My goal was simple: create the quietest possible .22 Marauder that still produces over 12 FPE for ethical gopher kills out to 40 yards. In other words, it had to be “backyard friendly” without sacrificing performance.
I chose the Benjamin Marauder as an upgrade to the Daisy 880, mostly because of its reputation for being one of the quietest affordable PCPs on the market. So when I pulled the trigger for the first time, I was shocked. The shot was loud, mechanical, and absolutely not backyard friendly. My stomach dropped.
Now, after a series of upgrades and experiments, this rifle is whisper quiet—quieter than a stock Marauder, yet still delivering the same energy. Here’s how I got there.
Original Setup - Gun: Benjamin Marauder .22 cal with Lothar Walther Barrel (unregulated)
- Pellets: JTS Dead Center 25.39 gr
Current Mods - Hill Regulated Parts Kit
- Hill PEEK Striker
- Hill Barrel Band
- JSAR Twin Spring System (TSS) + Stopping Spring Guide (SSG)
- Huma XXL Regulator
- DonnyFL Sumo Moderator
- Eagle Vision Harmonic Barrel Tuner with Air Stripper
Previous Mods - Hill Depinger
- Airgun Revisions Tuned SSG
- Buck Rail Moderator
Component Breakdown and Reasoning Moderator I started with the Buck Rail 3D-printed moderator and later upgraded to the DonnyFL Sumo. Despite the price difference, I noticed no real change in shot report. Both are extremely effective at quieting the muzzle blast, but once that’s handled, mechanical noise becomes the dominant sound. A good moderator is essential, but only the beginning.
Regulator Adding the Huma XXL regulator was a turning point. I experimented with pressures from 2200 to 1300 PSI. The lower the pressure holding the valve shut, the quieter the shot. Settling at 1300 PSI gave me the best balance. The depinger I tried earlier didn’t do much, but the regulator accomplished the same goal and more.
Hammer and SSG System The JSAR TSS and SSG combo is easy to tune and doesn’t require disassembly. Compared to the AGR SSG I used before regulating, it’s much lighter and works better with the new valve dynamics. Preload settings on both hammer and SSG allow fine control over energy and dwell time.
Hill Regulated Parts Kit This kit comes with a high-flow transfer port, aluminum hammer, dry-lube coating, drill bit for opening the barrel port, and an optional PEEK striker to reduce metal-on-metal impact. The changes are substantial enough that it’s hard to isolate which part had the biggest impact, but taken together, they deliver results.
Barrel Tuner I haven’t tuned this yet, but the Eagle Vision unit with air stripper is installed. It likely helps with accuracy, especially at 40+ yards.
Tuning Profile - Transfer Port: 100% open
- Striker: Fully seated (per PEEK instructions)
- Reg Pressure: 1300 PSI (90 bar)
- Hammer Preload: 100%
- SSG Preload: ~100%
- Spring: Factory (lightest available)
I found that once I went above 750 FPS, the noise started to climb sharply. After testing multiple configurations, I landed on one that allows full hammer preload (to retain power) and near-max SSG preload (to shorten dwell time). This combination is where the rifle runs the quietest.
Performance Results - 25.39 gr @ 750 FPS ≈ 32 FPE
- Sound Meter: 66.8 dB at 36 inches to the side of the muzzle
- Accuracy: Sub-10 ES, reliable grouping at 40 yards
Final Thoughts and Next Steps My current shot count isn’t great. I was getting over 60 shots from 3000 to 2000 PSI with just the AGR SSG unregulated. Now, I’m down to 40 regulated shots from 3000 to 1500psi. I suspect the issue is valve dwell and may try a lighter spring, though no airgun vendors seem to carry one softer than stock.
Another option could be the JSAR Delrin hammer, though it’s heavier and would probably require more reg pressure. I’ve also been eyeing the JSAR balanced valve, but it’s out of stock and I haven’t had luck getting a response from them.
There’s a video floating around of a fully JSAR-modded Marauder hitting mid-800s and still sounding quiet. Hard to judge sound through a video, but it’s got me thinking there may be more room to improve.
Accuracy is excellent. My 10-shot group at 40 yards honestly could’ve been tighter despite how good it was, but I’m still using a $25 CVLife scope from Amazon. Parallax is a mess, so that’s next on the list.
I’d love to hear about any of your experiences trying to quiet your air rifle down for backyard/silent shooting!
