First post/ Airgun advice.

Hey everyone, new to the forum. I've been eyeing a Benjamin Trail NP XL 1100 Magnum (long name) in .22 for a little bit as an upgrade from my Gamo wildcat whisper in .177 but have heard mixed things about the trigger and some other things. For those of you who have one what has your experience with it been like? I have been also looking at a Hatsan model 95 Vortex after hearing decent things about it, but my opinion has been swayed after hearing horrific experiences with their customer service, aswell as the gas piston going out/not being very reliable. Id love to hear about everyone's experiences with both of those, aswell as good recommendations for air rifles. My only requirements are that it can come in .22 aswell as I would prefer to have a gas piston break action versus PCP.

I am relatively new to air guns, so I'm not familiar with most terminology.

Thanks in advance.
 
Hey everyone, new to the forum. I've been eyeing a Benjamin Trail NP XL 1100 Magnum (long name) in .22 for a little bit as an upgrade from my Gamo wildcat whisper in .177 but have heard mixed things about the trigger and some other things. For those of you who have one what has your experience with it been like? I have been also looking at a Hatsan model 95 Vortex after hearing decent things about it, but my opinion has been swayed after hearing horrific experiences with their customer service, aswell as the gas piston going out/not being very reliable. Id love to hear about everyone's experiences with both of those, aswell as good recommendations for air rifles. My only requirements are that it can come in .22 aswell as I would prefer to have a gas piston break action versus PCP.

I am relatively new to air guns, so I'm not familiar with most terminology.

Thanks in advance.
Welcome
 
Blue,
Welcome to the Nation, glad you're here. First "adult" airgun was 2018 Benjamin Trail NP XL .22. Visited airgunning neighbor with question about recommendation for armadillo problem. Pointed to long box on top of garage refrigerator and said I could have that. Claimed after frustrating year of ownership was headed to town dump. Inside box was pristine Benjamin Trail NP XL. He said too heavy, hard to cock, terrible trigger, and no accuracy. Felt bad, so offered to buy, he said not necessary but give him $25 and call it even. No accuracy for me, as well, with many .22 pellets brands included. Good barrel cleaning, learned "artillery hold," completed YouTube Crosman trigger fix and found preferred pellet (H&N Sniper Magnum,) ended up with decent 25-yard shooter. Standard Benjamin Trail NP has 25mm piston, XL has 29mm. Most will find standard version to be easier shooting and more accurate, the "XL Magnum" power looks good on paper but doesn't translate that way in reality. For $25, can't complain, for $250, no way. WM
 
In that price range I would probably opt for a Cometa. I haven't shot one personally, but I've read very good things about them. For a bit more you might consider a Diana 34. Moving up the cost ladder you would also do well with an HW50 or HW95.

One that I've personally got my eye on is the Springfield Armory M1A replica.

Cometas
Diana 34
Hw50
Hw95
M1A
 
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I might be stepping on a few toes here, but Hatsan and Gamo tend to make low quality products and I'm speaking as someone who owns both. Benjamin is a little different and their PCP's seem to be well regarded along with their vintage multipumps, but their springers don't have the best reputation.
 
so my recommendation is one I had before PCP gun.. so I had a rws 34 in 177 and it was good only with open sights.. terrible with a scope.. got a rws 48 in 22 and it was a very good shooter with and without a scope.. my take on those two was that the break barrel just never aligned up exactly with the scope alignment every time.. others I'm guessing might have had a different experience..
now I did see that sometime since I had those my two were made in Germany but I read recently that they are making them somewhere else.. plus, I wish I could remember where I saw it but the 48 is now just called Diana 48 and I saw it on closeout somewhere.. just guessing that they are going to be going with the 52&54.. I think same action but 52 fancier stock and the 54 I think is recoilless..
oh and welcome to the forum.
Mark
 
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I might be stepping on a few toes here, but Hatsan and Gamo tend to make low quality products and I'm speaking as someone who owns both. Benjamin is a little different and their PCP's seem to be well regarded along with their vintage multipumps, but their springers don't have the best reputation.
Well said. WM
 
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I might be stepping on a few toes here, but Hatsan and Gamo tend to make low quality products and I'm speaking as someone who owns both. Benjamin is a little different and their PCP's seem to be well regarded along with their vintage multipumps, but their springers don't have the best reputation.
I agree with the Gamo from experience, it just feels cheap but it shot decently up until recently. I got it for free so I cannot really complain. Hearing the horror stories of people having to deal with Hatsan really turned me off from them but i thought maybe the model 95 would be worth it till I heard about issues with the gas piston.
 
In that price range I would probably opt for a Cometa. I haven't shot one personally, but I've read very good things about them. For a bit more you might consider a Diana 34. Moving up the cost ladder you would also do well with an HW50 or HW95.

One that I've personally got my eye on is the Springfield Armory M1A replica.

Cometas
Diana 34
Hw50
Hw95
M1A
Thank you for the recommendations! I will have to check them out, The Diana 34 and Cometa peak my interest especially after hearing positively about them from others.
 
In that price range I would probably opt for a Cometa. I haven't shot one personally, but I've read very good things about them. For a bit more you might consider a Diana 34. Moving up the cost ladder you would also do well with an HW50 or HW95.

One that I've personally got my eye on is the Springfield Armory M1A replica.

Cometas
Diana 34
Hw50
Hw95
M1A
Doing a little reading about the Diana 34, I saw the Diana 48 is only about $10 more then the 34, but is better in every way from what ive read.
 
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Doing a little reading about the Diana 34, I saw the Diana 48 is only about $10 more then the 34, but is better in every way from what ive read.
If you can get the 48 for only $10 more then that's the one I'd go for. I'd personally get it in .22 as it's a fairly powerful rifle and the bigger pellets are easier to load. Sidecockers and underlevers are a bit harder to load than break barrels.
 
Hi, welcome to AGN. My advice is. Go to Krale. Find the Weirauch air rifles. It will last forever,pass it on to your kid. Take a look at the HW50S. ($325) It can be had in .177 and 22 calibers. They are phenomenally accurate and have the absolute best triggers. I have one. I like the flat trajectory of the .177 cal. It will shoot 5 shot groups at 25yds that I can cover with my little fingernail. Then look at a Hawke scope ( I like the AMX line. 2-7X32 or a UTG scope. And buy a set of descent scope rings. Do Not get cheap rings. You will also need some H&N FTT pellets. I bought the 3 sizes. 4.50/4.51/and 4.52. turns out mine liked the 4.50 best. the other were good but 4.50 grouped the tightest. good luck