Which caliber for a Benjamin Marauder?

[BrewCityMusic]

Just to REALLY give You some thought regarding caliber, LOL - with the new MRODS (and especially from what it looks like the new wood-stocked models) rapidly approaching the cost of a decent, entry-level "Big Bore", well perhaps it's time to consider how serious You are about hunting ... I shoot 157gr routinely in my Career Fire 201s (unfortunately I'm waiting for a shipment at the moment so I couldn't include them for comparison) but just the sight of a SMALL 95gr .357 compared to all 3 "small caliber" pellets should pretty much sum up why I do (as I mentioned in my earlier post) almost ALL my hunting with the 9mm/.357.



Obviously shot placement issues on almost anything smaller than a whitetail become shall we say "Slightly less critical" with the 9mm, hahahahaha ... Of course I only get 3 full-power shots at 900+ and about 2 more lower fps follow-ups before it's fill time, but I run nitrogen so it's not a hassle for me.

Now that is just ridiculous.  If I need larger than a .25 caliber pellet, I am no longer in my back yard and don't need to spend that kind of money on an air rifle when I have a gun safe full of hunting rifles to choose from.  If I can't use the rifles in my gun safe to hunt away from my yard, I'm in a state or country I have no business being in and need to get out of there.

The topic was RE Airgun Caliber, of course a PB is going to be an overall more efficient gun for a hunting "Trip", I wasn't contending that or trying to belittle any PB fans ... Besides, it's definitely possible to spend thousands on a good quality PB rifle too, not to mention finding ammo, etc and paying in some cases upwards of a buck or more per shot when You do. For me, "Backyard" is a term that covers just over 60 acres (predominantly heavy old-growth woods) and I tend to shoot a LOT for entertainment, relaxation, and sometimes yes, hunting - so at 0.15-ish a shot, yeah I'll grab the 9mm and have some fun, just like I used to do with the 7.62 PB when a box of ammo was a couple of bucks (or less) and You could buy a trunkload without question or scrutiny at any gun show.

That 9mm really makes me want to my back yard and shoot my 70 and 80 yard spinners. That sucker looks bad to the bone. 

Just for the record, I definitely do NOT recommend shooting your spinners with a 9mm, LOL - when I first got the Career Fire I put one into my poor little Gamo spinners at about 30yds, instead of a straight metal rod with a target on each end it became basically a 45deg angle with a pivot in the center, I found that out AFTER I went and picked it up off the ground, the hit actually pulled the entire 4-spinner upper assembly clean off of the metal rod it was on !!!

[Booger]

The spinners I use at 70 and 80 yards are for a .22 rim fire. I only use my gamo spinners at 30 yards for my .25 air rifles and below. The .25 really puts a pop on the 30 yard spinner. The 9mm will be for my long range shooting in my back yard.

[Dave F]

Bought a 22 cal marauder last year and tried no less than 16 different pellets. It just would not shoot.

Called Crossman and they were very nice and asked me to send them the gun which I did. It came back in a week with a new barrel, new trigger group and a new probe.

Tried new setup and it was only marginally better than the original. Call Crossman again asked if they shot it before they sent it back and they said yes at 11 yards because that is there specs. Long story short they offered to replace the gun with a 25 cal at no expense, so I agreed.

Crossman sent me a brand new 25 cal syn. I could no believe it. It shot pretty good  (3/4 inch groups at 50  yds ) so its my experience that there are still problems with the 22 cal. My 22 cal. could not shoot under 1.5 inches at 50 yards even discounting the flyers.

[Sandspike]

My gen 1 .22 was like that. I called and requested a new barrel. Now it's just as accurate as my .25 and it loves CPHPs.  Happy Happy Happy

[DaveInGA]

Dave, responses in red in the quote:

Bought a 22 cal marauder last year and tried no less than 16 different pellets. It just would not shoot.  I just don't have use for a gun that won't shoot.  Maybe I'm cantankerous, I don't know, but if it isn't accurate within the parameters of the type of rifle/pistol it is, I just am not interested in owning it.

Called Crossman and they were very nice and asked me to send them the gun which I did. It came back in a week with a new barrel, new trigger group and a new probe.  That's a lot of new parts, at least they worked on it.

Tried new setup and it was only marginally better than the original. Call Crossman again asked if they shot it before they sent it back and they said yes at 11 yards because that is there specs. Long story short they offered to replace the gun with a 25 cal at no expense, so I agreed.  At least they back their products to the hilt and didn't try to cheap out on you.  A lot of companies would.

Crossman sent me a brand new 25 cal syn. I could no believe it. It shot pretty good  (3/4 inch groups at 50  yds ) so its my experience that there are still problems with the 22 cal. My 22 cal. could not shoot under 1.5 inches at 50 yards even discounting the flyers.  This may be an odd question, but what is reasonable accuracy with air guns, particularly the PCP ones?

[DaveInGA]

My gen 1 .22 was like that. I called and requested a new barrel. Now it's just as accurate as my .25 and it loves CPHPs.  Happy Happy Happy

That's the thing about a new barrel on a rifle.  They get expensive pretty quick and so many things on a barrel can affect accuracy.  I am surprised at how many accuracy issues there are with air rifle barrels these days.  In the .22 rimfire market, most barrels nowadays at least get decent accuracy and almost any aftermarket barrel brand you buy will be very accurate in most cases.

[Sandspike]

My take on your last question in red.
Groups of 5:
Dimes at 50 yards.
Nickles at 70
and
Quarters at 100 for the .25.

If you bench it and know how to shoot it.

[jeffharper47]

I just got my synthetic marauder last week. Ive only been shooting the Crossman premier hollow points because i want to get some shooting time behind the rifle before i start experimenting with pellets.

so far at 35 yards, 1in groups or less consistently.  I just know that once i find the right pellets itll be a tack driver.

[Sfttailrdr46]

I just got my synthetic marauder last week. Ive only been shooting the Crossman premier hollow points because i want to get some shooting time behind the rifle before i start experimenting with pellets.

so far at 35 yards, 1in groups or less consistently.  I just know that once i find the right pellets itll be a tack driver.

It probably is you just need to finish breaking in and re clean the barrel mine shoots most domed .22 pellets pretty accurate with the occasional 1/2" flyer  usually my fault

[Gremcat]

I bought a Synrod .22 and then started piecing together a 30 cal best of both worlds

[William]

William, responses in red in the quote.

Only thing you need is a Marauder 25 cal. I love mine and you would have to kill me to get it out of my hands.  A very strong endorsement for the .25 caliber.  After looking at the comparison pic above, the caliber I'm favoring, costs and limitations be darned.

For hunting of any kind there is no better gun than a 25 cal. Marauder. Accurate, deadly and very quiet. Accurate, deadly and quiet.  My three favorite words for hunting purposes.

Stacks pellets out ot 40 yards and at 50 yds 1/2" groups with JSB 25.4 grain domed pellets. Price is excellent, can be pumped up by hand pump, best deal on a lower cost high end PCP you will ever find!  So easily more than accurate for hunting anything that's reasonable to kill with this caliber.  A rifle that isn't hard to mod both the rifle and it's associated pump for a bit of convenience/performance increase and economical in many ways.  How is the rifle's durability and ease of maintenance and repair? 

This is one of the easiest rifles to maintain as well as durable, very well built, easy to add accessories as well as modifications to power and fitting it to your needs. Parts if ever needed are readily available just about anyplace you look! Keep it clean and lubed with divers grease  and you will have many years of trouble free usage.

William

[jeffharper47]

I just got my synthetic marauder last week. Ive only been shooting the Crossman premier hollow points because i want to get some shooting time behind the rifle before i start experimenting with pellets.

so far at 35 yards, 1in groups or less consistently.  I just know that once i find the right pellets itll be a tack driver.

It probably is you just need to finish breaking in and re clean the barrel mine shoots most domed .22 pellets pretty accurate with the occasional 1/2" flyer  usually my fault

 I cleaned the barrel a good bit. I just know that i need to find the right pellets. I think it got a "good" marauder.