Mrod .25 at 60yds?

[justkillurself85]

So I've been playing around at 20-30yds and my Mrod was doing really well. So yesterday I decided to go out to about 60yds. I shot 2 mags of Predators and 2 mags of Benjamin Domed. They both gave me 6" groups   It was getting dark so I quit shooting and thought maybe I have to clean the barrel. So I cleaned the barrel, it was pretty dirty but nothing serious. Checked the baffles and found one that was slightly clipped, so I sanded out a little bit. Re-installed the shroud and baffles one by one.

So today I gave it another go. This time with JSB Kings. Grouped a little better, but still a 5" group. Pic of Kings down below, dont have any pics of the other groups. I filled to 3000psi and shot down to 2000psi, except the very bottom shot I didnt watch the gauge on the Mrod and was at about 1800psi at that shot. The very top shot was me trying to figure out were POI was. So I discounted those 2.

I havent tried the Benjamin Domed or Predators again yet. Also I just ordered a chrony, so I dont know what numbers its pushin yet, but I have a feeling they are going a little slow.

[RatRacer]

Is this offhand or bench rested shooting?

[MustangMike]

Is this offhand or bench rested shooting?

Interested to know that myself since .25 mrods I believe should be grouping way better then that at 60yrds

[justkillurself85]

Forgot to mention, this is bench shooting. Front of gun on a rest. I was also using the single shot tray to make sure the mag wasnt affecting accuracy.

I was hoping I would be able to do another shooting session with Benjamin Domed and Predators today, but that didnt happen.

[Nomadic Pirate]

Send that gun back

[MustangMike]

 ya dude send it back, benched at 60yrds w/.25 mrod id be expecting at the very least half inch groups

[justkillurself85]

Aight well I think I'm gonna try shooting it a little bit more and try a couple things first. If it doesnt improve, then its goin back I guess.

[Talon22]

Bad deal, hard to give up on a Marauder even if it don't group. Mine shoots good out to 20 yrds. I only shot 1 time at 80yrds and i hit what i was aiming for (can't tell). I know from 80 most noise was from what it hit and not the whisper quiet gun. SMACK!!! LOL!!!

[Schmidty]

My .22 grouped on average grouped under an inch and some sub dime sized groups at 50 send that thing back buddy something is up there..   Only other possibility is the scope but highly unlikely with those results

[justkillurself85]

Alright so I got a chance to get some more shooting in today. I shot strictly Benjamin Domed and it was groupin a little better the first few shots, but still not good. I decided to check the baffles again and the front 2 had some slight clipping going on, so I fixed that. Also noticed the barrel band was slightly touching the shroud, fixed that. After the last group, I pulled the baffles once more and noticed the last baffle had been slightly clipped again.

One thing I noticed today was if I kept the Mrod between 2600psi and 2200psi it did alot better but still about 2.5-3in groups. But thats only about 6-7 shots. Above or below that pressure its all over the place.

I'm wondering if its still breaking in?

[MustangMike]

what pellets have you tried ? im starting to think this might be a pellet issue, or a burr in the barrel somewhere..


other then leading the barrel pcps really dont "break in" maybe the trigger levers and hammer and bolt get some kind of break in but its not the kind of break in you expect on a break barrel...

[Talon22]

I had my baffles out and no clipping, i don't see how they could. Mine are pretty snug, just loose enough to remove if needed. Must be a barrel issue. Crown or burr like Mike said.

[justkillurself85]

As for pellets, today was Benjamin domed only. As for the other times I went to 60yds I also tried Predators and JSB Kings.

The baffles in my Mrod are very loose. I can take the endcap off the shroud and dump them out. I tried putting a layer of tape around them but they wouldnt fit.

So how do I remove the piece on the front of the barrel (looks like an air stripper) to see the crown?

[Talon22]

I found this off another forum. Good luck

Use an open end wrench (I'm thinking 1/2") placed squarely behind the flange of the stripper cap, then use a hammer or block of wood to tap the wrench to force the stripper cap off.

If the barrel is already off the breech, remove the shroud screw mount from the breech end of the barrel and slide the box end of the open end wrench over the barrel, to behind the oring and do the same with the hammer. Light taps should do it.

[justkillurself85]

Yeah the adaptor for the shroud is definitely gapped a 1/16" away from the receiver. I'll fix that and check the crown.

Barrel o-ring? U mean the breach o-ring? If not how do I get to the barrel o-ring?

[srjaynes]

You can unscrew the entire shroud.  You don' have to remove the end cap.  Mind you don't dump the baffles out and lose the orientation, like I did first time....  Test the gun "shroudless" and remove all doubt.  

I disagree with the "Scope Comment". That type of "wobble" in a pattern can often be traced to a loose scope element.  MAKE SURE the locking ring on your ocular (eyepiece) adjustment is tight.  That alone can change an aim point beyond 50 yards.  I know, I competed in long distance matches for nearly 10 years. (Center fire of course).

Now HERE'S a weird one:  I had to give up wearing my variable prescription glasses (line-less bifocal) to shoot.  The variable nature was moving my aim point.  I shoot two ways now:  I sometimes wear my single-vision driving glasses.  That helps a bunch.  If I don't have them handy, I refocus my eyepiece for a crisp reticle WITHOUT my glasses.  At that point, the scope is compensating for my nearsightedness.  While everything beyond  10 yards, without the scope, is a blur, with the scope everything is crisp and clear.  Shooting improves DRAMATICALLY!.  BTW, I'm an amateur astronomer and I learned that trick with my telescope eyepieces.

I didn't notice your scope make and type.  Might be worth trying a different one.  Chasing a bad scope problem can be VERY erratic.  More soe than a bad gun problem.  This make me think it's not the scope, but best to remove all doubt before shipping gun back.

Check every last screw scope on the gun, mount, and scope.  Get a rest that holds fore piece AND stock.  Caress the gun like it knows you love it.  IF the problem persists, call 1-800-I-Want-A-Different-Gun.

MAKE sure you haven't over tightened the rings.  Squeezing the scope tube too much can loosen elements or reticles in weird ways.  (Voice of experience speaking).  Scope experts and manufacturers roll their eyes when they hear this, but my empirical data says otherwise.

Like one other writer, I too shoot a .22 cal MROD.  My 50 yard groups with several types of pellets including Crosman Premier and H&N Baracuda Match are all USA Quarter sized or better, barring wind gusts.  You should be able to more than duplicate that with a .25 cal.  (My two favorites in the MROD are Crosman Premiers for plinking and H&N Barracuda Match, for Squirrel infestation removal)

You can experiement with pellets and pressure settings, but common wisdom says most MRODs of all calibers are more forgiving than most air rifles.  For example My Benjamin Trail XL 1100 HATES all lightweight pellets EXCEPT Premiers and Premier Hollow Points.  It thrives on nearly all pellets about 17-18 grains.  Understanding its power plant, that's not surprising.  On the other hand my MROD shoots Beeman Lasers just fine and they only weigh 13.35 grains.  They would ALL be flyers in my XL-1100.

BTW, I have my pressure set so a fresh fill of 3000 psi yields about 940 ft/Sec with Crosman Premiers.  My gun really likes that setting, so I leave it alone now.  That energy with the H&N Barracudas makes for a very humane squirrel eliminator system.  The Barrracudas are of course slightly slower, but carry more energy at impact.  Their horizontal impact is identical to the premiers, but about a mil-dot and 1/2 low at 50 yards compared to the Premiers.

Just another $.02 worth, no cash value expressed or implied.

Steve J.
Portland, OR

[justkillurself85]

Thanks for the help so far guys. Unfortunately I probably wont get a chance to shoot again till maybe Friday. So I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.