ATeam Marauder Tuning with Hammer Spring, Hammer Throw, & Valve Metering
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WFDife1EqVkkDQPEwRZFU6Kawki2sCi0x5KdFarO86U/e
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Completely rewritten by RayK on Sept 2011 and again July 2013
based on this http://www.marauderairrifle.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1323 Here is a very
short version (with mimimal explanation) if you want to print the process on one page
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o/edit?usp=sharing
The following guide will help you achieve a tune setting that will give you the desired peak velocity,
fill pressure, and number of shots. It will be up to you (the tuner) to achieve the optimal balance for
your needs. An optimal setting will give the highest efficiency yielding little to no hammer bounce,
reasonable cocking effort, and good shot consistency. You are looking for that fine balance which
can only come from lots of trial and measurement. An alternative tuning technique is the Bstaley
Hammer Buffer described here
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If you are seeking very high power from your Marauder, you may want to replace your stock
hammer spring with a stiffer/stronger one to allow you to adjust for higher velocities. The stronger
hammer springs are: for the Mrod, use a .48” OD 2.5” free length, and .054” wire diameter; for
the Prod, use a .30” OD 1.75” free length, and .041” to .048” wire diameter.
There are two extreme approaches (or techniques) of tuning using this method. It is a good
learning experience to try each technique so as to learn the characteristics of each in your
particular gun. If you have time, start with A (which is very similar to the factory Marauder setting)
and then try B (which is preferred by most airgunners and probably where you will leave your
settings). After learning each, you can then find a balance between the two. If you are using a
strongerthanstock hammer spring, technique A is usually the best way to tune. If you are after
absolute max power possible, technique B is usually better.
While tuning, if you can hear any air burp this is known as “hammer bounce” and is wasteful of air.
As the hammer opens the valve, the pressure from the reservoir combined with the valve return
spring pressure will close the valve. With a light spring pressure the hammer is likely to be thrown
back far enough (and off of the valve stem) that the hammer spring then gets retensioned and the
hammer gets thrown forward to hit the valve stem again and expel more air. This sounds as
though the gun is burping out air for as many as 3 or 4 burps per shot. A nobounce hammer was
briefly offered by Jim Gaska. A Hammer Debounce Device (HDD) is currently being sold by
Airguns of Airzona. But this is not an endorsement of either device. Proper tuning can usually
eliminate hammer bounce. To reduce hammer bounce, you should adjust more towards a shorter
throw higher hammer tension. With heavy hammer spring tension, the hammer can't get thrown
back off the valve stem so hammer bounce is eliminated. There is the small possibility that the
valve may also close slower, allowing more air to escape, because the added hammer spring
tension keeps the hammer against the open valve. This method of tuning usually yields a shorter
sharper crack at discharge.
Technique A: A long throw, low spring pressure setting can give long, medium power shot
strings. It will give a very light cocking effort and long spring life. It is more prone to hammer
bounce.
Technique B: A short throw, high spring pressure setting will yield higher power tune and should
eliminate hammer bounce. It may also yield a heavier cocking effort and possibly shorter hammer
spring life.
At the end of this guide you will find a method for determining charge pressure (how much
pressure you should refill to when adding air to your gun, e.g., perhaps filling to 2800 psi is better
than filling all the way up to 3000 psi) and shot count (number of shots you can get within a
desired range from the maximum velocity, e.g., within 25 fps of the maximum). It is advisable to try
each for the 2 different techniques so you can see the difference in shot count and velocity curve
which will give you an idea of the efficiency you have achieved in each. After finding your setting
for each method, you can determine that setting by inserting the adjustment wrenches and
counting how many turns to get back to the end stops.
An example would be 7 turns in hammer spring preload, 5 turns in hammer throw yields 850 fps
with Crosman 14.3 grain dome pellets with a 2800 psi charge for 25 shots. Using this method you
can always get back to a particular setting while you are trying different settings.
Preliminry Setup for each tune technique
Make sure you have access to a good chronograph (chrony). Tuning a PCP airgun without one is
futile. This one is an affordable good one
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/852429/competitionelectronicsprochronodigitalchronograp
h The poor ones may produce many ERR readings or may only store 10 shots.
A) Hammer Throw (HT): With the gun assembled, adjust the hammer throw to the longest throw
position. This is done by inserting 1/8" allen wrench through the spring, into the hammer and
catching the Hammer Striker. Then turn counter clockwise until the Striker is fully retracted.
B) Hammer Spring preload (HS): With the gun assembled, adjust Hammer Spring preload to
minimum tension. This is done by inserting the 3/16" allen wrench then turning counter clockwise
until the Hammer Spring tensioner is fully retracted into the air tube butt cap.
C) For the Marauder rifles, fully open the transfer port adjustment by closing it (fully clockwise)
and then back it out 4 to 4.5 revolutions (counter clockwise). For the Prod, if possible, replace the
transfer port but change the ID to .110" or smaller. It is rare that a PCP needs a transfer port
larger than .110 to achieve 20 ft lbs. A Transfer Port that is large enough to give you the velocity
you desire but no more will give you a flatter velocity curve. If you want a really long, low power
string, very small tranfer port is one way to achieve this.
Tuning with Technique A: long throw, low spring pressure
1) Set up gun with a chronograph and pellet back stop.
2) Have initial adjustments of your Marauder set to A, B and C above.
3) Charge gun to a pressure a little above the middle of your desired charge range. Example: if
you are looking to charge to 3000 psi and shoot to 2000 psi then charge to 2600 psi for testing. It
is even better if you can tether to a large fill tank with pressure in the middle.
4) Increase the hammer spring preload (clockwise) until you feel tension on the hammer spring
and then turn in 1 more revolution.
5) Chronograph a shot to see where your velocity is.
6) Increase hammer spring preload 1 turn.
7) Repeat 5 and 6 until your desired velocity is reached.
8) Shorten your hammer throw 1/2 turn (clockwise).
9) Chronograph a shot to see where your velocity is.
10) If your velocity stayed the same go back to step 8. If your velocity decreased, go back to step
6.
11) Keep making adjustments (remember to charge every 5 shots) and chronographing until you
are satisfied with the feel of the shot cycle.
Tuning with Technique B: short throw, high spring pressure
1) Set up gun with a chronograph and pellet back stop.
2) Have initial adjustments of your Marauder set to A, B and C above.
3) Charge gun to a pressure a little above the middle of your desired charge range. Example: if
you are looking to charge to 3000 psi and shoot to 2000 psi then charge to 2600 psi for testing.
4) Cock Hammer.
5) Increase the hammer spring preload (clockwise) until you reach full coil bind and can not
increase hammer spring preload any further (gun may fire during this adjustment). Fire gun. Cock
the hammer again. If it will not cock then back off on the tension a little until it will cock. Cock gun
again. Repeat until gun will cock reliably. On some guns, the adjustment will max out before you
get to full coil bind and you will hear a cliking as you turn the preload adjustment screw. Just leave
it at max setting.
6) Reduce hammer spring preload 2 to 3 turns (counter clockwise).
7) Chronograph a shot to see where your velocity is.
8) Shorten your hammer throw 1/2 turn (clockwise).
9) Repeat 7 and 8 until your desired (usually maximum) velocity is reached.
You may see that as throw is decreased, velocity will actually increase. This is common as you
converge on a more efficient setting.
10) Keep making adjustments (charging every 5 shots) and chronograph until you are satisfied
with the velocity and the feel of the shot cycle.
Finishup for each tune technique: Valve Metering Screw Adjustment
You can fine tune the velocity with adjustments to your transfer port. Mrods have an adjustable
transfer port under the stock, but you must first remove the brass set screw on top of the
adjustment screw. Start with the 4 to 4.5 turns out from fully closed described above in the setup
under C. To adjust, 1) turn the adjustment screw in 1/4 turn at a time and chronograph a shot. 2)
Make another 1/4 turn adjustment and chronograph another shot. Repeat the process until you
reach your desired velocity. As you get close, switch to ⅛ turn adjustments until you reach your
desired velocity.
During this process you may notice that your shot gets quieter and blows less air but the velocity
does not change much. This is common as you converge on a more efficient setting. Your shot
count will increase as well because you are waisting less air. Another benefit of an adjustable
transfer port is that you can dramatically flatten a velocity curve by restricting the transfer port and
increasing the energy used to open the valve stem. You will widen the usable charge pressure
band (e.g., using 1500 psi instead of only 1000 psi per fill) and increase shot count in the process.
You can experiment with settings to achieve an optimal balance.
Prods do not have an adjustable transfer port, but you can drill your blue aluminum transfer port
for the Prod from the stock size of .080” to 7/64” or .109 for higher power shots, but you will
reduce your good shot count. Smaller than stock tranfer port, e.g., .06” in the Prod will allow you
to tune for very long and flat shot lowerpower shot strings such as seen described for field target
or plinking. Here is an excellent video that shows the effect of changing transfer port in the Prod
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoJnSwFiX8w
Testing for Charge Pressure and Shot Count
1) Decide an acceptable velocity spread (called extreme spread or ES) from your shot string. Field
Target or longer range hunting may require an ES of 2 to 3% of your peak velocity, e.g., 18 to 27
FPS ES for 900 FPS tune. Shorter range hunting or plinking, e.g., 25 yards or less, may allow up
to 5% of peak velocity, e.g., 45 to 50 FPS ES for 900 FPS tune. You should experiement to see
how much ES you can tolerate for your needs. Remember, the point of impact (POI) will drop as
your pellet velocity drops and this will be more noticable with longer distances. Here is a great
writeup about choosing your acceptable ES
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=62581.0
2) Charge gun to max pressure allowed by manufacturer (e.g., 3000 psi for the Mrod or Prod).
Some slightly overcharge their PCP airguns (e.g., 3200psi) with excellent results due to the valve
design, but that is something you must decide to do as it is beyond what the manufacturer
recommends. If you are hand pumping or filling from a 3000 PSI SCUBA tank, lower charge
pressures, e.g., 2500, will allow easier filling or more fills per tank.
3) Record velocity and gun pressure at each shot. Shoot an entire string of pellets. The velocities
will slowly climb, reach a point where they level off or peak and then slowly decrease. Keep
shooting until the velocity drops below the starting velocity no matter how many pellets it takes.
4) Examine your recorded shot string. Find the peak velocity and subtract your acceptable velocity
extreme spread from that peak velocity. This is the START and END velocity. As an example: The
velocity from shot #1 may have been 800 fps. The velocity peak was 900 fps. The acceptable
spread is 25 fps. The start and end velocity of the string should then be 900 25 = 875 fps.
5) Look down the recorded shot string till the first instance of a velocity at or above your start
velocity (875 fps from our example) is recorded. See what shot number that is. From our
example: shot #1 was 800 fps and say, shot #10 was 875 fps.
6) Charge gun to the pressure of shot #1 in the string and fire (from our example) 10 1 = 9 shots
over the chronograph. Shot #10 would now be the correct velocity, and the charge pressure that
is in the reservoir is the correct charge pressure to achieve it. Let’s pretend from our example, this
charge pressure is 2800 psi.
7) Charge gun to the determined charge pressure and shoot over the chronograph recording
each shot. When the velocity from shot #1 is reached after the velocity peaks that is the last
usable shot from the charge. Shoot a few extra pellets over the chrony to be sure velocity is below
the END velocity. Count the number of shots and that is your shot count for the charge for the way
the hammer tension and throw are currently balanced.
Record your pellet type, weight, charge pressure, shot count, and end pressure and keep it with
your airgun for future reference.
