thoughts on Benjamin Fortitude Gen 2

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JeffB1961

JeffB1961

Member
Dec 7, 2019
60
1
Virginia, United States
just for plinking and maybe some light small pest critters . i have a .25 gauntlet for bigger stuff that's smaller than a deer . i have lots of .177 pellets of multiple brands/types and weights so i'm not interested in the .22 version . it'll get the essential trigger mod and i've already got a 4.5-18 bushy AR scope that needs a home to put on it . i like that it's regulated , light weight and 70+ shot count with a 3K fill as well as being a repeater . i'm interested how reliable they are .... most videos seem to get great accuracy from them @ 50 yards of less . what are y'alls thoughts/experiences ?

thanks , jeff 
 
Mine's in .177...it's so accurate with hades pellets that it's my preferred pesting rifle for rats, squirrels and starlings. It isn't overly powerful and I get very few pass through.

The trigger leaves much to be desired but there's an easy fix if you're so inclined.

Shot count is pretty good considering the relatively small air cylinder I'm getting right at 70 good shots from a 3000psi fill,, which I appreciate as I hand pump. The rifle has been trouble free since I've had it....
 
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I've had a .177 Fortitude Gen 2 for a little over a year now and here are my thoughts and experience with it.

The length of pull (LOP) is very short and the butt plate is slick/slippery. I added a slip on recoil pad which extended the LOP and added some grip.

The trigger does need attention. All I did was to lightly polish the contact points and did the 2 screw modification. Trigger is still not good, but it is usable and I have found that I can get used to just about any trigger with enough time and practice.

Something not mentioned very often is that the shroud MUST be centered in the barrel band! The barrel/shroud is supposed to be free floating and NOT touching the barrel band.

However...

If you put much pressure on the stock at the end nearest the muzzle, the pressure tube WILL make contact with the shroud and cause POI shifts. Unfortunately, this makes attaching a bipod by using the sling mount at that end of the stock useless. This problem shows up mainly when using a rest or a bipod, but I don't think it will affect most off-hand shooters as they will probably not be supporting the rifle out that far on the stock. I always use a rest of some sort and have gotten used to putting the part of the stock where the main screw/pressure gauge is located on the rest and not the end of the stock near the muzzle. This solves the problem, but took a little getting used to.

I can't tell you how many shots I get per fill because I never let the gun get much below 2500psi/about 30 shots before I refill it with a hand pump. Usually between 30 and 35 pumps.

Luckily for me, mine shoots the CPUM 10.5 pellets at 1 MOA or less out to 40-45 yards. Back when I had access to shoot out to 60 yards, it did just as well. Never tried it farther than 60 yards. I can't tell you how far I have my hammer spring turned in, but I shoot the CPUM 10.5 pellets @ ~755fps for ~12-13fpe at the muzzle.

The regulator on mine seems to work well, but I can't give you a spread sheet on the extreme spread. Last time I checked I think ES was around 15 or 20 fps and SD was probably about 5-7 fps but I only tested for the first 30 or 40 shots.. No regulator creep that I can tell. I can let the gun sit for long periods of time and the first shot is always on target.

Noise level is decently low. I wish it was a little lower, but I have not felt it necessary to put a moderator on it and if I do, it will be one I make myself.

Hope this helps.
 
Upvote 0
I've had a .177 Fortitude Gen 2 for a little over a year now and here are my thoughts and experience with it.

The length of pull (LOP) is very short and the butt plate is slick/slippery. I added a slip on recoil pad which extended the LOP and added some grip.

The trigger does need attention. All I did was to lightly polish the contact points and did the 2 screw modification. Trigger is still not good, but it is usable and I have found that I can get used to just about any trigger with enough time and practice.

Something not mentioned very often is that the shroud MUST be centered in the barrel band! The barrel/shroud is supposed to be free floating and NOT touching the barrel band.

However...

If you put much pressure on the stock at the end nearest the muzzle, the pressure tube WILL make contact with the shroud and cause POI shifts. Unfortunately, this makes attaching a bipod by using the sling mount at that end of the stock useless. This problem shows up mainly when using a rest or a bipod, but I don't think it will affect most off-hand shooters as they will probably not be supporting the rifle out that far on the stock. I always use a rest of some sort and have gotten used to putting the part of the stock where the main screw/pressure gauge is located on the rest and not the end of the stock near the muzzle. This solves the problem, but took a little getting used to.

I can't tell you how many shots I get per fill because I never let the gun get much below 2500psi/about 30 shots before I refill it with a hand pump. Usually between 30 and 35 pumps.

Luckily for me, mine shoots the CPUM 10.5 pellets at 1 MOA or less out to 40-45 yards. Back when I had access to shoot out to 60 yards, it did just as well. Never tried it farther than 60 yards. I can't tell you how far I have my hammer spring turned in, but I shoot the CPUM 10.5 pellets @ ~755fps for ~12-13fpe at the muzzle.

The regulator on mine seems to work well, but I can't give you a spread sheet on the extreme spread. Last time I checked I think ES was around 15 or 20 fps and SD was probably about 5-7 fps but I only tested for the first 30 or 40 shots.. No regulator creep that I can tell. I can let the gun sit for long periods of time and the first shot is always on target.

Noise level is decently low. I wish it was a little lower, but I have not felt it necessary to put a moderator on it and if I do, it will be one I make myself.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...


Oops, forgot to mention 2 other things that needed attention with my Fortitude.

The cheek rest is too low. I fixed this by using a length of foam pipe insulation fitted on the comb to raise it. I secured it with duct tape, but I have seen others have used zip ties to do it. Also, at least on mine, the bolt can swivel to the unlocked position very easily, especially if the gun is inverted. This can cause problems if you fire the gun while the bolt is unlocked like blowing out the breech O-ring, etc. I used a hair rubber band tied to the trigger guard and the bolt. Works perfectly. 

Neither of these fixes are what you would call pretty, but they work well and I am only concerned with the utility of the gun, not looks.
 
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What rifles are the "competition" to the Fortitude? That is, a similar priced repeater that is relatively accurate and quiet.
Click to expand...


DAR (Dynamic Air Rifles) has .177, .22 and .25 and supposedly the Gen 2 version has fixed the problems the Gen 1 had.

I don't own one, but have been considering getting the .177... still thinking about it...

nervoustrig has one in .22 and says it is his go to gun for pesting.

I'm sure there are other rifles that are competing for the same customers that would buy a Fortitude, but the DAR was the first to come to my mind due to price and features.
 
Upvote 1
I've had a .177 Fortitude Gen 2 for a little over a year now and here are my thoughts and experience with it.

The length of pull (LOP) is very short and the butt plate is slick/slippery. I added a slip on recoil pad which extended the LOP and added some grip.

The trigger does need attention. All I did was to lightly polish the contact points and did the 2 screw modification. Trigger is still not good, but it is usable and I have found that I can get used to just about any trigger with enough time and practice.

Something not mentioned very often is that the shroud MUST be centered in the barrel band! The barrel/shroud is supposed to be free floating and NOT touching the barrel band.

However...

If you put much pressure on the stock at the end nearest the muzzle, the pressure tube WILL make contact with the shroud and cause POI shifts. Unfortunately, this makes attaching a bipod by using the sling mount at that end of the stock useless. This problem shows up mainly when using a rest or a bipod, but I don't think it will affect most off-hand shooters as they will probably not be supporting the rifle out that far on the stock. I always use a rest of some sort and have gotten used to putting the part of the stock where the main screw/pressure gauge is located on the rest and not the end of the stock near the muzzle. This solves the problem, but took a little getting used to.

I can't tell you how many shots I get per fill because I never let the gun get much below 2500psi/about 30 shots before I refill it with a hand pump. Usually between 30 and 35 pumps.

Luckily for me, mine shoots the CPUM 10.5 pellets at 1 MOA or less out to 40-45 yards. Back when I had access to shoot out to 60 yards, it did just as well. Never tried it farther than 60 yards. I can't tell you how far I have my hammer spring turned in, but I shoot the CPUM 10.5 pellets @ ~755fps for ~12-13fpe at the muzzle.

The regulator on mine seems to work well, but I can't give you a spread sheet on the extreme spread. Last time I checked I think ES was around 15 or 20 fps and SD was probably about 5-7 fps but I only tested for the first 30 or 40 shots.. No regulator creep that I can tell. I can let the gun sit for long periods of time and the first shot is always on target.

Noise level is decently low. I wish it was a little lower, but I have not felt it necessary to put a moderator on it and if I do, it will be one I make myself.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...


Oops, forgot to mention 2 other things that needed attention with my Fortitude.

The cheek rest is too low. I fixed this by using a length of foam pipe insulation fitted on the comb to raise it. I secured it with duct tape, but I have seen others have used zip ties to do it. Also, at least on mine, the bolt can swivel to the unlocked position very easily, especially if the gun is inverted. This can cause problems if you fire the gun while the bolt is unlocked like blowing out the breech O-ring, etc. I used a hair rubber band tied to the trigger guard and the bolt. Works perfectly. 

Neither of these fixes are what you would call pretty, but they work well and I am only concerned with the utility of the gun, not looks.
Click to expand...

Just an update to the above for Fortitude owners.

I had read where someone asked (don't remember where) if the hammer spring adjustment on the Fortitude can loosen or unscrew over time.

Yes, it can and it does. So, check your fps regularly to be sure you are shooting at the velocity you *think* you are shooting with your Fortitude.

I would say you should *start* checking your fps and adjust your hammer spring about every 100 to 200 shots to keep it in check. It might be many more shots, but I would start there whether or not you *think* you are having this problem. YMMV

In other words, if your POI starts to go low, even a little bit, don't adjust your scope before you check your fps with a chronograph.

There may be a fix for this, but I am unaware of one right now.
 
Upvote 0
BackStop said:
Just an update to the above for Fortitude owners.

I had read where someone asked (don't remember where) if the hammer spring adjustment (HST-hammer spring tension) on the Fortitude can loosen or unscrew over time.

Yes, it can and it does. So, check your fps regularly to be sure you are shooting at the velocity you *think* you are shooting with your Fortitude.

I would say you should *start* checking your fps and adjust your hammer spring about every 100 to 200 shots to keep it in check. It might be many more shots, but I would start there whether or not you *think* you are having this problem. YMMV

In other words, if your POI starts to go low, even a little bit, don't adjust your scope before you check your fps with a chronograph.

There may be a fix for this, but I am unaware of one right now.
Click to expand...
Well... I thought the HST was was backing off causing lower fps, but I was wrong.

It was/is that the hammer spring is actually losing strength AFAIK. Another AGN member suggested that the problem might be that the chamber where the hammer spring rides might be dirty enough to cause the gradual loss of power.

When I open up the gun to replace the spring (sent to me from Crosman under warranty by Matt) I will first try simply cleaning the HS chamber to see if that makes any difference.

For now, the Fortitude is keeping relatively consistent fps even at the upper limit of the adjustment (I can't raise the HST any more without causing it to not be able to cock). So, until it falls low enough to affect trajectory, I am not going to open it up.

If I have not said so previously, MANY thanks to Matt at Crosman.com for his help and ability to deal with AHs like me. (grin)

p.s.

Thanks for the 3 new baffles! It has made a wonderful difference! Never knew how much the small cracks and chips made a difference in the sound perceived by my ears, at least!

Thanks again Matt!

p.s.

It may also be that the regulator has developed some creep. If that happens, then the pressure will be higher than the regulator setting and the hammer spring setting will not be able to keep the valve open long enough to keep the desired fps.

I have no way to measure this as the regulator is not adjustable and has no gauge to measure its output, so I am going to replace the HS and hope that fixes the problem. Just as soon as someone tells me how to replace the HS! (smile)
 
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Upvote 0
BackStop said:
Well... I thought the HST was was backing off causing lower fps, but I was wrong.

It was/is that the hammer spring is actually losing strength AFAIK. Another AGN member suggested that the problem might be that the chamber where the hammer spring rides might be dirty enough to cause the gradual loss of power.

When I open up the gun to replace the spring (sent to me from Crosman under warranty by Matt) I will first try simply cleaning the HS chamber to see if that makes any difference.

For now, the Fortitude is keeping relatively consistent fps even at the upper limit of the adjustment (I can't raise the HST any more without causing it to not be able to cock). So, until it falls low enough to affect trajectory, I am not going to open it up.

If I have not said so previously, MANY thanks to Matt at Crosman.com for his help and ability to deal with AHs like me. (grin)

p.s.

Thanks for the 3 new baffles! It has made a wonderful difference! Never knew how much the small cracks and chips made a difference in the sound perceived by my ears, at least!

Thanks again Matt!

p.s.

It may also be that the regulator has developed some creep. If that happens, then the pressure will be higher than the regulator setting and the hammer spring setting will not be able to keep the valve open long enough to keep the desired fps.

I have no way to measure this as the regulator is not adjustable and has no gauge to measure its output, so I am going to replace the HS and hope that fixes the problem. Just as soon as someone tells me how to replace the HS! (smile)
Click to expand...
Just wanted to "bump" this so someone might see it and help me. (smile)

First shot after the Fortitude sits for a while is about 720fps. Next few shots are between 740 and 750+fps. Looking more and more like the regulator is failing... (heavy sigh)
 
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BackStop said:
First shot after the Fortitude sits for a while is about 720fps. Next few shots are between 740 and 750+fps. Looking more and more like the regulator is failing...
Click to expand...
Fix a creeping regulator by wet sanding the valve seat smooth and flat. Very much a DIY task that can be done successfully without a lathe. Just place the sandpaper against a flat backer like a piece of thick glass or scrap of granite and rub the part against it. Rotate/reposition the part frequently so you don’t develop an angled surface. Slightly convex is okay.
 
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nervoustrig said:
Fix a creeping regulator by wet sanding the valve seat smooth and flat. Very much a DIY task that can be done successfully without a lathe. Just place the sandpaper against a flat backer like a piece of thick glass or scrap of granite and rub the part against it. Rotate/reposition the part frequently so you don’t develop an angled surface. Slightly convex is okay.
Click to expand...
OK, I am a bit confused. What you are saying seems to be referring to the poppet valve.

If so, how does this stop the regulator from "creeping" up in pressure? Which is what I am assuming is happening and causing the first shot to be lower fps because the HS can't keep the valve open as long as it did at the lower pressure.

Thanks for your advice! I appreciate it and appreciate your knowledge, but this simply has me confused now.

Please excuse my ignorance.

Thanks again! (smile?)
 
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Referring to the valve seat of the regulator, not the valve seat of the firing valve (i.e. poppet).

The slow creeping up of the pressure is caused by scratches or other imperfections in the seat that make it almost close but not quite. Air continues to move very slowly through these scratches until the pressure climbs up high enough to squish and deform the seat so much that it finally stops.
 
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