Is the Benjamin Marauder still a good rifle to buy or is it an outdated design? Probably still one of the quietest rifles from the factory, might be the only plus.
Marauder still good?
- Thread starter WarriorPoet
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I've never owned one but I don't see any reason to discourage anyone from getting one. A bit heavy but accurate, and people seem to love them. I would suggest against buying one and dumping a ton of money into it, just shoot and enjoy it. Down the road get something more modern/has more features etc.
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I purchased the 22cal version in February of this year for my first PCP and it hasn't disappointed. Super accurate and easy to use. Haven't done anything to it. Bought a pellet sampler pack to determine what it shoots the best and with the correct pellet selection I'm shooting dime sized groups at 40yds.
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I had the marauder pistol it was a great gun and probably the only gun I regret selling(just didn't use it enough and it fit the needs of one of my friends) but a great gun. Simple, reliable, accurate, and quiet every thing you want in an airgun. Hope this helps Eric
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Wow. I don't even know where to start.
In the power-burner world, the ultimate 'tinker-toy' is the 10/22, right? If it's made, it's available for the 10/22.
In the airgun world, that's the Marauder. They're not outrageously expensive to start with. The design is simple. It's efficient, accurate, and acceptably powerful ---right out of the box.
But....If you have but a modicum of mechanical ability you can turn it into an absolute screamer, and for not that much money!
Over the past decade, I've owned six. I'd build one out the way I wanted, someone would see it and want it, I'd sell it thinking I'd buy something better......
and I always seem to come back to the M-rod.
If you love pellets, it's an easy gun out to 100yds. If you're better than average, it's good for more.
If you're a slug-slinger, you're good for 100+ any day of the week.
For better or worse it's the only gun I own that will feed any piece of lead available. Including Polymags!
Would I recommend one today? Definitely! Positively! It's a GREAT first PCP. It's a great platform for us tinkerers.
and......pests absolutely HATE it!
In the power-burner world, the ultimate 'tinker-toy' is the 10/22, right? If it's made, it's available for the 10/22.
In the airgun world, that's the Marauder. They're not outrageously expensive to start with. The design is simple. It's efficient, accurate, and acceptably powerful ---right out of the box.
But....If you have but a modicum of mechanical ability you can turn it into an absolute screamer, and for not that much money!
Over the past decade, I've owned six. I'd build one out the way I wanted, someone would see it and want it, I'd sell it thinking I'd buy something better......
and I always seem to come back to the M-rod.
If you love pellets, it's an easy gun out to 100yds. If you're better than average, it's good for more.
If you're a slug-slinger, you're good for 100+ any day of the week.
For better or worse it's the only gun I own that will feed any piece of lead available. Including Polymags!
Would I recommend one today? Definitely! Positively! It's a GREAT first PCP. It's a great platform for us tinkerers.
and......pests absolutely HATE it!
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the marauder will get the job done 'well' and you can hand pump it .. that means its a cheap solution if your losing the battle with pests .. its not perfect, alittle big and heavy, but thats a nuance when things are raiding your property and theyre laughing at the walmart springer .. they wont be laughing at the mrod, promise you that ...
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Trgt_acqd
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Heck yeah they're good. I have an older 22 model from 2018 that's unregulated. It's still awesome. The newer ones are a little down on power since they're semi auto. I'm sure you could still order a normal bolt action gun though. Don't shy away from the Air Venturi Avenger. That's a to-do on my list, even after owning multiple higher tier PCPs! Lots of features that the Marauder lacks. Just my opinion.
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I have two of them. One in .22 and the other in .25. They are both great shooters and are not pellet fussy at all. The only reason they have been locked away for the past 4 years is because I got guns with higher "magazine" shot counts. So if you can get your hands on one, do it. You won't regret it.
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I still have mine after 8 years. It was my first PCP rifle and I do not regret one penny I spent on it. When I got my Dreamline, I considered selling it, but its such a reliable, accurate gun, I couldn't part with it. I didn't buy it to sell it later anyway.
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I got a .177 when they 1st came out. I love that thing and it shoots very accurately is very stealthy. I bought a 2nd one 3-4 year ago thinking that the upgraded barrel and regulator would be a welcome change. It did not disappoint. I since have bought 2 daystates (huntsman and Redwolf) and 1 FX (IMpact) and I can say that the Marauder can hold its own. Quieter than the FX and Huntsman. They really got that shroud down nicely!
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Thanks for the replies fellas! I use to own a .22 Mrod, but sold it... Killed so many crows with that gun, but those new craftsman series rifles have a better breech design in my opinion. How the tube screws into the receiver, seems like less places to leak versus the Mrod.
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Bough a Marauder .25 twelve maybe thirteen years ago and could not stand it and sold it pretty quick, got sucked in into 4 more various variation of the pistol forgot why I did not like the platform and every time sold them for the same reason, just can't stand that bolt action, the magazines and the ergonomics.
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I owned two marauders both .25 a gen1 and a gen2. They were accurate and in stock form decent power for a low cost .25. They are very low shot count in .25 but other than that and the things people already posted its a good entry level rifle. I dont own either anymore as I moved on to higher end models.
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My two cents worth. The Marauder is a great first PCP. The only two drawbacks I can point out is yes, it is a little heavy and the bolt can be a little hard to kock.
I bought one several years ago in 22 caliber and it did not shoot for sour owl poop. I ended up having to buy an aftermarket Lothar Walther barrel (and now it shoots fabulous). But it looks like you can order them now with that barrel. Which I would recommend.
In 17 and 25 caliber they never had this issue. But in 22 caliber they had a bad batch of barrels and it was known throughout that the 22 calibers just did not shoot well. I personally experienced this UGH! If you care to read my Marauder story here is a link to it.
www.airgunnation.com
Long and the short of it. Great PCP.
I bought one several years ago in 22 caliber and it did not shoot for sour owl poop. I ended up having to buy an aftermarket Lothar Walther barrel (and now it shoots fabulous). But it looks like you can order them now with that barrel. Which I would recommend.
In 17 and 25 caliber they never had this issue. But in 22 caliber they had a bad batch of barrels and it was known throughout that the 22 calibers just did not shoot well. I personally experienced this UGH! If you care to read my Marauder story here is a link to it.
My Marauder story
My story starts many years ago. I was introduced to PCPs by a friend of mine. He bought a BSA sportsman‘s HV. I thought to myself. Why are you spending so much money on an air gun? He talked me into one. And begins the rabbit hole of the PCP world 😜. I was very impressed with its accuracy. I...
www.airgunnation.com Long and the short of it. Great PCP.
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Glad to hear these are still a “standard” for a basic PCP. I’d heard good things about them and picked one up off a local guy (also a member here) in .25, and I’m looking forward to getting it up and running. I still need a pump, optic, and rings, but the price was solid so I jumped, LOL. Hopefully she serves me well!
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The Marauder is a GREAT foundation to work with. Polish the barrel, play with different free floating hammer ideas, some porting, and tune the rifle for slug that your rifle likes. Both of these are slug pushers, the blk one shoots 38gr slugs at 940 fps and the camo one pushes 44gr at 980fps; yeah it's well tuned. Both are "TACK DRIVERS", they have NO problems competing against the High End rifles.
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This a GREAT foundation to start with, it doesn't take or cost a lot to compete with the high end rifles. Pellets and slug, either or; tune the rifle and you'll be SUPER HAPPY that you did.
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