Prod $230.62

[subscriber]

There is an updated revision to the attached A-team tuning file out there that I tried to attach here but its to large so just search "A-team tuning guide" to find it.

Thanks Mike.

This was the first link those search terms pointed to: 
http://www.marauderairrifle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2577

That points to:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WFDife1EqVkkDQPEwRZFU6Kawki2sCi0x5KdFarO86U/edit?hl=en_US

[subscriber]

Here you go.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8TulutA1DY9U1phdWpBNWluckk/edit?pli=1

Also

http://www.marauderairrifle.com/marauder-tuning/

BD

Even better.

I really should check for more posts before I reply

[subscriber]

Here is Tom West's website.  It has pictures of his stocks and contact information.  I'm under the impression he has just these pictured designs and likes to stick to them.  Prices tend to be under $200.  His standard designs are easy for him to make, hence the low price.  If you ask for something custom, I'm not sure he will be willing to do that, and if so, I would expect to pay a much higher price.
https://urgthrash.wixsite.com/squirrelmaster

Tell him Mike P. sent you, and the GTA forum!  He seems like a great guy who is doing us a needed service, so I'd love to drum up some business for him.

Wow, Mike!  That stock you have is extremely nice.  Thanks for the link.

I bet that stock makes the P-Rod feel more solid and better balanced!

[subscriber]

So, I pumped my new P-Rod to 3000 PSI, 12 hours ago.  After it cooled the gauge read 2900 PSI.  Now it reads 1600 PSI.  In other words, there is a leak!

I supposed I should apply some silicone oil to the fill port and pump it back up to see if that helps.  Am I correct that the fill port does not have a sintered metal filter on it?  If so, incidental dust could get in.

I really do not want to send this back...

[FuzzyGrub]

On older Prods, the sintered filter was on the output of the fill assy.  I haven't had a new one apart yet, to see if they are still that way.

[subscriber]

[ranchibi]

So, I pumped my new P-Rod to 3000 PSI, 12 hours ago.  After it cooled the gauge read 2900 PSI.  Now it reads 1600 PSI.  In other words, there is a leak!

I supposed I should apply some silicone oil to the fill port and pump it back up to see if that helps.  Am I correct that the fill port does not have a sintered metal filter on it?  If so, incidental dust could get in.

I really do not want to send this back...

Oh I hope you don’t have to send it back! But if you do, Crossman’s PR is one of the best!

[Buldawg76]

Here you go.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8TulutA1DY9U1phdWpBNWluckk/edit?pli=1

Also

http://www.marauderairrifle.com/marauder-tuning/

BD

Even better.

I really should check for more posts before I reply

Glad to help .

On the leak I will bet its from the foster fill fitting where it screws into the tube plug, I have had several crosman guns that leak slowly there. I use a balloon over the front of the tube with a rubber band on it to keep it tight to the tube. If it inflates then move it to just behind the foster to determine if its the plugs o-ring or the fosters NPT threads. If its the NPT threads try tightening the fitting about 1/2 turn and retest.  That has worked on several I encountered.

I hate using soapy water on guns to find leaks. balloons are much cleaner but slower.

BD

[subscriber]

Oh I hope you don’t have to send it back! But if you do, Crossman’s PR is one of the best!

I pumped it back up to 3000 PSI four hours ago.  Does not seem to be leaking.  More time will tell..

Hope I blew out whatever might have been in the valve.

[subscriber]

I hate using soapy water on guns to find leaks. balloons are much cleaner but slower.

Deliberately drenching any "gun" in soapy water may be effective for leak detection, but it makes me cringe.  On painted aluminum it can't do much harm, but when there is steel nearby I dislike it on general principle.  Any residue that gets between aluminum and steel now has a hygroscopic material at a bi-metallic junction.  Perfect for starting corrosion.

I was going to blow a little silicone oil into the foster fitting, but mine ran out after the bottle tipped over in the closet... I ordered more, but pumped the P-Rod up again without it.  I made a point of thumping the pump fast into the end of the stroke, so as to pop the fill valve open as aggressively as possible.  For now, that seems to have worked...

[only1harry]

I was considering doing a bottled Prod, but it's so light that I don't want to ruin that.

Christopher, I too REALLY LIKE the PRods weight as is out of the box! So easy to shoulder and get on target. The one I received was born in October like only1harry’s and both of ours have lower tunes from the factory than those built in November. I like it as mine likes the JSB RS shooting @ 675fps..it’s quiet, accurate, efficient and ES is good, not going to change the factory tune. Really enjoying this little carbine, hope you are too!

Yup our Oct.'19 Prods are in the 13fpe range where others with Nov. '19 build dates appear to come tuned in the 14's.  Probably different person building them or tuning them before they go in the box.

Tested mine more today with JSB RS 13.43 after I found another 500 tin that I forgot I had.  This time I let the air in the Prod get up to room temperature (71-72 deg) because the last time I tested I filled from a cold tank that's in a room where I have the heat down to 60 and started testing with different pellets right away.  It averaged 678fps with a low SD of 2.1 for 2 10-shot strings.  Almost half the shots were 678 and 679.  That's 13.7 FPE which is not bad, and I am thinking of leaving it like this for a while because it seems to be pretty efficient for a gun with such a small air capacity/tube.  I am getting 3 mags/24 shots from 2800psi down to ~2150.  At 2900-3k it's getting some valve lock because of the lower power "factory tune".  It appears to be most consistent from 2700 to 2200.

I mounted a Bugbuster 3-9x32 tonight and was glad to see that my Prod is no different and was stacking JSB RS pellets in the same hole (13yd indoor range).  Tomorrow I am hoping to try it out on some targets with a long yellow beak  after I sight in at 25yds

Harry

[subscriber]

Foster fitting seemed tight.  Cranked it another 1/4 turn tighter.  Leaked again. 

Cranked it another 1/4 turn, to 1/2 turn beyond out of the box.  Will report again in about 12 hours...

[Buldawg76]

Foster fitting seemed tight.  Cranked it another 1/4 turn tighter.  Leaked again. 

Cranked it another 1/4 turn, to 1/2 turn beyond out of the box.  Will report again in about 12 hours...

You will know in less than an hour with a balloon if used. Small ones for the fill end or barrel and big ones for the entire tube assembly.

Place a balloon over the end of the barrel to check from valve out thru TP into barrel with shroud removed. If its not expanding a balloon at the fill end of tube or barrel then it may be a nicked o-ring at the gauge block or loose gauge. The gauge is also NPT threads and I have had to remove both the gauges and /or fill fitting to clean and replace Teflon tape to get to seal.

If no leaks found at fill end or barrel then I remove all components from air tube and use large party balloons to stretch completely over the tube from hammer end to cover gauge and the hole in tube for the gauge to determine if its an o-ring or gauge leaking. If it inflates then I pull balloon back off gauge area so it just covers the valve and TP area to insure its not a bad valve o-ring or poppet valve. Its just a process of elimination of potential leak areas to find the exact source. Time consuming yes but very effective and precise in locating the source of leak.

BD

[subscriber]

Thanks Mike; or is that Sir Louis Leakey?

[Buldawg76]

Thanks Mike; or is that Sir Louis Leakey?

 

[ranchibi]

I was considering doing a bottled Prod, but it's so light that I don't want to ruin that.

Christopher, I too REALLY LIKE the PRods weight as is out of the box! So easy to shoulder and get on target. The one I received was born in October like only1harry’s and both of ours have lower tunes from the factory than those built in November. I like it as mine likes the JSB RS shooting @ 675fps..it’s quiet, accurate, efficient and ES is good, not going to change the factory tune. Really enjoying this little carbine, hope you are too!

Yup our Oct.'19 Prods are in the 13fpe range where others with Nov. '19 build dates appear to come tuned in the 14's.  Probably different person building them or tuning them before they go in the box.

Tested mine more today with JSB RS 13.43 after I found another 500 tin that I forgot I had.  This time I let the air in the Prod get up to room temperature (71-72 deg) because the last time I tested I filled from a cold tank that's in a room where I have the heat down to 60 and started testing with different pellets right away.  It averaged 678fps with a low SD of 2.1 for 2 10-shot strings.  Almost half the shots were 678 and 679.  That's 13.7 FPE which is not bad, and I am thinking of leaving it like this for a while because it seems to be pretty efficient for a gun with such a small air capacity/tube.  I am getting 3 mags/24 shots from 2800psi down to ~2150.  At 2900-3k it's getting some valve lock because of the lower power "factory tune".  It appears to be most consistent from 2700 to 2200.

I mounted a Bugbuster 3-9x32 tonight and was glad to see that my Prod is no different and was stacking JSB RS pellets in the same hole (13yd indoor range).  Tomorrow I am hoping to try it out on some targets with a long yellow beak  after I sight in at 25yds

Harry

Harry! So glad yours likes the RS too! Both of ours are shooting pretty much the same speed and accurately. Was shooting 3/8” water beads at 20yds off of golf tees this morning picking them clean off the tee 🤓. Also shooting the stems off of fallen plumeria tree leaves...so fun! LOL! We’re just bigger “kids” with our toys 😉.

[subscriber]

It looks like I have found the 1000 PSI per day leak on my new P-Rod:  I cranked the pressure gauge another 1/6th turn tighter (not that it was loose).  It has been several hours and the pressure is holding steady. 

This, after cranking the foster fitting a half a rev tighter, with no change in the leak rate.

I get the impression that if I cranked the gauge another half turn, something would break off.  So, rather than abuse it, refreshing whatever sealant is in the thread (teflon tape?) would be indicated.

Anyway, an observation that might be connected to the gauge thread leak:  The P-Rod came out of the box with a dark slippery patch on one side of the air tube that looked like silicon oil.  It seemed to originate where the pressure gauge screws in to the tube; as if had been blown out at the joint.  If so, someone put a lot of liquid inside the air reservoir, either as standard practice, or as a diagnostic...

Else, the oil was added on the outside to diagnose a leak.  Or was it soap.  It feels like oil; but then so does soap.  The test would be if it is water soluble.  On the other hand, oil makes the matte black air cylinder finish look darker and glossier (it is).   Soap would probably leave a white residue.

Anyway, finding an oil patch on a new Crosman/Benjamin might help others find their leaks faster...

[Buldawg76]

Yes the fluid you found is likely silicone used at assembly that leaked out, but I have seen this same fluid staining on guns with no leaks as well so its not a 100% indicator of actual leak area.

Glad you found the leak though and an FYI, Crosman uses a black type of tape on their NPT fittings that I have found to be either good or bad at sealing the threads. I have had mixed results with it on new from the factory guns so I guess its dependent on the assemblers proper use of it. Also I have had mixed results with tightening the joint about 1/4 to 1/2 turn  to stop the leak or not, if not I always remove and retape with new Teflon tape. Just make sure to remove all traces of old tape for a leak proof repair. Some use the yellow gas line tape but I have had great results with good old white Teflon tape if applied in 3 to 4 wraps on threads.

Enjoy shooting your leak free prod.

BD

[UCChris]

Yes the fluid you found is likely silicone used at assembly that leaked out, but I have seen this same fluid staining on guns with no leaks as well so its not a 100% indicator of actual leak area.

Glad you found the leak though and an FYI, Crosman uses a black type of tape on their NPT fittings that I have found to be either good or bad at sealing the threads. I have had mixed results with it on new from the factory guns so I guess its dependent on the assemblers proper use of it. Also I have had mixed results with tightening the joint about 1/4 to 1/2 turn  to stop the leak or not, if not I always remove and retape with new Teflon tape. Just make sure to remove all traces of old tape for a leak proof repair. Some use the yellow gas line tape but I have had great results with good old white Teflon tape if applied in 3 to 4 wraps on threads.

Enjoy shooting your leak free prod.

BD

Is the gas line tape thicker and more durable?

[Buldawg76]

Yes the fluid you found is likely silicone used at assembly that leaked out, but I have seen this same fluid staining on guns with no leaks as well so its not a 100% indicator of actual leak area.

Glad you found the leak though and an FYI, Crosman uses a black type of tape on their NPT fittings that I have found to be either good or bad at sealing the threads. I have had mixed results with it on new from the factory guns so I guess its dependent on the assemblers proper use of it. Also I have had mixed results with tightening the joint about 1/4 to 1/2 turn  to stop the leak or not, if not I always remove and retape with new Teflon tape. Just make sure to remove all traces of old tape for a leak proof repair. Some use the yellow gas line tape but I have had great results with good old white Teflon tape if applied in 3 to 4 wraps on threads.

Enjoy shooting your leak free prod.

BD

Is the gas line tape thicker and more durable?

I can not answer that question as I have never used it, I know its meant for use with sealing gas line as in propane and natural gas and is supposedly yellow in color. It can be found at most home repair outlets. I have tried the gray water line tape and its far to thick to stay in place on the NPT fittings we use in airguns. I assume that water pipe threads are much coarser and less of an exact fit is why its thicker.

When I run out of the white Teflon tape I may give the gas line tape a try but see no need to buy it till I need more sealing tape.

Others with experience using the gas line tape may have more info on it.

BD