Just Introducing Myself

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Navig

Member
Dec 4, 2023
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177
Chico, CA, USA
Hi all!

Just introducing myself. I've had an air rifle for a few years. Never grew up hunting, or even doing much outdoors, but in 2010 moved onto a nut orchard in northern California. I was recommended an air rifle for pesting ground squirrels. Quick research, and of course ended up with a Marauder, synthetic, in .25 and a hand pump.

It wasn't until recently that I've been getting into more than using and zero-ing my setups. Just bought a chronograph last month.

Thanks for all the posts and information!

Here is my inventory.

Started with a Marauder Synrod in .25, ye old Pyramyd Air combo, I think it was a Centerpoint scope--sadly this was stolen from me in a house break-in maybe 5 years ago.

To replace the Synrod, I went with the Marauder Semi-auto in .22. I have Hawke Vantage 4-16x4 AO mounted on it.

Added a Hatsan Bullmaster in .22, Bugbuster scope.

Next added a AEA HP SS+ in .22. This is my main hunting carbine. Mounted a Hawk Airmax 39x40.

Soon to come, in the mail, so excited: Huben GK1

Additional stuff: Hand pump Hill Mk4. Air Venturi 4500psi 74 Cuft Carbon fiber tank. Bog deathgrip, Air Venturi Rovair.

I will come back and post my thoughts and experiences on my stuff.



Navig
 
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Thanks all!

My story is not super complicated. I grew not at all in the outdoors, but rather the level concrete suburbs of Chicago. When my Dad wanted to go do something outdoors, we'd go play tennis. Then we moved to a high rise in downtown Chicago.

Cut to 20 years later, my wife and I are buying an almond orchard to live on, in NorCal. It had been let go for a few years, so it had become (to the ongoing pain of our neighboring orchards) the Squirrel Haven. To the immediate relief of my neighbors, they began instructing me on squirrel control. I have no hate for squirrels, but if you let them go for a week, you will literally see $1000 worth of empty nut hulls. So I actually started a trapline with 4.5" conibears, and that first summer I was catching 4 a day!

Anyway, to supplement the trap line, I was suggested an air rifle, as superior to regular rifles, as the squirrels often don't react to it--which is very true.

Bit of research later, 2017, after a lot conversations with Pyramyd Air, purchased the (still available) Synrod Combo in .25, Lothar Walther Barrel, and a Hill Mark4 hand pump.
 
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Loved my .25 Marauder. Rock solid, accurate, loved the trigger. I was not necessarily a fan of the bolt action. I would definitely lose my picture loading the next pellet.

Sadly, in 2020, had my house broken in to. I think I may have interrupted them pulling in to my driveway, because I think they nabbed rifle and bolted out the back door into the orchards. I've installed security camera setup since then, but sadly the Syndrod was gone.

So I decided to go semiauto. At that time, I felt the option for me was the Hatsan Bullmaster.
 
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So in 2020, I picked up a Hatsan Bullmaster in .22, as well as the Hawke Vantage 4-16x40.

First of all, I really enjoy semiauto, but coming from the trigger on the Synrod, to the Bullmaster was kindof unpleasant. I guess due to the mechanisms required for semiauto, triggers are generally much heavier and unpleasant.

I do love the bullpup design for its maneuverability. Most of the time the hunting I'm doing is this: driving down my driveway (goes half the length of my orchard), or doing stuff around the property, and I see a squirrel--so I go and grab a rifle and hunt. I don't have the patience to actually stalk or sit-stalk a squirrel. I also end up doing a lot of off-hand shooting (prior to buying my tripod). Anyway, I found that traditional long air rifles like the Syndrod are too long and forward heavy for what I do.

Jumping forward to 2024, despite all the negative reviews of Hatsan (in particular their semiauto pistols), I've found the Bullmaster to be my most reliable air rifle. I have never had a jam, never had a mis-cycle, and never had a leak. Period.

That said, the Bullmaster will be appearing in the classifieds. I told my wife, I would only keep 3 air rifles, gotta make room for the GK1 en route.
 
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Navig said:
Hi all!

Just introducing myself. I've had an air rifle for a few years. Never grew up hunting, or even doing much outdoors, but in 2010 moved onto a nut orchard in northern California. I was recommended an air rifle for pesting ground squirrels. Quick research, and of course ended up with a Marauder, synthetic, in .25 and a hand pump.

It wasn't until recently that I've been getting into more than using and zero-ing my setups. Just bought a chronograph last month.

Thanks for all the posts and information!

Here is my inventory.

Started with a Marauder Synrod in .25, ye old Pyramyd Air combo, I think it was a Centerpoint scope--sadly this was stolen from me in a house break-in maybe 5 years ago.

To replace the Synrod, I went with the Marauder Semi-auto in .22. I have Hawke Vantage 4-16x4 AO mounted on it.

Added a Hatsan Bullmaster in .22, Bugbuster scope.

Next added a AEA HP SS+ in .22. This is my main hunting carbine. Mounted a Hawk Airmax 39x40.

Soon to come, in the mail, so excited: Huben GK1

Additional stuff: Hand pump Hill Mk4. Air Venturi 4500psi 74 Cuft Carbon fiber tank. Bog deathgrip, Air Venturi Rovair.

I will come back and post my thoughts and experiences on my stuff.



Navig
Click to expand...
welcome to the rabbit holes
 
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Sooo, I believe it was in 2021 that Benjamin released the Marauder Semiauto. Remembering how much I loved my original Synrod, I had to get it!

I did go for .22.

The Marauder SAM is pretty awesome. It just fires out pellets super accurately and consistently (I'm just now Chrono'ing it--JSB 15.89gr 790fps, 22 Ftlbs all the regulated day long, dropping them practically on each other from 70 feet).

The only problem I've ever had with it was that it developed a super slow leak from the fill port. It was still under warranty, so I contacted Crosman and they sent me a replacement. This was actually the first time I ever disassembled or even de-gassed a rifle. Perhaps a little foreshadowing...if you consult my original list, you may see the next rifle I added to my collection....
 
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