SHOOTINIT wrote:i have stated this many times...loctite the barrel in...add set screws
These discussions of POI shifting have me concerned about the rifle I just bought (a .25 cal Marauder with synthetic stock, BP2564S). So I've been following these posts with a great deal of interest.
Some have suggested using Loctite to secure the barrel in the receiver. I was thinking if I ever needed to go that route, I would use a lower-viscocity epoxy that's normally used to laminate fiberglass since it will easily flow into the tight gaps, yet set solidly without shrinking. The epoxy could also be used to lock the rear shroud mount in place. Everything would be assembled without having to use a great deal of torque, and this would help avoid any distortions excessive torque might cause.
When the epoxy cures, the barrel, rear shroud mount and receiver will be a single, solid assembly. Soaking it in acetone might eventually soften the epoxy enough to allow the assembly to be taken apart, but for all intents and purposes it would be considered "welded".
Is there a reason to ever have to separate the barrel from the receiver?
For now I haven't experienced any POI shifting with my all-stock Marauder. The first day I shot more than 70 pellets. Once the Leupold EFR scope was zeroed, it stayed zeroed while shooting Benjamin domed pellets. All shooting was done at 15 yards. Not far, but enough to detect anomalies. It wasn't unusual to get all eight shots in a single hole.
When I shot Beeman Silver Bear pellets there was a POI shift of about 1/4" to the right, but the grouping remained tight. When I switched back to the Benjamin domes, POI went back to where it was.
This is the latest Marauder that comes with a de-pinger as standard equipment in the air tube. Other design changes may have been made with this latest series, including a simplification of breech block to make servicing easier. The breech block is also supposedly a little larger to accomodate larger scopes.