First time poster and new to PCP

[cptmclark]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm not sure I have it in this old bod to repeatedly hand pump it to 3000 pounds. What are my alternatives? I know about the scuba tank, but don't know anything about them, cost, how long a full tank lasts, etc. Also, if there is a third alternative I would love to learn about it. It is still not leaking further, and steady at 2100 pounds. I will try to get it up to 3000 one more time. I don't know how much pressure it should have to start with and don't see that information in the manual. If I can get 2500, and no one tells me otherwise, I'll still shoot over the chrony for accuracy so to have at least learned something from the experience. MERRY CHRISTMAS, and I hope you all are having a happy and blessed holiday. Mike

[Walx]

The gun comes from the factory tuned for 2500psi. So that is as high as you need to pump it up to until you tune it for a higher pressure. You should be able to get a scuba tank for around 200 new and the adaptor for about 100. Most likely can find all this for much less with a little looking around. There also is the scba tank that I think is around 600 for a complete setup. The scba will give you more fills. The scuba that I have is a 80 cubic foot and I get around 1000 to 1200 shots before I need to refill the tank. I start out with 3000 psi on the tank and fill my gun to 2500 psi and refill around 1900. Sometimes I refill before the gun gets to 1900 and sometimes I shoot down below 1900 depending on what I'm doing but on average I get the above mentioned shot count from a charge on the scuba tank. Hopes this helps sorry for such a long post.

[cptmclark]

Thanks for that essential info. I'll pump it to 2500 if it will go. If not, I'll box it up, and if so, I will bench rest it over a chronograph and post the results. I only have the Premier pellets, so the test will be limited to that unless other recommended ones are available locally. My expectation are the same as powder guns, that there will be some pellet types shooting better than others, but no quality pellets that won't stay on the paper. Among the good quality pellets of the right weight and length, i would expect (remember I have no experience with these) the difference to be between good and very good, just like rifle bullets of the proper length for the twist and good uniformity. Let me know if I'm not right about that. And thanks again. This is a wonderful forum with sincerely interested folks.

[Walx]

As far as quality pellets go chances are you will have to order these online unless you have a big airgun store close by. I have not found what I think are quality pellets at any of the big sporting good stores. I have found my gun shoots the H&N Baracuda 21.1grain with the 5.5mm head the best. When using Crosman Premier on average at 35 yards I can get half inch groups with a flier every now and then that would make an inch group. I have shot the H&N Baracuda with the 5.51mm and 5.52mm heads and they dont shoot well in my gun in my opion. I guess what someone calls a good group is up to that person.

[cptmclark]

1/2 inch at 35 is somewhere around 1.5 MOA. Is that typical of these rifles? What is the best consistent accuracy these will do when the best pellet has been found? Also, are the 22s capable of measured accuracy equal to the other calibers after extensive tweaking? Last question, are the other calibers less finiky about their menu? ( I'm not changing the subject, but my frame of reference I can only compare to my powder rifles, and my most accurate rifles will shoot all good quality, length chosen for the twist, bullets quite well. Among those, we are picking the fly poop out of the pepper and striving to reduce like from 0.6 MOA to 0.4. My favorite old hunting rifle has two handloads it shoots considerably better than any other, and one factory match load. Other loads group poorly. I don't consider that an accurate rifle. ) Today I hope to get back to fussing with.... I mean....enjoying setting up this marauder, if it will now pump up to 2500. I will post the results if I get that far.

[Walx]

1/2 inch at 35 is somewhere around 1.5 MOA. Is that typical of these rifles? What is the best consistent accuracy these will do when the best pellet has been found? Also, are the 22s capable of measured accuracy equal to the other calibers after extensive tweaking?

I was just saying thats how my gun shoots the CPs. Right now with the best shooting pellet I have found so far shooting off sandbags I am getting 5 shoots at 35 yards only slightly bigger than the hole the first pellet left. I havent put calipers to the group but it looks like a single hole shot with my 300WSM so Im guessing somewhere around .3 inch. Which i think is about .85 moa. Correct me if im wrong on this. I have heard of much smaller groups than this.

Last question, are the other calibers less finiky about their menu?

I cant say about this maybe someone else can answer this. Hope all this helps some.

[cptmclark]

Awesome grouping you told me about, from what little I know about PCP guns, especially with a Marauder 22. I am encouraged. Tonight I came in a bit late to shoot, but put the hand pump to my 22 Marauder. It was holding steady pressure at 2100 psi, as it was yesterday. I pumped till I started to turn blue, and the pressure was still at 2100 psi. Pump pressure feedback was fierce, indicating I really was pumping air someplace, but the pressure in the rifle and pump continued to show 2100 psi. I checked the connection and the security of the valves, and pumped another 30 strokes, which nearly gave me one This is a different symptom than I've heard about before. I'll call Crossman and see what they say, but if it's not leaking and it won't take more pressure, there probably is an answer from common problems. Of course I'm desperate to go shoot it, after all this investment of time, bucks, and frustration, but no point testing it if the test would not be valid. Your feed back is very gratifying and enjoyable. Thank you.

[steveinla]

SHOOT! Shoot Capt, shoot the gun! Don't wait another minute! Vicariously, I am right there with you! I am waiting for you to report back on how the gun shoots...so, shoot the gun! 2500, 2400, 2300psi, they'll all work, (you will just a lesser shot count).

You have probably already shot your Mrod by now. How didi go?

The hand pump is a piece of junk. There are some forums that recommend that you not even purchase that pump. Here is the "Hill" pump that has been delivering very good service, (see the link). However, if you become addicted to this shooting sport, you will need a tank, preferably a SCBA tank capable of holding 4500psi which delivers 30-40 3000psi refils! There is also a new high pressure compressor on the market known as the "shoebox" compressor...they are selling for $400 and require around 85psi on the inlet side from a shop compressor.

Here is link to the TalonAirgunForum (TAG), you may be too polite for this group Capt...or not.
http://talonairgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6063

Here is a link to a thread about a guy getting a shoebox compressor. You shoud hack around the TAG, there is a wealth of information. Mr. Tom Kaye invented and is selling the shoebox compressor. He actively participates on the TAG. Ask him questions...he is very responsive.
http://talonairgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17615


Good luck Capt!

[cptmclark]

Well...., finally, I have shot the Marauder. Leaving on vacation tomorrow, away from home each day this week till dark, and determined to shoot it before leaving. So, I set a 20 yard target consisting of a 1/4 inch diamond in a 2 1/2 inch red sticky target. Turned on a yard light and also put a large flashlight beam on the target. Bench was a cardboard box, front and rear bags were standart except for the box of 45s I had under the rear bag to get it to work. I was on my knees in the garage (did I mention it was raining?). Hows that for a picture of a solid bench rest test set up? I was able to keep my wobble within the 1/4 inch center diamond, and so will take blame for that much of the group. Pressure at start was 2100 pounds, which is as high as the gun will go. It took six shots to zero (sort of), and the last four went into a horizontal string measuring 3/8 inch. Not an acceptable group at that range, but I didn't have an acceptable set up or shooter either . My wobble was mostly horizontal. No chrono data. Pressure after ten shots was 2000 pounds, so I used up about a hundred pounds for ten shots. WOW! I actually shot it. I liked it too. Fun to watch the pellets fly in the artificial light. I can see how the shot was before it gets there. No idea what the velocity was, but it seemed slow, probably just because I could watch it fly. Oh yea, the pellets were Premier Ultra Magnum, and scope was a Simmons 2.12.40 AO, which I now see I had set at 4 power for the test DUMB. Anyway, that's another handicap for the group. So I learned that the scope moves where I ask it too, and the rifle shoots generally consistently, as far as I could tell within the serious limitations of my setup. (Did I mention that my loving wife was helping my concentration during the grouping by reminding me repeatedly that I should be packing for the trip?) How do they know just when the trigger is going to break? But I digress. I called Crossman yesterday and they were very, very nice. I was invited to send it back and they will send the fare. Also, and as one of you posters suggested already, she suggested de-gassing it and trying again. No time to do that now, but will when I get back in two weeks. I can't hear it leaking anymore, and another clue is that when it gets to about 2100 the pressure required to compress the pump increases quite noticably. Like more than 100 pounds. For all I know it could be the pump, except for the early leaking at the breech, which quit. It held 2100 pounds for several days, so at least it's not leaking at that pressure. I am clueless, as you can tell by my many questions. The gun is bigger than I like, but very well balanced. If it becomes a long range fly killer, it will be well worth the weight (and the wait). Thanks for all the help and support. Sorry it's not a proper range report with scientific data, but I promise chrono data as well as caliper measured honest to goodness skilled benchrest group report when the time comes. Sorry for the length of this post, but I'm excited, and I must brag on Crossman's service once more. The CSR offered to let me send the new condition pump back, and pick out some other neat stuff to exchange for it, like maybe tank stuff. You guys know about all that and I am eager for your suggeestions.

[Lammy1000]

Glad you are being patient. This really is an excellent gun that rarely has issues, and when they do, Crosman service will take care of it. Using 100 psi for 10 shots (or 10 psi/shot) is very low air usage and corresponding velocity, hence why you could see the pellet so easily. Conservative tunings use ~15 psi/shot and 21 psi/shot is more realistic. This is for .177. Larger calibers use more air per shot.

Good luck and please update.

Lou