I'd considered one of the 1.5oz Red Dot Reflex Sights just because I've never used one. Then I keep remembering they have "Zero" magnification. My old tired eyes do better with a bit of help now days.

I'd noticed on one of the retail Air Gun sites they are beginning to sell other Brands with the Crosman Nitro Piston replacing their normal Spring mechanism. So, converting a BSA or anything else is not out of reason for me.

Anyway, all of you have sure provided a lot of excellent info to ponder.

Best of luck with the rifle JDollar.

if it isn't such a great idea, you have to wonder why other makers are jumping on the bandwagon and gunsmiths are offering the conversions. you can't sell s--t disguised with perfume forever before people catch on. i really like mine but at the same time, i am really looking forward to wringing out the PCP I bought when i get back from Costa Rica. a little side by side comparison will be in order.

You may take a springer to bits several times to get the piston weight and spring just right for the pellets you are using and get it quiet and smooth so it's not sounding like shaking a bucket of bolts.
It's probably a lot easier to mass produce cheap guns and get less comeback with the ram.
Also "Gas Ram" sounds cool.

Seems over there your a bit behind the fashion, we had this over here a couple of years ago. It was "Ram" everything. It's died off a lot now.

A nice gun with a ram is a nice gun , a cheap POS with a ram is still a cheap POS.
Same as anything.

i have never heard or seen them advertised here as "gas ram" guns. they are always called "nitro piston" guns. it's still early but so far my Ben. NP XL is a "nice gun".

I just got a Benjamin Trail NP .22. I haven't had a chance to shoot it much, but will keep the forum advised as I learn about it.

The only thing I can say about it so far is it has a terrible trigger, but maybe that is because I have next to no experience with two-stage triggers. The Trail NP has a first stage so long the trigger goes halfway up in the gun. There is no clear indication of the "second stage", the gun just eventually goes off. Maybe experience will help. I am mostly a firearms shooter familiar with single-stage hunting arms.

I have had a Sheridan Blue Streak for over 30 years, but am getting older and need optical sights now and there is nothing good for the Blue Streak so I got another gun.

I don't have any experience with springers other than borrowing my son's Chinese one for a while last summer. I never learned the proper way to hold it for best accuracy, but did manage to bag a couple of rabbits with it at about 30 yards.

The scope on the Trail seems to be fine. It's a Centerpoint 3x9 AO. I really like the AO; it's the first one I've had. Maybe I'll get one for my Ruger 10-22. It' current running a Bushnell Banner 3x9 non-AO.

I have a Shooting Chrony chronograph and will test the Trail after I get a hundred or so rounds through it and let the group know the results.

Incidently, I got the wood stock Benjamin Trail NP from Airgun Depot for $229.90 free shipping.

Hals1

You should be able to help the trigger somewhat, without changing bits. I'd prob disable the 2 stage bit anyway for a hunting gun, unless you can sort it with adjustment and a file and a stone, some grease and a little ingenuity.

Or just get something like this it's only $30

http://www.charliedatuna.com/NPSS.htm

Specialist:

Any idea how to disable the 2 stage. I would love to do that. I sure do wish you could dry fire these things to get used to the trigger.

Hey HalS, I look forward to both your on-going reports and JDollars'.

I'm leaning toward the Laminated Stock Model in 22cal at the moment. The more I read, it seems a real toss-up though over which is better - the 17cal or 22cal.

I also have an older Sheridan Blue Streak which has served me quite well for many years.

put a GRT III trigger on my Benjamin NP XL today. best $32 I ever spent. i thought i would get used to the loooong first stage factory trigger but never could. the new trigger took 5 minutes to install and is all this gun needed to live up to its potential. if you buy this gun, spend $32 and buy this trigger!!

Iput the GRT III trigger in mine too. Makes it an entirely different gun. Still haven't had a chance to shoot it much as I have been staying in town lately. I am taking a few shots now and then trying to get it broken in.
It seems to be a relatively quiet gun. I need to drag out the Shooting Chrony ans do some testing.
Hopefully next month I will get a chance to really try it out.

I'd guess you could epoxy or JB weld a little bit of alloy in the right place to take up the slack that is all the first stage is in these triggers.

That's what I do to BSA two stages to get rid of the first stage. But they all work pretty much the same way.
You can retro fit the single stage trigger blade, but it's just as easy to fill the gap up with a bit of metal.
Just pay attention when you take the trigger assembly apart sometimes it's not obvious how it goes in. If you haven't got a diagram.

why bother with a patch work job when for $32 you can get a drop-in complete set up that not only works beautifully but looks nice to boot? it truly is like shooting a different(and vastly improved)gun.

ran 50 pellets through my Benji NP XL today to try out my new chronometer. averaged 860 fps using Crossman 14.3 domed premiers. groups were about 1/2 inch at 25 yrds. man, that new trigger makes this an entirely different gun.

Is the GRT Trigger adjustable for Sear Engagement, Pull Weight, and Over Travel?

Check it out at http://www.charliedatuna.com/index.html. It took me 4 days to get mine. There are two adjusting screws; one on the new trigger and one on the original trigger group. I haven't fooled with either yet.

Thanks HalS. If I can't get this trigger figured out to my satisfaction, I'll probably order one from Charlie.

Hot Core:
I suggest giving it up and ordering one from Charlie. Unless you want to play with it, of course.

I was pondering that just this morning. I enjoy whipping Trigger issues, but it sure would be nice to just swap a part and it be ready to go.

Thanks again.

how much is your time and aggravation worth? i screwed around with mine for a month, thinking it would get better or i would get used to the POS. didn't happen. $32 and five minutes of my time equalled a whole new gun.

Amen!

You and HalS both have compelling arguments. Looks like Charlie gets a call.
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Now that we have that under control, how 'bout both of you telling us about:
1. The "Groups" you are getting.
2. The distance to the Target.
3. The Pellets you are using.

The reason I'm asking is because both Ralph and myself are getting some amazing groups with the Crosman Premier (Round Top) Hollow Points. He called me this morning to tell me how well they were shooting in a very old $20 Under-Lever rifle. It has an exceptionally good trigger on it which caught me off guard.

see my post about 5-6 posts above this one. haven't tried any pellets except for the Crossman 14.3 premiers (domed), as they shoot so well in my gun.

Oh yes, that is quite a fine shooting rifle. We are finding the accuracy with the 17cal Premiers to be better than we can hold at the moment.

Just got a few other styles of Crosman Pellets and I'm looking forward to trying them out. Need to get some mowing done and get the Trigger ordered from Charlie first though.

If you try any others, let us know how well they do.

Just placed the order with Charlie for a GRT-III.

Hot Core:
I hope you get Saturday mail delivery. Otherwise you will probably get it after the weekend. That would be a bummer.

Hals1

I think we still do. The mail comes between 10AM and 6PM, depending on who is running the route.

What Pellets are you using and how well are they shooting.
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By the way, either one of you mentioned it, or I read somewhere that the Nitro Piston eliminates the Rotational Torque associated with Springers. Makes sense to me,

I haven't put but 15-20 pellets through it yet and either it hasn't settled down or the scope is no good. I'm getting 2" groups at30 yards, but I think it's improving. So far I've just shot it ff the porch railing. I haven't tried different holds either, but I hear they like a light touch on the forend. Since I'm staying in town right now, I can't shoot. I'll be out in the country this weekend and run some pellets through it. I have Crossman Premier Domes, 14.4 grains. I have a couple of other types I haven't shot yet.
Anybody know of a reflex or red-dot that works well on a springer and doesn't cost more than the gun?
I'll try to drag out the Shooting Chrony too and see how it does.

Hey HalS, I have NOT seen any of these used on a Springer.

I have a long term "Illuminated" Scope Test in progress. Two are Millett, two Optronics, a Simmons, a Leupold and most recently a Vortex.

Of those, the Vortex would be outstanding on the Nitro Piston, except it does not have an Adjustable Objective. But I do not know how well it(or any of them) would hold-up on a "Springer". A buddy just got an Illuminated Vortex for a new 30-06 and it was a 4-12x 40mm, has a very small central Red ( . ) Dot and was $149 at my local Gun Shop. He said they also have a 3-9x which is $139.

I've been seriously giving thought to calling Parsons Scope Service and seeing if he could re-adjust the Parallax in one of the Vortex scopes for about 20yds. It has been awhile since I last talked to him, but his number used to be (513) 867-0820.

Every time I look at the Burris Reflex Red Dot at less than 2oz, it draws me in. They run right at $200, but have ZERO magnification. Then I look at the Fiber Optics on my rifles and wonder what advantage the Reflex would be. But of course, the Nitro Pistons don't have Fiber Optics. I can't remember the size of the Red Dot in the Burris Reflex, but it "might be" 3-4MOA, which might be too Big for Squirrel shooting.

Best of luck to you.

Got the GRT-III today, installed it in the Crosman Storm XT and it is as if it is an entirely new air rifle. Thanks for the prodding!