Page 4 - Benjamin 392 pump Reviews

Looks - and beautiful wood.

Accuracy. And VERY loud slapping noise w/ each pump. One wonders how many strokes the wood fore-stock will take before cracking.

A pity that dove tail grooves were not machined in. Would enable a direct (dove-tail) mount, and lower profile than via an Intermount/Weaver system.

Bought mine in .20 cal , is pretty accurate, likes Benjamin pellets, very light weight, nice wood stock.

better factory quality control, front site and pump pin was tipped to the left side of gun .

get the 10 for 10 when purchased , mine come with the front site tipped to the left side along with the pump pin drilled to the same side , but is still nice gun, get in .22 cal more pellet selection than .20 cal

Beautiful wood stock, open sights, bolt action loading port, nice trigger pull, it's a classic, smooth shooter, no recoil, accurate

Rubber butt pad would be nice.

This is still a must own. Sometimes you don't want the power of a magnum springer or PCP. Sometimes you just want to sting, and not injure. The versatility of a pneumatic pump gives you this option. This is not a good squirrel gun. By the time you get to 8 pumps, the squirrel has moved on. I use mine for European starlings and English house sparrows, both of which are invasive species. First six pumps are easy. Pump 7 and 8 require some manly effort.

I am so glad I bought this gun! I don't have a lot of money, so this gun has been perfect for me. It requires very little maintenance. I keep it wrapped in a plastic bag in the box it came in in my trunk and shoot whenever I have the time. It is very accurate!! I bought a peep sight with this gun and the two go together perfectly. I can hit anything I aim at at a reasonable range. The power isn't overwhelming, but I don't think someone would choose this gun for power anyway. It is a terrific low maintenance, straight shooting, very reasonably priced, well made gun that I will buy again when it eventually wears out (no signs yet after 1 1/2 years).

I think this gun is perfect for what it is meant to be. Some people have complained about the difficulty pumping it for the last few pumps. I have small arms and have no trouble.

Exactly what I expected. This air rifle fulfills my need for a multi-pump pneumatic rifle.

Nothing.

Zeroing your sights and breaking in the barrel is a weary task. Don't try to do it all in a day or even a weekend. It's a workout that doesn't provide equal strength conditioning to both arms unless you alternate your pumping arm. I often shoot a couple of hundred pellets in a session with my other types of air rifles. Remember that one hundred full power shots with the Benjamin 392 equals 800 pumps. That's a LOT of work. Just saying ...

It's a classic rifle, love the wooden stock and variable power. Plenty for small game and pests. It's as light as my np trail pistol and with reliable accuracy. Just feels great to hold!

Add a little thicker rubber stop to prevent such a loud crack from pumping. I alway clean the barrel so the overspray isn't a big deal. I do wish it had a little more fps, but not a big deal at all.

Definitely hit or miss on the barrel. Some rifle POI are too far left to compensate for. Not sure if cleaning the barrel is considered altering the rifle or not, so caution there. One thing I do know is, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BEND THE BLADE! Read that in a reply to a post and tried it to compensate for the too far left. Snapped like balsa wood. I was able to make a "trade" to fix that. Also not certain where exctly to oil the seals, I only oil as specified in the owners manual.

Awesome stock. Plenty of power. This is a really nice air rifle. I bought it to compliment my 0.177 RWS model 34. I wanted a pneumatic gun but didn't want to pay the big bucks for a PCP. I added the intermount, scope rings, and a red/green dot pistol scope. If you decide to add a scope and use the B272 intermount, add a piece of duct tape under the barrel clamp and fully install the intermount before you install the scope rings. Otherwise, you can't get the intermount tight. I gave it 4 stars for accuracy but I only shot the gun with Crosman Premier Ultra Magnums. A different scope and pellets may help the accuracy. I also sighted it at 20 meters.

It is difficult to to pump but I knew this before I purchased the rifle. Don't plan on shooting this rifle for more than a hundred shots each session. Your arm will be tired from pumping. That said, I dontvhave to drag around a scuba tank or hand pump. Another thing that's kind of nit picking the gun is the trigger pull. I'm spoiled by my T06 trigger on my model 34.

Simple Effective Reliable Accurate Variable power Average quietness Is now scope-able using crosman's intermounts.

Linkage is not as robust as my fathers 392. Can be replaced by exact replica of the original sold by mac 1 airguns. The rear sight gap is a little wide. Front sight is black as well as rear; dark targets are harder to aquire. Fiber optic front sight would be cool. I don't like the fact that putting a scope near the breech is so impractical due to needing that area for a hand hold during pumping.

The 392 is a reliable target/small game destroyer. After a couple of fixes. Now days the barrel is painted without being plugged at the muzzle, so small specks of paint make their way into the barrel end. Easy fix though, a couple of q-tips with paint stripper will alleviate its accuracy problems. If you are mechanically inclined, the aftermarket parts and even the tunings you can do yourself are astounding. For example, bore out the transfer ports going to the barrel from the valve and your FPS will rise and be able to dump more air through the valve. Grind down the exhaust valve and smooth the head of the valve and it will allow more air to be transferred through the port due to increased airflow efficiency so more air is actually forced down the barrel while the pellet is still in the barrel. That's just the beginning. If you are worried about the report, they make a brake for it that gets rid of the loud crack. No more annoying the neighbors or scaring off the other squirrels.

everything!the first 5 shot group I shot left only 3 holes, which, of course means 3 rounds went in the same hole,you gotta love that for accuracy.

not a thing.

I tried the intermounts, weaver rail, and scope on this rifle,but with the scope mounted right over the loading port I found it too much of a pain loading pellets with the scope mount in the way so I just use the open sights, I don"t use this rifle for long distance anyway, so that"s just fine with me as I am a big fan of open sights anyway.

This is a classic air rifle and continues to set the standard for multi-pump pneumatic air guns. The rifle is solid and well built. The finish on the wood stock, barrel and other metal parts is very good. I like the option of target shooting and plinking at lower velocity levels, but also like having the ability to pump it up to a level capable of taking out small and large pests. The gun is also backyard friendly in that it produces little noise. These are the main reasons I like this model. If you’re looking at getting in to air gunning, I would recommend this particular model.

Nothing

I bought a 397 from PA and decided I wanted a 392 as well (see my 397 review), so my wife gave me the 392 as a Christmas gift. I’ve been air gunning since 1975 and have several Crosman multi-pump pneumatics, a Benjamin 397, a Beeman and Browning spring piston and a Gamo gas piston air gun. They’re all fun to shoot but, this one is now my favorite. Out of the box the accuracy and power of this gun is apparent. Using the sight that came with the gun I was able to shoot holes through soda cans consistently at 15 feet. Although the sight that comes on this gun is more than adequate I replaced it with the Williams peep sight which I prefer. I took the gun to the range with the intentions of doing ballistic analysis on several types and brands of pellets, but my chronograph battery had died. But, I was able to get some data on the H&N Field Target Trophy (14.66 gr) and the H&N Crow Magnum (18.21 gr) pellets. All targets were placed at 20 yards. Here is summary of my results: H&N Field Target Trophy – penetrated both a 0.5” hardwood board and a steel aerosol can. It also penetrated through one side of a steel can and completely through a bottle of water inside the can and left a hole on the other side of the can but did not exit the can (armored bunny test). These pellets produced a 1.5" CTC group using a 5 shot string with 2 shots placed inside the 1.5" bulls eye. H&N Crow Magnum – penetrated the steel aerosol can but not the 0.5” hardwood board. But, because it is a hollow point it mushroomed nicely inside the board. The results of the “armored bunny test” were the same as the H&N Field Target Trophy pellets. These pellets produced a 0.75" CTC group using a 5 shot string with 4 of the shots forming a clover leaf below the 1.5" bulls eye. I’m looking forward to going back to the range and shooting these pellets through my chronograph. I’ll publish those results when I get them.

beautiful classic look. it fires like a champ. some complain about the trigger pull but its nice and crisp to me. i can make 1 hole dime size with 5 shots. the simple iron sights are easy to work and get adjusted.

whats is there really to change? the beast is time tester and approved.

the mounting for a scope is a bit oh a pain dealing with the inter mounts (b272). once you get it seemed to hold up. i just took it off cause it took away from that ole school look. besides like i was saying i can get shots in the same hole. havent needed more than 5 pumps for pest control. which i really enjoy the fact you can select how much FPE you want to deliver on target.

Buying the Benjamin 392 is like buying a working piece of history. As I read the posts of others on this site, it is very clear that nostalgia is driving the sales of the 392 and 397. I never had a pellet gun this nice, but enjoyed plinking with my old Daisy lever action BB gun in the late 50s and early 60s. When I opened the box and took out my Benjamin, it was love at first sight, what with the classic design and real wood stock and for-end. After installing and zeroing the Williams 64 sight, the gun proved to be highly accurate, shooting the core out of the bulls eye at 24 feet, and consistently hitting the innermost circle of the target. I had none of the troubles some reviewers had with their peep sights due to insufficient adjustment downward for elevation. I had to raise my peep sight four click marks and a nudge to the right and I was zeroed. Heaven help the rat that passes through my back yard. This gun is so much fun. I would give it seven stars, but five was the limit!

The box staples in the gun carton were punched in but not closed. This caused some cosmetic damage to the wood for-end. I cleaned it up with a dark brown furniture stick, and used a favorite polish to add some luster and sheen to the wood stock and for-end. I don't know why Crosman does not engrave the word "Benjamin" on the barrel, or add the words "Made in USA." These are points that were important for me in passing over the German, Turkish, and other foreign manufacturers.

I am a left-handed shooter, but the right-handed bolt was no game breaker at all. I pump the gun with both arms, point the muzzle safely to the right, open the bolt with my left hand, insert the pellet near the breech with my right hand, close the bolt with my left hand, adjust the safety with my right hand, and I am ready for business. Also, letting the bolt physically insert the pellet in the breech means much less handling of the lead pellet by you, which can only be a good thing. I had excellent success with the Crosman 14.3 grain Premiere Magnum domed pellets, and they are about three bucks cheaper at Pyramid than similar stuff at my local sporting goods stores!

Not a break barrel. Accuracy improves with practice. 3 or 4 pumps plenty for practice. 8 pumps for hunting. I use it to rid pond of unwanted turtles. It is better than I expected.

Nothing

Everybody should have one. Fun to shoot,accurate, and quality built.

Iron sights, simple and reliable

Might add a sling if one were available

I adjusted the iron sights for elevation and was able to shoot a good group at 50 feet. Very pleased with the accuracy.

Quality, metal and wood construction, good tolerances on the metal parts, bolt handle, etc. Plenty of power for small game hunting and plinks well with only a few pumps. Very accurate with Williams peep and paint removed from barrel, hitting 1/2" bull at 10m every shot with JSB's.

Stock rear sight is horrible. Needs the Williams peep from the factory - in my opinion, this gun isn't meant to be scoped, although I know plenty do. Removed the stock sight before shooting a single shot and put the peep on. Barrel needs paint overspray removed from the the last couple inches for best accuracy. Forearm doesn't line up perfectly with the rest of the stock and the clack is really loud - installed a piece of foam weatherstripping underneath to quiet it down.

With a few small tweaks that I have outlined above and recommended all over the net, this is a solid gun and will last a long time. Clean the paint overspray out of the barrel, swab the barrel until clean, oil your hinges regularly and shoot to your heart's content. Lots of room left for performance gains if you want to go the Steroid route. Awesome performance on squirrel, have taken 9 squirrels that were ruining my tomatoes in the last 3 weeks and every one has been a clean one shot takedown, whether head or vital shot. Mine shoots best with JSB domes, and 8 pump head shots with them are devastating. Will be doing a lot of squirrel hunting this fall and will update on experiences with hollow point terminal performance on the nutters later in the season. Overall a lot of gun for the money here.

I like the accuracy, reliability, durability, trigger and weight of this rifle. I originally tried a Benjamin Titan rifle but I could not get consistent shots and it was too heavy / bulky. I didn't like having to convert to the "artillery position" to shoot the Titan because of weird recoil issues with the Titan. I switched to the 392 and have been extremely pleased with it's accuracy and consistency. I also like that it's compact and does not weigh too much. I added a BSA pistol scope to it and it's a great combination. I've had the 392 for over a year now and I love it.

Nothing

Made in USA, metal and wood construction, quiet, little recoil, and accurate. I only have shot a few dozen times but this is a fun and accurate shooter right out of the box.

The sights are not great. I would agree the sights are lackluster and would advise perhaps a peep sight upgrade. Oddly enough, the packaging was minimal and the front of mine was slightly scratched due to moving around during shipment.

This is a phenomenal pump action air gun. I love the balance and feel as well as the accuracy. This gun is one of the best I have ever shot.

Wood stock,all metal construction including the trigger and guard.A very solid feeling air rifle.Accuracy is top notch-quarter size groups at 15 yards.

Possibly quality of the rear sights could be better-perhaps being sold with Williams type sight from the factory.

I mounted the Williams peep sight on my rifle right away and am very happy with the setup.

Simplicity, caliber, "real" parts (wood and metal), little recoil and size. I can keep groups inside 1/2" at 10yds and I'm not a good shot. (But grouping is no good if the group is not on the target. Read on...)

Front sight (like many others), I'd like a cheek rest on the stock, add a OEM pump lever damper to reduce the slam of the wood against steel. (I'm afraid the wood will crack with time) Not a fan of the triger.

This is a good gun. Scubbing $20 off the price would make it much better. The pump action is a pro and a con. Pro is that it allows for variation in power, con in that it is not convenient or easy to pump after ~5. My sample has what appears to be a "regular" quality issue. The rear sight will not adjust enough to hit a target 10yd out. It is always left. At 10yds groups are ~1" left of center. I have ideas on how to make it right. The front blade is a "invisible" in some settings. A bright colored edge could help (fiber-optic?) I mostly use for target shooting. Have taken a rabbit with it. I think the trigger is, at best, average. Very little stage 1 and to deliver the pellet, takes a good deal of effort.

Rear sight, great inexpensive design to adjust windage and elevation, well done. Adjustments fine enough to sight the rifle in well, with respect to it's accuracy potential. Accurate. I did my sighting in with 4 pumps, one hole accuracy at 10yds, 10 rounds. Feels like the one I shot when I was a kid. Every other updated model out there now feels like a toy that I'll break the plastic receiver if I man handle it just the wrong way. This feels like a rifle. Wood is well done, not some pressboard laminate fake imitation.

Better front sight, I'll Paint the front sight... gotta get my day glow orange / red out. Directions for windage adjustment missing from the manual.... The two screws that seemingly hold in the rear sight to it's mount are used to adjust the rear sight for windage. Loosen both about half way out and look, and you'll see that when the screws are loose, you than can use one screw to move the rear sight over in one direction within the mount one way, and the other screw to move it the other way (make sure the opposite screw is backed out more than enough for the distance the sight needs to travel). If you went too far one way, you'll have to loosen that last screw up/have it away from the mount, and than turn in the opposite screw till it makes contact and starts to move the rear sight. Once sighted in, leave the screw you last adjusted alone (since it's already against the mount), and tighten up the opposite screw. Hope that makes sense.

Others say no windage adjustment, not so, there is. The problem is , the manual says there is, but doesn't tell you how to. Was running out of room in this section, see above in "Things I would change". I did find it to be very accurate at 4 pumps, can always get single hole groups with 10rnds at 10 yds (indoors). But at 7 pumps, groups opened up, and shots started to group to the left 1" (at 10 yds), very consistent. Thought maybe it was me, after pump 7x, and than firing. So alternated, 2 sets of 10 at 4 pumps, than 2 sets of 10 at 7 pumps. Did that a few times. Same results. I found it easier and easier to get the 4 pumps, got use to it. 7 never got easier. But results stayed the same, GREAT accuracy with 4pumps. Good accuracy, and to the left 1" with 7 pumps. Average Elevation was the same ( taking into consideration that the groups opened up ) between 4 and 7 pumps.