Getting to Know My Marauder Better

[tcgoetz]

I've had my Marauder for about 1.5 months now. When I first got it and did pellet testing and it seemed pretty cut and dry that Baracuda Match 5.52 were the best pellet and JSB 18.1 the second best. Now with more experience with it, maybe it's more complicated than that.

I shot both pellets again today and the JSB did better by a significant margin. The most obvious difference that comes to mind is when I did my original pellet testing, the gun was freshly cleaned. This time it probably had 50-75 pellets through it.

If thats true then the Baracuda Match are only the best pellet on a squeaky clean gun. So do pick you pellet for the absolute best conditions? It seems like I might be better off with the JSB 18.1s, which while not the best in the best conditions, are less sensitive. On the up side the JSB 18.1s are a little cheaper.

I also need to try Baracuda Match 5.53s when they are available.

Marauder .22, 30 yds, JSB 18.1


Baracuda .22, 30 yds, Match 5.52

[tcgoetz]

and it may change again, thinking you didnt mean "5075" pellets fired which would be a good number of shots between cleaning, many barrels (some of the very best) need a bit of leading before they shoot spot on again.
Your barrel very likely has micro burrs which are wearing in/out/other.  How many total pellets have you fired? How many times has it been cleaned?
If I had a barrel/pellet combo that shot great but only for 50-75 shots that would not work for me, couldnt live with cleaning that often (takes 60+ shots for an FT match or even sitting on the porch). A barrel that really doesnt want to be cleaned will often take 50+ shots to get back where it was.
Keep shooting, keep records & keep us posted.
John

Thanks for the reply. I fixed the 5075 to be 50-75. I shot a couple tins of CPHPs and a tin of Discovery HP before pellet testing, 150-200 doing pellet testing, a tin of Baracuda Match and part of a tin of JSB 18.1s since. I'd guess I'm between 2500 and 3000 shots through it. When I'm doing precise shooting I clean it about every 200 shots, otherwise about every 500.

By the way, how do you like your 410? I'm thinking about getting a 510. My only sticking point being it being measured at 101 db. I'm not sure that backyard friendly enough for me.

[Addictedtoair]

JSB's, 18.1's seen to do the best from my Indy with the 15.9's after that. That's a great target that you showed first. Keep having fun and good luck!

Brett

[2010bigdog]

Good info. Keep us informed!

[tcgoetz]

That's a great target that you showed first.

Thanks for the reply. It's a good target for me, but with all of these guys who get dime sized groups at 50 yards, it doesn't seem that good. That would be an 8 or better on each target at almost twice the distance.

[Jay]

Yes Tom it "would" seem hard, but if you look at your target's the JSB 18.1's would be "more" on with a couple of click's left windage, an if you notice your second target with the Baracuda's would rock again with just a click or two right. If your scope is touchy about resighting(not very repeatable) you can use a tech known as "shading" or Kentucky windage, take your Baracuda target, if you would just hold say on the right hand edge of bull(outer ring) most of your shot's would drop in the "center" instead of the left hand side, it look's like maybe you did try this with the last three shot's. Which by the way your target's look very good to me, it's very challenging to break one shot on one target, much harder than say sending 3 shot's on one.