The Minimalist Marauder

Jump to latest Follow Reply
"Lee545"That thought did come up. There are two ways I thought about doing it. Either modify the current breech to accept a side lever or make a new breech made specifically for a side lever.
Click to expand...

Not sure which way would be more economical but if you're seriously considering this idea I would start an interest thread, you could likely gather many preorders or peoples interests if you had the design down and ready to execute. I think this is the HIGHEST up on many marauder owners wish list and has been for years, while the demand is there no one has met it! I could see 100's of these selling over time!

Take it a step further and utilize a bolt probe like the new fx dreamline, two piece flow through design that allows the swap out of different calibers with an allen screw access through the side of the breech. Seems like a very simple part of the design to execute and super innovative. I found my flow through gen 1 bolt probe out performs by gen ll style probe. The OD of where the probe goes is generally +.1" of the bore size (.26" for a .25" cal) which allows a .05" flow through style probe that would be equivalent to full bore flow. 

A barrel swap would only require you to lightly loosen your breech screws + barrel set screws, and removal of the above allen screw retaining the bolt probe tip! The only thing after that keeping a marauder from being a dreamline is basically an external tube regulator! Lol.

If anyone could get a marauder for 400$ and then a side lever breech + your minimalist stock kit for < 400$ you'd have a BANGING gun for just 800$ which is VERY competitive to whats out there now. JMO! Keep up your amazing work either way!

-Matt
 
Upvote 0
"ackuric"
"Lee545"That thought did come up. There are two ways I thought about doing it. Either modify the current breech to accept a side lever or make a new breech made specifically for a side lever.
Click to expand...
Not sure which way would be more economical but if you're seriously considering this idea I would start an interest thread, you could likely gather many preorders or peoples interests if you had the design down and ready to execute. I think this is the HIGHEST up on many marauder owners wish list and has been for years, while the demand is there no one has met it! I could see 100's of these selling over time!
Take it a step further and utilize a bolt probe like the new fx dreamline, two piece flow through design that allows the swap out of different calibers with an allen screw access through the side of the breech. Seems like a very simple part of the design to execute and super innovative. I found my flow through gen 1 bolt probe out performs by gen ll style probe. The OD of where the probe goes is generally +.1" of the bore size (.26" for a .25" cal) which allows a .05" flow through style probe that would be equivalent to full bore flow. 
A barrel swap would only require you to lightly loosen your breech screws + barrel set screws, and removal of the above allen screw retaining the bolt probe tip! The only thing after that keeping a marauder from being a dreamline is basically an external tube regulator! Lol.
If anyone could get a marauder for 400$ and then a side lever breech + your minimalist stock kit for < 400$ you'd have a BANGING gun for just 800$ which is VERY competitive to whats out there now. JMO! Keep up your amazing work either way!
-Matt
Click to expand...
Feel free to start an interest thread. I am up to taking up the task. The more feedback I can get in the features they are looking for, the better the breech will be. Correct me if I am wrong, the only issue I see with swapping out barrels on the Marauder is that the transfer port would prevent the barrel from being swapped out quickly without taking the breech off. I will research the Dreamline and see what they have going on there. Sounds interesting!
 
Upvote 0
Correct on the barrel swap hence why I stated the breech screws would have to be loosened since the marauder doesn't use a thimble type design. Wouldn't be a big deal. The idea would make manufacturing these a lot easier imo and I'd imagine making bolt probe tips varying based on caliber ends up using a lot less material than a bolt probe for each caliber, as well as a breech for each caliber. The bolt probe tip would just vary in thickness/port size to accommodate each caliber using the same breech, makes for much less CAD and R&D work imo. Design the breech to handle up to .30 or .357 caliber and work down from there with just the bolt probe tips :p

You could certainly make a close enough fx dreamline variant with the direction you're going. Easy to swap from traditional stock to tactical. Add in the a side lever with a powerwheel that adjusts the flow through the bolt probe (the stock tp velocity screw requires an allen wrench and many turns, adjust-ability isn't practical like guns that boast a power wheel). I'd be sold on that action...could even have a weaver/picitanny rail variant. 
 
Upvote 0
Yeah, the pitting is really shallow ... after I get all the rust off, what do you recommend to put on it to keep it from rusting again. Since we are only talking about a area of about 1 square inch and covered up entirely by the synthetic stock ... I don't think it would be a good idea to re-blue the entire tube. What would you do?
Click to expand...
That would be a place for moister to gather...if the pitting is really shallow you should be ok. There is another out there that is offering an aluminum maintube. You would have the benefit of corrosion resistance and reduced weight.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
I wouldn't reblue it either. I would use a quality anti rust oil or even a little ballistol and rub it into the steel Just keep it away from anywhere that it could be introduced inside the tube (NOT GOOD). If you are shooting out in the cold or in a humid area, I would pull the stock off and wipe off the water and apply a little more rust preventative again.
 
Upvote 0
"ackuric"Correct on the barrel swap hence why I stated the breech screws would have to be loosened since the marauder doesn't use a thimble type design. Wouldn't be a big deal. The idea would make manufacturing these a lot easier imo and I'd imagine making bolt probe tips varying based on caliber ends up using a lot less material than a bolt probe for each caliber, as well as a breech for each caliber. The bolt probe tip would just vary in thickness/port size to accommodate each caliber using the same breech, makes for much less CAD and R&D work imo. Design the breech to handle up to .30 or .357 caliber and work down from there with just the bolt probe tips :p
You could certainly make a close enough fx dreamline variant with the direction you're going. Easy to swap from traditional stock to tactical. Add in the a side lever with a powerwheel that adjusts the flow through the bolt probe (the stock tp velocity screw requires an allen wrench and many turns, adjust-ability isn't practical like guns that boast a power wheel). I'd be sold on that action...could even have a weaver/picitanny rail variant.
Click to expand...
I looked at the bolt probes on the FX, I like the idea and it makes it simple to swap out. To have a power wheel and make changing out barrels simple, I think I would modify the transfer port so it doesn't need to mate to the barrel and machine oring grooves into the barrel OD itself to seal the air in. The mods I did aren't too far off from the Dreamline. Everything bolts in place and doesn't require any permanent modifications such as drilling/tapping holes. The only thing it doesn't do is convert to a bullpup but a Minimalist Marauder Bullpup could be done as well. A pic rail can be done, it just takes more time to machine.
 
Upvote 0
You're half way there really ;)

If you ever do this I'd want on top of the list. That executed correctly would be a huge hit and I am sure could be scaled fairly easily to a prod without much work, cause why not. Lol.

Added my pic. rail to my foregrip today, still awaiting bipod but fashioned a quick flashlight for it.



Your minimalist stock could certainly have quite a few variants to it done over time. Using the same pic rail that you have but modified for a grip and trigger for a bullpup wouldn't be too difficult, nor the linkage but turning out a minimalist style stock might take some thinking and ingenuity.
 
Upvote 0
I like the idea of the "Minimalist Bullpup Marauder." and the cocking lever on the same assembly near the trigger like the wildcat and as so many others have done. I am going to get ahold of a Gen II Mrod for measuring and testing. I will start with my Prod since I already have it for developing a new breech and one can can also be configured into a bull pup and back.

How is your hand guard being help in place? Is it from the kydex's own tension?
 
Upvote 0
The gauge hole is an exact fit so that holds it in from moving side to side and front/back, and the kydex itself is formed to clamp it from being pulled down unless you try really hard. It pinches up at three points, the front tube, my auxiliary plenum underneath, and the trigger guard. I have a bit of rubber for where it mates to the front tube for insulation / protection. Works great for me.The front end has a tad bit of side to side play/flex which I may eliminate one day with some reinforcement but I may leave it to allow correction of tilt/cant :)

Having a side lever would move the cocking forward quite a bit and make for a simpler cocking/loading motion being back/forward opposed to the current up, back, forward, down.

-Matt

 
Upvote 0
Lee, 
I really like your idea of a minimalist setup. Can you machine the trigger guard piece to go over the gauge. I think it will look more natural as the gauge is protected and doesn’t stick out. I’m also cool with putting a bipod on the barrel band similar to Hill airgun’s product. Let us know when you plan to do a run because I’m interested in buying.

Thanks
 
Upvote 0




Here are a couple pics of my auxillary plenum. I use a 25 gr co2 cartridge which has a burst pressure of 9k psi. Its a tight fit and a 20gr cart fits better. A 9k psi burst leaves a lot of headroom when the plenum only sees 2k~, that is 3.5x safety factor, and even if the reg fails and fills plenum its still at 3x safety factor. Good enough for me.

A 20 gr co2 cartridge has roughly 26~ cc's of volume
A 25 co2 cartridge has roughly 33~ cc's.

My plenum volume prior to the above was roughly 20 CC's and it limited my power to 55~ ft lbs @ 2k psi. With the added plenum volume I was able to make 60 FPE @ 2k psi.

The smaller plenum was limited on power due to pressure drop during the shot cycle, being roughly 300 psi drop during a 2k psi shot makes for an average pressure of 1850 psi at the valve seat, when the plenum that is 165% bigger in size only drops 115~ psi during the 2k psi shot cycle the average valve pressure is 1942~ psi at the valve seat.

-Matt
 
Upvote 0
My bipod came in today so my rifle/conversion into full tactical is now complete! The bipod fitment was just right and there is literally .05" clearance when its folded up with the flash light attached. Looks like I barely squeezed by! Color me happy. Both accessories come off quickly by hand if I wanna run it bare and save 10 oz's off the front end for off hand shooting. Thank you again Lee for helping make a vision come to reality! The weight of this setup is a mere 7.6 lbs! Only a fraction heavier than an out of the box marauder, and this thing is scoped, bipoded/ect..! Bare the rifle weighs just 5 lbs.





 
Upvote 0
"Jayman07770"Lee, 
I really like your idea of a minimalist setup. Can you machine the trigger guard piece to go over the gauge. I think it will look more natural as the gauge is protected and doesn’t stick out. I’m also cool with putting a bipod on the barrel band similar to Hill airgun’s product. Let us know when you plan to do a run because I’m interested in buying.
Thanks

Click to expand...
Thank you for your compliments. It is possible to make a trigger guard to cover the gauge, it will more than double the cost to make. If I were to make something to cover the gauge, I would make it separate from the trigger guard that attaches to the tube. If you are interested in acquiring a minimalist setup please feel free to PM me.
 
Upvote 0
I would personally just make a gauge cover or paint it black. Should be able to fashion a cover with some black poly tubing of the right size stretched over it. Or alternatively you could like I mold some kydex to form around the gauge and up to the trigger guard to keep it all clean, could be very shallow and minimal and would screw into the old stock mount. JMO.
 
Upvote 0
"ackuric"I would personally just make a gauge cover or paint it black. Should be able to fashion a cover with some black poly tubing of the right size stretched over it. Or alternatively you could like I mold some kydex to form around the gauge and up to the trigger guard to keep it all clean, could be very shallow and minimal and would screw into the old stock mount. JMO.
Click to expand...
If the volume is there, I would machine a mold for ABS plastic. A molded part would look better than a 3d printed part on hobby grade printers. While kydex is an excellent material for one offs, consistency part to part is more challenging. I did take the extension off the gauge to keep it low profile as possible.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu