by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier
Benjamin Marauder .177 caliber Part 1
Part 2
Secrets of loading the Benjamin Marauder magazine
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Fixing a Marauder magazine
Part 7
Benjamin Marauder .25 caliber Part 1
Benjamin Marauder .25 caliber Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Benjamin Marauder .22 repeater with synthetic stock Part 1
New Benjamin Marauder with synthetic stock has all the features of the classic Marauder in a lighter, trimmer package.
Today is our second look at the .22-caliber Benjamin Marauder with synthetic stock. We have a new log reader who goes by the handle AirrifleRatHunter, and he just bought a synthetic Marauder and it’s his first PCP, so I want to help him with his rifle.
Baffled?
ARH said his rifle wasn’t as accurate as he thought it should be. We found that he was using substandard pellets and corrected that, but I also mentioned to him that the baffles inside the shroud could be involved. He asked me what baffles are, so I’m now showing them to everyone. The test Marauder has 7 Delrin washers (the baffles) that are shaped to strip away the compressed air behind the pellet once it leaves the rifle’s muzzle, which is buried deep within the shroud. I’ve laid out these parts for you to see how they work. If the pellet were to touch one of these baffles as it passes through, it would destroy accuracy.
Here you see all the baffles that are held inside the shroud under spring tension, so they don’t rattle around.
Looking at a single baffle shows that the compressed air that’s behind the pellet gets stripped to the sides by the shape of the baffle (on the left) as the pellet passes through its center. This happens 7 times in succession before the pellet leaves the gun. The end cap that pushes the baffles against the coiled spring at the back has an o-ring to keep the air from escaping around its threads.
One other accuracy tip is to ensure that the shroud is not touching the forward barrel band on any side. Mine was touching on one side when I got the rifle, so I loosened the 2 set screws on the bottom of the band and repositioned it.
I have repositioned the front barrel band so it clears the barrel shroud around its entire circumference.
Today is setup day, where I will adjust the rifle to suit myself. The first thing I did was select a scope and mounts. Marauders have a low receiver, which means you need to select a higher scope mount if the objective bell of your scope is a large one. I chose a Leapers UTG 4-16X50 scope with illuminated reticle, but mine is an older model than the one I linked to. Nevertheless, it’s a big scope with a large objective bell that needs height to clear the barrel shroud.
See how close the objective lens comes to the barrel shroud — despite my using high mounts? Also note that the magazine needs clearance, so the scope mount must be 2-piece.
You have to either use a 2-piece mount or a cantilever 1-piece mount that will clear the magazine sticking up above the receiver, so keep that in mind when looking at mounts. I chose BKL one-inch mounts with double straps that are high enough for the gun and scope combination. The double straps mean that you don’t need to worry about the torque sequence when you tighten the screws in the scope caps because each strap is independent.
These clever BKL scope caps relieve you of the need to follow a torque procedure when tightening the cap screws.
Adjust the cheekpiece
Usually, I have to just adapt to whatever gun I’m testing because most of them don’t have any ergonomic features. But the new Marauder synthetic stock does have an adjustable cheekpiece. I was able to raise it up so my eye in in line with the scope’s exit pupil when I shoulder the rifle normally. What a convenience that is!
The new trigger
The Marauder’s trigger has been moved back in the receiver by about one-half inch, which brings the blade closer to the pistol grip. The result is a nicer feeling when you hold the rifle because your hand doesn’t have to stretch to reach the trigger. I never noticed it until I shouldered the new rifle the first time, but it certainly feels much better now.
Moving the trigger back meant that several internal trigger parts had to be redesigned. In essence, this trigger is the same one that’s always been on the Marauder, but there are small differences inside. So, the next thing I did was adjust the trigger.
To properly adjust the trigger, you remove the action from the stock. It’s only necessary to remove one stock screw for this, and the action comes right out.
As the rifle came from the box it had a heavy first stage pull of 2 lbs., 6 oz. This can be reduced by adjusting a screw counterclockwise to take tension off the trigger return spring. When I backed the screw out entirely so no spring tension remained, the first-stage pull dropped to just under 11 oz., so there’s another spring inside the trigger group that also helps return the trigger blade.
The large round screw at the left adjusts the trigger-pull weight. Behind the trigger blade the two small screws adjust the first- and second-stage pull length. And the screw behind those 2 allows for slight repositioning of the trigger blade.
I put the adjustment screw back in the hole and tightened it just enough to keep it from falling out. That raised the first-stage pull to just over 14 oz., which is fine for a sporting rifle; but I must note that it’s heavier than the triggers in the other 2 Marauders I’ve tested. They both break at 11 oz., and this one has a first-stage pull greater than that.
Next, I adjusted the first-stage pull a little shorter, and the second-stage pull to start sooner. Those were 2 separate adjustments; but each affects the other, so the manual tells you to do them together. The owner’s manual also warns you that these screws adjust the amount of sear contact, so go slow and be careful to not get the trigger to the point that it won’t hold the sear or will only hold it dangerously close to firing. After making these adjustments, I assembled the action in the stock once more and cocked the rifle. Then, I bumped it hard from several directions, and the sear did not slip off and fire.
Before the adjustment, the rifle fired at 3 lbs., 4 oz. That’s pretty good for an air rifle trigger, given the lawyerly influences in companies these days; but a Marauder is not an average air rifle. After adjustment, it fired at 1 lb., 7 oz. but still had a bit of creep in stage 2, so I adjusted the stage-2 screw one last time. This time, I didn’t take the action out of the stock. The small Allen wrench used on these 2 screws (a .050-inch wrench is used for both stage-1 and stage-2 screws) is small enough to reach through the triggerguard and fit into the socket of the screw.
The final adjustment took another half-ounce off the pull and eliminated most of the creep. I wouldn’t call this trigger glass-crisp…but the way it’s adjusted now, it’s quite good!
Now the rifle is set up for me. Next, I’ll shoot it for velocity and decide whether to leave the fill limit at the factory-set 2,500 psi or increase it for more shots. And I may adjust the velocity, depending on what I find.
G’day BB
I was able to raise it up so my eye in in line with the scope’s exit pupil when I shoulder the rifle normally. What a convenience that is!…..and an adjustable butt plate for cast…..and you will be ready for a round of trap next! A good fitting stock makes accurate shooting so much easier especially off hand.
Cheers Bob
Bob,
Yes, well I test so many airguns that I seldom have the time to get any of them to fit me. If they do, like in this case, it’s a real blessing!
B.B.
So you really liked the trigger on the .177, but the .25 and the new .22 triggers are not as nice. I would suspect one of two things. Because the larger calibers likely have stronger hammer springs or what is more likely, because the Marauder has established it’s name in the market, production numbers are being pushed to meet demands, material costs are reduced and less time is spent on finishing parts.
I suspect that after a good bit of shooting, the .25 trigger and the new .22 trigger will improve some unless there was a design change after the .177 to reduce production costs.
Speaking of triggers, would you say this trigger is better than the AirForce trigger?
RR,
Yes, the Marauder trigger is better than the trigger on an AirForce rifle. It can be adjusted much lighter. The new AirForce trigger is probably crisper than the trigger that’s now on this rifle I am testing, but it weighs about a half-pound more.
B.B.
B.B.,
I am interested in trying a synthetic stocked Marauder. It’s many features, lightweight and cost make it very attractive to me.
Your recent writings about the Desert Eagle .357 and TX200 had many responses, and gave me pause to think. I can often, but not every time, shoot 50 yard groups less than 1/2″ with a good .22 LR sporter, but most 25 yard groups with my TX200 are still around one inch. Sometimes less, sometimes more. Sometimes, through that big, beautiful Hawke scope, I can see the pellets flying wild into the target. I have shot 4″ 50 yard groups with an iron sighted .45 ACP, but I have never shot a three inch group. And as I’ve gotten older, the groups are getting bigger.
So I wonder if it’s me. I’m trying my best with the TX, but maybe I just don’t have the skill.
I’ve wondered, too, if there is a problem with the barrel, and your blog today made me wonder about the baffles.
Well, to keep things light, I’ve taken to popping tin cans with the HW75 and an old, iron sighted R7 to remind me that all of this is for fun, and that these are all good problems to have.
Have a good weekend,
RB7
RB7,
Wow! I would shine a tactical flashlight down the bore of my rifle and look for small lead deposits on the edges of one of the baffles. Don’t do anything about it until you are sure, but if you cannot return the rifle to the dealer you might put a long reamer down the muzzle and attempt to open all the baffles a couple thousandths. Given the way your rifle is constructed, that will be the easiest way to correct the situation — if that is what is happening.
One inch at 25 yards for a TX 200 is unheard-of. Something is wrong. I am assuming that you use premium pellets, so I think the baffles are the most likely culprit, but don’t “fix” the problem before you confirm that’s what it is.
As for me shooting three-inch groups at 50 yards with a handgun, I have several that will do it. One is a S&W Hand Ejector in 32-20 that is uncannily accurate. Another is a Wilson Combat CQB that’s also a tackdriver. And I have a Ruger Single Six in .32 H&R Magnum that’s coming along very well, and someday I hope to be able to say the same about it.
And please bear in mind, this is what those guns are capable of doing — not what they do every time!
B.B.
“…I would shine a tactical flashlight down the bore of my rifle and look for small lead deposits on the edges of one of the baffles…”
This would seem to be an interesting topic of diagnosis. I’m not sure I’d know exactly what to look for, but maybe it would be more obvious than I think. Do you know how tight the tolerance is supposed to be in the first place?
Also, are replacement baffles a possible alternative fix?
Kevin,
You look for a buildup of lead particles on the edge of one of the baffles. They look like a small silver mountain.
As for the tolerance through the baffles, there is no standard. The smaller the hole the less air can get through it with the pellet blocking the path, but the greater the chance that the pellet will nick the edge of a baffle. It’s the old, “How much nitromethane do you think this engine can stand for 25 seconds before she blows?” sort of drill.
B.B.
RB7,
Sounds like something is wrong with your TX 200. Willing to bet it’s not you.
You said you can sometimes “see the pellets flying wild into the target”. Are they spiraling or tumbling?
If spiraling, clean the barrel using B.B.’s jb bore paste method. If they tumbling then I would suspect your pellets are clipping the baffles.
kevin
BB first off thanks for your responses on yesterday’s blog. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the ‘why’ of it, but it may be one of those things I’ll just have to accept and let go of.
As for the Marauder, what’s the point of that forward barrel band if it shouldn’t be touching the shroud anyway? And I’m assuming the baffles are sized to fit snugly in the shroud, yes? Otherwise it seems a spring wouldn’t be enough to keep them in perfect alignment.
DD,
Trying to get a gun to give repeatable accuracy is something I have been doing my entire shooting life. When I wrote about Harvey Donaldson, that was what inspired me.
Your questions have inspired me to write a special blog about this for you. It’s one I’ve been working on for longer than a year, and I’m still several months away from being ready to write it. But it’s in the book. I will tell you that it will be based on my AR-15.
B.B.
Aww man! If my wife teased me like that we’d have enough munchkins to start our own chocolate factory!
Looking forward to it!!
Oompa Loompa’s worked in the chocolate factory… Munchkins seemed to be fond of flower fields…
Totally off subject, but look what I found this morning!
/product/evanix-tactical-sniper-air-rifle?m=3312
Now we are talking! I think I could get into this black rifle!
Yeah……. I saw that in the new products section a couple of weeks ago. It immediately grabbed my attention. Wonder if one of B.B.’s great tests is coming? That guns intriguing.
G&G
I certainly hope so. The description says it has a six pound trigger. :o( I can actually live with that though if it is crisp. Most triggers can be improved some. LW also makes a 28″ barrel if it needs a little more power. ;o)
Im wanting to get a new airrifle for christmas, but. can’t decide between the Bsa or Rws34 panther. But ibut i really like the Bsa Grt supersport with the gas ram in .25cal. Can you offer any suggestions on. quality and accracy of the Bsa in .25 cal?
JBS,
I would love to be able to answer your question, but the truth is, I haven’t tested many BSA rifles recently. I do note that many of them now seem to share a lot with Gamo rifle. Gamo owns BSA, which explains that.
I can tell you that a .25 caliber spring-piston air rifle is going to be the most difficult gun to shoot accurately. That’s because spring piston guns are already difficult, and .25 caliber guns have lagged behind .22 caliber guns, as far as accuracy is concerned. And there are only a few pellets that are accurate in .25 caliber and those that are, are on the heavy side for spring rifles.
But I would tell you to get what you want, because if you don’t you’ll always wonder what it would have been like.
Please stop back and share whatever experience you have with the rest of us.
And welcome to the blog!
B.B.
I wonder just how good this plastic stocked marauder really is. I wonder which actually is better, the wood stock or plastic stock version. It would be interesting to see a side by side comparison of the two.
BB
If you get a chance can you measure the shroud on the new synthetic stock Marauder and let me know how long it is from the muzzle cap to were it screws onto the breech if you would.
The wheels are already spinning in the old brain. I hope that the shroud is now longer. And I hope the diameter of the shroud is still the same with the same threads to attach it. Please let it be. I will be so happy.
And now that I finally get to see a picture of the baffles. They are a different design now.
I would have to say with what I see the new Marauder should be quieter.
And what about the de-pinging device and the different air valve? Have you got into any of that yet?
I forgot something again.
All my Marauders including the Marauder pistol and the 1720T I had to adjust the barrel band so it wasn’t touching the shroud.
And just me but I started calling it a barrel shroud guard rather than a barrel band.
And I’m glad you brought it up BB. I didn’t notice it when I got my Marauder pistol and it gave me a bit of fit with the way the gun was shooting. It was rubbing on the bottom of the shroud and I didn’t see it. Got it fixed and it made my day when I went out and shot the gun and it started to behave more normally. Good tip.
GF1,
I will measure as much as I can and put it in the next report.
B.B.
Ok that will be great BB. No hurry just interest in the changes they made.
BB,
Different kind of ugly in some respects, but it reminds me of my Savage 111 in black Tupperware! Great rifle that looks a lot better after you’ve shot it :)! Is the single shot tray an aftermarket option or is the plastic Marauder a repeater only? I never shoot repeaters for fun (except for the Glenfield 60), and my rifles that have magazines have been used 99% of the time in single shot mode; of course I tested the magazines and will use them in field.
BG_Farmer,
Crosman has discontinued all single-shot trays for Marauders except for .177 caliber.
B.B.
The more i read about this pellet rifle the more i want one.
Thanks Mr. BB for info, please keep up the excellent work that you do. God Bless
OK, now I have a question about the barrel band. Why? What purpose does it serve?
RR
Exactly what Im talking about.
The shroud and barrel float on the Marauder. All it can do is protect the barrel and shroud from an abrupt bump.
I remember when I got my Disco. That was a big thing with them back then. My Disco is clamped hard. And thats a whole nother story.
I suspect the band is to reassure people who would not be used to a totally disconnected set of tubes (look at the Silhouette pistol, where the front sight base and muzzle weight are clear of the reservoir). As I understand it, the reason it is open is to allow for flex in the air reservoir as the pressure changes. If it were hard contact, the expansion of the air tank would flex the muzzle upward; then pull it down as the pressure dropped.
Wulfraed
Maybe some reservoirs do expand some amount.
When the Disco’s first came out I got one. That was my first ever experience with a PCP gun. And I got it with the Benjamin hand pump. I wore that pump out because of trying so many different things with the gun.
But there was all kinds of things going around that people were trying with the barrel clamps. Some were putting more setscrews in to kind of help center the barrel. Then some people were drilling the clamps out where the barrel went through to float the barrel. Some people were putting 2 clamps on the barrel. One in the factory location then one up close to the muzzle end and locked up hard at both locations.
The last way is what I have done to both of the Disco’s that I have now. And it works the best for me as far as accuracy is concerned. And last but not least I have taken micrometer readings in 3 places on the reservoir with a full fill and after about 30 shots to see if there was a change in the reservoir diameter. But I wasn’t doing it because of accuracy. I was trying to see if it was expanding and causing my slow leak with one of the Disco’s I have. And no change in diameter at all in the Disco’s I have.
Discovery runs on a lower pressure though, doesn’t it? I start refilling my Marauder when it drops to 2200.
I was also thinking some lengthwise stretching more than increased diameter in the tank.
Yep your right about the Marauders and that is where I start refilling mine also.
And lengthwise I guess could be a possibility. Never looked into it that far. And when I was checking the Disco I was worrying about a leak. As far as the M-rod goes I really never checked anything on the reservoir. Never had a problem.
I was a little concerned with the floating barrel idea at first but haven’t had any problems yet. But here is something I do with mine just because of the floating barrel. I make sure when I store the guns that they are in one of those hard plastic cases with the foam inside. I believe that supports the barrel equally around it. And if I have a gun out I will put the gun across the arms of a chair and lean the scope up against the back rest of the chair so the barrel doesn’t have any preasure on it. I may be over doing it but I feel better about the gun that way.
Can it be removed? If so, I would. Most similar air rifles do not have one in the first place.
RR
It can be removed real easy by loosening the setscrews and slipping it off. But I like the extra protection it gives.
It doesnt effect anything as long as you get it centered like BB did and it dont touch the shroud.
Its nice when your in the woods. Helps protect the barrel and shroud.
I recently got one on the syn-rods in .22
After reading this, I checked my shroud band, and the shroud rests (touches) the top of the band. I tried loosening the 2 set screws and repositioning it, but it will not go up far enough to clear the shroud. Also, it has some sort of rubber or silicon ring inside, that the shroud touches, and this gives very very little clearance to try and adjust it so it doesn’t touch. I don’t see anything like that in the above picture that shows the shroud/band clearance.
It has been showing acceptable accuracy – I was getting 1/4″ groups at 25 yards.
Should I look into adjusting this more? Removing the rubber ring inside the band?
Wimpanzee,
Your gun is shooting accurately. Leave it as it is!
No matter what anyone says, when a gun shoots accurately you should leave it alone.
And welcome to the blog!
B.B.
BB
I’m glad you said that. That’s exactly what I was going to say.
RR,
It finishes the pressure reservoir. It isn’t really a barrel band, because the barrel is buried deep inside the shroud and doesn’t come all the way out to where the band is located. Why it goes around the shroud I have no idea.
B.B.
Hm. I have high hopes for this synthetic stocked version. I hope it works out.
Slinging Lead, that was quite a story about the people whose bikes you fixed who rode off without thanking you. I don’t know if “stupid” is the word I would use instead of low-class. But maybe you could call it low emotional intelligence….
Matt61
Matt
Another time this girl had a flat tire on her car, and I fixed it. I did not know her, and no, she wasn’t cute. Same thing as before. I told her it was fixed, she acknowledged it was fixed, and then she drove off without showing one ounce of gratitude.
The thing is, I didn’t fix these people’s bikes or this girl’s tire because I needed their gratitude. I did it for the same reason I was surprised when I didn’t receive any. I did it because my parents raised me right: to show empathy and politeness to strangers. Perhaps they are not stupid, but I am for thinking the general public whould have any manners. It may be disappointing, but I won’t let it change who I am.
But I am burying the lede/confusing the issue here. The point of my comment to BB was to not to complain about rudeness, it was to point out the false economy. Just as you shouldn’t spend a good chunk of money on a firearm and then feed it junk ammo, you shouldn’t expect a dime-store bike to bear your weight safely, reliably and enjoyably to your desired destination, especially across a mountain bike trail. Bad experiences are disappointing. Disappointment leads to disillusionment. Disillusionment makes naysayers out of potential enthusiasts. The moral of the story is that if a hobby is to prove enjoyable, sometimes the investment required shouldn’t be nickled and dimed. Some people are incapable of understanding this simple truth.
My mentioning the ungraciousness of the cyclists was just an afterthought.
Keep on fixing them. Last night my wife and I came upon a qrandmother with her two grandchildren on the side of the road, out of gas. We drove to Lowes and bought a can and then to a gas station and then went back and put it in for her. She cried and we hugged and saw her on her way. Keep passing it on, it will come back to you.
I cant resist telling this story– a young man was walking along a beach, when he heard a woman yelling ” help, my grandson is drowning “.The man dove into the water, fought his way through the riptide and undertow. He fought off a shark, grabbed the kid and swam back to shore. He gave the kid mouth to mouth , and got him breathing again. He walked over to the woman, gently put the kid on her blanket and said ” here is your grandson, granny ,safe and sound. ” She looked at him with venom in her eyes and said ” HE HAD A HAT!”. The name of this story is gratitude. I hope you enjoyed it. Ed
Thanks for the story Ed. It is hilarious.
Hi all,
We really like the Marauder for field target here at the Ashland Air Rifle Club… the stock on the original is a “2×4” if ever the name was deserved.. but the action is soooo good, it’s hard believe it’s sold at that price point. The barrel can be incredibly accurate, the trigger adjusted to match grade, and the shot count with a good tune fantastic! And they have been very reliable for us.
The new stock looks a little better, but not ready for open class FT. We have designed an alum. FT stock for the ones our members shoot, with a good field target stock, this rig can beat any rig out there, with the right shooter behind it…. I really hope they haven’t messed up the trigger on the new one. BB, I hope you can let us know if you think it’s as good as the original as testing proceeds.
For the money, there isn’t a better PCP on the market…. IMHO
Wayne Burns,
Ashland Air Rifle Range
I believe that BB’s 177 was from the first 100 rifles. If so, I believe it did not come with the infamous “Lawyer spring”, which may explain some of the differences felt. I have waived my right to counsel, and do not detect much difference between triggers.
John,
You’re right! My .177 Marauder was so early, in fact, that the magazine inserted from the left instead of the right side. I had to convert it after I got it and started the test.
B.B.
Dear BB,
Thank you for your valuable contribution to our research and decision-making process. Please excuse the amateur-hour approach to this topic, but I recently purchased this .22 Marauder airgun and decided to take it for a test shoot without any modifications. The 10 shot test that came with it used 11.9 grains RWS Hobby pellets and had a spread from 926-871 (55 fps) and started at 3000psi. Based on what I read, I filled the gun to 2500 psi and commenced a three magazine string with three different pellet types at 35 yards. I shot this off the bench using a lead sled for stability. The first type of pellets were the H&N Diabolo Sport .22 Cal, 13.73 Grains, Wadcutter. With these I got a 4-inch spread and 500psi drop per 10 shots. That did not look good. I tried next the Benjamin Discovery .22 Cal, 14.3 Grains, Hollowpoint. This produced a 2-inch spread with a 600psi drop per magazine. Still not good. Finally, I used the Crosman Premier .22 Cal, 14.3 Grains, Domed. This produced the best grouping so far with a one-inch spread, yet still a 550psi drop per magazine. I decided to stop and read up on it a little more since obviously I am doing something wrong. At 35 yards I can get the pellets to touch the same home with my Talon SS. I did notice a long first stage on the trigger, but that should not affect it much. Also, I could hear it “spitting” air, so obviously I need to do some sort of adjustment there. I did check the baffles and could not see any buildup. Any suggestions from the gallery :)? Thanks much.
Pete,
You mean that the dealer overfilled the gun to 3,000 psi and then tested it? Or did they just write that down because they were being sloppy?
The gun does come with a 2,500 psi fill setting, although that will probably vary from gun to gun somewhat. I looked at the pellet you chose and frankly they would not have been my choices for the Marauder — none of them. But I have yet to test this .22. I have now heard from three different owners who tell similar stories of mediocre accuracy with the .22 synthetic stoked gun. I can’t wait to try mine!
You may not be doing anything wrong, Pete. I need to shoot my Marauder and see if it is as accurate as I expected.
B.B.
Thanks BB. I’ll wait to see your results. The gun came from Pyramydair with the 10 shot test sheet, and it mentions on the sheet that it was filled to 3000. I’ll also try several other heavier pellets. Perhaps there’s a “key” out there to get it to perform;).
Pete,
Try the Crosman premier pellets in the cardboard box and the JSB Exact 15.89-grain domes. I’m going to speak with the folks at Pyramyd AIR. They should know better!
B.B.
Pete, the 22 Mrod has always been more pellet fussy. One of the “standard” good pellets for the older 22 Mrod is H&N Barracuda Match in 5.53 head size. You might want to give them a try. I have also had JSB Match Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.13g shoot well in Mrod barrels. But, not both of them in the same barrel. 😉 I’d recommend them for BB’s tests, too.
John,
Noted.
B.B.
Thanks John, I just tried some shot strings with JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo Heavy .22 Cal, 18.13 Grains and the grouping was still about an inch at 35 yards dropping 600 psi per magazine. Seems that I am bracketing around BB’s favorites. I have not tuned anything, and I think that all that wasted air is causing some of the issues. I will have to wait to order a few other pellet types to see if they perform better.
A few things I noticed as I am learning this gun. The pressure gauge on the reservoir reads between 100-150 psi more than on the pump (yep, I “need” to invest in an air tank), so I check and stop prior to 2500 psi on the pump. It takes an average of ten pumps per 100 psi, so it is a good workout from 1000 to 2500 as some have mentioned. The safety is much easier to work with than my Airforce Talon; it almost feels loose to me. The mag is easy to load once you figure out the first pellet, however, when you cock it, one must do so aggressively till it clicks, otherwise you’ll have to take out the magazine and shoot the pellet in order not to load two accidently as you try to re-cock. I wish that they had some sort of pusher/lever to pry the magazine out since it takes quite a bit of force and I am all thumbs. I also wish they would have built-in a storage compartment where you can store the de-gassing tool and extras if you so desired to. Etc, etc, etc… :)
My Dad (aka “Gas”) and I have been playing with the 22 Synrod we also just received from PA. It came with test results indicating a 2900 PSI charge…I’ve been pumping to 3200 indicated on the gun and 2900-3000 indicated on the hill pump gauge. Seems gun would indicate 150-200 psi high…
JSB 18.13 are the most accurate – no question. we’ve shot at 25 yards and had several clover leaf groups ~ .2-.3 in CTC. That’s good enough for us. We’ve also noted much less air usage than 600psi per magazine (please please kill off the “clip” references in the manual and elsewhere, sigh). We see ~300-400 psi per magazine and have shot from 3200 indicated to 2000 indicated getting 30+/- shots per pump (~100 pumps up from 2000-3200 indicated).
Crosman Premier HP 14.3 grains shoot high and give ~.5 groups so far at 25yds. Decent but not earth shattering.
IF there is a setting to go from 2500 vs 3000 I haven’t stumbled across it. Is this an old setup for the v1 MROD?
Pretty happy so far – wish we could shoot out further than 25yrds. We’re using Simmons 44Mag 6-21 with BKL rings 257. Plenty of clearance for scope.
We look forward to BBs testing
I shoot my Marauders from 3200 down to 2200 psi.
JSB 10grn. for the.177. JSB 16grn for the .22 cal. And 31grn Baracudas for the.25 cal.
Please publish or republish I should say how to calculate energy of the shot with pellet wt and velocity
Gas
GP
Feet per second X feet per second X weight of pellet in grains divided by 450240 = Foot pounds of energy.
Gas,
There is an interactive energy calculator on this website:
/article/What_is_Muzzle_Energy_August_2003/5
B.B.