.25 Marauder pellet testing

[moorepower]

I took one of the .25's out yesterday. It's tuned for the 25 grain JSB's at 860-875-860 for 28-29 shots. The only mod is a TSS, which makes tuning so easy a caveman can do it. I took the Skenco ultrashock's, H&N Barracuda, Benjamin Domes, H&N Hornets and both 25 and 34 grain MKII's. I never changes the tune and with a covered range, never took the chrony. I started at 25 thinking that I would be able to tell right away and I could. The Ultrashock pellets looked like a knuckleball. The Cuda's and and the Benji domes are fine for shooting cans at 25 but 50 yds would be a challange. The Hornets were the ones that really bumbed me out. I had high hopes but they would not be good hunting past 25-30 yards. Both of the JSB's went in one hole at 25. At 50 the 25's shot into 1/2" for 8 shots and the MKII's shot into close to 3/8" at 50 for 8 shots. The winds were swirling but the rimfire range is fairly protected. At 75 yards both opened up to a little over 1' to 1 1/2" depending upon the wind or occasional stray pellet. For fun I shot the same paster untill poi dropped, because I wanted to see how many shots I could get per fill from 3100-1900 psi. The 25 grain pellets shot 27 shots, s a 3 mag tune. The surprise for me was the 34's shot a full 4 mags and other than probably 3-4 outliers put 4 magazines into 1 1/2". The 100 yard range was a different story. The 25's would only do a touch over 2". I would have 3-4 in 1" then i would get a flier or 2 that opened it up. Any gust of wind after I pulled the trigger and you watched the pellet blow off target. I got down to 1 1/2" best out of 4-5 groups but the wind  did not always cooperate either. I have no idea how fast the 34's are moving 720-740??, but they need to go faster, in my opinion. I will have to try the heavy spring that comes with the TSS and chrony to turn up the wick a little. I will probably do a 2 or 3 magazine tune and see where it falls. I will be taking it with me in a couple weeks shooting Prairie dogs if the wind is not blowing too hard. several powder burners are going with so mostly will be for closer shots 75 and under. overall  I was very happy with the way it shot.

[ranchibi]

Those are impressive groups in wind at those distances with the 25gr!

[moorepower]

The rimfire range has berms on 3 sides and trees on 3 sides. it has 25-50 and 75 yard targets. They also have concrete benches which helps a bunch. I was actually quite surprised myself that it shoots that good. The Mueller APT on top helps also. The wind on the 100 range was a little more swirling but had died down a bit. Berms and trees on 3 sides is great, but you do end up with swirling winds blowing different directions on the way down. Now i really want to get a single shot follower and a pellet gauge. You still get one flier out of probably a dozen pellets that can open up the group a bit. I would think weight sorting and the pellet gauge sorting should cut down on those. The single shot follower may or may not help.

[triggertreat]

Thanks!  That's pretty good info on the different pellets you've tried.  I stick with the 34gr MKIIs only.  They work well on birds out at ~80 yards for me.  I have never really shot them in much wind though.  I push them at ~860 FPS with a TSS and custom ports and valve done by Travis at JSAR.  It is ported at .250 through out except .220 on the barrel port. With a clean barrel, it will easily drill holes at 25 yards with the MKIIs.  I need to get it to the range and see what it is like on paper at 100 yards.  I have never done that.

[moorepower]

I have another .25 Mrod setting on the bench that I intended to build for the 34's. I have a SS valve and am kind of waiting until he brings out the G2 guts to replace the factory parts to finish. I also have a 28" 1/2" TJ blank setting on the shelf, trying to decide what I really want to use it for. Do I want a single shot slug gun?, Discovery, or B50, or do I want to cut down for the Marauder. My intention was to have one set up for .25's and the other for 34's. I have a Huma reg and .30 plenum for a bottle gun. now IDK what I really want to do. Decisions, decisions. Really too bad about the hornets.

[triggertreat]

I have another .25 Mrod setting on the bench that I intended to build for the 34's. I have a SS valve and am kind of waiting until he brings out the G2 guts to replace the factory parts to finish. I also have a 28" 1/2" TJ blank setting on the shelf, trying to decide what I really want to use it for. Do I want a single shot slug gun?, Discovery, or B50, or do I want to cut down for the Marauder. My intention was to have one set up for .25's and the other for 34's. I have a Huma reg and .30 plenum for a bottle gun. now IDK what I really want to do. Decisions, decisions. Really too bad about the hornets.

Sounds like you will really have a nice Marauder if you go that route.  I am jealous of that TJ barrel you have.

The last word I read on the SS2 valve is that they were too busy with other stuff (Raptor launch) and had to farm them out, or at least the housing part, and with the new steel poppet, the guts won't work in our existing housings.  Travis told me he was sending me one, but with the delays and the Fun Shoot it hasn't happened.  My fingers are still crossed that he remembers what he said.

Also, he did mention that existing owners of the SS1 valve would be receiving a discount on the new fully assembled SS2 valve that will be needed.  I am really looking forward to the new valve.  I am current stuck with the Cobra valve that requires a lot more spring.

[K.O.]

I gave my .25 Mrod some leade work for the 40g BBT and it really helped the 27g Benji they now are still second place to the 25g Kings... but that rifle did not like them at all before...

reply # 19

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=129520.msg1276887#msg1276887

[moorepower]

I have another .25 Mrod setting on the bench that I intended to build for the 34's. I have a SS valve and am kind of waiting until he brings out the G2 guts to replace the factory parts to finish. I also have a 28" 1/2" TJ blank setting on the shelf, trying to decide what I really want to use it for. Do I want a single shot slug gun?, Discovery, or B50, or do I want to cut down for the Marauder. My intention was to have one set up for .25's and the other for 34's. I have a Huma reg and .30 plenum for a bottle gun. now IDK what I really want to do. Decisions, decisions. Really too bad about the hornets.

Sounds like you will really have a nice Marauder if you go that route.  I am jealous of that TJ barrel you have.

The last word I read on the SS2 valve is that they were too busy with other stuff (Raptor launch) and had to farm them out, or at least the housing part, and with the new steel poppet, the guts won't work in our existing housings.  Travis told me he was sending me one, but with the delays and the Fun Shoot it hasn't happened.  My fingers are still crossed that he remembers what he said.                                                                   I guess I need to just shoot it with the original SS valve and see what it does. Does the stiction cause a flier or what??  I bought mine lightly used with a .187 port. I left a message earlier this week but have not heard back. I thought originally they were going to just swap guts on the valve?  Oh well, I just need to play with what I have. Some day I will make a decision on what direction the TJ barrel will take. I am leaning toward the Disco, but who knows.   

Also, he did mention that existing owners of the SS1 valve would be receiving a discount on the new fully assembled SS2 valve that will be needed.  I am really looking forward to the new valve.  I am current stuck with the Cobra valve that requires a lot more spring.

[moorepower]

I gave my .25 Mrod some leade work for the 40g BBT and it really helped the 27g Benji they now are still second place to the 25g Kings... but that rifle did not like them at all before...

reply # 19

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=129520.msg1276887#msg1276887

.                                                                                           As good as it shoots I really don’t want to touch this barrel!  Probably just use for plinking with the ones that don’t work

[K.O.]

can understand that it is an 80$+ barrel... I did a leade for about 20 20$ Crosman barrels with a cowboyed leade before I did the Mrods green Mountain .25 barrel... was still a touch nervous still... so can understand the if it ain't broke attitude.. ;)Before the work mine also did well with the Cudas and FTT...but I wanted to run the BBT 40g so had to do a full on 1* leade... went very slow by hand with a tapered chefs steel and finished with 800 grit wet/dry and a carved dowel.... It worked and did not mess up any of the pellets and took the Benji domed from ~2.5" at 50 yards to .75" ish... 750 fps with the BBT 40g currently... will get some porting...

My other .25 I went very conservative and just rounded the edge of the rifling a touch wetdry/dowel... it took the Benji domes from about 1.25" to about 1" at 50... I feel I need to round the rifling a bit more for best results... think it will be as good for the Benji as the other barrel is... It also is at ~.5" at 50 with the Kings... It is staying a pellet barrel but gets 700 fps with the BBT 40g...

[moorepower]

I have a spare GM barrel I could try. I have turned brass lapping rods, used with lapping compound to do leade work on Crosman barrels.  I suppose that’s why some barrels shoot different pellets better than others. Hatsan’s seem to like H&N pellets better than most It probably would be better with slugs with a tapered leade.

[triggertreat]

Yeah that's my dilemma with my GM barrel too.  It really shoots well with the MKIIs tuned like I have it regulated at 55-56 FPE range.  I hate to mess with it.  However, I did try the MKIIs unregulated at 77 FPE and it was a disaster in the accuracy dept.  I started backing off on the power while testing groups and they straightened up at 55 FPE, so that's where the tune sits regulated, and is currently all I can do with it power wise with the MKIIs.

I do have another new GM barrel, too.  So I'm thinking about screwing one of them up trying to get the 41gr BBT slugs to shoot straight, but am thinking the extra barrel could be a good selling point if I want to go with the new Raptor or EVOL to replace the Marauder in order to shoot my cast slugs.  Both of which are not field tested just yet to have to decide right now, but both do have what I am looking for otherwise.  If I go with a TJ slug barrel, I still can't push the slugs too much higher in FPE regulated like I would like to be able to do.