Benjamin Fortitude Modifications ?

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Muttley

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Nov 11, 2018
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New York
Hello sirs. This is my first post, and indeed my foray into the world of modern air rifles only started up a couple of months ago, when I bought a Gamo Swarm Maxxim 10-shot break-barrel, gas-piston repeater in 22 caliber.

Back in my youth I hunted squirrels with an old Diana .22 break-barrel air rifle, so the technological advances in present-day air rifle design are truly impressive, when compared to the old-school single-shot spring-piston Diana air rifle I owned as a kid. Cutting to the chase I have fired nearly a thousand pellets with my Gamo Swarm rifle in my backyard 35-yard range, and have so enjoyed the accuracy of the gun, and its ten-round rapid-reload feature, that I started thinking of acquiring an "entry level" PCP rifle as well. 

Now that I've been bitten by the modern air rifle bug, I found myself window shopping online for a PCP bolt-action repeater that was light-weight, accurate, regulated, and also capable of delivering 70 or more shots per refill. The Bernjamin Fortitude, released very recently in August 2018, ticks all the boxes for me, and I plan to get one, but only after waiting until a couple of well-known design bugs are resolved by Crosman, in future production runs of this beautiful, sleek and traditional looking air rifle.

Selling at $300, which I understand is the low end of PCP air rifle pricing, the Benjamin Fortitude weighs a mere 5.3 pounds without a scope, and that appealed to me a lot, since I do intend to do some small game hunting that will entail carrying the rifle about on longer walks. There are three primary complaints I have read online, expressed by some of those who have bought and tested the Benjamin Fortitude. First, it evidently takes a lot of effort to pull back the bolt for each pellet reload. Secondly, the air tank has been reported to develop leakages whilst still new, by several users of this gun, and finally the trigger pull, at 5 to 7 pounds, is very heavy.

I just stumbled on this Youtube video by an outfit called Jefferson State Air Rifles, who sell upgrade replacement parts for various air rifles, and they offer an upgrade that reduces the trigger pull to less than 2 pounds, enables the bolt to be operated with ease, and increases the muzzle velocity from 750 to 850 fps. Checked their website for pricing, but this upgrade hasn't yet made it to their price list, possibly on account of being a work in progress thus far.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ_gfXJBku0&t=3s





While I bide my time before acquiring a .22 Benjamin Fortitude, keeping an eye out for further user reviews about the Benjamin Fortitude, I thought I might as well ask about this make and model PCP air rifle in forums such as this one, that are dedicated to the subject of air gun shooting sports. I would therefore be very appreciative of any reviews that can be offered here, on the Bernjamin Fortitude, and of course I would be in luck if I learn here that modifications for this brand-new design are on sale by other vendors in addition to the ones shown in the above video. That'll be enough rambling from me, ha ha, and I look forward to hearing from anyone who has had the chance to use the Benjamin Fortitude PCP air rifle, or who knows of a source for after-market performance modification parts that could be swapped in by punters with little or no gun-smith training, like myself.

1541962705_10156349535be87bd14603b1.04856737_PY-4745_Benjamin-Fortitude-PCP-Air_1539618224.jpg



 
Thanks for this response Eaglehorn. Despite watching a few youtube videos on the subject, I don't think I could personally carry out DIY modifications an airgun with any degree of confidence, so I am hoping to find an air rifle upgrade company online, that carry out the few key refinements that this particular gun seems to need out of the box, as a package deal, hopefully at a price that won't break the bank. For example, for a reasonable $30 surcharge, Baker Airguns sells the Benjamin Fortitude with a much improved, lighter pull weight, metal trigger, to replace the 7-pound pull stock plastic trigger that attracted so many customer complaints..

That said, The Benjamin Fortitude PCP gun was only released in August 2018, a few short months ago, so it is quite possible that the heavy trigger and bolt pull weights can be improved upon at the Benjamin/Crosman factory in the coming months, and the design flaw that causes the user-reported air-cylinder leakages also remedied, such that a "Second Generation" version of this fine rifle might be released as a corrective follow-up that requires no further improvements after purchase in stock form.

To summarize, the Benjamin Fortitude appeals to me because of its extremely light weight, the high shot count per refill, the reasonable accuracy, and of course the ten-shot bolt-action repeater capacity, which nicely mimics the bolt action of powder burning rifles. I hope as time goes on that the few lingering bugs in the workings of this versatile gun are ironed out, because this model does hold a lot of appeal to me, and I plan to pick one up even if turns out that after-market mods are still required to optimize the design, for a while to come.
 
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Not trying to rain on your parade but I was really looking forward to buying a new Fortitude until I saw the online reviews and thought to myself what is the point to be forced void a FIVE YEAR warranty by doing needed mods to it? I really love Crosman and Benjamin guns and would have loved to add a Fortitude to my collection but did not and will be content with a couple of modded Discoverys, Marauders, P-Rods, Armada, 1701P, 1720T and Challenger. I recently bought a Umarex Gauntlet in 177 for the same price as the Fortitude and "IMHO" it was so terrible out of the box I HAD TO void the warranty and do the mods to it just to get it to be comfortable enough for me to shoot it and after that, I bought a 22 Gauntlet that still needs the mods to be completed because the 177 is unbelievable that shoots like a laser at 50 yards rivaling expensive PCPs out there but maybe I just got really lucky to get sub 3/8" to 1/4" groups with it which I find rather ridiculous how accurate it really is IMO for a $300 gun. After the work is done, that is... I have to say I really don't like the weight, IMO it is just TOO HEAVY to take it out into the field to go hunting with and carry all day long with a scope on top but great as a bench gun or backyard plinker not having to lug it around maybe even good for field target due to its weight which would be welcomed for FT. These 2 that I own were purchased brand new but you can get REFURBS for $100 less at only $199 which is a real steal for these guns but remember they are extremely HEAVY GUNS which need work to make them bearable to shoot. I am waiting for a second generation Fortitude so I can enjoy it without having to mess with anything. I think there is a lot of money needing to be spent in order to get the current new first generation Fortitude to shoot as well as it should. It is too bad, my Discos aside from their terrible triggers shot really great straight out of their boxes and the mods were my choice to do to make them more pleasant to shoot and at the very minumum the 3 screw trigger mods is recommended which cost next to nothing to do.

You are also going to need a pump or a tank to get you started in your PCP venture. Here is what I would highly recommend which may save you a lot of grief and money in the long run based on my first hand exprience as an example.

I recently bought a 177 Nova Freedom (Seneca Aspen) which is a PCP with a built in pump. It cost $100 more than a Fortitude or Gauntlet and IMHO it is well worth the price and is currently the only game in town for a PCP with built in pump for the $399 price point.

It is a little more accurate as my 177 Gauntlet at 50 yards but then again I may have gotten lucky again in this instance. I chose 177 instead of 22 because the online reviews of the 22 did not seem too favorable in the accuracy department. This morning I am 4 for 4 shooting on low setting with distances ranging from 25 to 55 yards on winged critters.

Pumping it up is ridiculously easy, it seems as though if it is broken. It is like pumping a toy, really very easy hardly any effort at all. Each and every stroke takes about the same, probably even less effort to pump than pumping a Benjamin 392 on its first pump and doesn't progressively get harder at all to pump to 3000psi which is the max. I pump mine to.

You can go to 3600psi since it is rated for that but I choose to limit to 3000psi as to not stress the o-rings and seals for longevity sake.

I pump to 3000psi then shoot a 10 round magazine through it and pump it up to 3000 again. It takes not that many strokes to do it and it is much easier to pump with its onboard pump than to use a hand pump to refill your typical PCP. I would say it is 1000 times yes a thousand times easier to pump this gun with its built in pump than to use a high pressure hand pump such as an FX or HILL which I pumped myself so I know.

The shot sound is relatively quiet but not as quiet as a 177 Marauder but I would say it is backyard friendly and it comes shrouded. I shoot it on low power using AA and JSB 8.44s at around 900fps. It seems to be a little more sedate on low power setting compared to shooting heavy AA or JSB 10.3s in the lower 900s. Pretty mellow shooting characteristic on low compared to high which seems to make the gun angry if that makes any sense a little harder to shoot accurately at 50 on high but not less accurate with concentration. Haven't adjusted the trigger but IMO it is a little on the heavy side but I can still do ragged holes at 50 yards as is and nothing with wings is safe out to 60 yards which is the farthest I had shot it so far and I am guessing it can reliably hunt out to 85 and maybe even 100 yards doping for wind no problem based on its accuracy at 50. If you want it to be like a regulated gun then you shoot 5 shots and pump it up and continue shooting after every 5 shots. I hunt feather and it is accurate enough for 10 shots at 60 yards on low power starting from 3000psi until I pump after changing out to a freshly loaded magazine. If I were to venture on out to 100+ yards then I would use heavy pellets on high power. I think it would make an ideal candidate for a Field Target or HFT gun. It is a little on the heavy side but not as heavy as the Gauntlet. Shouldering it for off hand shooting takes some getting used to but once mastered, it is very difficult to miss with this gun.

I really want to buy one in 22 caliber once I get positive reports of accurate batches of that caliber being sold and tested and if it shoots as well as my 177 then I may even stop buying other normal PCP guns after that or wait until a bullpup version of these become available or try other brands once they jump onboard to the onboard pump PCP niche. Until Benjamin revamps their current Fortitude and maybe even add a pump built into it, I would confidently say that this is the ideal hunter's gun, rather an ideal target gun, heck THE GUN no matter how cheap it is.

I am really surprised how cheap it is considering what you get owning one and first hand use. Time will tell on longevity since it IS made CHINA but so is my Beeman P17 which is also a LASER. I shoot them both almost every day when I see a bird and with this rifle I don't waste any pellets (can't seem to miss). Shooting JSBs and AA 8.4s STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TINS only inspecting for bent skirts before loading the magazines. Loaded some bent skirts too just to try and see just for the heck of it and they still shot good! Haven't tried single loading yet since I didn't see any need whatsoever based on its current accuracy.

What more can one ask for? I can only imagine how much the accuracy can be improved on if the pellets were weighed,sized and rolled!



CA






 
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I really want one.

Just to check I just looked at the AEAC video and it does look like a great value rifle. Discovery trigger and all - maybe pull the bolt with thumb & one finger?-.

The linked video shows one companies idea of modding any crosman, as has always been done.

Just using everything but the valve and reg ( reg being one of the big features ) and as such it is one of the best plug & play ( think 22xx/discovery) platforms for any high power mod. I never got why - esp. at thew time- more folks did not hop up the 1701p when it came out being the first LOW cost 3,000psi thing around.

Love my gauntlet but do only to age vs weight I'd trade it in a minute and explore the $0.00 mods I think the Fortitude actually needs. It isnt the end all latest greatest airgun to over take everything else. As issued it may be the best ever entry level rifle - esp if the barrel is as good as the new maximus series barrels - providing the least frustration to new pre-charged shooters. It does overcome many many entry level objections and problems as issued stock.

And can be as modded as any crosman if you like.



Personal opinion here, I would put more faith in the company if they went back and redid/edited maybe just added a comment/disclaimer when he makes a really big boo-boo in factual statement. Most and crosman person can/could tell a maximus tube from a 22xx or a .... and a "Pro" certainly should when publishing at least.



John






 
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Hello Coldair, and thanks for weighing in with your thoughts about the trade-offs an air rifle buyer needs to keep in mind when considering a new purchase. I do agree with you that the wisest option would be to patiently sit tight and wait while Crosman/Benjamin resolve the known bugs users have identified with the new Benjamin Fortitude, in the hopes that a "second generation" version of the gun is launched a few months down the road, which will require no immediate after-market mods to operate normally.

Reading your post above, the amount of air rifle experimentation you have under your belt is considerable, so I'm likely to be back with more questions as time goes on ha ha.

The Nova Freedom you recently acquired is an unusual new design that seems to bridge the gap between multi-pump airguns, and their PCP counterparts. The sheer variety of air rifle propulsion systems on the market, can be intimidating to a new air gun owner like me. The technology of air rifle design seems to advance much faster than is the case with regular powder burning rifles, so I have a lot of reading up to do for sure, even as I await the new, improved, ultra-light Benjamin Fortitude PCP rifle of my dreams.


 
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I have been posting a bit on "The Other Forum" about my experiences with the Fortitude in .22 .... In a nutshell, I love it !!! Mine holds air, and is extremely accurate. I'm shooting JSB Exacts at 715+ fps, Exact Heavies at 680+ fps and CPHP's are going out at 735fps. This gives me enough energy ~12fpe at 65 yds for Starlings, Ground Squirrels, Pigeons and the like with the JSB's. The CPHP's give me ~11-12fpe in the 35-40 yard range The gun is very accurate and it is "Stupid Quiet"

The ONLY thing I'm going to do is add a very simple mod (maybe opening up the ports a bit) to increase my velocity just another 25-50 fps .... just so it shoots a little flatter. This is a mod I would like, but is not needed (I will find out about this mod in a week or so from another member)..... I don't want to lose on the shot count as I can hunt all day without a fill up ..... The most I shoot is 30 shots in an outing. I have not had a day yet that I shot 30 shots at Starlings or English Sparrows !

So much for my musings !

wll
 
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Will, your positive review of the Benjamin Fortitude is very encouraging to read. My mind is made up to buy one of these lightweight hunting air rifles, but I might still bide my time and wait to see if any after-market mods appear, that will boost the muzzle velocity from the mid 700 fps to say between 900 fps and 950 fps. Hopefully the heavy trigger pull and the difficult bolt pull effort on reload will be fixed by Crosman soon. Regardless of whether those fixes are publicized or just quietly incorporated into future production runs of the Benjamin Fortitude, I am definitely tempted to go ahead and buy one right away, even with the pellet speed just as it is currently.

I sure wish I had the skills to modify air rifles to my taste. There is enough room on the Benjamin Fortitude to increase the air tank size until its length is equal to that of the barrel, giving it the appearance of a pump action shotgun. That extra air tank volume would make possible increases in the number of shots per refill, or at the very least, add enough propulsion energy to enable the speed at which 22 pellets are launched to be raised up to say 1000 fps, without sacrificing the current estimate of 70 shots per refill.

Alex I definitely plan to buy my Benjamin Fortitude from Baker Airguns, so as to order their installed $30 trigger upgrade. With a bit of luck, and the passage of a bit more time, Baker Airguns might get around to modifying this rifle for higher pellet speeds that will make possible flatter trajectories out beyond 50 meters. A feather-light, bolt-action repeating air rifle capable of consistent accuracy, and designed with the minimalist appearance of a powder burning deer rifle, is my idea of the absolute best combination possible, so I will hold my breath a bit longer, and wait to see if all known performance bugs are eliminated by Crosman, and to give some more time for a few of my dream mods appear on the horizon.
 
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Recently purchased Benjamin Fortitude. Liking the dime grouping using inexpensive Premier 14.3 gr.. I was surprised by the amount of shots on single fill (60-70).Weight of gun in field is comfortable along with take down power. Looking forward to spring turkey hunting. In the meantime keeping busy on the english sparrows and starlings. Learned to bolt pellet, by putting thumb on rear of breach (works OK) and just received new Baker trigger. Any thoughts about this modification ? Hoping not to mess up a good thing.
 
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Yes thumb on breech to cock a bolt action rifle helps tremendously. Those who just yank back after shouldering the rifle are missing out. I tear into my air rifles and re-work the valve poppet dimensions to make the valve much easier to open, which allows me to run 20-30% less spring which results in even easier cocking. Most manufacturers use sub-par materials for poppet heads and very large seal margins, when material quality is increased (IE: PEEK) and sealing margin is reduced to .015"-.025" you generally have a valve that is very easy to operate and open, especially in calibers under ..357" IMO...
 
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Power Mods:

It is plenum limited with just a little over 3cc's. Increasing the plenum is complicated by the through hole for the trigger assy. I made/modified a spacer that pushes the reg to the gauge port hole. That can give you another 3 cc's. I added a huma plenum from the disco/max (2"=10cc). Note: The Prod one would be better for 177 cal at 1.25"= 6.25cc's. Now getting 900fps w/AA 10.3g, for 45 shots. 

Valve exhaust, TP, and barrel port opened to 0.140" . Go to 0.160" for 22 cal. Might need some valve pocket opening, to get to 30FPE. 

The OEM heavy hammer spring is at zero pre-load, actually negative pre-load. This helps with efficiency. 

Pictures and write-up can be found on one of those other airgun forums. 






 
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Hey, a little late to the party but I own a Fortitude and it shoots like a dream, I needed up wanting more power and bought a disco valve from hill airgun but due to lack of info on the guns internals I sadly found out the mounting hole orientation on the valve for the breech of the Fortitude was different from the disco valves so it wouldn't fit properly without modification and I dont have the tooling or machining know how to do so. I ended up doing some more surfing on the matter and came across a company called Cothran Machine Shop, and looking into there website they do custom part work so I sent them a message about making a custom valve and I'm waiting for a reply and will update on the matter here but possibly this may be one way to go about nodding this rather new air rifle but well see what happens I'll update on it more as it unfolds.
 
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thunder here: i one a fortitude and have done the trigger upgrade. are there any other mods or upgrades that would help improve what is already a very good rifle. any thoughts or suggestions would be of great help. thanks Jim pm contact [email protected]
Click to expand...

While this thread was on the original Fortitude, the G2 didn't change it much. The trigger is the best mod. Power mods are very limited still, by the small plenum. Other minor stuff: fill rear stock cavity, open shroud spacer holes, etc. The Boyds stocks inletted for disco will fit, and will dress it up nicely.
 
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