There’s been a lot of “buzz” about the Beeman model 1358, a new-for-2023 bullpup-style airgun, so I decided to see what the fuss is about. My first impressions upon unboxing it were that the gun initially felt a tad heavy, given its short and compact design. However, when mounting to the shoulder, it was pleasant to handle.
The scope is basic and nothing to write home about, but it works. The wood is very decent, and the fit is good. The metal finish appears even and solid. Mounting the scope was easy, and the included tools were useful and sufficient to do the job quickly. The manual was clear and easy to follow. Operating the gun was straightforward.
Testing
When sighting-in the gun, I started with one brand of pellets and then tested a variety of pellets. Interestingly, they all shot very well. I used Gamo TS-22 21.75 grains, Umarex Brimstone Pellets massing at 18.67 grains, Daisy QuickSilver pellets at 15.7 grains and Daisy Max Speed at approximately 13.7 grains.
I shot the gun off a rest at 18 yards at a Birchwood Casey ShootNC target. I had no misfires, thrown shots or issues firing this gun that I received for testing. The Brimstone pellets printed the smallest group, with the Gamo TS being a very close second. My largest group was just ¾ of an inch, and the smallest group was at ½”.
Pros and Cons
The gun is compact and easy to shoot. The underlever is probably more to my liking than a side lever, but not by much. It is a nice way to cock the gun. The gun was easy to fill with my PCP pump. I liked the pressure gauge placement on the left forward part of the gun. It was easy for me to see. I generally shoot right handed, so a quick glance told me what I needed to know. The gun fired just over 30 shots before I had to refill the cylinder.
The magazines were probably the best rotary magazines I have had to load in quite some time. The rotation was smooth, pellets remained in them, and there were no snags or jams. The fact that two magazines came with the gun was nice.
The single tray loader is a decent addition, but since I plan on destroying cans, varmints and targets, it was unnecessary. The degassing tool is a nice thing to have, as are the included Picatinny rails for adding accessories.
The scope itself was a bit on the “meh” side. My wish list for this gun would include a better scope—perhaps one with variable power and a larger objective lens. That said, it absolutely does work. I observed no large jumps or lags on adjustment, and it was easy to mount with the included mounts, which were more than sufficient for the task.
The safety was in a good spot and easily reached. The trigger pull was reasonable at an average of 4.2 lbs. The gun I tested was not rough or creaky, although it was louder than I expected. The sound was not a sharp “crack,” but kind of dragged out more than some guns. If you have neighbors close by, they are going to hear the report of the gun and know what it is.
The balance of the gun was good, and the stock was solid. The rubber butt pad was a nice feature. It made it “stick” in your shoulder and not slip. The stock itself is hardwood and not bad looking, but not incredible. It is functional, no doubt. If there was a bit of checkering on it, holding it in cold weather would be easier. The stock feels slick and smooth so keep that in mind. However, the design of it was quite good making shooting quite comfortable. The fit to the barrel and action was above average in my opinion.
If you are looking for a short, quick-handling .22 PCP bullpup type of gun, this may be the one. Plan on upgrading the scope if you are going to use it a lot at ranges past 30 yards, for small-game hunting or informal competitions with your buddies.
Specifications
- Pre-Charged Pneumatic (PCP), shoots pellets
- Underlever cocking
- Rotary 10-shot magazine for .22 caliber
- Rifled steel barrel
- European wood stock
- 32” long and 7.28 pounds
- Velocity is approximately 880 fps.
- Tank fill up to 3500 psi
- Manual safety
- Integrated sound suppressor
- Picatinny rails for accessories
- Scope, 2 rotary magazines, 2 single shot trays, hex keys, degassing tool and scope mounts included
- MSRP: $250; Beeman.com
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