New 25 but with problems

[Bruce Jarrett]

Problem solved. Crossman sent me a new barrel and I installed it today. Thanks to BrerBob for posting the instructions on the Fourm. I shot 7 or 8 shots at 50 yds to get the scope close to the bullseye then I pumped it up and shot the group in the top left target in the photo. That is 5 shots at 50yds I couldn't shoot more because I was shaking to much from seeing my group to shoot more. That is a dime in the photo and the group measures .517 center to center. I have a Leapers 3-12 and 1/8 inch click at 100 yds so I put in 8 clicks right and 8 clicks down and shot the next group still at 50yds. It is 5 shots also ,one shot at the center of the X and is hard to see in the photo , that group measures .820 I moved my target to 100yds and using the top of the bottom post ,below the mil dots,I shot the group in the bottom left . It measures 2.33 The next group I used the bottom mil dot and that is 5 shots also measuring 1.61 My old barrel gave me 2.75 at 50yds and 4.0 at 100yds so there is a big improvement. I don't think there is a problem with the old barrel I think the problem is how it was mounted. I have an AR15 that I tried a lot of different loads but could not get that gun to shoot until I took the barrel off and reinstalled the same barrel and then it shot great. I checked the screws on the Marauder when I got it but locktight makes a bolt feel tight even though it may not be tight against the barrel. I would have liked to shot more but I sprained my wrist three days ago from using the hand pump and it is still sore. I managed to pump today by making a stirrup from a nylon strap and by standing on one foot and pushing the pump down with my foot in the stirrup and pulling the pump up with my good hand. My trigger and hammer are untouched as it came from the box so I may try making the trigger a little lighter to see if I can get my 100yds groups to 1.0 I have played with the velocity screw but I'm only able to get 840 fps with JSB 25.4 and according to other people on the Fourm that is a little low.
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g32 ... 1289014399

[joshheat25]

Glad to hear crosman made it right and sent you out a new barrel.

[slayer1962]

scuba tank sounds cheap now. lol
My scuba shop only charges $4 since he only tops them off and I bought the tanks there. Glad to hear you got your gun straightened out. Are you saying if you removed the old barrel and put it back on it would have been fine? I am curious because I am not getting the groups others have either. I get 1.5 inch at 30 yards from a bech with a Caldwell lead sled.

[Bruce Jarrett]

It may have. When I put the new barrel on and got a .517 @ 50yds my first group I was to chicken to try putting the original barrel back on to test it. I did notice that the barrel/shroud seemed sturdier then the gun out of the box. It was the same feeling I had with my AR15. My original barrel was very smooth running a patch down it and the crown had no marks on it and I recovered a lot of spent pellets in my box/dirt backstop and all of them had nice rifling's on them. I just couldn't find anything wrong with the old barrel except the screw marks on the barrel from the two screws that go through the breech had a well defined holding mark on the barrel but the one on the rear shroud sleeve was blurry. When I put on my new barrel I pushed down as hard as I could with my hand on the rear sleeve spacer against the breech to compress the o ring then I tighten the set screw to the barrel. That provided more support at the breech for the barrel. I suspected that my old barrel had a rigidity problem before my new barrel arrived so I put a piece of rubber that just fit between the shroud and the air tank then I wrapped a piece of masking tape around the shroud and the tank. My groups were cut in half but still not good. The rep at Crossman is going to let me know the results of their testing of the old barrel so I will know if the barrel was bad or it was the mounting.

[Coochman57]

Bruce
You sure have posted a lot of great info hear. 1.61 at a 100yds would probably satisfy me but 1 in has a very sweet sound to it. I have my 25 velocity set to max at 4.5 turns out. but need to do some chrony testing to see if Im wasting air w/ no benifit. I seem to be losing 100 psi per shot. Which means if I start at 2800 and 6, 7 or 8 shots latter im at or below 2000. Which doen't make me too happy. I bought the scuba tank setup right off the get go and am now up grading to the 4500 cabon fiber Guppy from AirTanksForSale.com . A lot of coin I know. I will have to look at some of the issues you have brought up to see if I can get some improvements from my gun.

Also Wood chips from outfits taking down trees are usually free and when mixed with the know abundent leaf population make a great large and permenent back stop. Or wood chips alone in the large yard bags.

[Bruce Jarrett]

Coachman57
Another quiet and cheap backstop is a priority or express or any shipping box filled with dirt. I can carry it around because it doesn't have to be very big when your shooting 1/2 inch groups and it only has to be about 3 inches deep. I use masking tape to cover the shot up spots and can get a new box when it gets bad. I have found my gun shoots best at around 840-845 fps with the JSB 24.4 pellets and that is 3.5 turns ccw on the velocity screw. I still have not touched my hammer settings and I get 7 shots from around 2800 to 2600 so it sounds like you are wasting air somewhere. I did finally change my trigger. It was 2 pounds 2 ounces factory and I removed the " lawyer spring" but did not change any settings with the screws and my trigger pull is now 1 pound 4 ounces. That is probably as light as I want to go. I made a spacer for the missing spring from a scrape piece of rubber using two hole punches. I broke my 1.6 inch 100yds shot yesterday. I had a .581 group at 100yds with 4 shots but I got nervous and on my fifth shot it made the group 1.17 Good luck with your gun I'm having a lot of fun with mine. I'm retired so I've been playing with it a lot. I have a PS22 HPT night vision scope that goes in front of the day scope so I have been shooting day and night. Yesterday I shot a .417 inch @50yds then recharged the gun and waited for dark and not changing anything except putting the night scope in front of my day scope I shot a .507 inch @50. My limitation on shooting is the pumping but I'm waiting for the small electric pumps to come out and I'll get one. The one thing I have always wanted is to be able to shoot guns in my back yard because I own a lot of guns and I reload everything I shoot except the 22's and even cast some of my bullets for a 40-65. But living in a subdivision that wasn't possible. But with this air rifle it is. I can sit in my garage and I have 105 yds to my fence line. My chronograph is just on the outside of the garage door so all I have to do is replace targets when I want to shoot. I have learned a lot in the two weeks I have had this rifle because I can do a lot of testing that you just can't do running back and forth to a shooting range and paying $14 each time.

[jlands]

Coachman57
Another quiet and cheap backstop is a priority or express or any shipping box filled with dirt. ......

hey Bruce,
your post reminded me of what i use. i shoot a 22, but thought i would share anyway. i do some ebaying on the side and i get the free boxes from the post office. anyone with an ebay account can go to http://ebaysupplies.usps.com/ and order a bundle of 25 boxes and get them delivered to there home for absolutely free. if you don't have an ebay account, i know you can still get free boxes from usps but i don't know if the 25 bundle is offered for free. if not, just stack a couple of the 10 bundles together. i get them 3 days max when ever i order them. i leave them bundled together and duct taped the bundle to some 3/4" plywood. for targets, just move the bullseye around so not to let the hole get to big in one spot. at 30 yards for target practice and 1 yard when chrony testing. i've put about 750- 800 14 gr crosman premieres(950 fps) and about 600-650 21gr barracudas(860 fps) into the bundle and it still doesn't sound like I've hit the wood yet.. when i start hitting the plywood, I'll just tape up a fresh bundle.


jared

[Coochman57]

Bruce

.581 WoW.... now thats something. what pellets are you shooting and are you doing the pellet cleaning thing or not? I'm shooting JSB exact kings have tried a couple of others but these seem to be doing the best so far. I also live in a residential
area and have to use several back yards to get 85 yd shots. I have permission in one yard and the other is up for sale and presently empty There are a 20 to 30 ft wide group of trees betwween me and the houses behind. So I decided that 6 to 7 ft tall leave piles with several coatings of wood chips would make great back stops without looking like its a shooting back stop. just a pile of leaves, and very quiet. I have them located at 10, 30, 40, 65 and 85 yds. Have a 4-16 x56 leapers w/ the side wheel and wish I had more scope. Still need a chrony. Can't wait for the Guppy and regulator valve w/ 5 ft tether air line straight to tank, to arrive latter in the week.

I will back down the power a little and read up on the hammer adj.
trigger seems pretty sweet to me but haven't tried to adj. That night vision scope sounds like something that would get me in trouble. Still wish I had one though.

[Bruce Jarrett]

Coochman57
Unfortunately the group didn't end up .581 because of my fifth shot. I'm shooting the JSB 25.4 gr. I cleaned the new barrel before I install it with Crossman silicone chamber oil on a patch, that is what Crossman recommended. I have shot a few pellets with Clean Ride, a wax lube like Kytech , but have not decided on it yet, no improvement so far. I have not cleaned the barrel since I installed it. I have a Leapers 3-12 scope because I use the low power 3 for the night vision scope. The resolution is better at low power on the night scope. I don't need a more powerful scope because I have shot some great groups with the low power settings and I only need a scope powerful enough to see what I'm shooting. 100 yds is as far as I will be using the pellet rifle and I can see the bulls eye with the scope I have or any game that I would be shooting. Did you get your gun to stop wasting air ? The factory setting according to Crossman are listed previously in this thread if you need them. I have not touched my hammer or striker settings so I can't confirmed them.

[Coochman57]

Bruce

Been pretty busy lately, so I haven't Played w/ gun too much. I was playing w/ the scope sat. to try and fig my settings for Zero at various ranges. was suprised to find out thet 10yds and 60 yds are the exact same setting. And yes I do understand why this is. Hope to get some time this coming weekend.