Benjamin Airguns has employees who not only make and sell high-quality air rifles: they also competitively shoot them too! So let’s take a look at Team Benjamin as they look forward to the 2024 season…
Daryl Van Why, Ethan Butterfield, John Solpietro and Shawn Pragle make up Team Benjamin. That’s them from left to right in our heading photograph above. They all frequently compete in the Hunter class of American Airgun Field Target Association matches.
In the final AAFTA National standings for 2023, Team Benjamin shooters all finished in the Top 60 shooters nationwide:
– Pragle 40th
– Van Why 43rd
– Solpietro 51st
– Butterfield 57th
Congratulations gentlemen!!!
Below. Shawn Pragle prepares to take a standing shot at the Pyramyd Air Cup in 2023.
We should remember that most people choose hobbies that are completely different from their everyday work. So it’s even more creditable that Daryl, Ethan, John and Shawn spend both working and leisure hours with airguns.
Team Benjamin shoots a variety of .177 caliber guns using both Benjamin and Crosman products. As you would expect, they are all customized with a range of tweaks and mods. Each shooter does the work on his own competition gun.
For Field Target, both John Solpietro and Shawn Pragle use tuned and modified Benjamin Marauders with side-lever Crosman Challenger breeches installed.
Above. Daryl Van Why shoots at the 2023 Pyramyd Air Cup.
Daryl Van Why’s rifle is a tuned Benjamin Marauder, still “old school” with it’s bolt action and no regulator (at least it was still unregulated when I spoke to him last). Ethan Butterfield shoots a tuned Crosman Challenger (rather than the Gunnar shown in the heading photograph).
All four Team Benjamin shooters rely on the 10.5grain Benjamin Match Grade Pellets that were introduced last year.
“Team Benjamin’s success reinforces our legacy of high-performance airguns,” said Joe Brown, Vice President for Marketing and Product Development at Velocity Outdoor. “We have passionate employees who design, build, and win with our air rifles, giving us a unique edge that has fueled nearly 150 years of innovation.”
Below. John Solpietro concentrates hard at the 2023 Finger Lakes Field Target Grand Prix.
While Field Target is their main competitive discipline, the Benjamin shooters also take part in Benchrest and Speed Silhouette competitions. Ethan was the Speed Silhouette winner at Extreme Benchrest 2023, as you may remember.
So – particularly if you are in the North East, look out for Team Benjamin on the FT circuit and any other shoot they can get to!!!
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