AEA Challenger .357 / 9mm

These will be the next ones that I try out in mine.

I have the AEA Challenger .357/9mm as well new in box picked it up and decided that I want something else. Everything that I have read and the videos that I have seen tells me this is an accurate and powerful air rifle.

I think the Challenger is a good gun for the price point. I think it makes good power right out of the box, only time will tell it's longevity. I think comparing it to the bulldog is a little weird because the bulldog was made about 6 years ago and Benjamin really had nothing to compare the bulldog to as far as design and power. They pretty much built it from the ground up, and in the process did a lot of good things with it that a lot of guns are still using today and is being compared to today. Full picatinny rail, side cocking lever, 2 stage trigger, and shrouded barrel, etc. The bulldog's magazine can hold a substantial amount of lead, size and length. It is a repeater and has a pretty good price point. All this and it was 6 years ago. It made up to 200 fpe or close to it, 6 years ago, that was really good for a 357 caliber. Now today we look at the challenger and say, oh it makes more power and is more accurate, but the challenger also has 6 years on the bulldog to make improvements. But, there are some things the challenger could have done with it's 6 year newer design. Why no side cocking lever? Why is it using such a heavy hammer spring? The bulldog can make more power if I crank the hammer spring down or replace it with one that is harder to cock. Why does the challenger not have a picatinny rail? Why a single stage trigger? How come they didn't make a longer magazine for the challenger or a bigger breech port? I am not saying one is better than the other, I am just saying, there are a bunch of things the challenger could have improved and if Benjamin made a bulldog version 2, how much better could it be? With a little tweaking the current bulldog can still hold it's own even today and has a lot of desirable traits we look for in the newest pcp's.

After reading the thread I almost wish I had gone with the challenger instead of the bulldog. Looks to be a really good rifle for the price. Just a heads up to anyone looking there is one for sale in classifieds right now for $500. 

Does anyone in here have the long barrel version of the .357 Challenger? I would love to know what kind of FPE they are getting out of the box.

very interesting gun/thread ! i've been flirting with getting a .357 for deer in Va since it's legal to hunt them with airguns .357 cal. or larger . i'm typically a cheap bass turd so the recluse and bulldog have been my main realistic choices , the very plastic BD can be had for $630 new https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/benjamin-bulldog-pcp-air-rifle-bolt-action-357-caliber-5-rounds?a=1860070 and the seneca is $730 @ PA . the bullpup style is more attractive IMO and $540 for the 24 in. barrel version with a wood stock looks much nicer than the BD ..... but $640 for the pre order only 32 in. barrel version with 300 FPE seems like the direction i would go .

so for you folks that have had them for a few weeks/months how are they holding up ? i'm guessing they are mostly china parts ???? or am i assuming , LOL .

have they started leaking air ?

are they difficult to take apart for maintenance ? the BD looks very intimidating taking it apart in YT videos . 

does the wood stock seem solid ? is the grain oriented so that it shouldn't be prone to cracking with the occasional mild to medium bump ? 

thanks and take care folks , jeff 

Hi Freddykim004, did you shoot it? How was the FPE? What did you feel was wrong with it that would make you want to get rid of it so quickly?

I pre-ordered the 45 cal bull pup with 32 inch barrel , wish I had waited to buy the 357 that I have now , the lever action would have been worth the wait, might have to put the 357 in the classifieds if the 45 is that good.

This is a really good thread!

Just to add to it, I just bought another Bulldog after selling an AEA HPBP .25 cal. AEA billed itself as semi-auto or power and accuracy on the cheap. Of the variety of things that fueled my reason for selling, the absolute number one reason was the horrible trigger!

I mean, I'd shoot the gun for awhile and acclimate myself to the measured 7.5 pounds of force in a single stage, but every time I went and shot the Bulldog with its comparably match grade trigger, I'd hate the AEA even more. When you compare this with the distances we try and take game at, the AEA was adding up to more misses than hits for me. All in all, I realized the amount of time you need to invest to become accurate with the gun was starting to resemble the discipline needed for break barrels.

At the end of the day, if you're interested in what the AEA product line has to offer, go for it! I got my Sportsman Guide $620 Bulldog deal and now keep one gun for daytime shooting and the other thermal equipped for the night.

You can get the trigger on the AEA Challenger in the 3lbs range if you do some polishing on the trigger parts , the bulldog does not even come close to AEA .357 24 or 32inch barrel in the power department unless you do a lot of modification /replacement of parts that break that cost a lot , over double the price of the AEA , plus the bulldog looks like it belongs to the klingon's in star track LOL !

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Again, I don't wanna make this an AEA vs Benjamin kinda thing. But the only thing I had to do for an excellent trigger on my Bulldog was take it out the box.

Some people wanna buy a gun and shoot. Others wanna buy a gun and tinker. And others still buy a gun and are forced to tinker to make it functional. So that makes the gun a kit gun, disguised as a production gun. 

It can have triple the power, but with that horrible trigger its just wasted potential.

This is a really good thread!

Just to add to it, I just bought another Bulldog after selling an AEA HPBP .25 cal. AEA billed itself as semi-auto or power and accuracy on the cheap. Of the variety of things that fueled my reason for selling, the absolute number one reason was the horrible trigger!

I mean, I'd shoot the gun for awhile and acclimate myself to the measured 7.5 pounds of force in a single stage, but every time I went and shot the Bulldog with its comparably match grade trigger, I'd hate the AEA even more. When you compare this with the distances we try and take game at, the AEA was adding up to more misses than hits for me. All in all, I realized the amount of time you need to invest to become accurate with the gun was starting to resemble the discipline needed for break barrels.

At the end of the day, if you're interested in what the AEA product line has to offer, go for it! I got my Sportsman Guide $620 Bulldog deal and now keep one gun for daytime shooting and the other thermal equipped for the night.

Click to expand...

I like that philosophy, same gun one for day one for night, makes sense to me

This is a really good thread!

Just to add to it, I just bought another Bulldog after selling an AEA HPBP .25 cal. AEA billed itself as semi-auto or power and accuracy on the cheap. Of the variety of things that fueled my reason for selling, the absolute number one reason was the horrible trigger!

I mean, I'd shoot the gun for awhile and acclimate myself to the measured 7.5 pounds of force in a single stage, but every time I went and shot the Bulldog with its comparably match grade trigger, I'd hate the AEA even more. When you compare this with the distances we try and take game at, the AEA was adding up to more misses than hits for me. All in all, I realized the amount of time you need to invest to become accurate with the gun was starting to resemble the discipline needed for break barrels.

At the end of the day, if you're interested in what the AEA product line has to offer, go for it! I got my Sportsman Guide $620 Bulldog deal and now keep one gun for daytime shooting and the other thermal equipped for the night.

Click to expand...

I like that philosophy, same gun one for day one for night, makes sense to me

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Yeah, I don't even have to think:

• Same gun and weight.
• Same scope system.
• Same cheek weld.
• Same, well everything!

@Cheplicki - You're YouTube Channel sold me on the .357 setup and I ordered it, the Ronnin and an air compressor. I got it this past Sunday, still waiting on the scope but took my first shot last night! It's for sure loud, and the ping is up there! I reached out to Tim over at Hill Airguns to see if he can make a de-pinger and Haji Moto to see if he can do some work too but just curious as to how it's been holding up since your last video! 

I reached out to Tim over at Hill Airguns to see if he can make a de-pinger and Haji Moto to see if he can do some work too but just curious as to how it's been holding up since your last video!

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Use a vinyl piece if tubing to muffle the reservoir vibrations.

OhnoNotAgain256

my gun is still dead nuts.. for the ping i just used some rubber that i rolled up and left about 1/4 hole in the middle and it works great.. i really only shoot 150gr slugs i make now because they shoot so damn good. i will hopfully get back out soon for more videos. i got the hp 30+ on the way so im hopping for some good coon hunting

What diameter slugs do they like the best? I am going to buy a lee mold to cast slugs for mine.