges.
FX pellets
First, I tried the FX pellets again. They had done well at twenty-five yards, so I was hoping they would continue to do well at fifty. Eight pellets made a group of 1.56 inches between centers. It’s nothing to really brag about.
Eight FX 25.4-grain pellets went into 1.56-inches between centers at 50 yards.
JSB King Heavy MK II
Since the Baracudas had not done too well at twenty-five yards, I decided to give the 33.95-grain JSB King Heavy MK II pellets a go. Eight of them made a group that was 1.33 inches CTC, but I think I may have pulled one. If I did, seven of them made a group of 0.775 inches CTC.
The Armada put eight 33.95-grain JSB King Heavy MK II pellets into 1.33-inches at 50 yards, with seven in 0.775-inches.
What the future holds
I am most definitely going to shoot this black rifle some more out at fifty and maybe even out to one hundred yards. We shall see. I may even get my hands on some of them there slugs and give them a try. I will likely fool around with the hammer/striker some also.
RidgeRunner,
This is definitely a teaser of an article. Really making me wait on the edge for the rest of your exploration results. Since the transfer port is fully open (was there a modification or just a fully opened port?) did you do any determination as to the status of the hammer/striker?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
I have not as of yet, but I have not taken her out to the range yet.
RR,
O’ boy a 25 yards PCP…
-Y
Yogi,
It is certainly looking that way at the moment. I myself am not that impressed with how well she dances so far anywho.
Can you sent it back? Tell them you have a defective barrel!
-Y
I wish. No, I bought this one used at the last NC airgun show. It is dated as manufactured in June of 2021. I may end up buying a LW barrel from TCFKAC for it. We shall see.
BB did not have such great luck with the .25 he bought. Of the .25 air rifles I have tried, I have not really been impressed. Maybe it is the ammo. I do not know.
Ridgerunner
Did you refill to 2900 psi when you moved to 50 yards?
Deck
Deck,
I did indeed refill her both times I shot at fifty yards.
As Yogi has noted, this gal does not seem to shoot well out at fifty yards. I am really hoping that I can adjust the hammer/striker and spring to where she will do better.
I also was able to get my hands on some of those FX Hybrid “slugs” (swaged bullets). These are the 26-grain version. I am really hoping they will do better as that is what I was hoping to use in this air rifle.
I really want this gal to do a lot better at long ranges. I have grown attached to her looks, but unless she can dance a whole lot better at longer ranges, she may have to find another place to live.
RR – this is an “apples to oranges” un-scientific comparison from FM, card-carrying member of the Know Nothing Party, that is gas springer vs PCP, but when zeroing in/plinking with the Casa FM HW90, found H&N FT Trophy 20.06 gr pellets resulted in tighter groups at 25 yards than the other pellet available here, RWS Super-H-Point, 25 grain. Note: FM has not done the “chrony” thing on this rifle. This caliber is kinda growing on your wobbly-eyed friend here; gonna have to diversify the inventory a little bit next time there is need to place another PA order.
Your Armada might like lighter-weight ammunition but you’ll have to test for that, hopefully having fun in the process.
FM,
I would not be in a hurry to buy another sproinger if I was you. You already own the creme de la creme. Everything else will be downhill from there.
I will play around with this Armada some more and tell you guys about it. My problem is I am spoiled. I had an HM1000X in .357 that shot on inch groups at one hundred yards. Anything less in a PCP is a disappointment to me. Less than two MOA with a sproinger is real good.
RidgeRunner
Bummer! If I had these results I would repeat the 25 yards test with FX to validate.The performance drop off at 50 yards vs 25 yards is a little too much. I hope the stock or scope is loose.
Whatever the outcome your report has my interest.
Deck
Deck,
So far, I am not impressed. This is the first .25 I have had. I did shoot the FX Dreamlight in .25 a while back and was not impressed with it either. Can this be tuned to give me better accuracy at longer ranges? I do not have that answer yet.
RR,
Seem that you are at the casual dating phase with this gal just finding out if there’s possibilities of a relationship. 😉
I’d be getting to know her before thinking about anything more serious. I do that during the break-in of an airgun with a tin or two of pellets, it’s my way to get comfortable with a new one.
If things are going well then I start conversations to find out likes, dislikes, allergies and such. I pick a distance (for me, 40 yards is not too close or too far) and shoot 5 to 10 groups with each pellet to check for trends and consistency. I’ll take some stats to record baselines.
If the chemistry is there then it’s time get serious and make plans. Your can tune randomly by just trying different combinations or you can use a structured approach, I prefer the latter. At this point I draw up a D.O.E (Design Of Experiment) for what I’m going to tune to and how I’m going to approach it. Lots of shooting over the chronograph and lots of good notes are the key.
I enjoy the tuning part of setting up an airgun… there’s a term for that 😉
Have a good time RR!
Hank
Hank,
It is quite questionable that I shall continue to date her much longer. Unless I can tune her a bit and I see a marked improvement in her dancing at longer ranges, I do not see us forming a long term relationship.
This air rifle is not a new one. I picked her up at the last NC airgun show. Apparently, the previous owner was not too thrilled with the way she danced either. This is the first .25 I have owned, but unless I see a marked improvement, she will have to find another place to live. I have found new homes for other “gals” that could dance a lot better than this.
I am not the only one who has not truly been impressed with the .25 Marauder/Armada performance. If you do a little digging into this blog, you may find out some of the performance levels of this caliber that is very similar to mine.
Once in a while you will see a Marauder advertised for sale with a Green Mountain barrel in it. I snagged one a few years ago, it had also been tuned, but I didn’t mind as it was quite accurate with JSB/FX/Air Arms 25.4 grain pellets, Air Arms being it’s favorite. Early Gen 2 and Gen 1 Marauders are selling for prices below custom LW Marauder barrel now.
“Eight FX 25.4-grain pellets went into 0.31-inches at 25 yards.”
RidgeRunner, yeah, man, ‘not too shabby,’ for sure! 😉
RidgeRunner,
Just a question for now:
Did removing the Armada’s corset in any way reduce the rifles rigidity?
I hope you find a way to get at least 1 MOA accuracy.
shootski
Shootski,
I would say not much if any. There is a bracket that surrounds the outer barrel shroud that slides inside the receiver / chassis and holds 4 nuts. The forward hand guard rail assembly slides into place over the 4 holes and gets screwed into those retained brass nuts. Removing the shroud and reinstalling the screws would secure the chassis along with a substantial Allen screw underneath, ahead of the trigger guard.
The forward part of the rail assembly is held on to the reservoir air servicing fitting with another bracket as well as the screw on fill probe cover.
The barrel is kind of free floating inside the outer barrel shroud and centered with an ‘O’ ring collar inside. A screw on another collar secured to the barrel just forward of the receiver is threaded to receive the outer barrel. So, the outer barrel is free floating as well. No contact with the rail assembly.
Bob M,
Thank you for taking the time to post a definitive answer.
I guess we need to wait and see if RR finds the right projectile/tune and some increased accuracy.
shootski
Just happened to be checking out mine for a scope set up that would clear the mag. I don’t care for the cheek rise it requires high rings and even an additional riser with some. I had to use two risers on a Marauder. One in front and in back of the mag.
I believe the .22 was always more accurate but who knows there may be a special combination out there to improve the .25.
I have one of each and will be following this one with anticipation.
Just received the mid-size tin of Renaissance Wax today. Round Toits not included.