Since releasing the Marauder we have had one accessory request more than any other, a single shot tray. Well we heard you loud and clear. The new single shot tray slides in the same channel that the multi-shot clip fits in and allows for a single round to be fired from the Marauder. The single shot tray is available in the PCP Accessories section of the site. Here is a link…
Keep your suggestions coming. We’re listening.
Joshua
Meet Ray and Hans Apelles – Crosman Pro Staff, and National and World Field Target Competitors
The father and son team of Hans and Ray Apelles “The ‘A’ Team” started shooting field target in 1995 after reading a magazine article about competitive field target matches. They attended a local match together, and the rest is history.
By 1998, they were competing at Nationals and placing in the top 5. In 2000 Ray attended and placed 5th in the Worlds/Nationals after a 3 way shoot off.
During 2007 Ray and Hans were invited to become members of the Crosman Pro Staff. As members, they are supplied prototype airguns to review, compete with, and comment on for us. While shooting a prototype of the Discovery PCP at the 2008 Nationals, Ray placed second in the International PCP competition, one point back from the leader.
Since many suggestions made by Ray and Hans have been successfully applied in our Benjamin Discovery and Marauder PCP’s, and since we greatly respect their expertise and opinion, we thought we would give them a shot at our new Challenger PCP CH2009 competition air rifle. This is what they told us….
Ray Reporting on the Crosman Challenger PCP CH2009
Hans and I just received our new Crosman Challenger 2009 PCP air rifle, and want to share our comments on the gun right out of the box.
Our intent is to turn the Challenger into a field target gun. Giving you a step-by-step description of what we change to bring the Challenger up to World Field Target Federation power levels, we will share what we replace or modify on the Challenger by giving you the part number (whenever possible) and exactly how we accomplish those modifications.
It is our hope that if you do exactly the same things we do, you will have your own reasonably priced world class field target rig. We will tell you what scope rings we use for which scope, and how it gets mounted with settings on the adjustable hammer stroke and spring tension. What the fill and recharge pressures are, and how many shots we get from a charge. You will have a chance to see a sample of our shot string, and once we sight it in together, we’ll even give you a hold over trajectory.
Let’s get started by taking a first look at the Challenger.
The Challenger is packed well in a plain brown box with no graphics. Included in the box are a user’s manual, some Allen wrenches, and a degassing tool which would mostly be used for CO2 users. (We will not be using or testing the Challenger with CO2 but it is designed as a Duel Fuel PCP Airgun as the Discovery is.)
Holding the Challenger reminds us very much of our highly modified Discovery match prototypes. The stock is the same style we have been shooting for over a year now and are very comfortable with. The stock has an adjustable comb (cheek riser), and an adjustable pull length that can be varied by loosening two screws.
The butt pad can be adjusted in height through a sliding and rotating pad customary on 10 meter 3 position guns. We notice that the butt pad post can be rotated and adjusted to an angle that fits perfectly and will prevent any tendency to cant the gun as it is shouldered.
I have shot many guns that are a chore to hold perpendicular when shouldered because of the fit. A simple few degrees of rotation on the shoulder pad forces a correct upright position when the gun is shouldered.
The bottom of the stock has an accessory rail which can be used for a variety of after market accessories such as a palm rest, sling swivel quick release, forearm riser, bipod, and additional weight sets to name a few. Although Crosman doesn’t offer these particular accessories currently, it is nice to know they can be easily added to the stock if you procure them elsewhere.
On the right side of the stock is the built in manometer (pressure gauge). It is in very easy view so you don’t have to turn the gun upside down to see it. We did suggest to Crosman that it be placed on the left side of the stock so it would be in plain view of right handed shooters (the majority) but Crosman didn’t want something to possibly distract the shooter.
The stock is completely ambidextrous and will fit all shooters with a little bit of adjustment. With a very comfortable vertical pistol grip, it is an easy reach to the match trigger.
The advertised weight is 7.3 lbs. which stays within the 7.5 lbs. limit of the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Sporter Class specifications, which the Challenger has been approved for.
The Challenger action resembles a Discovery but only at a quick distant look. It uses the same reservoir size as a Discovery and same barrel diameter, and while you may notice similar barrel bands and filler cap, things change after that.
At the back of the action is a T handle cocking bolt. This is a very comfortable and ingenious mechanism. Pull straight back on the T handle (from either side as it is ambidextrous) and the bolt opens. Pull further back to cock the gun. Once cocked, drop into the pellet trough your chosen pellet and push the bolt straight in to close the bolt. Make sure to push the bolt all the way in and you’re ready to fire.
The trigger is the same one designed for the Marauder which has proven itself very well.
The Challenger comes set to meet the CMP trigger specifications. It can be adjusted as desired. (We will test the trigger later and report on just how it was set). Moving the manual safety to the front of the trigger guard turns the safety off and the trigger is ready to fire. Pulling the trigger reveals a long first stage and a very crisp second stage… and the shot is away.
Below the T bolt handle is a thumb screw that can be used to adjust the hammer spring tension. We would have preferred this to be an internal adjustment via an Allen wrench but it is enough out of the way to not be accidentally adjusted. Normally a gun is set to the shooter’s specifications and left alone (to maintain consistency) which is why we prefer to not have this adjustment readily available with no tools required for adjustment. Adjust the hammer stroke by inserting the appropriate sized Allen wrench through the center of the thumb screw. The degassing tool works the same way through the thumb screw.
The upper receiver is another departure from the Discovery as it is longer and allows the peep sites required for 3 position shooting. The loading port was moved forward to allow more room for the rear sight. This effectively gives us more room to mount a scope as well. The upper receiver also has a more professional look than the Discovery.
Moving forward of the upper receiver you find a Lothar Walther barrel. Accuracy won’t be an issue with this barrel. Lothar Walther barrels have become a standard that many strive to match and rarely exceed. Just a bit further down the barrel from the upper receiver you come to a barrel band which has been placed there to help hold down the receiver (as we did in our Discovery Match Prototypes). Further down the barrel you see another barrel band which is actually a barrel protector band. The barrel is free floated from the first barrel band forward. So if you bump the barrel and hear a “tink” you are reminded that the barrel is free floated and designed as such. Moving further forward is the front muzzle break which sports a dovetail for the front globe sight. The muzzle break is squared off to very attractively match the upper receiver.
So ends our “out of the box” review of the Crosman Challenger.
Hans and I performed some preliminary tests on our Challengers as soon as we took them out of their packages. I charged Hans’s Challenger to 2000 psi and fired through the chronograph. The first shots were a little low in velocity and quickly came up to the 530 fps velocity advertised by Crosman. Hans’s Challenger appears to prefer a 1950 psi charge at this time.
For our next segment, we’ll post our first shot strings of the Challenger, some of our initial accuracy tests and begin discussing those adjustments we mentioned. We will then take a journey to turn your Challenger into a cost effective “world class” field target gun.
Follow along and see where the journey leads…….
Oh yeah, we attend many matches and always invite fellow competitors and spectators to shoot our guns so they can see for themselves what can be done with airguns, and how easy it can be when the equipment is set up for their individual needs. We always invite people to shoot our new Crosman prototypes as well. While we enjoy the feedback, it also helps us to decide which direction to go with our next project.
Ray and Hans ~ The “A” Team
First impressions are not always reliable. During a quick look at an object one feature may be noted and even that not in an objective way. Given an extended period of experience with the item, an entirely different perspective may be developed. With the Marauder and I, it was not necessarily love at first sight. But given the sterling qualities of the Marauder, we are now the best of friends. Let me tell you the basis for that friendship and how it developed.
My friend, the Benjamin Marauder, is a precharged pneumatic air rifle that is available in .177 and .22 calibers with velocities of up to 1,100 and 1,000 ft/sec, respectively. The reservoir can be pressurized up to 3,000 psi with air or the rifle can be used with carbon dioxide in the reservoir. In which case, pellet velocity is lower because the vapor pressure of carbon dioxide is not nearly as high as the permissible pressure with air. Not only is the Marauder a precharged pneumatic, it is a 10-shot repeater. The pellets are held in a rotary magazine that fits in a slot across the receiver, and a rotary section inside the magazine is spring loaded. When the bolt is pushed forward, it moves a pellet from the magazine into the chamber. After firing, drawing the bolt back to cock the rifle allows the spring loaded pellet holder to rotate to bring another pellet in line with the chamber. Closing the bolt the moves the pellet forward into the chamber.
Filling the reservoir of the Marauder to achieve a high pressure requires a special pump or a scuba tank. It is reasonable that one would be willing to expend some effort for a friend. However, when the reservoir is fully charged, it is possible to fire 25-30 shots at full power.
The Marauder is an imposing air rifle. Physically, it is 43 inches long and weighs 7.5 pounds. Because it is furnished with no open sights, it is necessary to mount a scope on the rifle which can raise the weight to as much as 8.5 or 9 pounds. Because the reservoir tube must be contained within the forearm, the stock is thick. The stock is equipped with a large rollover cheek piece so the rear section of the stock is quite thick also. Both the shrouded barrel and the reservoir tube are rather large, and they are mated to a massive metal receiver. So, my initial perception was that the Marauder was a large air rifle.
A complete description of all of the important features of the Marauder is a considerable task. As a result, I will stress only some of the major attributes that make this such a capable and versatile air rifle. One of these features is the choked barrel. By having the bore slightly smaller near the muzzle, the skirt section of the pellet is given a uniform size and shape just before it exits from the muzzle which increases accuracy. Trigger action of the Marauder is outstanding. There is a light take up motion then crisp let off with a pull of about two pounds on my rifle. Another outstand feature of the Marauder is that it can be tuned for optimal velocity with a particular pellet. For example, if it is found that Crosman Premiers give best accuracy when the velocity is 850 ft/sec, it is possible to tune the rifle to give that velocity.
Although the Marauder is a very powerful air rifle, it is exceptionally quiet as is illustrated by an event that occurred during testing. While I was shooting the Marauder, another shooter arrived at the range to practice for an event known as a plate shoot with his center fire pistol. As he came over to where I was shooting, he put on his hearing protectors. I told him that they were not needed, but he took one look at that boss airgun and would not believe me. He said that he had a $5,000 hearing aid and was not going to take any chance with a loud gun. I assured that with the hearing loss I had suffered over the years that I was not about to shoot a loud gun without hearing protectors. At that time, I fired a pellet at the target. The other shooter simply could not believe that such an imposing airgun could be that quiet! Yes, the Marauder is unbelievably quiet for such a high powered airgun.
In the testing that I did, I made sure that the pressure was in the range 2,200-2,800 psi. Because a PCP discharges only air, there is no noticeable recoil. Therefore, it was easy to control the rifle during firing. Although the Marauder is a large air rifle, rests on the sandbags very well when firing from a bench. I mounted a 3-9X AO scope on the rifle for testing.
I always test powerful air rifles at 25 yards in keeping with their being useful pest control tools. With Crosman Premier pellets, by first 5-shot group measured only 0.56 inch. Firing additional groups result in an average size of only 0.44 inch for five groups with the smallest being a ragged hole of 0.24 inch. For an outdoor range where there is always some breeze, this is outstanding accuracy.
The Crosman pointed pellet has always been a favorite of mine. With that pellet, the average of five 5-shot groups was 0.61 inch. Testing with other pellets gave similar results so there is no doubting the accuracy potential of the Marauder. During all the test firing, there was never any failure to feed and functioning was flawless. There is no doubting the reliability of the Marauder. Velocity measurements showed that the Marauder gave 900 ft/sec with both Premier and wadcutter pellets. This corresponds to a muzzle energy of about 26 ft lbs which means that the Marauder has plenty of power for taking pests and small game even out to 50 yards. I would not call it a sleek rifle, but it sure had the qualities that endear it to a serious shooter.
After getting past my first impressions, I found the Marauder to be a wonderful companion whether at the shooting bench or sitting in the woods. It has all the attributes of a true friend, and the Marauder and I are destined to spend a lot of quality time together.
Jim House
Crosman recently released our new Marauder PCP gun, and one of the features that make it different from its predecessor, the Discovery, is its adjustability. In fact it is probably the most adjustable PCP gun on the market. This also makes it one of the most versatile guns. Its adjustable hammer energy and valve transfer port allow the gun to operate at fill pressures between 2,000 and 3,000 psi, and at various velocities. Due to these inherent features we are often asked about making adjustments for various shooting purposes. Our own factory sponsored team of Ray and Hans Apelles have a very in depth adjustment procedure that is a must read. It can be found here:
A-Team Tuning Procedure
This July a number of Crosman employees will be participating in a Field Target shoot in Binghamton, New York NERFTC. As that date is rapidly approaching, I started to consider what equipment to bring. That naturally got me thinking about how best to set up our new Marauder for optimum performance for long distance shooting.
Let me first preface this by saying I should not be confused with an expert in any shooting discipline in general, and field target in particular (that is why we worked with Hans and Ray Apelles on this project). I am also not the Engineer that designed the Marauder (that’s Russ), or the Premier Pellet (that of course, was Bob Holtz). I am just lucky to have worked with them all. Furthermore, I am not claiming that these velocity profiles are the best that can be achieved or that if you dial your gun in at the same setting you will get the same results. Your mileage may vary. This is just my opinion and thought process as I got my gun ready to shoot this match. I do hope this helps to illustrate
Here are some adjustment options and how I document them:
Starting point:
First off you should always document your starting point as a base line. If for no other reason than to make sure you can get back to the factory settings. The Marauder (as shipped in .177 cal.) has a velocity profile that starts at 2500 PSI and ends around 2000 PSI, and when shooting 10.5 grain Premiers, will usually average around 853 over 30 shots. We felt this was the best compromise for shooters that could be using a hand pump or a scuba tank to fill the gun. The velocity was also reasonably high enough for longer distances, while still getting a shot count of 30. The gun has a 10 shot magazine, and I like to think in multiples of 10 for shot count when looking at possible combinations.
Caliber - 177
Grains - 10.5
Hammer Tension (H) - 3
Stroke Adjustment (S) - 2.0
PSI Fill- 2500
PSI End - 2000
Pumps to Recharge - 44
Transfer Port Adjustment (V) - 2
Minimum Velocity- 837
Maximum Velocity- 862
Average Velocity - 853
Median Velocity - 855
Standard Deviation - 7.20
Extreme Spread - 25
Average FTLBS - 17.0
Cumulative FTLBs - 509.1
# Shots - 30
# of pumps per shot - 1.5
Foot pounds per pump (FtripleP) - 11.6
Faster is better
First I wanted to see the highest velocity I could achieve so as to get the flattest trajectory. I used the 10.5 grain Crosman premier heavy (CPH), as I have had the best results with them in this gun.
Caliber - .177
Grains - 10.5
Hammer Tension (H) - 6
Stroke Adjustment (S) - 0.0
PSI Fill - 3000
PSI End - 2200
Pumps to Recharge - 65
Transfer Port Adjustment (V) - 4
Minimum Velocity - 1007
Maximum Velocity - 1039
Average Velocity - 1025
Median Velocity - 1025
Standard Deviation - 9.32
Extreme Spread - 32
Average FTLBS - 24.5
Cumulative FTLBs - 490.0
# Shots - 20
# of pumps per shot - 3.3
# Foot pounds per pump (FtripleP) - 7.5
As you can see in order to get up to 25 foot pounds of energy (FPE), I needed to open the Transfer Port (V) out to max of four turns ( V 4). I also started at 3000 psi and had the longest stroke adjustment (S 0). The numbers I look at for longer range shooting try and keep the velocity spread under 30, the standard deviation under 9, and ideally below 5. I was a little high, but it was as close as I could get with this gun while keeping the other requirements.
Summary: This adjustment would give me plenty of power in case of a windy day, and also the least amount of drop at the 55 yard line. The down side is that the accuracy at this velocity may not be the best that it can be, Bob Holtz used 800 fps to do all his accuracy testing when he developed the Premier pellet. On a more a practical standpoint, I don’t want to have to count on having 3000 psi to fill the gun. If I was hand pumping, it would be too much like work. Most important was that most clubs limit you to around 20 FPE to reduce target damage, so I had to rethink my requirements.
Accuracy is king
My next idea was that if 800 fps was the most accurate velocity, I could probably get 40 good shots and keep in just under 12 FPE needed to shoot with the big boys in International Class.
I also wanted to bring the fill pressure down so that I wouldn’t have to pump as hard. To go under 12 foot pounds I would also change pellets to the Crosman Premier Lites (CPL).
Caliber- 177
Grains- 7.9
Hammer Tension (H)- 4.5
Stroke Adjustment (S)- 6.8
PSI Fill- 2150
PSI End- 1800
Pumps to Recharge - 28
Transfer Port Adjustment (V) - 1.5
Minimum Velocity - 797
Maximum Velocity - 824
Average Velocity - 813
Median Velocity - 814
Standard Deviation - 6.98
Extreme Spread - 27
Average FTLBs - 11.6
Cumulative FTLBs - 463.9
# Shots - 40
# of pumps per shot - 0.7
Foot pounds per pump (FtripleP) - 16.6
So to get the power level down, I turned the metering screw way down to 1.5 V, and backed off on the hammer energy by turning the Stroke in, to almost 7 S. The fill pressure of 2150 seems a little odd, but I just marked the gauge on the gun and filled to that mark.
Summary: I hit the velocity spread and standard deviation numbers that I wanted. I liked the number of shots per fill and it was easy to pump at this pressure. Reality was starting to set in when I considered how much Kentucky windage I was going to have to use. I was not really that good a shot when you consider that I was going to be shooting unsupported in the sitting position. I need all the advantages I can get if I’m not going to use shooting sticks like I did in Hunter class.
Compromise
The one thing I liked the most was the lower fill pressure so I decided what I wanted was exactly a 2000 psi fill for a starting point. That way I could use one of our 72 cc bottles (add link) and not have to worry about overfilling. Also, I wanted to go back to using the CPH and be at around the factory setting of 850 fps with at least 30 shots.
Caliber - 177
Grains - 10.5
Hammer Tension (H) - 2.25
Stroke Adjustment (S) - 4.3
PSI Fill - 2000
PSI End - 1655
Pumps to Recharge - 33
Transfer Port Adjustment (V) - 2.125
Minimum Velocity - 840
Maximum Velocity - 857
Average Velocity - 850
Median Velocity - 851
Standard Deviation - 4.76
Extreme Spread - 17
Average FTLBS - 16.8
Cumulative FTLBs - 337.0
# Shots - 20
# of pumps per shot - 1.7
Foot pounds per pump (FtripleP) - 10.2
I did this by opening up the transfer port adjustment to a 1.75 V and with a few hammer adjustments I was in the ball park.
Summary: Close, but not there yet. Unfortunately there was too much velocity variation. I would have to give up some of the shot count.
Fine tuning
Normally when I am trying to get a flatter velocity profile, I decrease transfer port diameter by turning the metering screw (V) in. On this gun it worked out to be the opposite. This just shows that sometimes it is best to make small adjustments and have patience (and a lot of pellets). With a little bit of trial and error, this is what I finally settled on.
Caliber - 177
Grains- 10.5
Hammer Tension (H) - 2.25
Stroke Adjustment (S) - 4.3
PSI Fill - 2000
PSI End - 1655
Pumps to Recharge - 33
Transfer Port Adjustment (V) - 2.125
Minimum Velocity - 840
Maximum Velocity - 857
Average Velocity - 850
Median Velocity - 851
Standard Deviation - 4.76
Extreme Spread - 17
Average FTLBS - 16.8
Cumulative FTLBs - 337.0
# Shots - 20
# of pumps per shot - 1.7
# Foot pounds per pump (FtripleP) - 10.2
If you look back up at the factory settings, you will see that they are not that different. I had come full circle. All I really needed to do was reduce the Stoke to 6.25 S and that would have reduced the hammer energy enough to bring my fill pressure down. This is a good place to point out that if you are having trouble getting the results you want, try increasing (or decreasing) your fill pressure to find the range that works best for you.
Summary: I found the velocity that I wanted and most importantly it was consistent. As I am going to be using the small bottle, it won’t be that much of problem to fill after only 20 shots, and with a 350 psi band of air I am able to get a dozen gun fills from one bottle fill (240 shots). Give it a try and let us know what you think.
Second option
I was happy with the results with the last test, but I decided that I should also see how the gun would shoot at 20 FPE. At this point I was getting the hang of this process and I know that since I had the hammer tuned for the current fill pressure all I should have to do in open up the V adjustment. I set the fill pressure around 1900 psi and adjusted the V screw out until I had a little over 900 fps.
Here is my Chart…
Caliber - 177
Grains - 10.5
Hammer Tension (H) - 2.25
Stroke Adjustment (S) - 4.3
PSI Fill - 2000
PSI End - 1655
Pumps to Recharge - 33
Transfer Port Adjustment (V) - 3
Minimum Velocity - 901
Maximum Velocity - 923
Average Velocity - 913
Median Velocity - 915
Standard Deviation - 7.10
Extreme Spread - 22
Average FTLBS - 19.4
Cumulative FTLBs - 388.8
# Shots - 20
# of pumps per shot - 1.7
#Foot pounds per pump (FtripleP) - 11.8
Summary: The velocity is not as flat as the last one, but acceptable and I have the added advantage of a little more power. Next step is to set up a scope and get out to the range and see what setting shoots best.
Give it a try and let us know what you think.
Ed
Warning: Please read your owner’s manual for safe operation of the Marauder, as well as the instructions for making these adjustments. In order to properly make these adjustments, a certain level of familiarly with the fundamentals of a Pre-Charged Pneumatics (PCP) gun is assumed. If you are not comfortable with the procedures talked about here and in the manual, please seek the assistance of a professional Air Gun Smith.
Summer is here and it isn’t just the weather that’s heating up, so is the shooting! One of the fastest growing competitive shooting events is Field Target Shooting. Competitions are popping up like dandelions in communities all across the country.
Field Target Shooting is a hunting simulation game where shooters fire at steel silhouettes shaped like animals placed at various distances. The shooters are either stationed behind a firing line or walking through a course where targets are placed in trees and bushes to make the shooting more authentic.
Field Target Shooting has become a favorite of many of us here at Crosman which is why we are teaming up with the Broome County Sportsmen’s Association to sponsor the 2009 Northeast Regional Field Target Championship in Binghamton NY this July 11.
We’ll be on hand to show off some of our newest airguns including the PCP Marauder, Challenger, and the NPSS Nitro Piston Break Barrel. We will also be knee deep in the shooting action with several members of the Crosman staff taking part in the competition.
Come out and join us for a day on the course. For more information, and to register for the competition, check out the official site at….
http://www.bcsportsmen.org/ft/NERFTC.html
We’ll see you there!
Thanks for reading,
Joshua
The Benjamin name is on the bottom of the forearm so everyone knows where the rifle is in the rack.
In Part One I stopped just before I got to the trigger, so let’s begin with that. Crosman says this trigger is an adjustable match-type unit, and I know that kind of terminology gets kicked around a lot these days. You can even find Chinese breakbarrels that will tell you they have a match-type trigger.
Tell me about the trigger
Well, in this case, it’s true. This trigger on this rifle is sublime. It’s the same unit they’re going to put in the new Challenger PCP target rifle, and when I tried that one on the sample rifle in their booth at the 2009 SHOT Show, they had it set to break at way less than a pound. So when the factory called me to set up my test Marauder, they asked me what kind of trigger pull I wanted. I told them a pound and a half, and I’m darned if they didn’t send along a computer printout that shows the trigger breaking at 1.636 lbs. My finger cannot tell the difference between that and 1.5 lbs.
The trigger is an adjustable unit with a two-stage pull.
The Crosman trigger testing jig gave this printout of the trigger in my gun. Note the straight increase in effort at stage two, followed by the instant release.
The trigger adjusts for the length of the first and second stages and the weight of the second stage. All it lacks to be perfect, in my opinion, is an adjustable trigger stop.
The trigger breaks like a glass rod, which is what the lines on the printout clearly show. It is an essential component of the accuracy the rifle is able to achieve. This is a trigger you can warm up to and with practice it will become an extension of your will. The accuracy of the rifle needs a good trigger like this, and this one should please most shooters
The safety is manual (Yes!) and butter-smooth to engage/disengage. You do it with your trigger finger. Back towards the trigger blade to put on and forward to take off. You can put it on regardless of whether the rifle is cocked or not.
The magazine
Well, I have now read on the internet that this magazine is a close copy of this, that and the other thing. Everyone (but me) seems to know for certain. Here is what I know. When I first tried to use it I found it confusing. Then I was told that the manual I’d been given was for a magazine on the right side of the receiver, but my pre-production sample was on the left side. So the instructions were backward, unless I looked at the pictures in a mirror.
Loading the magazine is easy, once you get the knack. Because it’s spring-loaded, feeding is always positive.
On this pre-production rifle the magazine stocks out to the left. The production model will stick out to the right.
Fortunately I discovered how to use the mag on my own, and once I did, I fell in love with it. This has to be the easiest, most positive PCP magazine around–I don’t care where it came from.
Here’s how it works in a nutshell. You first wind the magazine spring, then you advance a little bit more and insert the first pellet–which is actually the last one. The clear cover can then be rotated around the mag and you drop in pellets every time the cover aligns with a pellet chamber. It’s quick to load, very positive (as in it doesn’t spill pellets all over the place) and it advances to the next pellet positively every time. As in it NEVER jammed in hundreds of shots! Best of all, after shot 10 the mag blocks the bolt from going forward, so there is no chance of shooting a blank–the great fear of every field target competitor who shoots a repeater.
The scope and base
The Marauder comes without sights, as any good PCP does, so plan on scoping yours immediately. I asked Crosman to supply a CenterPoint 8-32 scope, which is ideal for the accuracy potential of the rifle. The scope adjusts for parallax from 10 yards to infinity and goes from 8 power for general shooting all the way to 32 power for precise rangefinding ability out to 40-45 yards.
The scope base on the receiver is a standard 11mm dovetail, but because of the magazine that intrudes from the side, you must use two-piece scope rings. I found that the barrel drooped a bit, so I also had to mount the scope in B-Sq1uare adjustable rings, so the rear ring could be positioned higher than the front.
A CenterPoint 8-32X56 scope is the perfect sight for an accurate rifle like the Marauder. This one has sideweel focus that runs down as close at 10 yards, and an illuminated mil-dot reticle to help you on both ends of the hunting day.
Well, that’s it for the description of the gun. Next time we’ll shoot for accuracy and through the chronograph, to see just how the Marauder stacks up against other PCP rifles.
All right everyone, I know you have been waiting patiently for an update on the Marauder and how you can get one. Here is the skinny…
The Marauder is coming along great, our production team is putting the final tweaks on the gun and components and preparing them for mass production in early May. Everything is on schedule.
On April 22nd we will be offering an exclusive opportunity to get in on the first one hundred Marauders ever made. This is how it will work…
To reserve one of these sought after rifles you’ll need to come back here on April 22nd at high noon (EST). Just put in your name, shipping address, phone number and email. The first one hundred people will receive a confirmation code that will allow them to purchase the guns when they are available in early May. Be sure to enter YOUR information because the confirmation code will be checked against it when you come back to purchase the rifle. Please remember that there are legal shipping restrictions for where we can send airguns. So screen your zip code now. You can check it here…
In the lead up to the reservation date we will have lots of new information here and crosman.com and providing links to things happening around the net so keep checking back.
Thanks for reading.
Joshua
The new Benjamin Marauder with the CenterPoint 8-32X56 scope is an impressive air rifle!
I thank Crosman for the opportunity to present my impressions of the new Benjamin Marauder. I first saw the rifle at the 2009 SHOT Show in Orlando, and I remember being very impressed by just the appearance of the rifle. This is no Discovery II. It’s a full-fledged sporting rifle that makes no excuses to any European PCP. In fact, it has design features that are ahead of many of the most popular and expensive European guns.
I’m going to save my personal observations until the final blog, but right now I will describe the rifle to you. The Marauder is a 10-shot repeating air rifle that comes in either .177 or .22 caliber. I tested the .177. The gun operates on a fill of 2,000 psi air or CO2, using the same Dual Fuel approach that made the Discovery famous. But the Marauder has a special additional feature. You can CHANGE the fill level yourself–from the outside of the gun! Why you would want to do this and how it’s done I will get to in a moment.
A second remarkable feature is the ability to adjust pellet velocity, but once again the Marauder does it differently. This feature isn’t the power adjustment wheel or switch found on the side of many sporting PCPs today. No, it is a much more precise means of EXACTLY adjusting the velocity of a particular type of pellet. You adjust and leave the gun set that way. More on this later.
You will have to scope the rifle because it doesn’t have open sights. As accurate as it is, it’s doubtful whether anyone would ever use open sights even if they had them. I will describe the CenterPoint 8-32X56 scope I used to test the rifle in a future report.
Other features you will like are the Foster quick-disconect fill adaptor, the micron-sized particle filter that prevents dirt from entering the gun, the built-in pressure gauge that tells you the status of the charge, and the barrel.
What about the barrel?
Well, for starters, the 19.5-inch barrel is made by Crosman in New York. And it is CHOKED, my friends! Yes, Crosman is CHOKING this barrel to give you the same advantages as the respected Lothar Walther barrels from Europe. A choked barrel has a constriction in the bore near the muzzle so the pellet skirt squeezes down to a uniform size before exiting. Choked barrels are more accurate, as a rule, and Crosman wanted to make sure the Marauder was as accurate as it could be. I have tested the rifle out to 50 yards and I will show you just how good it is, but for this first report please trust me that few European PCPs are able to do any better.
And this barrel is free-floated. So when the pressure changes in the reservoir, there is no effect on the barrel, because it isn’t touching the reservoir in any way.
With the shroud removed you can see the floated barrel clearly.
The final comment I will make about the barrel is the one everyone has been waiting for. It’s quiet.
Huh?
I SAID IT’S QUIET!
How quiet?
Shooting a Crosman 10.5-grain pellet at 920 f.p.s., the rifle sounds about like a ballpoint pen dropped on a deep-pile carpet! That’s how quiet! This rifle is so quiet that you hear the sound of the hammer spring, but not the sound of the report. It is so quiet that a person shooting 50 feet away will likely never be heard. This is the answer to you dreams for a quiet, powerful, accurate pellet rifle, because…
Drum Roll
This one will cost under $500! Yep, you heard that right. You are getting all the features of a thousand-dollar European pellet rifle for under $500, and on top of that you get some very important features that none of the expensive guns even have! More on that in a moment, but for now let me describe the wood and metal parts.
The stock and metal
The stock is fully ambidextrous, with a palm swell on both sides of the pistol grip. The high comb rolls over to both sides of the butt, so lefties will feel quite comfortable holding this rifle. And the extra-long bolt that cocks it and feeds the next pellet is quite smooth–something else those European rifles don’t always give you.
The checkering on my pre-production rifle is extremely generous, but the production gun will be slightly different. The pistol grip will still look the same and the Benjamin name with still be carved on the underside of the firearm, but the checkering on the forearm will be not quite as long as what you see now. That’s a production decision based on machinery capabilities, not a cost-cutting measure. The wood is a beech, stained medium brown with a subdued shine to the finish. It is attractive and conveys the look of elegance.
The metal wears a charcoal matte finish that I inadvertently put to the test at the range. The day was misting heavily and all the blued firearms I took rusted by the time I got home. They all had to be sprayed with Ballistol and wiped down carefully. And then I came to the Marauder. It hadn’t a mark on it! It looked like it had never left the house. So, after two hours of saving rifle finishes, it was nice to finally have one that didn’t need a thing. I wasn’t prepared for that. Hunters will love the tough finish.
Adjusting the fill pressure
You adjust the fill pressure for how you want to rifle to operate. If you want to use both air and CO2 (but not at the same time) you need the fill pressure to stop at 2,000 psi. If you want to run on air exclusively and you want a few extra shots in the useful string, you adjust the rifle to a 3,000 psi fill. The fill pressure determines the amount of air in the rifle–not the velocity, which is adjusted separately.
The fill pressure is adjusted by two Allen screws accessible from outside the gun. They are located in the rear of the receiver. One adjusts the striker length and the other adjusts the tension on the hammer spring. The hammer/striker is an assembly and they work together to open the firing valve. The owner’s manual will have detailed instructions on how the adjustments are to be made.
The two Allen screws for the fill pressure adjuster are inside this hole at the back of the receiver.
Adjusting the velocity
The velocity is adjusted by a screw that intrudes into the air transfer port. The more it intrudes the less airflow there can be and the slower the rifle will shoot. To adjust the screw the action is removed from the stock, and then the locking screw is removed from the adjustment hole. This adjustment isn’t some sloppy setting that gives you “whatever” velocity it happens to give. It is a precise way of arriving at exactly the velocity you desire, within the limits of the rifle’s capabilities.
The small Allen screw inside the hole is removed, giving access to the velocity adjustment screw behind it. Screw it in to slow the pellet; out to speed it up.
To use this adjustment you should find the most accurate pellet for the rifle, and then shoot only that pellet. You will be like a buffalo runner of 1872 who used just one bullet and powder charge for all his shooting. In the next report I will tell you what that most accurate pellet will turn out to be in .177 caliber, for I have tested and discovered it.
The Marauder is for beginners and advanced shooters, alike!
You can just start shooting the rifle right out of the box and never suffer one bit. It is a lovely beginner’s airgun. But–for those who want to experiment to find out just how far an air rifle can go, there has never been a more flexible rifle than this one. You need a chronograph to do this and you need to understand that, as the fill pressure changes, it DOES affect the velocity, though there isn’t room in this report to discuss that relationship properly.
So, whether you are just starting out with airguns or you are ready for the big leagues, the Benjamin Marauder is the right air rifle for you. If you have been waiting for the best PCP, the wait is over.
Oh! I forgot to mention the beautiful adjustable trigger.
Next time.
With out a doubt the Benjamin Marauder PCP air rifle is generating a lot of buzz and excitement coming out of this year’s Shot Show. But it is not the only PCP gun we came out with at this years show. The PCP Challenger 2009 three-position rifle.
In developing this gun we went right to the source to get the best information, professional shooters. Ray and Hans Apelles are world-class field target shooters and they helped us field test the prototype. This gun was field tested over the course of many shoots and range sessions and the feedback we received really helped shape this rifle.
details of the new PCP Challenger 2009
This is gun builds on our classic Challenger 2000 and combines it with the best of our PCP technology from the Discovery and Marauder rifles. The PCP Challenger retains the stock from the original rifle. This stock allows for adjustment to the butt pad as well as the height of the comb. This allows shooters to adjust the length of pull. The stock also features an accessory rail.
details of the new PCP Challenger air rifle
The new challenger features a fully adjustable, match grade trigger. The individual shooter can adjust length of pull, seer engagement and trigger weight. The breech has also been completely redesigned to the loading port is farther forward to accommodate a new ambidextrous PCP bolt action. The breech redesign also allows for more eye relief adjustment. The rear diopter sight can be adjusted for all three shooting positions. The new breech also made it possible to incorporate a floating choked Lothar Walther barrel.
PCP Challenger Air Rifle
Because this gun is specifically designed for three-position shooting the velocity will be factory set at 530 fps for a minimum of 70 shots.
This new iteration on this classic three-position rifle is a significant step forward in both adjustability and performance. This gun will be launched in May on crosman.com and everywhere in June at a retail of around $549.99
If you have any questions about this gun and it’s performance ask away. I will be here to get you answers.
Thanks for reading.
Joshua
One of the hardest things to do as a manufacturer and as
an industry leader is to take a break. We are always focused on the next
project, the next innovation or the next gun that will keep us one step ahead
of our competition. But there are times when we have to pause and get out of
the office and on to the shooting range to see how our products perform in the
hands of shooters.
It is in this spirit that we recently sponsored and
competition shoot in the Northeast Regional Field Target Championships. The shoot,
which took place at the Broome County Sportsmen’s Club in Binghamton, NY.
featured over twenty shooters from three states. Some of the Crosman staff
entered, shooting our PCP Discovery.
