My Benjamin 340 was purchased from another Navy man for twenty bucks back in the early '70s... and it still works perfectly. My 340 looks just like the 397 of today.

This gun lasted okay for about a year and I have nabbed alot of squirrels and rabbits with it. The downside is that the safety broke and fell out..... Secondly the gun leaks alot from the front and from the breech so that must mean the seals are gone. Its honestly not worth all $180

I purchased this the model 397A back in 1993 and have had 10's of thousands of pellets ran down the barrel with ko issues except for the yearly cleaning and break down to ensure the seals stay good...original everything! Couldn't have picked a better more reliable rifle, thought at first I was paying too. Id do it again in a heart beatmuch for a pellet rifle back then but what I know now id do it again in a heart beat! Might take longer to pump compaired to the newer rifles of today but this rifle will keep its oven amonst the others...

Opened the box, took out the rifl, put a pallet in it, shot a squirrel at about 30 yards. Had dinner. Love the rifle it is perfect right out the box.

I agree with all the above reviewers. I've had mine for about 12 years. No problems, very accurate and quite powerful....I routinely shoot targets at ranges of 25-30 yards, with 6-7 pumps, rarely 8. I love the feel of the rifle....solid materials and comfortable when at the shooting position.

The Sheridan 397 is An awesome well made rifle that is an excellent around air rifle & is very accurate, there is a good reason why this rifle has been around as long as it has!

Just bought mine this Saturday, and I love it. Has a solid feel that many airguns lack, and groups shockingly well at 30 yd. I'm glad Crosman has kept the design the same, it really makes this a fantastic airgun. Great job!

1/2" groups from 10 yards out to 40 yards. I'm impressed !!!

Impressive rifle. Using Crosman Destroyer pellets and iron sights I get groupings that are very tight. Good penetration. Not a toy. I like it!

Powerful, Reliable, Perfect

These things are the REAL DEAL! Fortunately, Crosman is run by real gun fanatics who love what they do, and so therefore, they have kept the Benjamin models true to their heritage, both in design, and build quality. People don't care if these guns are expensive, as long as they are just as good as the old original models were. Now, yes, this gun is hard to pump, but it's worth the effort to have the very best, most accurate multi-pump 177 caliber rifle in the U.S.A. The iron sights are old-school, and require good eyes, but, with practice you can hit 1/2" groups at 35 yards with no problem. Now, that is my best effort, and quite good enough to take out varmints with head shots, or starlings and pigeons in the kill zone. The 397 does not skimp on cheap parts, there are none, every part on this thing is of the highest quality, and will last basically your entire life with decent care. These are REAL guns, not cheap toys. But, I will also say, that the low-cost Crosman air guns are also of very high quality and seem to last for decades. .weird, but it's true. My old 766 is still working great, so I think Crosman is a great brand.

About 36 years ago I received my first Benjamin/Sheridan model 347 air rifle from my father. Great air rifle, I used it for everything from plinking to squirrel hunting. Extremely accurate for any weapon, more or less an air rifle ! I bought my 397 from a local hardware store on closeout. With a Williams peep sight added later, this newer version is as accurate as the first. Half inch groups at 50 yards ! I was a little skeptical since Crossman bought them out (Sorry Guys !), but you have done the Benjamin name justice. Another Benjamin to be proud to own, Thanks !

Ive Owned a Benjamin since I was a young kid. Around 37 years now I suppose. I still have that original 5mm and it shoots as well today as it did then. We called them silver streaks and blue streaks. The silver was nickel coated. Simply put this weapon is the best air rifle made. I have since purchased a second 5mm I suppose that's the .20 caliber and it shoots as well as the first. I'm not sure if crossman made that one or not it's about 15 years old now. I can still shoot a bird in flight or a rabbit at 100 yrds with either weapon and no other air gun offers the punch of the Ben. Enough said. Crossman if you build true to the original specs you will always have the finest air rifle ever made. *I*K£G *I*RONKNIGHTS

I have this model which is over 30 years old and it still pumps and shoots great. Mine was made in the USA.

I decided to get a quality wood and metal built air rifle in my favorite .177 caliber. The Benjamin 397 was just the ticket. It's made of brass and hardwood, is relativally powerful, and is accurite. It did have some paint overspray in the barrel, but after I removed that I shot a 5 round 1/4" ctc group with destroyers at 10 yards, 4 of them in one hole. I also have the peep sight mounted on mine, it makes for an even more accurite combo. Hitting soup cans at 40 yards is a breeze. Something I could never do with my 760. 800 fps is powerful enough do to anything that should be done with an airgun. It's only 200 fps less than a springer, and a lot more quiet. The trigger is a bit rough, but that can be taken care of quite easily.

I live in New Zealand and after much research and contact with Crosman USA I decided that the Benjamin 397 was the rifle of choice for me - even though I had not seen or held one as the local retailer did not have any in stock. I ordered it and the local retailer arranged for the rifle to be imported. The overall finish of the rifle is good and better than many of the other rilfes sold in NZ in the same price bracket. The weight and overall balance are great. The rifle has an excellent steel trigger with good pull weight. The safety is easy to use and loading is enhanced through the use of the breech bolt. I fitted a Center Point 4-16 x 40 scope for target shooting, but I would prefer a Williams Peep sight for shorter distances. But the steel open sights are perfectly adequate for most shooters.The 397 is a fantastic little air rifle. Very accurate with dense shot patterns over 25 yards with only 2 pumps (I didn't expect much with only 2 pumps, so the actual result speaks heaps for the quality and versatility of the 397). After a couple of hours I did need to take a 15 minute break as my arm was tiring - but that was no big deal. All in all I have no hesitation in recommending the 397 to target shooters who are looking for variable power and accuracy at a sensible price. A great rifle!! I cannot speak highly enough of the support I was given by the Crosman USA team. They were great, responding to my questions and providing advice. Special thanks to Kim and Chip.

Sir, Good day!
Thanks for a good rifle.

i can shoot a tooth pic in half and shoot that half in half about 20 to 25 feet