Looking at Benjamin Mayhem SBD Nitro Piston NP2

Never been close enough to small a bejamin SBD, they may be great!

"1400fps" is NOT what shoots well and that magnum recoil will require some getting accustomed to.

For a few dollars less, if you shop around you could get an RWS34 which is a time proven investment. Excellent trigger, should last a life time and will put pellets on target.



Do let us know what you get.



John

I don't know this rifle but I have a Crosman Nitro Venum with the Nitro Piston 2. It is fun to shoot and reasonably accurate but nothing close to my Walther Terrus which you can get for much less and would dispatch pests very well. Also agree the RWS 34 a great choice. 

RWS34 or the Walther Terrus are both excellent springers and great values. The RWS34 has been around for decades. Personally, I much prefer a steel spring over a gas ram. For the usage you describe (close range pesting) either of these guns setup to shoot at 10-12fpe would be ideal. At that power level you should be able to stack pellets at 20 yards.

R

Walther Terrus ?

" I'm assuming the nitro piston compressed air chamber design doesn't have the jolt of the spring "

This is not correct. A ram is "sharper" jolt and in general not tunable as a sping would be.



John

I prefer the nitro pistons to any thing else in the price range..... (as far ss break barrels go)They have a different feel to them they are just gas filled pistons, like the ones you would find that open and hold open an suv rear hatch or a tool box lid. No twang and alot less vibration if any at all.. They kinda have a forward push, but isnt to noticable once you get used to it. The NP2 triggers, atleast the ones ive used are way longer and alot heavier than the NP1 models... As far as noise with out the SBD barrel, they are very quiet....

EMRider brings up a good point, If your shooting so close a lower FPE gun maybe a better option.

I got the Benjamin Trail SBD .22 cal. I think it's the same power plant nitro piston with a different stock. The power's definitely there to dispatch them critters. But if you want consistent minute of squirrel headshots, lighten the trigger with a DaTuna trigger or a lighter trigger spring.