Keeping the Marauder and Blizzard busy

[zzyzx]

I know some keep a count of how many varmints and such they shoot. I can't count that high. Living on a farm in North Dakota has its advantages as far as nailing varmints goes. Yesterday and today is a good example. On the way to kids baseball games yesterday morning I shot 12 blackbirds off cattails on sloughs along the road to town.(two full magazines in the .177 Marauder)  A dirt/gravel farm to market road. On the way back from the game I shot 9 more, one shot was a clean miss somehow. Was able to stop the truck and rest the rifle on the mirror housing to steady things. A 10mph breeze with gusts to 20. Nice shooting from about 12 yards to 40 with most being around 20 yards.

Today nine gophers in 14 shots, one I hit four times to finish him off as he kept twitching and bouncing around. So I actually missed twice. Then stopping at a friends yard 5 head/eye shots on the 1/4 mile 2 tire track road into his yard. He had just mowed it and the little guys would look out with only the head showing. I was really on and did not miss a shot. Luck more than anything. Then three magazines on blackbirds with 22 dead in that 30 shot effort. Some I just missed, hand held while the next hand held shot would get one. They were mainly on cattail leaves and moving abit but still I should have done better. 20 yards and in is pretty much a hit. To 40 yards is a bit looser for me, not quite as accurate. Then a crow came into view at 20 yards and watched the shooting and I nailed him.

That is about it for my counting as I don't write the stuff down and tomorrow will be going to another neighbors farm to help him shoot gophers in the area around the barnyard. Since that will ber at distances up to 90 yards I will be using the Evanix Blizzard which still hits hard at longer distances. A really nice rifle. I find that shooting it I have more quick kills without the gophers flopping around in death throes. Both rifles kill but the .22 Blizzard is much more confidence inspiring when shooting these tough little guys and especially so at 40 yards and out.

Both work well and I am happy with each.

[dk1677]

Nice shooting! Lots of targets there!

[dust]

zz, how much power are you getting out of the blizzard?  I am trying to decide between the blizzard and marauder in 22

[only1harry]

Wow, that's some body count.  Congrats!  Any pics?  I 'd like to see those Gophers

[longislandhunter]

that definitely sounds like a target rich environment 

Would love to see some pics of those varmints   

Jeff

[zzyzx]

I do not have a chrony so don't know about maximum power on the Blizzard. I have never shot the .22 cal Marauder, just the .177 I bought used on these forums classified section. It is nice, very accurate and one sweet shooter.

That said, it doesn't compare to the Blizzard in feel, looks or workmanship. The Blizzard is every bit the rifle a friends AA 410s is, from direct comparison and shooting both the same day.(both of us doing so)

Naturally the .22 will hit harder than the .177. Other than that difference in calibre the Blizzard  handles better for me. It is longer and a big heavier but hitting gophers and ground squirrils is a lot more satisfiying as they get knocked down a lot more often rather than just falling over and flopping around a bit before expiring. The hit sound is different and much more of a solid hit sound, if that makes sense.

From my experience with the .177 marauder I would have not problems recommending one in .22 as all should be the same with a larger pellet size. I know the Blizzard hits hard and is as accurate and allows me to shoot blackbirds with good accuracy out to around 75 yards. I can shoot further to about 100 yards but I am not that accurate once I get out there. Remember, these birds and ground squirrils present a target that is about inch to an inch and a half wide when faced straight on. May be 5-10 inches tall but not very wide. Standing richardson ground squirrils are skinny little farts and upright blackbirds straight on are also. Grackles are bigger and pigeons are big fat targets. The Blizzard is death on pigeons at the top of grain elevators of 6-12 stories.

My opinion, based on owning both rifles(remember, the Marauder is .177) is that I would buy the Blizzard. Much more solid 'feel', very nice rifle, very beautiful rifle and it hits hard. I get 40 good shots using JSB Match Diabolo Jumbo Heavy pellets, 18. grain. Maybe a bit light but very accurate for the varmints I am shooting. It really likes both the H&N Barracuda Match 21 grain as well as the Rabbit Magnums in 14.6 size and the heavey Eun Jins are very nice. I have settled on the JSB's because of the compromise in cost and accuracy. They hit what I shoot at as long as I am not too shaky that day. Of the pellets I have tried they are the most accurate, though it is so close the H&N's would be my second choice.

The blizzard has adjustable power but I have not changed it from my buying.(another seller on these forums) He had already tweaked it a bit and it shoots so well, why mess with it? I have taken a coyote with it and a lot of other animals smaller and down to grasshoppers on leaves at 20 yards or so.

Yes, a traget rich envoronment. We have more than 20 lakes and ponds within two miles of us. Prairie pothole country here. Ducks, geese and waterfowl all around. Turkey, deer and moose as well. A great place to live and one big advantage... the nearest McDonalds is about 2 hours away so it keeps some relatives from visiting. ;-)

If I had to choose one rifle to keep out of what I own it would be the Blizzard. (.22 blizzard, .22 RWS350 magnum, .22 Tech Force 89, .177 RWS 48 turbo tuned, .177 RWS 350 magnum, , .177 RWS Panther Pro)  Out of them all I would keep the Blizzard. For me, it is that much better. I really like the powe, accuracy, good looks, fine finish and the thumbhole stock fits me well. If I did not have the Blizzard I would probably choose my friends AA 410s as it is so close in all but the ultimate power. Take a look at the Blizzard or the new Rainstorm, which is a shorter version of the rifle. Be aware that I hunt and shoot pests, not paper targets. I don't know how it would be for that, I just don't do it. I do have a 4-16x50 Leapers scope on the Blizzard and it is working well for me.

I like the rifle enough that I paid my Tax guy this year with a Blizzard as he has botten very interested in air rifle hunting after visiting our place. I could have gotten him a Marauder. My choice and I bought what works best for me after shooting both.