Thoughts on a Benjamin Prowler .177 1200 fps as a squirrel gun?

Should do fine Kurgan..... I have good luck with Benjamin products.......

I just picked up a Ruger Targis (rebranded umarex) for the same purpose..... And for a little grouse hunting at deer camp..... (The guys get all #####y if I fire off a shotgun at grouse during deer season..... Lol)
 
I bought a Sports Match 1" one-piece medium dovetail mount and I'm going to use my brand new Nikko Stirling Gameking 3.5-10x44 LRX Illuminated scope that came with my Howa 1500. The mount and scope are worth more than the rifle :), but I can move them to other air rifles in the future. The recoil seems pretty tame on the Benjamin, should I be worried about destroying my scope?
 
I wouldn't chance it..... Air rifles, especially higher powered ones are renowned for killing scopes......

Air rifles recoil forwards rather than backwards and most scopes are not designed to handle forward recoil.....
 
I took a risk and mounted it. After 100 or so pellets, it is still going strong. Great scopes, very underrated. I am quite pleasantly surprized at the accuracy. I am getting Crosman premier 7.9 grain hollow point pellets more less within a nickel at 10 metres. It only has about 150 pellets through it, so I am hopeful it will tighten up even more. This will certainly do for small pests! :) It's actually more accurate than my last Diana model 24 .22 cal springer, and the finishing is just as good. I hate the goofy plastic handgrip on the muzzle, but hey, what do you expect for a $200 Chinese-made air rifle?
 
Just a 5 month update that my Benjamin Prowler .177 is going strong... very satisfied with this purchase! For those looking for a solid, accurate, well-made air rifle that won't break the bank, this one is a gem. You won't get any frills like sling studs or iron sights or fancy wood, but you don't really need them, or, you can purchase/install them if you wish. The plastic stock is very solid and in fact much better than many plastic stocks that come on centerfire rifles. I did toss the POS CenterPoint scope that came with it (don't even bother mounting it). I replaced it with a Nikko Stirling Gameking 3.5-10x44 LRX Illuminated scope that came with my Howa 1500 and matted it to a Sports Match 1" one-piece medium dovetail mount. The front stock screws required blue Loctite. I would recommend blue Loctite on all stock screws. It holds zero. I think I have around 250 to 300 pellets down the bore, and accuracy definitely started improving after 50-75 pellets. Can you say squirrel slayer? :) The trigger is not great, but I adapted to it, and I now don't feel the need to replace it.
 
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Have you tried any other brand of pellet, sometimes a heavier pellet does better in those high powered .177 springers
 
Have you tried any other brand of pellet, sometimes a heavier pellet does better in those high powered .177 springers

Benjamin Prowler Nitro Piston Air Rifle it is not a springer ..recoil is mild and will not damage the scope ..and also i have repaired 2 both of them had the same problem the NITRO CYLINDER will not last as long as a real coil spring ...
 
That's ok... if it gives me 2000 pellets and 50 dead squirrels, I got my money's worth. Like anything, it's how you take care of them. I suspect the NP will last a good long time with proper care.
 
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