What happened to the benjamin pumpers?

[Flint]

Hey guys, I've not been on here much for the last couple years.  Finally got a chance to shoot some squirrels with my vintage benjamin and sheridan rifles last week, and hopped on pyramyd air to buy some pellets and caught a glimpse of the benjamin 39x guns!!!! plastic??!!! I can't believe it.  but before I just assume that its all for the worse - I thought I'd ask about it. 

So, how are they?  good? bad?  they are certainly ugly!  I tried to do a search on here but only came up with way old posts not about the new plastic guns.  I did happen across something that said that they are now 10 pumpers.  does that mean they have more power now?  or same?  or less even?  anyone chrony one?  The crosman site still shows them as wood. 

Were there any other changes that accompanied the stock change?  valve?  are they still having problems with the overspray and tilted front sights? 

[Glasstomb]

Try searching for "392s" or "397s"  You should come up with quite a few posts 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I think the synthetic 39X is blasphemy.
Get a NOS wooden one while you still can.
They are out there.

[TF89]

Plastic stocks, seriously?  Now that is a let down.  I'm not against plastic (synthetic), just not on a classic platform.  If they wanted to offer both, that would be fine, but just dump the wood for plastic??  Have I said the word plastic enough?

[mobilehomer]

I got two words for you - BOTTOM LINE!!!

[xtred1]

I think we are just lucky we can still buy a pumper. I would lay money the numbers they sell almost does not make it worth while keeping them in production.

[Back_Roads]

  Wood 39Xs can still be found on the used market at reasonable prices from many small airgun shops and Ebay. But better hurry before all the wood ones get scarce on the market.

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

   This must be a DUMB "Velocity Outdoors" decision if they are indeed getting rid of the wood stock version. If they can't honor the past with a wood stock version it will FAIL IMO!

Remember them "selling" that they wouldn't mess with the good stuff as they just expand the line of products?

This is very telling and not a good sign of future decision making ability IMO. Wood will never go out of style anyone that's smart would know that.

[Flint]

Try searching for "392s" or "397s"  You should come up with quite a few posts

Thanks.  That helped me find a few posts, but not a ton of information still.  Seems that there has been some advertisements of 800fps for the 392, and that is with alloy pellets.  Why on earth would crosman advertise or advocate the use of alloy pellets in a brass barreled gun?  Seems like a terrible idea. 

I've also found that perhaps the valve is now different - so that after 10 pumps, the excess air bleeds off.  I'm guessing that the pump volume has decreased then - since the velocity with lead pellets is still the same as the old 8 pump version.  I wonder what the benefit is to having 10 pumps that yields the same power that 8 pumps used to.

Also found that the pump arm is now longer, presumably giving more leverage.  This is all unfortunate.  Increasing the length of the pump arm, and increasing the number of pumps - but with no increase in power.  Seems like a missed opportunity. 

There must be some positive to the whole thing.  Is the new setup conducive to tuning?

[eeler1]

My 392S maxxed out at about 13.5 ft lbs.  Actually it doesn’t have an ‘s’, since there is only one 392 now and it has the synthetic stock.

The main issue is that the comb on the synthetic butt stock is about an inch higher than on the old wood stock, so it’s hard to get a comfortable sight picture with the open sites.  You pretty much have to scope it, or contort yourself, to aim it.

That said, if you like pumpers, it’s hard to resist getting one.

[19Sheridan57]

  There are many good used wood stock pumpers still out there, than to have to settle for plastic. If you do like the plastic, then go for it, though.

[hahnr7]

I have the 397s and like it. The stock is solid and feels good pumping and shooting. I have no issues using the open sights, nice cheek placement on the stock.

Is there an issue using non-lead pellets? I am ready to order ammo and was going to try some alloys.

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

I have the 397s and like it. The stock is solid and feels good pumping and shooting. I have no issues using the open sights, nice cheek placement on the stock.

Is there an issue using non-lead pellets? I am ready to order ammo and was going to try some alloys.

I would not use hard alloys in it unless you want a smooth bore.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I've also found that perhaps the valve is now different - so that after 10 pumps, the excess air bleeds off.  I'm guessing that the pump volume has decreased then - since the velocity with lead pellets is still the same as the old 8 pump version.  I wonder what the benefit is to having 10 pumps that yields the same power that 8 pumps used to.

Also found that the pump arm is now longer, presumably giving more leverage.  This is all unfortunate.  Increasing the length of the pump arm, and increasing the number of pumps - but with no increase in power.  Seems like a missed opportunity. 

Flint, just exactly what is the vintage of the 392 you have that you are comparing this to?
 The "39X" has undergone many changes....
A 39XP was a soldered valve and tang safety similar to the 342 (8 pumps)... then came the 39XPA with the "new trigger group that moved the safety down to the trigger, and soon after to a "cartridge valve" (10 pumps).
 Next the "modern 392 with the forearm change.
 But we are talking decades ago.
 I believe the new synthetic uses the same mechanical's as the last 15-20 year previous model, just black plastic instead of wood.

[moorepower]

The wood stocked 392-397 are still on Crosman sight. I think the new valve uses a Mrod style valve with  smaller delrin instead of brass poppet.

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

The wood stocked 392-397 are still on Crosman sight. I think the new valve uses a Mrod style valve with  smaller delrin instead of brass poppet.

We will have to wait and see if they continue selling them though, they often leave discontinued models on the site for quite a while. You can't buy one on the site right now because they have 0 in stock. Maybe this is just pessimistic sales projections on wood stock versions and bad planning on their part.... Maybe they over produced the plastic version and are pushing it by not allowing the choice? Time will tell.

[Tom Tucker]

I remember reading a post here where someone said that Crosman switched to the synthetic because their supplier for wood was mismatching the finish on the stock and forearm.

So my questions would be...

Is the synthetic version a limited run?
Is the price higher because they had to make the plastic molds for a limited run?
Is the wood going to be back once they resolve the issue with the finishes matching?

[35 shooter]

I was told months ago when I called crosman about the new synthetic stocks, “ there would be no more wood stocks produced”.

Of course this may be subject to change because of public outcry, but that’s what I was told by the lady that answered the phone.

[Flint]

They must be super slow to update their website.  The website only shows the wood stock - and in the description for stock material it specifically says wood.  and they don't list the S suffix on either model - nor do they show a plastic stocked benjamin pumper on the website at all. 

I'm still holding out hope that there is some redeeming feature of the new iteration. 

[Robert 5mm]

The Crosman website used to show the 2019 catalog in an Ezine format - now just PDF download.
Page 23 has the 39Xs listed - no wood models.