Hey I need some wise advice, I have a beeman r9 and have been using it for small bore practice, I have read some interesting post on the tx200 mk lll and am considering buying it for practice...Is there enought difference in the two guns to justify spending the 600. for it

Nothing wrong with the R9 it is a classic workhorse but the TX is in a different class. Try to get your hands on one to shoot before you decide if possible. These days you can get nice used TX's for around $400 shipped on the yellow forum classifieds. The R9 is more of a magnum hunting rifle and the TX is a heavier fixed barrel target rifle that still makes good power for hunting but I wouldn't want to carry it to far.

As for whether it is worth the money I would say so if you plan to sell the R9 to help fund it. Otherwise it would really be up to you and how much you want the TX. Both are very accurate but the edge IMO goes to the TX.


Dee

thanks Dee, I have been toying around with a pcp benjamin marauder also, my main purpose for getting a new gun would be to practice for small bore silhouette, the r9 has been great but Im always looking for something better

Speaking as someone who has had a Marauder up and running for only a few weeks, I can say that the accuracy is pretty amazing. It's also a lot easier to shoot accurately. I've never had any luck with shooting a springer accurately without using the "artillery hold" that means holding it very loosely and letting it jump when it fires. As this is not how I hold my smallbore and highpower silhouette rifles, I think practicing with the springer and trying to be accurate with it might have actually hurt me when it comes to the other silhouette games. With that said, the stock on the Marauder is not nearly as good as the Pharr RTS stocks on my smallbore and highpower silhouette rifles. I didn't really see/shoot any that were when I was down at the Southern Nationals airgun matches, either, though. The adjustability of the Marauder is great, too. All it takes to go from shooting a 10.5gr dome pellet at 900fps for steel/hunting to shooting an 8.2gr wadcutter pellet at 600fps is turning of three screws. The trigger on the Marauder starts out pretty good, but with a little polishing work and modification (easy and picture tutorials on the web) it's really good. It's definitely better than the R series Rekord (?) triggers to me, but they're pretty good for springer triggers.

Keep in mind that you also have to get some sort of air supply mechanism for the Marauder. I got a great deal on an FX pump that already had the Foster attachment for the Marauder on it. I don't have a tank and hose assembly yet, so all of my shooting has been powered by a pump so far. Even so, it's still worth it and I haven't shot my springers more than a couple shots since I got the Marauder.

When I get some time, I'll write up a review on the Marauder. Overall, I love the gun, especially for the price. It's not perfect, though.

Marauders are great air guns, I do not like the 'magazine' loading system but it does function. Overall good air rifle.

Mary

Presto! Single shot tray!

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Benjamin_ ... liber/2930

A PCP will make a better overall cross trainer rifle without having to deal with springer hold sensitivity you just have to take the plunge into that world. I love my TX and it will not be going anywhere but I also have some PCPs that I do shoot a lot more

The trigger on the M-Rod is a copy of the Theoben unit IIRC. IMO the stock is the biggest drawback and I still wonder why they would use that shape when they could have duped just about any good shape for the same price. I think no one bothered to actually shoulder the thing or whoever did and said YEAH! this is the one must not shoot much at all.

Dee

Thanks for all the info, had a little set back on the pcp thought i had the tank thing taken care of and found out that the tank I have is for co2, I use it for air brushing...so now I have to decided if it is worth it to me to dive in go for the full meal deal on the pcp or turn back to the 200.
Still think I am going to go for the pcp, what do you think about the scuba tank set up?
thanks tj

tj, you are in AL if I remember correctly, you should be able to find a used tank set up with k valve in a pawn shop in your area for under a $75, that will have at least 4+ years left on the hydroing ability. You will still need the adapter for the gun, which should cost $30 to $50, depending on who made the gun. That is unless you want to go with a carbon fiber tank, advantage of not requiring hydro, lighter, but much more expensive. I think you will like the pcp more.

Mary

Thanks Mary, I did some checking around today and I was able to come up with a scuba tank that is up to date and I am sure will work for pcp...another question how many times will I be able to fill my gun with a 3000 psi alum 80 tank
thanks tj

tj,The answer to that question is going to be based on which model you get, how much air it uses to project the pellet. The cost of refilling the tanks usually isn't too bad, in fact some fire departments do it so check around some there.

Mary

thanks again Im looking to buy the Marauder in .177 as you can tell I know nothing about pcp, aprox 10 fill ups 20, 50 grin.....thanks
tj

tj...Marauder takes care of pigeon family quite well at 75+ yards in cities without much problem, except when you are dumb enough to laugh hard at the way they crash into a neighbors satellite dish. Still lettle problem unless you live somewhere that classifies air as a firearm. You will like the rifle, I have shot several of them and they are very quiet and remarkably accurate.

Innocent M

TJ you can go here to calculate how many fills you will get on a tank of air are different pressures.

http://www.airhog.com/tank.htm

You will not get many full fills off a scuba tank if the rifles target fill pressure is just a touch under the tanks max pressure, maybe 6-8 at most before the shot count falls with each fill. The M-Rod is a 2900psi fill IIRC. A carbon fiber tank of the same volume can give me about 60 fills on the S400 which has a tube with about 50% more volume than the M-rod so I would think it could fill one of those 80 times before needing a top off itself. They have guys selling used ones for alot less than new if you have a place to get them filled.


Dee

Composite tanks save in the long run on back X-rays.