Outdoor Empire pick for best PCP airgun
The Benjamin Bulldog looks like it took a step out of a sci-fi movie and into our hearts. The odd looking design of the Bulldog catches the eye and makes you wonder, what is this thing? It’s clearly a gun, but what kind? The answer may surprise you.
The Bulldog is an airgun. A very big, very unique, and very powerful airgun. This air rifle by Benjamin features a pre-charged pneumatic airgun chambered in .357/9mm. The Bulldog is an ultra-modern design that cuts the overall length of the gun significantly, as well as reducing weight.
Let’s dive into the Benjamin Bulldog and find out what makes this thing tick!
A .357 Airgun?
Yep, it exists and it is glorious! The .357 is a caliber often associated with Magnum revolvers. An airgun isn’t the same as a .357 Magnum round, but it is still a very powerful gun. The .357 diameter bullet, backed by the power of the Bulldog, makes this the closest you’ll get to a Magnum in an airgun.
Why Does an Airgun Need to be in .357?
I can tell you the idea of this gun isn’t to punch paper. No, the Benjamin Bulldog was made to hunt ( see what states allow hunting with airguns ). It can take down deer, hogs, coyotes, and other similarly sized animals. At the right range, the Bulldog is a hammer. It hits hard, shoots straight, and doesn’t have issues humanely killing animals.
You can punch paper and target practice with it if you want, but this thing is made for the field. The Bulldog is a safe short-range weapon that doesn’t carry the same risks as a firearm if you miss your shot. However, an airgun is still a dangerous tool. It can kill or seriously injure you or another if you don’t follow proper safety precautions.
That being said, its effective range is inside 80 yards with the right ammo. A rifle round’s effective range would be in the hundreds of yards.
Further reading: What’s Better For Hunting – Airgun Or a Conventional Gun? – Compared!
The Bulldog is also a Bullpup
Bullpup refers to the fact that the action is placed behind the pistol grip of the weapon. This particular setup really helps reduce the profile and size of the gun. A shorter gun is quicker to the shoulder and easier to maneuver through thick brush without making much noise.
The Bullpup layout places the reservoir port, the air gauge, the magazine, and the cocking mechanism all behind the shooter’s head. The barrel length is 28 inches, but the overall length is only 36 inches total. This is an impressive layout and set up. The reduced length also helps reduce weight, and the Bulldog only weighs 7.7 pounds.
Specifications
Since we have already begun to talk specifications, let’s go ahead and dive into the full specs of the mighty Benjamin Bulldog.
Size and Weight
It is surprisingly a light rifle. We have handled .22 airguns that are heavier than the 7.7 pounds the Bulldog is packing. The bullpup design makes it really easy to hold in a firing position for an extended period of time. Furthermore, this Benjamin gun points very naturally. The short 36 inches of length make cruising through the woods and moving in and out of vehicles a breeze.
General Specs
The Benjamin Bulldog packs 5 rounds of .357, and to us, this is more than enough. If we are shooting five rounds we had better be target practicing and not hunting! The gun does lack sights, but adding an optic is easy. The trigger pull is a light 3 pounds which really aids in the accuracy department. It is a 2 stage trigger, but it’s not adjustable by any means.
Comparison to Similar Products
The Benjamin Bulldog isn’t the only powerful .357/9mm airgun on the market. It’s not even the only bullpup design on the market. To give you a better picture of the Benjamin Bulldog, we want to give you a good look at the competition.
| Product |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Velocity | 910 FPS | 730 FPS | 730 FPS |
| Overall Length | 36 in | 48.9 in | 27 in |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs | 9.3 lbs | 8.16 lbs |
| Shot Capacity | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Cylinder Capacity | 340 cc | 255 cc | 290 cc |
| Cost | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
The Hatsan Carnivore
The Hatsan Carnivore uses a standard, non-bullpup layout and is available in both 7.62 and 9mm size projectiles. The 9mm model makes use of a 6-round magazine, giving it a slight lead on the Bulldog. However, it has a smaller reservoir of only 255cc. The integral suppressor helps cut down the noise, and these big bore airguns can be LOUD. It’s a nice touch.
The overall length of the Carnivore is 48.9 inches. This makes it a whole foot longer than the Bulldog! This is the bullpup advantage live and in color! The Carnivore is also two pounds heavier than the Bulldog. Hatsan does offer 12 shots per max fill, but those shots are almost 200 FPS less than the Bulldog.
The Evanix Rainstorm 3D Bullpup
If you think the Bulldog looks futuristic, wait until you see the Rainstorm 3D! This thing looks like a soldier from the future handed it over to protect Sarah Connor. Holy crud this thing is great looking, but that unique look costs money.
Evanix’s Rainstorm is priced 200 dollars more than the Benjamin Bulldog. However, it does offer a 6-round magazine in the 9mm configuration and uses a similar side lever cocking device. The 3D also offers a 2 stage adjustable trigger and a 6-pound trigger pull.
The adjustable trigger pull is a nice touch and does knock the Bulldog down a peg. The Rainstorm 3D has a 250cc tank, and it offers 14 max shots per fill. Nonetheless, the Bulldog has a 910 FPS rating versus the Rainstorm’s 730 FPS rating.
The Evanix air rifle has adjustable settings and allows you to tailor the power to your needs. The overall length is 27 inches, but the barrel length is only 17 inches.
Benjamin Bulldog’s Overall Rating
Power
The .357/99m caliber knocks this gun up a few notches. That’s just a fact. But how does it do compared to other 9mm rifles? Well, very well. The Bulldog comes close to almost 200 FPS faster than the competition.
Performance
This Benjamin air rifle is a high performer, but don’t take my word for it! Watch the dozens of reviews on YouTube. The Bulldog goes BANG when the trigger is pulled. This is a powerful and accurate gun that puts lead on the target hard and fast. The one downside is the non-adjustable trigger.
Ease of Use
Any PCP gun is going to have a level of complication. Filling the tank will require a tool or Scuba tank to function correctly. Other than that, the system is very simple. It is easy to load, cock and fire. Furthermore, the safety is placed in an easy to reach location.
Customization
The massive amount of Picatinny rails on this gun allows for quite a bit of customization. You can mount any kind of optic you desire. Not only that, but the size of the rail system allows for the addition of a night vision optic on top of your standard scope. The Bulldog also has a rail at the end of the gun, and this gives you options for lights, lasers, and foregrips.
Final Verdict
The Benjamin Bulldog is a powerhouse of an air rifle. It’s short, but powerful and easy to handle. Airguns are becoming more and more accepted as hunting tools, and the Bulldog fills a much-needed niche between rifle and airgun. The Bulldog is a beast, but one that’s easily tamed in experienced hands.
