Brand Guide
Benjamin Airguns: Brand Guide & Model Lineup
Benjamin has been building serious American air rifles since 1882, and the Discovery and Marauder are the two rifles that made pre-charged pneumatics a normal thing to own. Here is the lineup and who each model is for.
Benjamin is the oldest name in serious American airgunning, and unlike a lot of heritage brands it is still doing the thing that made it matter. Where most airgun companies chase velocity claims on the box, Benjamin’s two most important products — the Discovery and the Marauder — were the rifles that convinced American shooters that pre-charged pneumatics were a practical platform rather than a specialist import.
This guide covers who Benjamin is, why those two rifles were the turning point, the current lineup we track, and which model makes sense for which shooter. Where we have a full review, we link to it.
Who Benjamin is
The company’s history starts in 1882, when Walter R. Benjamin designed, produced and patented a .22-caliber pump-style air rifle — the beginning of the modern American air rifle. American airguns at the time were essentially toys; Benjamin’s was built for people who intended to hunt with it. He founded the Benjamin Air Rifle Company in St. Louis in 1902.
Two acquisitions shaped what the brand is today. In 1977 Benjamin bought Sheridan Products, absorbing that company’s well-regarded airgun designs. In 1992, Crosman acquired both companies, and the combined business later joined the Velocity Outdoor family.
Why Benjamin matters: the Discovery and the Marauder
Before the mid-2000s, PCP airguns in the United States were largely a European import category — expensive, hard to service, and sold through specialist dealers. Crosman changed that under the Benjamin name with two rifles:
- The Discoverywas Crosman’s entry into the PCP market and its argument was accessibility — a genuinely affordable pre-charged rifle designed to be filled without exotic equipment, which is what let ordinary shooters try the platform at all.
- The Marauderwas the follow-up that made the platform serious: a multi-shot magazine, a fully shrouded barrel, a two-stage adjustable trigger, more power, a high shot count, and multiple calibers — feature-rich, well-performing, and priced for the American market rather than the European one.
That combination is why the Marauder is still the reference point in comparisons against newer value entries like the Umarex Gauntlet and Air Venturi Avenger — and why those comparisons consistently conclude that the Marauder is the better-built rifle with better materials, and subjectively the quietest of the group.
The lineup we track
| Model | Type | Caliber | Built for | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marauder (BP22SAS) | PCP, semi-auto | .22 | Small game, pest control, all-around accuracy | ~$700 |
| Bulldog M357 (BPBM3S) | Big-bore PCP bullpup | .357 | Big-game-capable airgun hunting | ~$990 |
| Bulldog (BPBD3S) | Big-bore PCP bullpup | .357 | The earlier .357 Bulldog variant | ~$1,350 |
| Bulldog (BPBD4S) | Big-bore PCP bullpup | .457 | Maximum airgun terminal performance | ~$1,000 |
| Discovery | PCP, entry | .177 / .22 | The affordable way into pre-charged airguns | Varies |
| Traveler compressor | Fill equipment | - | Home filling without a tank or pump | ~$810 |
| HPP2KU hand pump | Fill equipment | - | Filling a PCP with no compressor | ~$186 |
Prices are approximate mid-2026 street figures verified via the Amazon Creators API and move frequently; the live price boxes below are the number to trust. Availability on individual Bulldog variants comes and goes.
Which Benjamin is right for you
| Small game, squirrels, pest control -> Marauder .22 | The Marauder is the do-everything Benjamin. Shrouded, magazine-fed, adjustable trigger, quiet enough for suburban work, and accurate enough that the pellet is the limiting factor. This is the one most people should buy |
|---|---|
| Getting into PCPs on a budget -> Discovery | The rifle that made the platform accessible in the first place, and still the sensible answer if the Marauder's price is out of reach |
| Airgun hunting larger game -> Bulldog .357 or .457 | The Bulldog is a bullpup big-bore built for hunting where legal - a completely different proposition from a pellet rifle. Check your state's regulations before buying: big-bore airgun hunting is legal in a growing number of states but far from all of them, and permitted species vary |
| Maximum terminal performance -> Bulldog .457 | The larger bore trades shot count and pellet cost for raw energy on target |
| Quietness is your top priority -> Marauder | In head-to-head subjective testing against the Gauntlet, the Marauder is the quieter rifle |
| You want to tune and tinker -> look elsewhere | Honest answer: the Air Venturi Avenger is the more adjustable platform out of the box. Benjamin's argument is build quality and refinement, not user tunability |
Our full Benjamin Marauder .22 review covers the flagship in detail, and it appears in both best PCP air rifles and best air rifles for target shooting.
The Bulldogdeserves a specific caution. A .357 or .457 airgun is not a pellet gun with more power — it is a hunting arm with a meaningful energy figure, a short usable shot count per fill, and ammunition that costs real money per shot. It is also subject to different regulations than a .22 pellet rifle in many states. Buy one because you have confirmed it is legal for what you intend to hunt, not because the caliber is impressive.
Fill equipment and pellets
A PCP is only as usable as its fill system, and Benjamin sells both ends of that. For the wider field — including the third-party compressors, pumps and carbon fiber tanks most owners end up buying — see our guide to PCP air compressors, hand pumps and tanks.
- Benjamin Traveler air compressor (around $810, verify current pricing) — a portable PCP compressor with a digital pressure gauge. The convenience purchase: fill at home in minutes rather than pumping or driving to a dive shop.
- Benjamin HPP2KU high-pressure hand pump (around $186, verify current pricing) — the budget path. It works, and it is genuine physical labor. Shot count per fill matters enormously if this is your plan; see best PCP air rifles for that math.
- Benjamin hollow point pellets (around $14for a 750-count tin in .177, verify current pricing) — a serviceable hunting pellet, though pellet choice is rifle-specific and worth testing. Our air rifle pellets guide covers how to find what your barrel likes.
Benjamin in the Velocity Outdoor family
Benjamin sits alongside Crosman (the value airgun line), CenterPoint Archery (crossbows and optics), and Ravin Crossbows (premium crossbows) under Velocity Outdoor. The division of labor is fairly clean: Crosman covers the entry tier, Benjamin covers the serious American PCP and big-bore tier.
If you are shopping the Crosman side, our Crosman 362 review covers the multi-pump that occupies the price point below the Discovery. And if you are trying to decide between platforms entirely, start with PCP vs break barrel.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Benjamin air rifles?
Benjamin is part of the Velocity Outdoor family, having been acquired by Crosman in 1992. The brand itself dates to 1882, when Walter R. Benjamin patented a .22-caliber pump-style air rifle, and he founded the Benjamin Air Rifle Company in St. Louis in 1902. Benjamin bought Sheridan Products in 1977. Velocity Outdoor also owns CenterPoint Archery and Ravin Crossbows.
What is the best Benjamin air rifle?
The Marauder in .22 for most buyers. It is the rifle that made American PCPs serious equipment - multi-shot magazine, fully shrouded barrel, two-stage adjustable trigger and a high shot count - and comparisons against newer value competitors consistently find it the better-built and subjectively quieter rifle. The Bulldog big-bores serve a completely different purpose.
What was the Benjamin Discovery and why does it matter?
The Discovery was Crosman's entry into pre-charged pneumatics under the Benjamin name, and its significance was accessibility: an affordable PCP designed to be filled without exotic equipment, at a time when PCPs in the United States were largely expensive European imports. It is the rifle that opened the platform to ordinary American shooters, and the Marauder built on it.
Is the Benjamin Bulldog legal to hunt with?
It depends entirely on your state and the species. Big-bore airgun hunting is legal in a growing number of states, but far from all of them, and permitted species vary widely even where it is allowed. A .357 or .457 airgun is regulated differently from a .22 pellet rifle in many jurisdictions. Confirm the regulations for your state and your intended quarry before buying one.
Do I need a compressor for a Benjamin PCP?
You need some high-pressure air source. Benjamin sells both ends of that range: the Traveler compressor at around $810 for filling at home in minutes, and the HPP2KU hand pump at around $186 for the budget path. A tank from a dive or fire-supply shop is the third option. Whichever you choose, factor it into the purchase - the rifle alone is not a working setup.
How does Benjamin compare to Umarex and Air Venturi?
Benjamin's argument is build quality and refinement; the newer value brands compete on features per dollar. Independent comparisons find the Marauder better built with better materials and subjectively quieter than the Umarex Gauntlet, while the Gauntlet delivers a substantially higher shot count per fill and the Air Venturi Avenger offers far more user adjustability out of the box. Pick by which of those three things you value.
Sources
- Benjamin Airguns - True Originals (company history: 1882 patent, 1902 founding, 1977 Sheridan, 1992 Crosman)
- Benjamin Airguns - air gun history: a brief overview
- Benjamin Airguns - current product lineup
- Outdoor Life - Benjamin Marauder review
- Airgun Depot - Benjamin Marauder vs Air Venturi Avenger vs Umarex Gauntlet 2
- Velocity Outdoor - brand family
- Product specs, availability and pricing verified via the Amazon Creators API, 2026-08-13
Keep reading
Gearing up before your next hunt?
See how we evaluate gear, then dig into the reviews and buying guides — written without inventory to sell.