Benjamin Trail NP XL1500 question

[Buslova]

Hello I am new to the air gun world and have a few questions I think can be easily answered by some of the vets. I have been searching the forums for some information on this rife and can’t seem to find much. I am doing pest control and ammo is getting expensive so I figured an air rifle would be fun and cheap to use for the job I am doing so I purchased a Benjamin Trail NP XL1500 .177 I found that the trigger does not so good big time so I have the GRT-III trigger to fix that problem.
I had read a post saying to change the O-ring on the barrel? I can’t seem to find the post now that I have the rifle can anyone answer that for me? Where to get the O-ring and what size it is.
Also is there anything else that can be done to the rifle to make more power or accuracy please let me know. I am currently getting an average of high 1100fps to low 1200fps shooting 7.8gr pellets and about 23.5 to 24fpe. Holding quarter sized groups at 25yrd took about 300 shots to get it zeroed and stay on. Seemed like every 25 shots the group would move and scope had to be adjusted. It is now spot on and consistent. Any info would be much appreciated and I really like the forum I glad I stumbled on to it.

[ezman604]

Robert, welcome to GTA Forums. Glad you found us and joined us airgin addicts. 
Congrats on the XL1500 purchase. These are true powerhouse airguns and make great hunters. The GRT-III trigger is the BEST upgrade you can do to any gun it fits. As far as the "O" ring, it could have been either the breach seal or possibly the pivot washers that were being discussed. The breach seal probably does not need to be replaced but the nylon pivot wasgers should be replaced with brass or stainless ones.
As far as power, your gun is right on the numbers it should be producing. It's one of the most powerful break barrel guns available. I wouldn't worry about modding to get more power.
The best suggestions to help accuracy is to check all of the screws and bolts, in particular, the breach pivot bolt. All screws should be cleaned and a dab of blue loctite added. Same with the scope mount screws. Let this cure for 24 hours and shoot away.
Also, did you do an initial bore cleaning? This should be done to remove any left over oils or debris from manufacturing. Use a piece of weedeater string, a few patches and Goo Gone. Run the treated patches through till clean then a few dry ones to remove the Goo Gone. It will take a few rounds to lead in the bore again. The bore will not need to be cleaned again until the accuracy starts to fall off again and should be several thousand rounds.
Again, welcome and....
Happy Shooting!!!!
Dave
 

[Buslova]

Thank you Dave it seems to be a great rifle so far its nice to have something with some power that I dont have to reload for. I had read about the screws before I ordered the rifle so that was done as soon as I pulled it out of the box. I did not do an initial bore cleaning and I dont want to do it now it took a good 200+ shots to get it to stay on zero so I will clean after it gets erratic. Thanks for the info and the fast response this is a great forum so much information glad to be a member!

[ezman604]

One other point I failed to mention. Since it has a magnum powerplant and gas piston powered, you can and actually NEED to use heavier ammo. What happens is the lighter rounds go super sonic at 1080fps which many times will cause them to tumble. You will lose accuracy and have flyers more often. I use Crosman Premiere Ultra Mags (10.5gr) and Beeman Kodiak Extra Heavy (10.6gr) in my XL1500. It will bring the speed down to sub sonic and probably give you more accuracy and possibly more energy (fpe). The other bonus is quieter shooting, since you have no sonic "pop" when you shoot.
The best place to get pellets, IMO, is Pyramyd Air dot com. They run an everyday special buy 3 and get the fourth tin free. You can also apply a coupon code "nra pyramyd" and get an additional 10% off. So, try the heavier ammo and see if accuracy improves. You will definitely need to readjust your scope zero with the different ammo. I zero my scopes at 30 yards since that's my usual hunting/target range.
Sorry I forgot these points earlier.

[airiscool]

Welcome Buslova,

What Dave said !

I was going to add to that about heavy pellets, but before I could post Dave beat me to it (he's fast, I'm just half-fast ! ), so again, I'll second what Dave says and add my findings ....

Quarter sized groups at 25 yards are very good for such a low milage Trail XL. As it continues to break in those groups may (hopefully) tighten up even more.  If you want to wring as much accuracy as possable out of that gun, I would also suggest continue testing more types of pellets, especally heavier ones.

The gas rams seem to prefer heavy pellets, and the Trails are no exception. And, as Dave pointed out, with a heavier, slower pellet, it won't have to go through the sound barrier as it slows down, which at times can also have an affect on accuracy.

Depending on where you are going to be shooting, another benifit of heavy pellets is ....
I use Predators (18.2 gr) in my Trail XL1100 year round, because, so far, they have shown to be the most accurate in my gun.  But, I re-sight my 22 gas-ram Gamo Whisper over to JSB Jumbo Heavy pellets in late Fall when the leaves are off the trees and it gets very windy where I shoot. I've found that the heavier pellets do better at fighting cross winds. While the trajectory isn't quite as flat as the JSB Jumbo RS (13.4 gr) that I use in Summer, the group sizes of the Jumbo heavies (18.2 gr) are roughly half what the Jumbo RS can do in this gun on windy days.

Paul.

[tom108]

The breach seal probably does not need to be replaced but the nylon pivot wasgers should be replaced with brass or stainless ones.

is there a place to get the washers or do you have to buy them from a hardware store and modify them to fit?

Thanx

[ezman604]

Personally, I bought brass 5/16" washers at Lowe's and modified them to fit. It's kinda hard, they don't seem to be cookie cutter replacements. They need to be modded to the specific breach. There are some members here that have made them and might fix you up.

[tom108]

Good deal, Thanx!

[Korak]

I bought a dozen each of 2 different size copper washers at an autoparts store. I have not used them yet but I think they will work also.

[Jay]

Not for sure Korak but to me it would seem copper washer's might be a little soft for use as a bushing?

[gene_sc]

Bronze, copper or brass breech spacer washers would be ok. They need to be exact same thinkness and have grooves or holes around them to retain lube.

I would not suggest using stainless steel for breech washers, due to the fact that they are harder than the material the breech is made of.

Pivot bolt bushing needs to be hardened steel. The one's Crosman are using are perfect and no issues at all.

[Buslova]

gene_sc I went to lowes and bought a dozen 5/16" brass washers as per the advice Dave gave. You say to groove or put holes in them so should I just drill a few small holes in the washer to hold on to the lube? And they are spot on with thickness so I think I am going to be ok in that area just need more info on the grooves or holes. Thanks for all the help guys!

Bronze, copper or brass breech spacer washers would be ok. They need to be exact same thinkness and have grooves or holes around them to retain lube.

I would not suggest using stainless steel for breech washers, due to the fact that they are harder than the material the breech is made of.

Pivot bolt bushing needs to be hardened steel. The one's Crosman are using are perfect and no issues at all.

[Buslova]

Ok guys I am stumped I put the trigger in got it adjusted right where I want it and now I can't seem to get it to keep a group. I put about 200 pellets through it today and its all over the place I get it close to zero and next shot is 1/4" to a foot off. Yes 1 foot but the next shot is on the paper. I am shooting off a bench with a rest so it is not me it is the rifle. Any Idea's? The only thing I did was drop the trigger in and shoot. 

[crowpopper]

try shooting it supported by your hand and tight to the shoulder
alot of springers/rammed guns wont shoot off a bench and some of these benji xls are hold sennsative moreso than others
but first id try multiple holds, maybe a loose hold, then maybe a tight hold or in between
try a bunch and see where it will shoot best and really 200 rds isnt even begining to break in
heck i ran over 600 in mine the first week

[Buslova]

Its had about 1500 or more pellets through it so far. I broke it in the day I got it in the mail. and I dont think its holding it because I was shooting dime sized groups at 25yrd's useing the caldwell lead sled and now I cant hold a group at all im haveing some drop at least a foot below the target. I didnt bring the crony with me but tomorrow I am going to see if I have some kind of piston problem because it seems like im getting swinging velocities for them to be going all over like they are.

[crowpopper]

oh i see i miss read and though you only had 200 through it    sorry
yeah id check the piston seal out  see if its cut or something

[Jay]

Run it over your chrony, but are you sure it's not the scope? As I could see using a leadsled as sending alot more recoil force into the gun/scope an a AG already like's eating scope's(the XL's for sure). An did you replace the bushing's you were asking about? If so check to see if your barrel has any side play an the pivot screw is tight.

[Buslova]

Jay yes everything I was told to do has been done I even took the gun down at the range just to make sure something didnt come loose added another dab of loctight to everything and still was all over the place. As far as the scope goes I dont know much about that brand but I will swap it with one off one of my center fire target rifles and see where it goes. I just dont want to find out it needs to be worked on already. Everyone at the range is already making fun of me for going from shooting 500 yards to 25 and after all the trash I have talked about this rifle Im gonna feel real stupid when they ask where it is and I have to say it got sent back. I guess I will find out tomorrow. Thanks crow and jay for your input!

[Rocker1]

 Be very careful what type scope you put on it , the scope needs to be ag rated other wise you could send a very valuable centerfire scope to the grave yard, the XL series ags are known scope killers and if they kill ag rated scopes think what will happen to a regular scope.  Here is a interesting  article about scopes and air guns http://www.lasc.us/rangingshotrifleairgunscopes.htm     Thanks David

[Jay]

What David said above Buslova, I would hate to see a nice scope get beat down by an AG's recoil(I have broken scope's rated for the .50 BMG). My self I would stop using the leadsled for a rest an let the gun have a little more recoil freedom(just my thought's on it). But it is starting to sound like you are right an the seal is gone. Really with the XL's it's not uncommon as from the factory they just jam them past the thread's an burr's inside the gun an nick them up,then add the pressure the XL's work with an soon the seal is history. The GOOD part is you sound like you have been around gun's a long time an the XL is a easy gun to open an do your first tune on if you so desire.