Tuning Marauder Semi-Automatic on high power

[goodoldbvc]

I adjusted the hammer spring on my Marauder Semiautomatic in order to shoot the JSB 18. I turned the power up until my velocity stopped increasing and then backed up slightly. The rifle still gets a ton of shots before falling off the reg.

I tested accuracy out to 22 meters with the JSB 18. The first 5 shot group is in one hole. Then shot 10 pretty very tight as well. This gun is so much fun to shoot! And it works perfectly, cycling without issue with diablo pellets over 250-300 shots [the fx hybrid didnt cycle so well fyi] 



https://youtu.be/6nkIiTzeG_4





https://youtu.be/e6wgalPl7v0

 

[dayjd]

bvc, Thanks for the report on the Marauder Semi. I was wondering how the preformed. The shot power is very consistent and accuracy is excellent! Big difference also in the price of the Marauder vs. the AA SK19 or the Huben.

 

[ChRiSiS]

I really love mine. I tested using the Benjamin/Crosman 14.3 gr domed pellets. I got an average of 880 FPS/24.6 Ft Lbs, and an extreme spread of 18 FPS over 18 shots. The accuracy has been excellent, although I have only bench tested indoors at 50ft. At that range I get essentially one hole. Outdoors I have shot it offhand at 25 yards and at a 8” steel plate at 35 yards. It was perfect on both. I have not adjusted mine in any way from the factory, but you now have me wondering what it would do with JSB 18.1 pellets.

The only downside is that I have only one magazine. That’s a real PITA when shooting a semi-automatic airgun. Just as the fun gets going you have to stop and reload.....

Chris

 

[Odoyle]

I'm getting one FOR SURE NOW! Thanks!

 

[fe7565]

Thanks for the report. Crosman is still holding them back it seems. Second batch supposed to be out in September. But maybe because of the recently reported misfire they are tweaking it? 

 

[goodoldbvc]

Interesting to hear the about the second shipment. I suspect they will put a little yellow paper in the box describing the cocking process to resolve that, more of a legal dept issue than design because I don't think there's a way around it and its simple to cock the gun ahead of time.

 

[Dairyboy]

Awesome! I think I will get one eventually when they come out with the synthetic version.

 

[gurwery]

Very impressive! Also sounded quiet, the metal back stop made most all of the noise. Great shooting too!

Thank you, for the time and effort to share the Videos. 

 

[goodoldbvc]

The metallic click is the cycling mechanism, the target was just rubber mulch in a box. It's not quiet with your ear right there, but I suspect its not so bad down range. That said, it's a lot quieter since I put a Donny Tatsu on it

 

[scallen2112]

Good info. Thanks for the report. I am considering getting one of these as a second squirrel gun on the first, and it's nice to get an un-sponsored opinion. Is it still jam free after three months? And did the Donny FL screw right on, or was modification required?

 

[qball]

Anyone knows if we can swap the LW marauder barrel into a SAM? 

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Anyone knows if we can swap the LW marauder barrel into a SAM?

Yes, it is suppose to be a standard crosman barrel in the SAM, and from what I could see, it was. I haven't heard of anyone swapping it yet, to be 100% correct, though. The one I had, looked good from a borescope perspective and when cycling correctly, consistent on 1" spinners at 50yd. If you are having accuracy issues, it could be numerous other things going on.

 

[PumaCarl]

Just in case Velocity Outdoors is reading this thread I am going to beat this drum again: get rid of the stupidly heavy steel air tube on this gun! I will buy one then, and I am sure that quite a few more people would too. Phillip Guadalupe replied to a thread last year and said they were working on something to lighten the tube on the mrod. I hope that he wasn't only talking about re-badged Krals. I have become a huge fan of the mrod since installing JSAR's aluminium tube and have had zero problems with mine. Time for you guys to start doing this at the factory, especially since just about every sub-$300 airgun has been released with them lately.

 

[Swiggs]

There has not been much update in this forum for 2 years so I thought I would share my experience and data with the Benjamin Semi-Automatic Marauder (SAM). I have multiple other high end air rifles but this is my only semi-automatic which has a unique fun factor so I have come back to it it to see what I can do with accuracy.

The Crosman 14.3 Ultramagnum Domed pellets have been touted as one of the best pellets for this rifle. I can confirm this from previous experienc and can also confirm that many other pellets such as the JSB 14.3 shoot poorly in this rifle (3" CTC at 25 yards). However, I have had good success with the H&N 18.21 Baracuda Hunter for accuracy at 25 yards but shoots at 775-800 with hammer spring fully in (max) and no change in factory regulator. Note that the H&N pellet, the pellet speeds immediately drops if I moved the hammer spring out counter clockwise to reduce the hammer spring tension.

Overall, I have had variable accuracy ... so I thought I would share my chart of velocities and resulting target accuracy as I used the Crosman 14.3 and went from max hammerspring to 4 full turns out moving 1/4 turn at a time. (You can find the max hammerspring by turning the hammerspring with a 1/4 " allen wrench clockwise until you feel a "click" in which case further turning does not advance the hammerspring (and per the Crosman manual does not damage the hammerspring). Note that the regulator is internal and I have not tried to adjust that component,.. I believe that most owners of this rifle will only adjust the hammerspring.

On the target results, please focus the grouping, To stay on each target, I did adjust the Point of impact with the scope between velocities but not within a velocity grouping of 5 shots. Challenge #4 and #14 seemed to be my best. Note that horizontal drifting could have been caused by some wind gusts but vertical should be true. I did shoot from a bench rest with a bipod in front and a sandbag in the back for stability.
Note that I did have a velocity increase on Challenge 20 as the magazine got stuck after challenge 19 and I had to degass the gun and regass the gun after clearing a jammed pellet and stuck magazine. That was the only issue I had in this test.
Hope this information is helpful to others...

 

[Swiggs]

There has not been much update in this forum for 2 years so I thought I would share my experience and data with the Benjamin Semi-Automatic Marauder (SAM). I have multiple other high end air rifles but this is my only semi-automatic which has a unique fun factor so I have come back to it it to see what I can do with accuracy.

The Crosman 14.3 Ultramagnum Domed pellets have been touted as one of the best pellets for this rifle. I can confirm this from previous experienc and can also confirm that many other pellets such as the JSB 14.3 shoot poorly in this rifle (3" CTC at 25 yards). However, I have had good success with the H&N 18.21 Baracuda Hunter for accuracy at 25 yards but shoots at 775-800 with hammer spring fully in (max) and no change in factory regulator. Note that the H&N pellet, the pellet speeds immediately drops if I moved the hammer spring out counter clockwise to reduce the hammer spring tension.

Overall, I have had variable accuracy ... so I thought I would share my chart of velocities and resulting target accuracy as I used the Crosman 14.3 and went from max hammerspring to 4 full turns out moving 1/4 turn at a time. (You can find the max hammerspring by turning the hammerspring with a 1/4 " allen wrench clockwise until you feel a "click" in which case further turning does not advance the hammerspring (and per the Crosman manual does not damage the hammerspring). Note that the regulator is internal and I have not tried to adjust that component,.. I believe that most owners of this rifle will only adjust the hammerspring.

On the target results, please focus the grouping, To stay on each target, I did adjust the Point of impact with the scope between velocities but not within a velocity grouping of 5 shots. Challenge #4 and #14 seemed to be my best. Note that horizontal drifting could have been caused by some wind gusts but vertical should be true. I did shoot from a bench rest with a bipod in front and a sandbag in the back for stability.
Note that I did have a velocity increase on Challenge 20 as the magazine got stuck after challenge 19 and I had to degass the gun and regass the gun after clearing a jammed pellet and stuck magazine. That was the only issue I had in this test.
Hope this information is helpful to others...

View attachment 324360
View attachment 324361

View attachment 324362

Since my last post, thought I would include my Results shooting my SAM at 25 yards, breezy day, with heavier pellets all shot at maximum Hammnerspring (turned clockwise until it slips = Max). Below are the H&N Baracuda Hunter 18.21 gr and Hunter Extreme 18.52 gr. Most accuracy consistent was the Hunter 18.21 which parallels my previous experience.