Benjamin MROD 357 tactical

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Picked this up out of the classifieds from @gendoc. Definitely a sweet little hunting rig. Powerful and light.

Draw back is shot count. 3 shots at 130 fpe with the 16.5" barrel. So I decided to get a tube extension from Talon Tunes. Along with that, I put the 12" barrel that came in the deal and I think it came out pretty slick.

Getting 6 shot at 100 fpe with this barrel on a 3000 psi fill. Plenty of gun for my needs.

I also ordered a boyds stock and Mrod trigger group to convert to a rifle for the longer barrel to go back on. The Pellet Shop did me a solid and put a 1/2 UNF end cap on a Donny ronin for me that's for a 357 caliber. That should hang right in front of the fill cap when done. Just waiting on Boyds to build the stock.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

If only this was a 457 or 50 cal. I could use it in Missouri for deer. They used to allow 357 air rifles for deer, but amended it to 40 cal and up.

 

[YetiusAmericanus]

Yeah, I would say that came out pretty great. Its amazing what yall come up with.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

So I think I need some heavier ammo. I have a Donny Ronin I mounted on the rifle barrel and it's still LOUD AF. It's doing 905 fps with 82 grain, and the air blast that comes out is insane.

I'm thinking of feeding it some 110-125 grain slugs and see if it quiets down. Hopefully it does, because I can't even begin to shoot this outside to get a good baseline for accuracy.

Only other option is to make a sleeved shroud over the smaller moderator it came with and put an air stripper on it to kill off some blast pre mod.

I almost bought an emperor for it, but I feel it might be a waste of money with how ineffective the ronin is.

 

[bearair]

How would heavier slugs make it quieter? That's a pretty cool little 357 carbine. Looks like it would be a great squirrel gun, light and maneuverable really shining in tight quarters.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Ok, fiddled with the spring setup some more and no have it tolerable to shoot inside with a 100 fpe tune @ 3000 psi. It will climb quickly if not on the tether at this power level, so I just hooked up my bottle and got the scope centered up at 20 feet. I can probably shoot it outside, but it's still a little snappy.

However, fully cranked it's doing close to 975 fps with 82 grain. At the current level, if I shoot hybrids which are almost 20 grain lighter, they only gain about 30 fps. This leads me to believe I can step up the weight and use that massive blast to push a big ole chunk of lead into probably the mid 800s. I'd love to see 850 fps with a 125 grain slug.

Here it is with the fat daddy Ronin on it. Crazy to think it's only 37" long.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

How would heavier slugs make it quieter? That's a pretty cool little 357 carbine. Looks like it would be a great squirrel gun, light and maneuverable really shining in tight quarters.

The heavier ammo should balance some of the pressure/air from just rushing out since it will take more force and time to get the heavier projectile out.

I know when I shoot my other guns with lighter ammo they are always louder. I get more shots and quieter report with heavier ammo typically.

 

[bearair]

Thanks, I had a hunch it was something like that.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Got out for some shooting today before the neighborhood wakes up and takes notice of the big bore going off in my yard lol.

40 yards with polymags set to 120 fpe tethered to the bottle at 3000 psi. This is about the limit I can shoot at here before it's unacceptably loud.

I think it's grouping pretty good

This is a 5 shor group on a 6" target.

 

[bearair]

That's a dead critter or popped soda can every time! Sweet little rig.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

That's a dead critter or popped soda can every time! Sweet little rig.

I'm going to my dad's place on labor day. My brother is coming up from Texas, and we're going to clear out the squirrels before fall. They destroy my dad's Christmas display if I don't keep them in check.

Hopefully I can get the ground hog he says is digging under his shed and retaining wall. I think it's possibly an armadillo since he says it comes out at night alot. His vision is bad now, so looking out the window at 3am, I could see him mistaking a dillo for a Ghog.

I'll be taking my revere, m60b with NV, and the 357. Gunna be a blast!

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Got the boyds stock in today. Dunno if I like the color I chose or not yet lol. Had a theme going on, like 357 hornet or stinger, especially since it like the pointy polymags.

Maybe I will order another sometime.

Anyhow, I need to trim the hammer cap section to get it to fit and cut off a couple inches of the front to clear the fill valve, but here it is.

The 357 Hornet

Only other issue which bothers my OCD, there is a dark knot in the yellow at the palm grip. Looks like damage at first, but it's a natural defect which won't fall under their return policy.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

Got the boyds stock in today. Dunno if I like the color I chose or not yet lol. Had a theme going on, like 357 hornet or stinger, especially since it like the pointy polymags.

Maybe I will order another sometime.

Anyhow, I need to trim the hammer cap section to get it to fit and cut off a couple inches of the front to clear the fill valve, but here it is.

The 357 Hornet

View attachment 491613View attachment 491614View attachment 491615View attachment 491616

Only other issue which bothers my OCD, there is a dark knot in the yellow at the palm grip. Looks like damage at first, but it's a natural defect which won't fall under their return policy.

View attachment 491617

Clearly this gun landed is in the right hands! I thought about getting this sweet rig, but I figured better not since it would be more of a novelty. You are a pro at what you do!

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Clearly this gun landed is in the right hands! I thought about getting this sweet rig, but I figured better not since it would be more of a novelty. You are a pro at what you do!

I also bought a drop block for a bottle conversion later. Maybe, dunno yet if I will, but it was the last one in stock so I figured get it while I could.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

I also bought a drop block for a bottle conversion later. Maybe, dunno yet if I will, but it was the last one in stock so I figured get it while I could.

So the stock might get chopped?

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

So the stock might get chopped?

Just a couple inches off the front to get it back behind the air tube.

If I go bottle conversion, it'll get put back to the tactical/pistol grip setup and lose the tube extension.

 

[bearair]

Good luck on the pesting adventure. Can't wait to hear how you and your brother do. Also very cool helping your Dad. That's a sharp looking rifle. I really like the Boyds stock on it.

 

[JaceSpace1369]

Just a couple inches off the front to get it back behind the air tube.

If I go bottle conversion, it'll get put back to the tactical/pistol grip setup and lose the tube extension.

Is it too front heavy?

I gotcha.

 

[bearair]

If you decide to bottle it are you going to still use the Boyds stock? I really like my 357 and I always like reading about other custom jobs.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

If you decide to bottle it are you going to still use the Boyds stock? I really like my 357 and I always like reading about other custom jobs.

Possibly and cut it back to where the main tube stop and then put the block on it. Would like to go with the 50mm diameter vs 62mm diameter bottles.

The gun currently sits at 38" with the ronin on it, and going bottle will add length and I would have to make a shroud setup. I have parts to do that, but I wanna keep it short.

What OAL is your 357 Mrod? Or it's an Armada isn't it?