Benji 397 gets a scout style upgrade

[35 shooter]

Ordered a Mac 1 scope base and utg 2x7x32 pistol scope for my year 2005 Benji 397.
Had all of it in hand within 4 days of ordering.
Will get it all mounted scout style and hopefully get some shooting in this evening.

[3crows]

I am interested in how your new scope works for my Benji 392 #2. Did I understand from the specs it is parallax set at 35 yards?

James

[35 shooter]

Yes sir,

It is parallax free at 35 yds.
This scope is very clear down to about 3 or 4 yds. on 2 power and plenty clear at 20 yds. On 6 power for target shooting.... that was a surprise.
It’s clear enough for general shooting and hunting even at 15 yds. on 6 power!

The mounts that came with it from midway USA were low weaver style, so would’nt work on the dovetail base.
My main problem right now is all I had are high base rings for a dovetail base, so my chin is darn near on top of the stock lol.
Got to order some low base dovetail rings.

Makes it hard to get a good focus on the thin crosshairs with my head so high on the stock, but I think all that will be better with low rings and a good cheek weld.

Wish the crosshairs were a bit thicker on this scope, but i’ll hold judgement on that till I get some new rings.
This particular 397 is 1/4” capable at 20 yds. with a adjustable parallax rifle scope, but i’ve had no problem keeping them in 3/8” and a bit less with this pistol scope despite the high cheek weld.
Think i’m going to like this setup once I get it all like I want it.
I’ve got it set about 17” from my eye to the ocular glass on 6 power right now, which lets me go down to about 4 power and still have the reticle in focus. Should work great for hunting!

[Habanero69er]

Buddy, UTG make a dovetail adapter that works with the UTG mounts on your scope adapting them to a dovetail mount like the Mac1 IA. The IA mount should raise your scope up enough to compensate for the low rings. I have a pair Hawke rings on my one scout scoped 342s & it's just the right height.

http://leapers.com/index.php?skey=MNT-DT2PW01&act=search

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/hawke-match-1-rings-low-3-8-to-11mm-dovetails?a=5163

[3crows]

I still like these:

https://www.ebay.com/c/1022577194

[35 shooter]

Thanks for the links guys. I’ll probably go with low dovetail rings.

I strapped a Hornady leather cheek riser and shell holder on last night to get a better cheek weld, but i had to cant my head over too much to get in line with the scope.
I think the low rings will solve all that.
Meanwhile this rig set at 6 power is stacking beeman pointed 8.5 gr. Pellets from the bench at 20 yds.
Gotta love it when a rifle shoots cheap pellets like they’re match grade lol!

[35 shooter]

Been experimenting with eye relief on 6 and 7 power, and I gotta say, i’m blown away with the focus range on the higher powers.
Set at 8” from the end of the reciever just in front of the bolt handle to the ocular glass, I can focus the target all the way down to 10 yds. with almost no distortion at all on 6 power.
Can still focus the crosshairs very clearly at 5 yds.... not perfectly, but would work for hunting...same thing on 7 power.
Have’nt measured the distance to my eye since moving the scope up closer, but i’m Guessing 11 to 12”.
The only problem with the scope that close is anything under 6 power is out of focus.

I’ll be ordering the low rings tomorrow along with a spring compressor for my break bbl. and about 12 tins of pellets for the 397.

I like this rig on my 397 even with the high rings....pretty sure i’m going to love it with the low rings!
The Mac 1 base is  the bomb on these 39x guns!!

[3crows]

Pictures are required!

[35 shooter]

Pictures are required!

Lol, yep, it’s past time I learn to do that from my phone.
I could do it from the computer, but it took a crash a couple years ago and have’nt bothered trying to fix or replace it since I got the smart phone.

[3crows]

Pictures are required!

Lol, yep, it’s past time I learn to do that from my phone.
I could do it from the computer, but it took a crash a couple years ago and have’nt bothered trying to fix or replace it since I got the smart phone.

Post Image, postimage.org is a free service and painless to use. I would not put anything there that you mean to keep forever because we all know what happened with Photobucket's attempt to hold images for ransom. On iPhone, just email or text the photo to yourself and then drag and drop the image into your post image account album.

[35 shooter]

James, I do have an iPhone. I’ll have to look into the “post image” account.
Where’s a kid around when you need one... they know how to do all this stuff?

[35 shooter]

I wanted to get out and do some distance shooting with the 397 and my new scope today, but we’ve got tropical storm weather with high winds and rain mixed in.
Hhhmmmm got me thinking of one of the new synthetic stocked 39x rifles.
That would be a perfect 39x for weather you don’t really want to get a wood stock out in.
 
I’m loving having the loading port wide open for trouble free pellet loading with the scope mounted so far forward.

[3crows]

I wanted to get out and do some distance shooting with the 397 and my new scope today, but we’ve got tropical storm weather with high winds and rain mixed in.
Hhhmmmm got me thinking of one of the new synthetic stocked 39x rifles.
That would be a perfect 39x for weather you don’t really want to get a wood stock out in.
 
I’m loving having the loading port wide open for trouble free pellet loading with the scope mounted so far forward.

New Orleans is getting some rain as my mom reports to me.

I know most (older?) shooters seem to disdain synthetic and laminates but I like them. I do enjoy a nice walnut stock but oddly nearly everything I buy these days, when possible, is stainless steel and synthetic or laminate stocks. I too would like the synthetic 39XS. I am told by Mac1 that my Steroid (newer) 392PA is headed my way. When I get it back, if it is as good as I hope, I intend to remove the stock and refinish it (it is a decent looker as is) or replace it with a synthetic stock from the S. I like the all weather capability of a brass rifle and synthetic stock  and I like the higher comb of the S model. I have not yet decided how I will scope it yet but I have a Baker mount, a (extra) Mac1 mount and the Air Venturi mounts to choose from.

[35 shooter]

Looks like my order from PA shipped out at 6am this morning, so I should have my low rings and 12 tins of beeman 8.5 gr. Pointed pellets by Friday or Saturday.
Also ordered a air Venturi rail mount compressor to work on my summit ranger with.

Can’t wait to get this new scope down on “eye level” lol.

[35 shooter]

Okay, got the low rings on and have the scope set on 7 power now, and can go down to 6 power just fine.
Anything under that is out of focus as I now have the the scope set at 7 3/4” from the ocular lens to the back of the reciever... about 13” from my eye to the ocular lens.

The crosshairs are a bit thinner than I like for woods hunting, but still stand out clearly against trees, leaves, whatever.
Their perfect for target work.
The balance of the rifle with this scope is perfect for offhand or semi rested shooting... very steady hold even on 7 power.
The 32 mm objective gathers light extremely well for a pistol scope... very bright, clear picture.
The crosshairs still stand out well at 4 yds., and in spite of a somewhat blurry sight picture at that range, could still get an accurate hunting shot off.

Yep, I like this setup and scope.
Thinking about sending my 392 off for steroid treatment to Mac 1.
May try a BSA 2x7x32 on it just to compare to the UTG.

Btw, this scope adjusts perfectly and repeatably without having to tap on it after making adjustments.

[3crows]

Just for info, I mounted my 2X20 BSA scope at 8.5 inches from the end of the bolt to the end of the ocular. The objective is flush at the barrel end of the Mac1 base. This position and little 2X scope keeps the rifle compact. I may try a 2X7 BSA on my Steroid when I can get the money up. One thing, another may, I may make an adjustable cheek rest for the stock from Kydex sheet since I plan to refinish the stock.

Yes, I think I can recommend the Steroid service, lol. My 392 Steroid really pops. At 12 pumps I would say I am at about an honest 20 to 22 FPE. And the pumping is easier to any level, at least it is with the extended billet. I will tell you this, I am 5-10 plus (shrinking) and I have fairly long arms and I am fine with the extended lever but it approaches the end of my reach. But then I nearly need an extension ladder to cock my 725VTR so for comparison the 392 Steroid is not bad, not bad at all.

[35 shooter]

Thanks for the info on the extended billet.
I was kind of in a tizzy about which billet arm to go with as i’m 5’ 10 1/2” myself.
Arms are kind of long for my height though,so it sounds like the extended billet will be fine.

The pump assembly in my 392 finally developed a ton of slack and pumps with a big pop now.
Got to replace the billet and pump extension arm anyway, so may as well let Mac 1 put something in that won’t wear out again in my lifetime.
I started to just order the regular billet arm from Mac1 and do it myself, but if I decide to go the steroid route, I may as well let him do the whole job.
That way I know it’s done right lol.

Is your steroid easier to pump even at twelve pumps than the standard 392 at 8 or 10?
Or just easier through the first 8 pumps?
I know you said easier at any level, but I always heard it was easier for the first 6 or so pumps.... i’ve never tried or been around a steroid 392.

[3crows]

Mr. Buddy,

I would say it is noticeably easier to pump even through 8 pumps. It does start to stiffen up above 10 but it is till easier than my dual spring modded 392 at 8, which itself seems easier than stock. I think I may send it to Mac1 also in a month or so for another Steroid. Yes, to eight pumps, it is easy. And I think you should get the extended billet. That is part of what makes it easier to pump.

[35 shooter]

Ok James,

Extended billet it is!! I like the looks of the extended billet better anyway lol.
I’m so used to pumping 8 on the 392, i’ll probably just keep doing that after the steroid treatment, but it will be nice to have more speed and ft. lbs. at hand from time to time.

Thanks for your input on the steroid treatment Mr. James!