Okay, So I will admit the pigs was in a trap, but It offered me the perfect test bed to find out what the benji could and could not do and with my .45 available I could do so without putting the animals through any unethical torment (basically if they didn't drop right off they would be dispatched with the .45) I shot from 38 yards (furthest range I could get with all the trees and brush) I don't feel conferrable recording this kind mass dispatch it had to be done, but I wasn't going to record it.
My Benjamin is stock with nothing done but a spring adjustment, this is not a slight to those that has had mods and tunes done just a statement.
I have two types of pellets available the H&N Barracuda 28.40 gr Hunter Extreme and the Hunter Supply air251 48 gr hollow point bullet
I have not had a chance to put the hunter supply bullets through a crony but can tell you that at 50 yards our less they fly well and through paper test enter straight, anything past 75 yards and I start seeing holes that indicate the bullet is starting to tumble, they are hard hitters and will fit in the magazine but load hard into the chamber, I believe this is a possible sizing issue or perhaps just the fact that because they are engaging the rifling with more lead than that of a pellet.
By the way for My fellow Air Force owners My Texan loves the Hunter Supply 250 grain pentagons, they don't drink a lot of air and shoot about as flat as you can get for a good hunting round.
My scope is set up for the H&N so I started with those
I like shooting H&N pellets because of the details in data that they provide along with their products this is a good example of what I am talking about
https://www.hn-sport.de/en/air-gun-hunting/baracuda-hunter-extreme-25
This is the kind of attention to details that I like to see in a pellet manufacture
Back on topic, With the .25 I was not going to try any body shots my goal was instant drops with little or no panic
My first shot test was a behind the ear, this is a text book shot for pigs as it is the softest entry point and most effective shot even for large boars, It offers an instant kill with minimal impact sound, almost no risk of deflection, and minimal animal reaction. Your best set up for this type of shot is for the pig to be slightly quartered away the best angle will result in an entry behind the ear with the exit heading towards the front of the ear on the other side.
I shot 8 of the pigs with this method all but 1 dropped instantly with no sound in one case I believe I hit the trap wire and the pellet struck low and it took a second shot to finish it off.
Between the eyes
With smaller pigs you can get away with my second test I would not suggest attempting to do so with larger ones even with what may seem like a successful shot extreme care should be practiced when you approach a pig shot this way as you may have done nothing more than knock the animal out instead of killing it. Further it makes a good loud thwack! on impact. Even with a large boar your shot POI has to be somewhere within a inch of aim and dramatically decreases with the smaller pigs. To high and you will deflect, low and it just enters the nasal cavity,
Entry was as predicted a solid impact resulted in brain matter overpressure pushing out of the entry wound.
At the range I was shooting I couldn't see any discernable difference between the H&N and the Hunter Supply in either one of the aim points
I have to say I am very impressed with my benji, it is quiet, accurate and hits hard. Handles well and with the exception of the cocking bolt being a bit hard to pull loads easily. The stock is a little squarish for my personal taste but I can live with it.
As much as I like big bore air hunting I have say that my Benji has found its place in my gun cabinet and as one of my tools that will be loaded up during my hunting trips.
So, For those getting into this hobby and wants a good all around airgun that will grow with you,... you cannot go wrong with the Marauder.
Don't let the price fool you, while I will not claim that it is on par with a FX or some other $1200.00 gun, Its performance far surpasses its cost
My Benjamin is stock with nothing done but a spring adjustment, this is not a slight to those that has had mods and tunes done just a statement.
I have two types of pellets available the H&N Barracuda 28.40 gr Hunter Extreme and the Hunter Supply air251 48 gr hollow point bullet
I have not had a chance to put the hunter supply bullets through a crony but can tell you that at 50 yards our less they fly well and through paper test enter straight, anything past 75 yards and I start seeing holes that indicate the bullet is starting to tumble, they are hard hitters and will fit in the magazine but load hard into the chamber, I believe this is a possible sizing issue or perhaps just the fact that because they are engaging the rifling with more lead than that of a pellet.
By the way for My fellow Air Force owners My Texan loves the Hunter Supply 250 grain pentagons, they don't drink a lot of air and shoot about as flat as you can get for a good hunting round.
My scope is set up for the H&N so I started with those
I like shooting H&N pellets because of the details in data that they provide along with their products this is a good example of what I am talking about
https://www.hn-sport.de/en/air-gun-hunting/baracuda-hunter-extreme-25
This is the kind of attention to details that I like to see in a pellet manufacture
Back on topic, With the .25 I was not going to try any body shots my goal was instant drops with little or no panic
My first shot test was a behind the ear, this is a text book shot for pigs as it is the softest entry point and most effective shot even for large boars, It offers an instant kill with minimal impact sound, almost no risk of deflection, and minimal animal reaction. Your best set up for this type of shot is for the pig to be slightly quartered away the best angle will result in an entry behind the ear with the exit heading towards the front of the ear on the other side.
I shot 8 of the pigs with this method all but 1 dropped instantly with no sound in one case I believe I hit the trap wire and the pellet struck low and it took a second shot to finish it off.
Between the eyes
With smaller pigs you can get away with my second test I would not suggest attempting to do so with larger ones even with what may seem like a successful shot extreme care should be practiced when you approach a pig shot this way as you may have done nothing more than knock the animal out instead of killing it. Further it makes a good loud thwack! on impact. Even with a large boar your shot POI has to be somewhere within a inch of aim and dramatically decreases with the smaller pigs. To high and you will deflect, low and it just enters the nasal cavity,
Entry was as predicted a solid impact resulted in brain matter overpressure pushing out of the entry wound.
At the range I was shooting I couldn't see any discernable difference between the H&N and the Hunter Supply in either one of the aim points
I have to say I am very impressed with my benji, it is quiet, accurate and hits hard. Handles well and with the exception of the cocking bolt being a bit hard to pull loads easily. The stock is a little squarish for my personal taste but I can live with it.
As much as I like big bore air hunting I have say that my Benji has found its place in my gun cabinet and as one of my tools that will be loaded up during my hunting trips.
So, For those getting into this hobby and wants a good all around airgun that will grow with you,... you cannot go wrong with the Marauder.
Don't let the price fool you, while I will not claim that it is on par with a FX or some other $1200.00 gun, Its performance far surpasses its cost
