June 2016 The Benjamin Maximus .22

[Norcal]

Thanks, Scott - I'll just decide which handle I think I like best and order, hopefully eliminating the bolt-breakage problem altogether.

BTW, it's Paul/ShadowShot that has the son, not me.

[ShadowShot]

Thats right, he's all mine.

[Bentong]

That's a nice B-day present for your boy, Paul. I hope he enjoys the heck out of it and you have my best wishes that his health improves.

On the issue of breech bolts breaking on the Maximus, does someone make a stronger aftermarket bolt to fix that issue?

Alchemy airwerks. David is a respected vendor on the forum. Get the stainless extended probe bolt, with a matching stainless handle. I have one in mine. You won't be disappointed.

How do you like the extended probe on your maximus? I had to change mine to a short one and when i looked under the breech TP, the skirt of the pellet is totally fwd of the hole. This makes to me easier to load a pellet, i don't have to push it toward the breech opening.

[longhunter]

I like the extended probes. I don't have any problems with loading. I just roll the pellets into the tray, and close the bolt.

[ShadowShot]

Update.

I drilled out the charging bolt from the bolt last night. I also had to drill out the #.05 Allen head screw that stripped out when trying to remove the breach so I could get the hammer out.
Polished the hammer, cut to length and field machine a new bolt to replace the breach screw I drilled out. Reassembled the rifle and used an actual bolt for a charging handle bolt until the real charging handle bolt comes in. I put the 2 screw trigger mod back in and set up. Its not an Mrod but it will do for now.

Now back out side for the final chrony and accuracy tests.
Im going to keep this short. I tried the 14.3 CPHP from wally World and the 18.13 JSB Exacts.

The accuracy between the two were to close to call, even with the jsbs giving a few more consistent fps shots. If  I want to pay double the price and get shipped only to get just a little more FPEs, Ill get the JSBs. The CPHP 14.3 gives a little less FPE and I can get them anywhere. The over all accuracy was very close from start of the shot string  to the end.
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Shots made at 25 yards starting at  2000psi shot down to 1000 psi. Both strings came out to be 22cphp to 23jsb shots.

The JSB 18.1 started at 745.1 fps. The max fps reached was 795.7 fps around 1500psi range. Everything else in the high range stayed in the high 760s to 770s. The795.7 shot was the only shot that high. Final shot was around  1000psi at 733.5fps.

The sweet spot was around  1700 to 1100psi.
16 shots
High at 795fps
Low at 753.8  last shot of sweet spot at 1100psi
Ave 768.18fps
Giving an average 23.76FPE.
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Now the Crosmans
The CPHP 14.3 started at 827.2 fps. The max fps reached was 866.3 fps around 1800psi range. Everything else in the high range stayed in the high 850s to 860s.  Final shot was around 1000psi at 803.7 shot 22. 

The sweet spot was around  1800 to 1300psi.
12 shots
High at 866.3 fps
Low at 841.4  last shot of sweet spot at 1300psi
Ave 853.13 fps
Giving an average 23.12FPE.
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The JSBs did give me a more consistent fps and more shots (16) in the sweet spot, over all 23 shots in the fill. But I didnt loose any accuracy even with the looser fps spread over the entire 22 shots with only 12 shot count in the sweet spot of the cphp.

I had 16 shots Giving an average 23.76FPE with the JSBs
and 12 shots  Giving an average 23.12FPE with the CPHP.

I think I will stay with the CPHPs for the money. The fps variance may be more but the accuracy stayed the same.

A few pics below.
Oh yea, my son who is still learning was very happy. He was able to hit a dime at 25 yards using the cphp. Made me very proud.

[Techie]

Thanks for that report.  Looks like your new Maximus is working just fine.

I'm thinking a new fancy bolt handle and a Boyd's stock and it will look like a $500 gun.  Of course it will have cost at least $315 at that point.  The Boyd's stock will probably add about a pound of weight too.

[ShadowShot]

Is this what you recommend?
I just placed the order.

Teardrop Stainless Steel 1-piece Handle
and the
Stainless Steel Extended Bolt Probe for .22 caliber 2240, 2250, 1322, BackPacker, etc.

[Bicycleman]

Paul, I would classify that setup as “functional ‘bling’."

[Techie]

Thanks, Scott - I'll just decide which handle I think I like best and order, hopefully eliminating the bolt-breakage problem altogether

Don Cothran (http://www.cothranmachine.com/) sells stainless steel bolt handles for $9.50 plus $3 shipping, cheaper than the $20 charged by others.  I bought his cylinder shape bolt handle and it's a fine piece of work.

[Benaiah]

Shadowshot,

I've got a .22 Maximus arriving tomorrow. I hope mine shoots CPHP's as well as yours.  They are so cheap at Walmart.

[Bicycleman]

First item:  I hunted the whole Squirrel Season (The Season of the Maximus!) using Crosman Premier Box Domes.  The accuracy was very good and I managed to kill most of the squirrels that I hit.  I did notice that most of the head shots were “through and through” kills.  So, during the season, I ordered a few tins of (softer) JSB 15.89 gr pellets and one tin of JSB 18.13 gr pellets to try.  Today, I decided to give the Maximus a chance to sling a few of the 15.89 gr pellets at paper.  The first two shots were side by side about one inch high.  I give the scope 16 clicks down and tried a few more.  Too much.  I went back up about six clicks and the last five shots were on target.  These pellets are very good out of the Discovery.  They should be very good out of the Maximus too.  I will confirm in May when the season starts again.


Second thing:  The past several weeks, the Maximus has been leaking about 100 PSI per day.  I discovered that the the air was escaping at the fill nipple.  I tightened it about 1/4 turn and aired it up to 2,000 again.  Two days later, it was holding the pressure.  After the shooting today, I am down at about 1,600 PSI - I will shoot it down a little more before setting it aside until May.  I like to leave about 1,000 - 1,200 PSI in both the Discovery and the Maximus.

[Bicycleman]

See “Second thing” in the previous post.  I ordered some O-rings from Crosman (warranty - no charge) and installed one below the pressure gauge.  I cleaned the threads on the gauge block and added fresh Teflon tape to the threads before reinstalling the gauge block.  I then removed the fill adapter assembly, cleaned it, added fresh Teflon tape, and reinstalled the assembly.
I filled the rifle yesterday and let it sit.  It does not seem to be leaking.   
Even a blind squirrel will sometimes find an acorn.

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

I like my .22 Maximus a lot. Mine is not pellet picky at all and is very accurate. My main\only problem with it is getting to shoot it if my 14 year old grandson is around. He shoots it better than any of the other airguns I have, and always wants to shoot it. I have not put a scope on it as there is no real need, if either of us can see a target we can hit it. His eyes are better than mine  though, I would scope it just so I could reach out further if he did not love it as is. We get 1" groups at 30 yards with the open sites, I wouldn't be very surprised if it was one hole with a good scope.

[Bicycleman]

You are 61 - he is 14.  His eyes are better than yours.  Really!!!   
I scoped my Discovery .22 immediately; and I did the same with the Maximus .22.  Both are hunting rifles (Squirrels); and I occasionally reach out for one high up in a giant Oak.  Accurate is the operative word here.
I hit the squirrels in the head most of the time.  The rifles are both better than I am able to shoot them.  And like your Maximus, they are not pellet picky either.  I shoot JSBs because they are consistently accurate and the lead is a little SOFTER than the Crosman pellets.
Listen, go ahead and give the Maximus to that grandson and get another so you can both shoot at the same time.

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

You are 61 - he is 14.  His eyes are better than yours.  Really!!!   
I scoped my Discovery .22 immediately; and I did the same with the Maximus .22.  Both are hunting rifles (Squirrels); and I occasionally reach out for one high up in a giant Oak.  Accurate is the operative word here.
I hit the squirrels in the head most of the time.  The rifles are both better than I am able to shoot them.  And like your Maximus, they are not pellet picky either.  I shoot JSBs because they are consistently accurate and the lead is a little SOFTER than the Crosman pellets.
Listen, go ahead and give the Maximus to that grandson and get another so you can both shoot at the same time.

I tried to buy another Maximus yesterday but Crosman's coupon 20OFFTUESDAY would not work on my android tablet mid afternoon and at 9:44Pm when I got home it wouldn't work on my computer. Crosman's customer service reply was basically tough luck! better luck next time!  I have bought many airguns from their site, most of the time the coupon codes work but this is not the first time their own coupon code didn't work. I am not happy with their attitude about their screw up, the code should have worked or they shouldn't make me wait for next time, I wanted it for his birthday!

[Bicycleman]

I seem to remember something about a Friday special.  I don’t remember the details though.
Perhaps someone else can provide more information?!

[shultz]

I seem to remember something about a Friday special.  I don’t remember the details though.
Perhaps someone else can provide more information?!

Not sure about the Friday free shipping special...

Supposedly, on Friday you get free shipping AND 25% off using AGNATION coupon code. I got the 25% off but not free shipping. I did order late here in Vegas so it may have been Saturday in new York by the time i sent the order.

The coupon will work for 25% off any day of the week. Only on Friday you're supposed to get the free shipping as well.

No idea when the coupon expires so order up soon!

[ShadowShot]

Shadowshot,

I've got a .22 Maximus arriving tomorrow. I hope mine shoots CPHP's as well as yours.  They are so cheap at Walmart.

I hope to hear a report on it. I'm sure it will be the same old boring stuff. "She not a picky eater and accurate.... blah blah blah".

Seriously, I know your going to love it. I hope yours does better than anyone elses here. They are great little guns. I love mine.

[ShadowShot]

First item:  I hunted the whole Squirrel Season (The Season of the Maximus!) using Crosman Premier Box Domes.  The accuracy was very good and I managed to kill most of the squirrels that I hit.  I did notice that most of the head shots were “through and through” kills.  So, during the season, I ordered a few tins of (softer) JSB 15.89 gr pellets and one tin of JSB 18.13 gr pellets to try.  Today, I decided to give the Maximus a chance to sling a few of the 15.89 gr pellets at paper.  The first two shots were side by side about one inch high.  I give the scope 16 clicks down and tried a few more.  Too much.  I went back up about six clicks and the last five shots were on target.  These pellets are very good out of the Discovery.  They should be very good out of the Maximus too.  I will confirm in May when the season starts again.

Your right, I didn't even think of the lead being softer with the JSB's. Most all my CPHP do a pass through also. Softer JSB's should keep most of the energy in the target. Will switch over for hunting and see what kind of results I get.

[Bicycleman]

Paul, you may not have seen this one yet ---> JSBs 18.13 gr in different rifles
It seems that when I went from the 14.3 gr to the 15.89 gr pellets, the hits seemed louder and the squirrels often were dead before they hit the ground.  So, I thought that if the 18.13 gr pellets were consistently accurate [good groups, etc.], then I would maybe try them for our Spring Squirrel Season in May.  The Discovery can handle them and will definitely blow a few at some unlucky squirrels next month.