What are odds of getting a GOOD shooting Trail NP (.22 caliber)?

[pelletpal]

I have a new Trail NP (.22 caliber) with the synthetic stock that I cannot get to group well.  Have shot over a thousand rounds....tried cleaning the barrel and re-breaking in....tried 18 types of pellets and every variation of "hold"....tried 2 different scopes  etc. etc.   Obviously, from the number of posts in this forum pertaining to Trail not shooting well, my experience is far from unique.

But...at this point my problem seems simple.    Do I try to exchange it (store or Crosman) for a new specimen, or do I cut my losses and look for a different gun?   Not an easy decision, considering the amount of time, effort, pellets, etc. required to really check a gun out.    I am looking for some rough guesstimate as to the liklihood that if I get a replacement rifle of the exact same model it will shoot well.   There are lots of bad experiences posted in this forum, but I also realize that those who ended up with good guns are much less likely to post to a forum.

What do you think?   

[john]

Unless you like to tinker or are feeling lucky, return it and save up for a more expensive gun. That's my vote and i'm stickin' to it.

[Joe A.]

in my opinion id say exchange for a new one if you can it will still be cheaper then buying a new one. after that id say take it from there. i just got an np .22 in hardwood seems as if i was one of the lucky ones its shooting fairly true.

[oakey]

Send it back or return it for another one. My NP XL 1100 .22 always shot well right out of the box. Just tuned it and I expect it to shot even better now.

Good Luck

Oaks

[oakey]

If you do return it and get yourself another one you may want to order The Charlie Da Tuna GRTlll Trigger. It made my groups even tighter but I would return that dare one you got. Sounds like she is crazy shooter out da box.


Oaks

[daveb50]

My .22 hardwood stocked is also one of the good ones, shot well out of the box (I cleaned the barrel first). I would send yours back.

[Baltim0re28]

My opinion, return it and get the hardwood version. My reason... It seems like you hear more people having better luck with the hardwood version more often than you do with the synthetic stocked version.. That may just be my mind playing tricks on me but is what I can tell you for sure is mine is shooting pretty well at the moment. You can always order the synthetic stock at a later date if you truly want it. I doubt there is one difference between the two guns BUT it does seem to me like more people have better luck with the hardwood Trail Np. Just a thought... Hopefully someone else can co-sign on what I "feel" I've noticed,lol. It's also, quite a bit lighter if that's of any merit to you also.

[girwin]

mine shoots well too but I must say the barrel of mine was very dirty when new. Took me a good amount of time cleaning it. I really had to work at it. Also are you sure it's not the scope? Also check all bolts for tightness.

[ranger54]

I thought my synthetic stock Trail NP .22 was a piece of junk until I read posts on the GTA.  After cleaning the dirty barrel with Goo Gone using weedeater string, tightening all the bolts, and installing a CDT trigger I am quite satisfied. It has taken it's fair share of nutters, raccoons, opossum, and even a ruffed grouse. It took a little work and I had to perfect my hold when shooting offhand but it turned into a keeper for me.

[DoubleDutchChuck]

My all-weather NP was actually pretty good, right out of the box. I have installed a CDT trigger and now, it's really nice. Last Saturday, I shot a 10 round group at 20yds and had a 1/2" spread. At 30yds, had a 3/4" spread. I figure that's pretty good for an old fart :-).

[Phantom9]

Hello PelletPal!

I'm new to airguns but after reading so much about the Benjamin Trail I feel that I should dare putting my $0.02 just to add to the mix. The Trail with the wood stock was my original choice at first but I had to return mine to PA due to an excessive barrel droop it came with it. Again after reading a lot I've decided to go with the Discovery instead. But... From what I've read I can tell you that the Trail is a hit or miss out of the box. Some of them will come fine some of them will come horrible. It appears that Crosman does not put the time they should in quality control out of some of their chinese products for some reason. I've noticed that first hand with my own rifle.

But anyway... If you have done everything correctly like cleaning it properly, adjusting the screws to make sure they're tight, holding it properly (the Trails seems to be quite sensitive to the way you hold them), breaking in the rifle and etc and still the groups are all over the place the problem might be the scope. I've read about people who discovered that after doing everything correctly the problem only got solved after changing their scopes. I don't know if the Center Points are just not strong enough for this rifle or if it's also a hit or miss thing out of the box as well. But again, evidence shows that the scopes were to blame in several different cases. If you like your rifle try to change your scope for a decent airgun rated one and see what happens. Some people even went with the cheaper Center Point ones but with fixed magnification instead and found out that the rifle was then shooting accurately.

Now... Bear in mind I don't know how good you are with airgun shooting so I dare to say the following: If you do everything correctly and still having poor groups out of your rifle then is one of the two things: A - You need to improve your technique as a shooter or B - You have a "lemon" in your hands and you should return it.

Hope it helps a bit. Not from me though. I'm just repeating what I learned around here and other places reading about the Trail. Good luck bro! Peace.

[Bullit]

Coin flip Chinese product.  There's been plenty of threads on them here, if you look thru them you'll see both sides of the coin.

[Rico14]

I've had one and my friend still has his. Both shot very accurate. Mine was tuned and my friends is stock. Both shot CPHP's accurately. I would send it back and try another one.

[oakey]

Rico hit the nail on the head.

OAKS

[clip]

My .22 Trail is one of the good ones as well. It was/is a wood stock. It had the wooden thumbhole stock that I just couldn't get accustomed to it so I switched it out for a different style. At that point in my pellet shooting life, I didn't care for the the synthetic stocks....wanted wood only.  It hasn't had many rounds fired through it but it sure is smooth and accurate.

[sanford12]

I would get my money back and pick up a RWS Panther 34 in 22. Pretty much the same money and a better built gun with more consistent quality control. With just a lube tune and a new red seal it's a tack driver and it was before I blew out the original seal(my fault)

[oakey]

I have to say I agree with sanford12! Great point!


oaks

[Bullit]

If you want a decent Chinese rifle, look up "Flying Dragon Air Rifles", on the GTA Vendor gate.  He provides the same Chinese models that are well gone thru for mistakes, corrected, lubed properly and shot to his satisfaction, before he ships it to you.  His prices are VERY good on these rifles.
Much better chance of getting a good one...  He's a good Vendor.

[PackingHeat]

I returned mine and later bought a Discovery. I'm now glad I got one of the bad Trail NPs. 

[john]

...I would...pick up a RWS Panther 34 in 22. Pretty much the same money and a better built gun...

Ok, i'm confused. PA has several RWS 34P models (but none say "Panther") AND a Beeman Panther. Which gun are you guys talking about?

john
(who hopes pelletpal doesn't mind me asking)