Marauder first inpressions

T

tpotts

Guest
Went to the range today after shooting the Marauder off the outdoor deck at home for a week. Filled it up with scuba tank before leaving from home. Shot from bench, used a board for rest, with a bag in the rear. Shot 3 times at 50 yds to adjust the T28 and third shot was dead center on a USBR target. Wind was switching back and forth. Shot almost as well as my Suhl in the wind. Moved the target to 25 yds almost all shots were tens, with the exception of a couple 9 scores. Really impressed with the potential that this gun has. I have not measured or adjusted velocity or trigger for optimum accuracy. Trigger travels about a year as set. I am use to a very short 2 once Suhl trigger, but I am sure that we can get closer to that. A little over 40 shots and then I was in the yellow on the gauge, that should improve once i adjust velocity. Other impressions are: Finish is very thin and easy to scratch, but I can fix that. Gun feels balanced and has a nice weight to it. I also purchased an Air Venture PCP charging Set. Hose is too short and already leaking, so I don't recommend. Ten year old daughter shot for the first time comment "daddy can we shoot together". Daisy is under tree. HA'! Over all quality of gun seems to be very good.

Today I ordered an Air S500 single shot. Looking forward to adjustment knob, smooth bolt, and great finish as advertised. I think both will be winners but with different personalities. We Shall See. Now the big questions will there be air benchrest matches near me? If not I will have fun shooting against the rim fire guys for fun and most of all shooting off the deck with my new shooting buddy, little Sarah. "shoot against the wind and shoot straight" Best Tom
 
Shoots near you? Where are you?

BTW, the trigger of the Marauder can be adjusted to give really nice results. I have mine set for a very short first stage and a creepfree break at around 4oz. Its a .177, currently adjusted for just under 12fpe, giving around 50 decent shots. To me, its almost, but not quite competitively accurate for 25M shooting. Perhaps a bit of seasoning, and some more pellet testing will get it in the zone.
 
For me it is quite accurate out of the box, more so than many 22 rim fires up to 50 yds. Have not tested at greater distance. Looking forward to an adjusted trigger and finding optimum velocity, Using Kodiak Match, 10.65. Location here is Asheville, NC.
 
Thanks for the report on the Marauder. I've already recommended this rifle to a friend that didn't want to spend thousands but I hadn't read any owner reports, only the sales info. This is very encouraging for people that would like to try the sport but don't wish to make the large initial investment of the 'popular' competitive rifles but still want a PCP.
Feel free to follow up with a report on any mods/pellet choices you make to increase it's competitive value. Hope you find a club to compete with.

Mike Hopkins
Wild River Air Guns (So. Oregon)
 
Thanks Mike, I agree that we need more personal insights on Air Guns to get a feel for reality. I am a beginner and feel a need for sharing. The rim
fire guys have a longer history and a much greater population involved in benchrest,and it is easy to find indepth assistance and daily discussions. To grow we have to help each other at the bench and on the web. Today I ordered a chronograph and am awaiting the delivery of an S500 single shot. I am more than happy to report my experiences as i begin my journeys into Air Guns. I hope more of us will share and especially comment on questions and reports. Best Tom
 
Tpotts i have an Air Arms EV2 that i shot at World Champs, i have also on order the new S500 high power single shot which has the power allowed for HV under the WRABF rules. I await with interest to also see as it is adjustable down how it shoots at LV power levels because if it is good it could be used in both classes.
 
Good to hear from you Bill, I will share my experience with the S500, mine should be here this week. I assume that you really like the EV2, why did you select it? Have you modified it and if so what did you do. Best Tom
 
I was lucky enough to get a factory EV2 that shot wonderful out of the box, there is no modifications. I picked it initially because i liked the look of it but after a trial i knew it was also a wonderful shooter in saying that we all learn as we go along and i learned at this years WC that you need a stronger power air rifle in wind and in the HV class, thus the S500 is on order.
 
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tpotts said:
Thanks Mike, I agree that we need more personal insights on Air Guns to get a feel for reality. I am a beginner and feel a need for sharing. The rim
fire guys have a longer history and a much greater population involved in benchrest,and it is easy to find indepth assistance and daily discussions. To grow we have to help each other at the bench and on the web. Today I ordered a chronograph and am awaiting the delivery of an S500 single shot. I am more than happy to report my experiences as i begin my journeys into Air Guns. I hope more of us will share and especially comment on questions and reports. Best Tom
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Speaking as a Rimfire guy, in my opinon, the sooner the makers of rifles make rifles more specific for Benchrest the faster all of us can progress. There are no compramises that can be made with consistentently performing BR rifles. They need single stage 2 oz or less triggers and flat bottomed stocks that have no drop or rake to them. They don't need to look like Space Wars lazers but be simply functional and dedicated to one thing, winning Benchrest matches. If they can be made with power adjustments that can facilitate their being used in more than one class, great but if they can only be offered in one power class, fine, crank em out! Some of us are are anxiously awaiting them.

I tried to buy a complete competative rifle without stock this week but that did not fly. If you makers and importers won't sell us complete rifles to work with, please make some dedicated to benchrest. That's what I really want for christmas :).

Pete
 
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pete

maybe there is someone out there just waiting to tool up. this has me sort of interested i can sell of some of my b/r rifles and get into this.

bob
 
To me perhaps the most interesting thing in the rimfire are the "small shops" (gunsmiths) who began as shooters and have become producers of very successful custom actions, barrels, and stocks. Many of the really well performing guns are made by a great gunsmith selecting and combining these components and including his own theories. On the web you can find great forum discussions about things such as timing, twist, choke, tuners, etc. For the most part the big names are accessible and wiling to share. But the"gunpowder" boys have been at this a while. Organized military meets, NRA meets, ect. I really don't expect to see many manufactures making mass produced air bench rifles, currently there are not enough potential clients to make production worth while. I do see an opportunity for people who want to
modify current hunting and match air guns to make their own bench rifles. There is currently a very few people making limited production custom air guns. I am patient, I think with more organization and demand. There will be new small shops offering triggers, stocks, barrels and even custom guns. I had a great time in Rimfire this year with a 40 year old gun, a very good custom stock bedded by a national record holder. I had $1800 invested( in gun and scope) and on a good day out shot some expensive firearms. So I think that air is a good place for me to be: a lot to learn, very accurate cheap guns that can be modified. Starting a ground level with the opportunity to go up. I can truly have great fun under $1500. I might just buy a gun and throw away the stock, make an ugly flat one for my self, or just attach a flat piece of wood on the front. It will fun if I can find people to shoot with. Best Tom



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tpotts said:
To me perhaps the most interesting thing in the rimfire are the "small shops" (gunsmiths) who began as shooters and have become producers of very successful custom actions, barrels, and stocks. Many of the really well performing guns are made by a great gunsmith selecting and combining these components and including his own theories. On the web you can find great forum discussions about things such as timing, twist, choke, tuners, etc. For the most part the big names are accessible and wiling to share. But the"gunpowder" boys have been at this a while. Organized military meets, NRA meets, ect. I really don't expect to see many manufactures making mass produced air bench rifles, currently there are not enough potential clients to make production worth while. I do see an opportunity for people who want to
modify current hunting and match air guns to make their own bench rifles. There is currently a very few people making limited production custom air guns. I am patient, I think with more organization and demand. There will be new small shops offering triggers, stocks, barrels and even custom guns. I had a great time in Rimfire this year with a 40 year old gun, a very good custom stock bedded by a national record holder. I had $1800 invested( in gun and scope) and on a good day out shot some expensive firearms. So I think that air is a good place for me to be: a lot to learn, very accurate cheap guns that can be modified. Starting a ground level with the opportunity to go up. I can truly have great fun under $1500. I might just buy a gun and throw away the stock, make an ugly flat one for my self, or just attach a flat piece of wood on the front. It will fun if I can find people to shoot with. Best Tom



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This is all fine and dandy but our experience tells us that making Silk Purses is a waste of a few years. The problem is, who is going to buy your highly modified hunting rifle once there are some customs or at least dedicated purpose rifles available? If some of us who have been through modifying hunting rifles don't speak out and ask makers for proper rifles, there never will be any. Perhaps what the sanctioning orgs should have done was to restrict the sport to Hunting Rifles only, that -a-way we Benchrest Folk wouldn't have gotten so excited. It's going to be dedicated enthusiasts who push this sport forward, not Fun Shoots.
 
Interestingly,

Mark, Bob and I were just talking yesterday about going into business converting Marauders into bench rest rigs, and testing them, and fine tuning them until they shoot a 250 indoors at 25 yards.. We have a machine shop now, and Bob has totally been through his and he's got it getting 70 shots on a great shot string. With the right barrels the Marauder can be a perfectly competitive BR rig at a great entry level price. We need to make contact with a quality barrel supplier.. hopefully American made. After we get them shooting great, then sell them with the 250 target at a decent price.. what do you folks think of that business plan?

Wayne Burns,
Match Director,
Ashland Air Rifle Range
 
Bill,

The Marauder is a fairly new and popular American made precharged pneumatic repeating rifle avaialble in the three popular calibers It uses a magazine similar to the Rapid, and has a fairly conventional stacked tube layout like a Daystate Huntsman. The gun has adjustable firing parameters, including striker pre-load and stroke, transfer port opening, as well as all the trigger adjustments you might need. though not regulated, there are aftermarket drop-in regs available. Its suitable for benchrest shooting in .177 and .22, though without a reg, power needs to be kept below about 23fpe or so if you need say 30 tight shots or so, and perhaps no more than 16fpe if its a .177. The stock is kind of clubby, but usable. At around $450 on sale, its a decent starter.
 
Thanks Larry i googled and a had a look at it.

I read with interest not just this thread but on others many people asking about getting a benchrest stock im just wondering what the big deal is about the stocks as these things dont really have recoil like a rimfire, my EV2 is a good case in point i have a wedge on the front rail to make it flat bottom but i am sure it is just for my head to think it will shoot better, it actually shoots the same either way and the it doesnt move :confused:
 
I like the idea but don't know how great the demand would be. I was really impressed with my first trip to the range. It shot well outdoors in a switching breeze. My initial impression is with mods it would be fantastic. It would be great to have access to aftermarket parts.
 
Here are some photos of my kid's marauder that I built for him, the same gun that he used to win the hunter division at the Nationals this year. It includes a hammer debouncer, regulator, indexable fast twist LW barrel, second air gauge, tighten bolt, and few other goodies. Good for over 100 shots at 17fpe.
Dan
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Sounds like a winner, Wayne. Knowing how dedicated you are to detail and service, this could be a win-win for everyone. Perhaps
clubs could have one on hand for newbies to try. Once tried, a new club member can't be far off.
Mike Hopkins
 
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