Benjamin 397S 177cal Multi-Pump Air Rifle

The Cadillac of pump guns

What a great air rifle. This is my "go-to" air rifle.

Never buy this for a kid - way to hard to pump !

I've owned my 397 for almost a year now and it is very accurate. I can easily hit pop cans and metal silhouettes out at 50 yds using a scope with Crosman 10.5 gr Brown Box pellets. I really like the synthetic stock but unfortunately it is only comfortable when using a scope. It is terrible to use with iron sights. Be cautious about buying any clamp on scope mount as they all can break the solder joint on the barrel. Baker Airgun's sells a mount that avoids this but it costs $50 but won't damage your gun. If you are looking for a very well built, powerful and accurate pump up gun this is it. Benjamin still makes this gun in the USA using brass for the barrel and pump tube. This is why it costs $200 but will last you a lifetime. These new guns can be pumped 10 times for full power but you rarely need that many pumps. That's the benefit of a pneumatic, variable power and no recoil. The pumping effort is a lot stiffer than a Daisy 880 but it smooths out with use and is easier if you grip the gun at the receiver rather than the grip. This is an adult airgun suitable for target shooting, silhouettes, pest control or small game hunting. They've been producing these types of airguns for 50 years and parts and support are readily available. These types of pneumatic guns are inherently more accurate than break barrel guns and self contained by not requiring an additional hand pump like a PCP. Just an excellent all around airgun. There is good reason they've been produced for so long.

I wasnt leaning towards the synthetic, but very happy with it now that I have it. The pumping is not as bad as stated in other online reviews. Getting on the open sights is awkward due to the high ridge on the butt stock. Ive since installed a 9X35 Center Point scope and this this is a blast at 35 yards with 6 pumps, and at 50 yards with 8-9 pumps. Learned quickly that alloy and lead pellets fly differently, so sight in any aftermarket scope with the pellets you will use regularly. Pumping is tough at 6 or more pumps, so not something for smaller/weaker users.

Overall a good air rifle. Good for both adults and kids. Kids can pump it 2-3 times and shoot. Takes more strength to pump it to 10. Only bad thing for an adult is the new stock. It sets too high and makes it difficult to use the open sights. It would have great to keep the original design of the wood stock on the synthetic stock.

The original old model of this air rifle was much better. Some kind of synthetic stock, much heavier, not as pretty. Shipping box had been opened and retaped