The move to “chassis” airguns is in full swing. A “chassis” airgun is based on a minimalist frame and lacks the traditional “stock” elements. The Benjamin Gunnar is a good example. It uses a standard AR buttstock and grip, and there’s no forearm. Rather, there’s a metal receiver with significant AR influences. The basic Gunnar comes with a decent assortment of tools and accessories, but you’ll need a lot more to get it up and running. Let’s look at some great options to make the most of the Benjamin Gunnar.
No Air, No Shoot
As with any PCP airgun, you need high-pressure air to make it shoot. There are many options on the market today, but here are a couple of our top suggestions. If you are going to fill from a bottle, the Air Venturi pony bottle is a great option. Unlike some other airguns that fill to 4500 PSI, the Gunnar operates from a 3000 PSI fill. This is perfect if you are filling from a small pony bottle.
If you want to skip the tank or need to be mobile, something like the Ready Air personal compressor is a good option, or the Hill EC-3000 tabletop compressor is another great option for keeping your gun topped off. If you need to fill a bottle, you’ll need to look at the Air Venturi 4500 dual cylinder compressor. It can fill airguns, pony bottles, and even large tanks to 4500 PSI.
Bipods
There is a Picatinny rail under the Gunnar’s bottle. This is a perfect place to mount a bipod for bench shooting. UTG makes several affordable, stable, bipod solutions that will bolt right on. We recommend mounting the bipod near where the rail attaches to the frame to be more stable. This allows for additional accessories to mount forward of the bipod. We’ll get to those next.
Light’s, Lasers, Oh My
As mentioned above, mounting a bipod near the rails attachment point on the frame will allow room for accessories to be mounted forward of the bipod. There are many options here like lights, lasers, or even combo accessories that bundle lights and lasers into one accessory.
Time to Pick an Optic
The Gunnar does not come with open sights, so you’ll need to pick an optic. At a starting price of about $1000, you’ll want to pick a scope that matches the Gunnar’s accuracy potential. You’ll also need to make sure that your scope rings are high enough to clear the magazine and give you a comfortable cheek weld on the stock. Higher mounts will probably be a better fit for most shooters.
Looking at optics, the new Airmax 30 SF IR 6-24×50 AMX is a great option. Purpose-built for airgunners, by airgunners, the Airmax line from Hawke Optics features great glass with an etched glass illuminated reticle, all at a very aggressive price point.
For those that want more, consider the Hawke Sidewinder. Models range from the Sidewinder 4-16×50 AO with SR Pro II reticle up to the Sidewinder 30 FFP IR 6-24×56 AO. Prices will range from the low $600s to the mid $800s. Talk to just about any airgunner that shoots with the Hawke Sidewinder, and they’ll tell you that they are well worth the investment.
And the Ammo?
Once you have your Benjamin Gunnar all set, you’ll need some ammo. Regardless of if you are shooting .22 or .25, take a look at the various JBS options for pellets. If you want to shoot slugs, then be sure to try both JSB Knockout Slugs as well as the new H&N Slugs when available. Having extra mags is also a good choice, so be sure to stock up on those too.
Let’s Wrap It Up
The Benjamin Gunnar is a great platform that opens the doors for a lot of customizations. We’ve just barely scratched the surface. If you want to get the most from your Benji Gunnar and need some help, just give us a call here at Airgun Depot and we’ll be pleased to help.
