New .22 Benjamin Titan Accuracy Problems

[shperkins]

Hi,

I'm new to air rifles but have extensive hunting experience and long distance 1-shot kills on big game. I bought a Benjamin .22 Titan and a UTG 3-9X40 Scope (as recommended). Bought this combo for hunting pests in my wooded back yard.

I'm using Crosman Premier .22 Hollow Points. Also have used Premier Ultra Magnums. I have not been able to dial this thing in reliably. At 25 yards, from a bench rest, with the crosshairs never wavering more than 1/2" from the centerpoint of the target, I'm spraying pellets all around. A 5-shot group looks like this:

1. 1" High
2. 1.5" at 7 o'clock
3. Missed high, so at least 2.5" high
4. 1" left at 9 o'clock
5. 3.5" Low at 6 o'clock

Both adjustments work on the scope, but changing the elevation and windage just has me chasing a moving target. Needless to say this is extremely frustrating, especially at a distance of only 25 yards. What could be going on here?

Thank you!

Steve

 

[billydjann]

You may want to try other pellets.... air rifles can be pellet fussy...
I assume you have cleaned the barrel... 
Also it takes time for barrels to break in...
At least with the break barrels I have owned...
Also you may want to use the artillery hold .... some break barrels don't bench well...

I went through all this with some of my guns.
I am sure others will write more about your issue....

 

[deroosea]

Did you give it a thorough cleaning? I found this helped me several times. There might be some debris from the manufacturing process, etc. Also, I'm assuming you're shooting in near zero wind conditions. Gusts of wind can throw your pellet off quite a bit , even at 25 yards. Haved you tried JSB 18.1 grain pellets? I found they work best in my Marauder (also Benjamin)?

 

[30cal]

Hello and welcome! first of all spring guns are the hardest airguns to shoot well, especially the inexpensive ones. They can be very hold sensitive and pellet fussy. As well as just not as accurate or as powerful as pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns. It will take a fair bit of practice to be good with it. There is a hold technique called the artillery hold that should be used with springers. See here: http://www.pyramydair.com/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63

You will also need to test several different pellets to find one that your gun likes. Dome pellets such as "JSB Exact" tend to shoot well in many/most guns. Dome shape pellets work better at longer ranges than hollow points. Hollow points tend to wander past 30-50 yards. You don't really need hollow points for hunting with airguns because they don't go fast enough to have much expansion like you are used to from fire arms. Keep reading and asking questions. Lots of good help here.

 

[shperkins]

"deroosea"Did you give it a thorough cleaning? I found this helped me several times. There might be some debris from the manufacturing process, etc. Also, I'm assuming you're shooting in near zero wind conditions. Gusts of wind can throw your pellet off quite a bit , even at 25 yards. Haved you tried JSB 18.1 grain pellets? I found they work best in my Marauder (also Benjamin)?

Thank deroosea! I have not cleaned out the barrel yet. I can certainly try that next with a rod, patch and a little solvent. Correct I'm shooting in calm conditions at about 25 yards. Since I've only had it a week or so I have only tried the 2 Crosman pellets that were 'recommended' for this gun. I can def get some others to try like the JSB you mentioned. Thanks so much.

Steve

 

[shperkins]

"30cal"Hello and welcome! first of all spring guns are the hardest airguns to shoot well, especially the inexpensive ones. They can be very hold sensitive and pellet fussy. As well as just not as accurate or as powerful as pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns. It will take a fair bit of practice to be good with it. There is a hold technique called the artillery hold that should be used with springers. See here: http://www.pyramydair.com/article/The_artillery_hold_June_2009/63

You will also need to test several different pellets to find one that your gun likes. Dome pellets such as "JSB Exact" tend to shoot well in many/most guns. Dome shape pellets work better at longer ranges than hollow points. Hollow points tend to wander past 30-50 yards. You don't really need hollow points for hunting with airguns because they don't go fast enough to have much expansion like you are used to from fire arms. Keep reading and asking questions. Lots of good help here.

Excellent guidance 30cal thank you. I will try the JSBs you recommended as well and check out the hold technique. Something is off so any help is appreciated. 

Steve

 

[KYAirgunner]

Do not clean the barrel with a rod. Air gun barrels are made with a soft metal and a metal rod could mess it up. Instead you are going to want to take a piece of weed whacker string a little longer than the barrel and sharpen one end ( to pierce through the patch) then, on the other end you want to take a lighter and make the other end blunt so it will hold the patch while it's being pulled through the barrel.
Leo

 

[shperkins]

"KYAirgunner"Do not clean the barrel with a rod. Air gun barrels are made with a soft metal and a metal rod could mess it up. Instead you are going to want to take a piece of weed whacker string a little longer than the barrel and sharpen one end ( to pierce through the patch) then, on the other end you want to take a lighter and make the other end blunt so it will hold the patch while it's being pulled through the barrel.
Leo

Very good, thanks for the tip. I will use trimmer string as described. I appreciate all the help for this noob!

 

[shperkins]

"billydjann"You may want to try other pellets.... air rifles can be pellet fussy...
I assume you have cleaned the barrel... 
Also it takes time for barrels to break in...
At least with the break barrels I have owned...
Also you may want to use the artillery hold .... some break barrels don't bench well...

I went through all this with some of my guns.
I am sure others will write more about your issue....

Good to know that others have had this. I'll use all the advice here and see where it takes me. Thanks!

Steve

 

[snakedoctor9]

If your cleaning rod is brass it will be just fine. I had issues with my trail np (same gun but shrouded). I ended up learning a lot about the artillery hold. Also, crosman had some issues with their .22 barrels. Check the crown, and use a light to look down the length of it at the rifling. I had to fire lap my barrel to get the rough spots out.

 

[Strikey]

When I am shooting my spring gun from a bench I rest my front hand on a sandbag and let the rifle rest on my hand, no rear support and try to be very consistent with the trigger pull and follow through after the trigger releases, this is the only way I have been able to reliably sight in and test pellets so might be worth a try.

 

[JohnL57]

I've been where you are with inexpensive springers, it's frustrating when you're not sure if it's you or the gun! Definitely experiment with the artillery hold, if you're used to firearms it will be strange to not pull the gun in tight to your shoulder. Just enough pressure on the shoulder to stabilize the gun is usually best. In addition to cleaning the barrel and trying different pellets, check that the stock screws are snug-they have a tendency to loosen up from the vibration. Also check to make sure your scope or mount isn't moving from the two way recoil, they have a tendency to slide back towards the butt end. I put a strip of tape on the gun and the scope in front of one of the rings and watch to see if the gap gets bigger. It may also help if you have a friend who's more experienced with springers try your rifle. Good luck and stay with it, the Titans can shoot pretty well from my limited experience.

 

[billydjann]

One other thing....

Please keep us updated how you are making out....

 

[mark404]

My .22 Cal RWS loves H&N field target trophy in 14.66 grains

 

[BILL]

Make sure ALL the screws are tightened. I filled a milk jug full of dirt and fired a whole tin of pellets into the mouth of the hug to
'break-in" the gun. I don't consider this a waste, just something that has to be done.

 

[Gritz]

I have a Benjamin 1500 superstreak. I think they are similar. Mine is Dead on. I mean clover leave at 35 yards. Then you hold it tighter or an inch further down the stock and the point of impact moves inches on the same shot. These springers are shooting violent recoil and vibration. Hold is everything. Not only an artillery hold but an artillery hold at the same contact points and holding the trigger hand with the same pressure. I have no problem with this because my gun is 10 plus pounds and there is only one real way to shoot it off hand (elbow on hip with artillery hold right in front of the trigger group.) But then shooting from bench yields completely different results. Also, pellet choice really makes a true difference. I found some pellets to be just horrible no matter what, some okay, and some really good. My sweat pellet happens to be Beeman non coated Cro-Magnum pellets but premier hollow points do 'okay'. The ones that really stink are the pointed hunting pellets. Spray like a shotgun pattern. Springers are not for a pick up and go hunting mentality. You really have to learn your piece. At least that is what I found with the more powerful low end guns (anything under 400 dollars).

 

[ashes5]

I have a NP in 22. The only way I could get it to shoot at all was to attach a laser to the barrel. I zeroed in the laser and it shot where the laser was pointed. I have their scope mounted an every time I close the barrel the scope is off from the laser. I dial the scope to the laser and it hits where it is dialed in. I bought the Tuna trigger thinking that would help nice trigger didn't do a thing for accuracy. Pellets do make a huge difference domed worked the best on mine. That's why I moved up to a PCP. You can buy a used Marauder for 375 some times less and your headaches go away. I have the 25 cal marauder and whack starlings and Eurasian doves all the time 35 to 50 yards and I haven't touched a setting on the gun. 

 

[Briggs22]

Its not just you I bought a Ben NP .22 from another prominent online company and have more then 2 tins thru it and have tried about 15 types of pellets and groups I think are impossible less then 4 inches across at 25 meters 7 scopes and prob 1200 pellets and Im thinking I blew 160 bucks on garbage my old pumpmaster shoots better then this thing with copper BBs Im really disappointed by this thing. And before anyone says anything Im quiet familiar with the artillery hold. I have other break barrels and never had an issue like I have with this one. good luck with yours Im sending this trash back and getting something else.

 

[Mentolio]

The Crosman Nitro Piston power plant is a good one, but sadly the build quality often leaves a bit to be desired. The most common problems with these guns are unclean insides (dirt, grit, bad seal, and sometimes rust), bad triggers (meaning heavy, long, and unpredictable), and bad barrels (barrels being a little less common). The trigger can be made very smooth through disassembly and cleaning up of the contact surfaces. Add a bushing (or a CDT), tweak the trigger return spring, and you're in business. The barrels often have bad crowns, which is also a fairly easy fix. The inside of the barrel can be rough, which requires a good bore polish using either a good polishing compound (JB non-embedding bore paste works well) or just shooting a lot of pellets through it (1000 plus!). Try to find a pellet with a head size that is a little tight in the breech.
I have had success with re crowning and polishing. My most accurate barrel is my .177 Vantage NP barrel that took a little over 1500 shots before the groups coming from it became truly tight. Now, it'll shoot several different pellets right on top of each other. That said, I also have a Trail .22 barrel that I've polished, re crowned, re ground (trued) the breech face, and shoot tight pellets...and it still groups kinda loose. Crosman NP (first gen NP, I have no experience with the NP2) guns have the potential to be really good guns, but you've either got to be really patient with them (ain't me!), really lucky (ain't me. A friend landed a Trail NP on sale directly from Crosman. After doing the trigger, her gun is a really sweet shooter with no other mods, and no significant break-in), you've got to be willing to tinker with them (that's me), or you've got to be willing to deal with their customer service (which is GREAT, by the way!). If you're patient and persistent, these guns can be quite rewarding.

 

[pretbek]

Barrel lock up, like ashes5 mentioned, was what I thought of too after pellet choice and artillery hold were covered. 

My cheap Chinese B18 break barrel also would not group until I put plastic shims on either side of the barrel pivot point. That ensured that the barrel came back at least close to the same point after cocking. 

Putting either a laser like ashes5 or a long eye relief scope directly on the barrel eliminates the whole problem of inconsistent lockup.