SAM Marauder Factory Defects

[georgerkahn]

Seeing MidwayUSA's unbelievably low price on the Semi-Auto Marauder PCP .22 rifle ($580USD) I had to have one .
I received it in four or five days, and pumped 2,500 pounds air into it. I took the 'scope off another rifle, but -- Murphy Law -- it didn't have 11mm bottom to fit -- so I spent another $11.00 to buy rings from Amazon.
These came three days later, but when I went to put them on I noted the air gauge on rifle now indicated a hair more than 1,000 pounds! Huh? My other (three) Marauders hold air at level pumped in for well over a year!
I've refilled it twice, thinking it might have been a teeny speck of dust or similar in valve, and in both cases the pressure weeped out.
Further, in examining this brand new and yet to be shot air rifle, I note the barrel tube appears to be "spring-loaded" to the right of the barrel band -- not free in centre like on my Marauder (bolt) air rifle. (See photo)
Well, folks -- I've read good things about Crosman Customer Service, and this will be my first entrance. Wish me good luck?
Any thoughts re either/both the slow leak and/or canted barrel tube are appreciated?
geo

[MrWolf]

I saw when you had first posted about them being available at that price and came real close to buying one. Your mention of factory defects got me remembering about three months ago I bought the Walker's Game Ear Raptor Bone Conducting Hearing Enhancer from them and had nothing but problems. Went through two pairs and even got the manufacturer involved as the batteries kept dying after about two hours. First thing they stated was Midway was selling 2nds and they were not new. I told Midway what was said and they denied it. First time I ever heard that and bought one from Amazon with zero issues. Not saying that is the case with yours, but as soon as I saw your post that is what I thought of. When you speak to Crosman, might want to make sure yours was new stock or return it ti Midway? Good luck.

[dverna]

A forum member told me that there had been accuracy issues with the free floated barrel on the Marauder and some folks had installed rubber cushions to address that. Not sure if the factory added that but it would make no sense to push the barrel sideways like your picture shows.

It is unconscionable to think Midway would sell refurbished or returned guns as "new" without stating such. I have never heard of Crosman selling "factory seconds".

After reading MrW's post, I would return it to Midway for credit. With both the leak (likely easily fixed) and the "spring loaded" barrel, I would be wondering what else might be wrong.

BTW, you might want to try one of the dedicated Air Gun forums to get more insight. Here is one that has helped me.

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php

[georgerkahn]

Thanks much, dverna! I was a bit puzzled post my telephone conversation with lady at Crosman customer service this morning. Giving the serial number, she looked it up and it was made in April 2021, and she made no suggestion re it being a "2nd"; I had told her my purchase was from MidwayUSA,
I immediately got the impression that my sending it back was not her first choice. She asked me to "jolt" it. I really felt stupid, as I have no idea what this term refers to, but she explained to just add a couple of hundred pounds of air; disconnect compressor; add a couple hundred pounds of air; disconnect compressor -- until I'm up to my normal (2,500psi) operating "full" pressure.
She suggested that sometimes a valve sticks, and doing this frees it up to again function. She totally "blew me off" re the barrel tube spring loaded against barrel band, indicating that's no problem, albeit it "might affect accuracy". Huh? ACCURACY is kind of important to me.
She wished me to put soapy water on the fill port AND the gauge to check for bubbles/leaks. I told her I did that Thursday to fill port -- if air is expelling if from there it is toooo slowly to make bubbles; and there was no way I was going to slop soap on the gauge of a brand new firearm which, imho, should have been tested for pressure retention before it left the factory.
Nice lady -- I'm not in any way dissing her -- and we left it that I will ring again tomorrow morn, complemented with an email (she provided HERS) -- and if the pressure drops again following "jolting", she will eMail me a return label for shipping to them.
Tomorrow morning I'll see where pressure, then, is. (Hopefully I'll be lucky and use rubber cushions!)
Thanks!
geo

[clodhopper]

I thought the nice lady from Crossman covered common fixes you might be glad to know in your future PCP shooting.
If the air leaks can get stopped, (and often they can be) tapping that barrel band around to center the barrel shroud would be much easier than boxing and shipping.

[MrWolf]

After reading dverna's post and your latest conversation with Crosman, I would return it. That is a lot to go through for a new gun in my opinion. Good luck either way.

[georgerkahn]

[Repair update] All's well that ends well: Crosman emailed me a return shipping label, so I needed but drop off boxed SAM to my local UPS Store. I received repaired air rifle but thirteen days later! Included was a target; a repair sheet with hand-written note indicating the air leak was about front filler area; and, the gauge indicated over 3,000psi! They had filled, left overnight, emptied, and refilled THREE times (24hrs between each) to certify it now held air!
The "communications" were superb -- wonderful messaging with two of their representatives ("Beth" and "Kevin") -- and the rifle came back IN the same two boxes I had used to ship to them.
Is there any way to rate a service ELEVEN on the "10-scale"? If there is -- imho Crosman would have earned that rating! Oh -- the barrel is now dead-centred in barrel band as well.
I'm ever so happy I (again!) bought this made in USA brand!
geo

[dverna]

Good to hear it worked out Geo!!!

Now go fire some pellets and tell us how it shoots!!

[chutesnreloads]

Thanks for the update,,, makes me feel good hearing good reports about American makers

[clodhopper]

Glad it worked out for you George.
Now you can get to the important stuff! Shooting it!

[Sitzme]

Side note. You can loosen the set screw on the bracket that your barrel was touching. Rotate it until the barrel is free floating and retighten. Takes longer to type than to do. It may come up if the gun falls or something.

[georgerkahn]

Side note. You can loosen the set screw on the bracket that your barrel was touching. Rotate it until the barrel is free floating and retighten. Takes longer to type than to do. It may come up if the gun falls or something.

Benjamin/Crosman sent the repaired PCP-rifle back to me with the barrel free-floating (whew! and thanks to them!)! My ENTIRE expense/cost to get it fixed was the cost of one sheet of paper printed with their return label address and my Essence cost to drive to the local UPS Store -- about one kilometer each way . Annnd, via telephone conversations with two of their reps, both sounded to be native-speaking Anglophones with great knowledge and customer satisfaction as their respective #1 goals!
(I am so happy to have air-firearms of this manufacture, with their being located in Rochester, NY, USA as an added plus!!!)
Thanks for the info/tip, Sitzme -- if it should go out of whack (technical term) -- now, I know what to do to fix it!
geo

[Smoke4320]

Sitzme is correct on the barrel band. Its either 1 or 2 setscrews that you loosen and realign the barrel band to the barrel.
As also stated some people will fill the gap with sheet rubber to make a supported barrel to change the harmonics