orangeokie
HAM Plinker
Last edited:
I am relatively new to PCPs but own a large collection of fine PB rifles in traditional wood a steel. My love of wood and steel rifles began with the issue of an M-14 to me in the Marine Corps back in 1972. I transitioned to the M-16 eventually, but my heart has always been with my traditional love. Enter the Benjamin Akela. My first PCP was a walnut and steel FX Crown Continuum in .25 that arrived at my home in December 2022, but the Akela styling caught my eye when I started to look for a .177 bullpup. The FX Wildcat seemed to be the perfect match to my Crown. It was everything I could want - traditional hardwood and steel, accuracy, forward positioned side lever and an air tube (no more bottles for me) Then I saw the Akela. It appeared to be from the same family style as the Wildcat, except it was about 1/3 the price. I saw one for sale on Airguns of Arizona in .177 for $429. I was looking for a "backyard friendly" bull pup for sparrows and starlings. (I have bird feeders and bird houses out for colorful songbirds and doves, so sparrows and starlings are pests to me.) Well, the aesthetics of the Turkish Walnut stock, along with the free-floating barrel and Benjamin name (my first pellet rifle was a Benjamin 312 in .177 I got for Christmas in 1963) I ordered that rifle and it arrived five days after my Crown, which I had ordered from Pyramid Air. To be quite transparent with any fellow PCPers who may be considering buying an Akela, there is a reason the Akela is 1/3 the price of the Wildcat. I had my Akela up and running quite quickly, right out of the box. I found it to be quite accurate. The only anomalies were the loudness of the hammer hitting the valve, which I have since learned comes from a hammer spring that is probably to strong for the rifle. The muzzle sound could be adequately muffled by a 0dB moderator to make it backyard friendly. (It was definitely too loud for suburban backyard use without a moderator.) Muzzel velocity could be easily controlled up or down with a "Power Knob" on the side of the block. This little rifle was definitely a great value at this price point.
Then the rifle suffered an internal air problem. It would just go "Pffff." A call to Randy Holmes rholmes@velocity-outdoor.com at:
Customer Service
Velocity Outdoor
Office 585-657-3116
Resulted in him immediately sending me out a new Akela and return label for my malfunctioning rifle.
After about a month, rifle #2 developed the same problem, and Randy sent me another new rifle in .22 this time. He told me he hoped I didn't mind going with a .22 since he had three of them and had not ever had any problems with them. (I did not mind since I had since added a new BSA R10 .177 from Airguns of Arizona to my collection.) The .22 was seemingly the perfect rifle and filling my bullpup niche quite smartly, until it started "choking" on non-lead Predator pellets. They would get stuck in the barrel (which is choked as described in the Youtube videos by Sub 12 Airgunners.) I called Randy and he advised me not to use non-lead pellets in the rifle, because they were not as malleable as was lead, to which advice I did adhere. I have had zero problems with my .22 Akela since and have mounted a new Hawke Airmax 30 Touch 3-12x32 zero eye relief scope on it (took advantage of the recent 25% discount sale at Pyramyd.) With the way the cheek weld is on the Akela I find this type of scope easier to use. Just plant your eye on the rubber eyepiece and you can quicky have the perfect zero eye relief and line up on your target quickly. The only other accessories I have added is the Buck Rail barrel support at the end of the Picatinny rail, and the Hajimoto air stripper and baffle kit. With solid support behind you from Crosman/Benjamin customer service you can't miss with this sweet little bull pup in traditional hardwood and steel. Or, if budgetary constraints are not an issue, buy the FX Wildcat. I am not a fan of tactical looking black rifles, so no need to go there. I did my time in the field with the M-16 so no desire to try and play GI Joe with a black plastic pellet rifle.
Then the rifle suffered an internal air problem. It would just go "Pffff." A call to Randy Holmes rholmes@velocity-outdoor.com at:
Customer Service
Velocity Outdoor
Office 585-657-3116
Resulted in him immediately sending me out a new Akela and return label for my malfunctioning rifle.
After about a month, rifle #2 developed the same problem, and Randy sent me another new rifle in .22 this time. He told me he hoped I didn't mind going with a .22 since he had three of them and had not ever had any problems with them. (I did not mind since I had since added a new BSA R10 .177 from Airguns of Arizona to my collection.) The .22 was seemingly the perfect rifle and filling my bullpup niche quite smartly, until it started "choking" on non-lead Predator pellets. They would get stuck in the barrel (which is choked as described in the Youtube videos by Sub 12 Airgunners.) I called Randy and he advised me not to use non-lead pellets in the rifle, because they were not as malleable as was lead, to which advice I did adhere. I have had zero problems with my .22 Akela since and have mounted a new Hawke Airmax 30 Touch 3-12x32 zero eye relief scope on it (took advantage of the recent 25% discount sale at Pyramyd.) With the way the cheek weld is on the Akela I find this type of scope easier to use. Just plant your eye on the rubber eyepiece and you can quicky have the perfect zero eye relief and line up on your target quickly. The only other accessories I have added is the Buck Rail barrel support at the end of the Picatinny rail, and the Hajimoto air stripper and baffle kit. With solid support behind you from Crosman/Benjamin customer service you can't miss with this sweet little bull pup in traditional hardwood and steel. Or, if budgetary constraints are not an issue, buy the FX Wildcat. I am not a fan of tactical looking black rifles, so no need to go there. I did my time in the field with the M-16 so no desire to try and play GI Joe with a black plastic pellet rifle.
