Maximum Value PCP Rifle – Benjamin Marauder

VALUE PICK1No, it’s not cheap, but for the money we have to say that the Benjamin Marauder fairly easily wins the top value spot among the PCP crowd for us. Indeed, what you get for your money in the Marauder (or “Mrod” as it’s affectionately referred to by forum junkies) is not just a capable rifle, but near match-grade accuracy right out of the box and the power to maintain tight groups out to 50/60 yards easily. And if you are an air rifle hunter, pay close attention – this thing is an ultra-quiet killing machine!

Of course, there are some sacrifices that one must make when optimizing value (aren’t there always though?). However, we are happy to say that these are pretty minor in the case of the Marauder. Please read on as we tick through what we love about this rifle, and what we don’t.

Benjamin Marauder Review - the Best Value PCP Air Rifle?
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What We Love About The Benjamin Marauder

Here’s what we think are the key features of the Marauder, and why you might want to consider this rifle among other PCPs.

Laser-Beam Accuracy Out of The Box

Yes, you could spend several hundred dollars more than the cost of the Marauder and might get a slightly more accurate rifle, but in its price class the Marauder’s high-quality factory barrel delivers near competition-grade accuracy. Moreover, you don’t have to struggle with “tuning” it for this type of precision either.

What do we mean? We are talking about punching very tight groups out to 50 or 60 yards repeatably, with the capacity to make 100 yard kills with just a bit of practice and a good air rifle scope. For our money, there is really nothing else that comes close to its one-hole accuracy anywhere close to its price class.

A Multi-Shot Killing Machine With Huge Power

If you are like the many that are concerned with purchasing the best air rifle for hunting they can afford, you will be delighted. Not only can you place numerous pellets (magazine size varies by caliber) with nearly surgical precision and get anywhere from 17-30 shots per fill (depending on caliber), but they will have the downrange knock-down power that air rifle hunters dream about.

In fact, sources report that the .177, .22 and .25 versions of this rifle produce up to 21, 32 and 45 FPE respectively! And as far as the .22 and .25 caliber models are concerned, this makes the Marauder powerful enough to go after larger game and pests, including turkey, fox and even coyote! Tip: I would definitely pick the .25 if dispatching coyote!

The .177 with a heavy pellet can also be used for hunting, but in our view is best suited for those looking to brag about their groups at 100 yards, and/or hunters who want a truly devastating, long-range bird rifle. As between the .25 and .22, go with the .25 if you are dealing with bigger game (e.g., fox, coyote, raccoon). However, for those primarily hunting squirrel, rabbit, woodchuck, etc., the .22 is more than adequate and has the advantage of having a larger shot magazine, cheaper ammo, and greater pellet selection. Here is a good forum thread discussing the .22 vs. .25 debate.

The Quietest Shot Around

There has been a lot of talk on the forums about “quiet air rifles,” and the consensus from the most reputable sources in our view is that the Benjamin Marauder is one of quietest – if not the quietest air rifle you can buy. Indeed, the Marauder’s integrated resonance dampener and full barrel shroud produce shots so stealthy that you’d think you were firing an underpowered pneumatic rifle. This allows you to play with your rifle closer to home without irritating the wife or the neighbors and, if you are a hunter, it may allow you to get several shots off and enjoy multiple kills without sending your quarry running for cover. Please note, however, that the .25 caliber is significantly louder than the .22 and .117 models.

Don’t believe us? Check out this Crosman video showing the .25 caliber Benjamin Marauder (the loudest of all Marauders) quietly devastating prairie dogs at 70 yards. Note: the real action starts at 4:30.

Match-Grade Stock Trigger

The Marauder uses a match-grade, two-stage adjustable trigger that is outstanding and has plenty of leeway to please the vast majority of users without any further modification. And if you’re one of those who want an even lighter pull, you can find many cheap “tips and tricks” on the web that should suffice to get things just where you want it. For most airgunners (even more experienced ones), we suspect this would be the nicest trigger they’ve ever used. No need to drop $$ for any trigger upgrades here!

Rare User Friendliness & Lots of Tuning Opportunities

This is a big point. Given the numerous aspects that allow for user-adjustment, and Crosman’s legendary support, the Marauder is easily the easiest PCP to use and dial in for most users. In addition, unlike other highly-acclaimed PCPs, parts are much more accessible for the Marauder, and there is certainly a ton more information on the web to help even newbies get the most out of this rifle, or tune it to their precise specifications.

Unbeatable Value!

Quality PCP rifles are generally among the most expensive of the lot, which is why most would agree that the Benjamin Marauder’s roughly $500 price tag gives you more bang for you buck than any other PCP rifle you can get. Even the Benjamin Discovery, which is also one of the best value PCP rifles out there, still would require some costly upgrades to match the performance of a stock Marauder, and the “Disco” is only a single shot rifle.

What’s Not to Like About the Marauder?

It’s actually quite difficult to find any fault with this extremely high-quality and affordable PCP rifle. Some may complain that the stock is nothing special and that it could have deeper bluing, etc. However, beyond these relatively insignificant gripes, there is one real issue to keep in mind in our view.

The Risk of Receiving a “Wild Shooter”

Unfortunately, there has been several instances where users received rifles that – for some reason or another – are just off and don’t shoot accurately or reliably. These apparent “duds,” some say, are less likely to be noticed with the .25 caliber (which reportedly has a barrel that is made outside of the Crosman factory); however, the truth is that no one can be sure just what is underling this apparent quality control issue. We don’t think this risk is serious enough to avoid a purchase, but  one should be on the lookout for poor accuracy out of the box, regardless of the caliber involved.

Concluding Thoughts & Recommendations

The Bennjamin Marauder - accuracy, power & incredible value.

>>Buy the Benjamin Marauder PCP Air Rifle!<<

It doesn’t matter whether this is your first PCP rifle or your 15th, the Benjamin Marauder is an insanely-accurate, quiet and high-quality killing machine that has no true weak spots that we can identify, besides some possibly spotty quality control issues in the manufacturing process.

Moreover, this potent, sophisticated weapon just happens to be selling for what we believe is a steal when you compare its features and performance relative to other, much higher-priced PCPs. Yet, what ultimately puts this model over the top for us is its sizzling power and accuracy right out of the box, and its unusual ease of use and capacity for simple user-adjustment. No need for fancy tuning, or burning tins of ammo, to get this rifle purring. Indeed, the factory settings are probably perfect, as is, for even the die-hard “tinkerer.” As we say, why mess with something that doesn’t need fixing!

As between all of the calibers, we would probably recommend either the .22 or .25 versions. For an all-around plinking and blistering small game hunting rifle, the .22 is ideal, with the .25 being better suited to taking down larger quarry like coyote and fox. Of course, you can also hunt smaller game with the .25, but you will pay more for, and have fewer choices between, your ammo. The .177 caliber fails to take advantage of this rifle’s hitting power in our view, but if you are most concerned with one-hole groups and/or are doing a lot of long-range, small bird hunting, the .177 caliber is hard to beat! In that case, just remember to use the heaviest .177 pellets you can find to keep velocities under the speed of sound for accuracy’s sake!

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2 Comments

  1. stevedore says:

    Indeed this rifle is awesome. My Gen 1 .177 fires 50 shots JSB Monster, 13.43 gr with pinpoint accuracy from 3000 to 2000 psi fill pressure right out-of-the-box! My only issue is the weight. Too heavy for hunting but
    an advantage for bench rest target shooting.

  2. John Zito says:

    Looking for Benjamin Maximum or Marauder 22 PCP Combo or package Deal good air Ventura pump plus acessiores.

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