Got a chance to play with the Pathfinder and make some comparisons to the Marauder and get some velocity readings.
Both rifles are in factory out of the box condition. No tweaks applied just yet.
Marauder
Pros
Relatively inexpensive in the world of PCP air guns. A starter PCP for many air gunners, therefore there is a market for used models when the owner upgrades, making the introduction to PCP a little more affordable.
Nice bench gun.
The size and weight make the marauder easy to shoot good groups off the bench with. Stock is well designed with adjustable cheek piece.
Excellent trigger.
Not too heavy, but not too light either. Just enough feel for the newbie to learn when the shot will break.
Cheap spare magazines.
Plastic mags allow low cost spares to be purchased.
Accurate.
Will make a ragged hole with the pellets it likes. Velocities are very consistent. Single digit SD is common.
The rifle has a shrouded barrel with a conventional type baffle stack inside that makes the rifle very quiet.
Cons
Heavy if you want a field rifle to carry in the woods.
Power level is pre-set, and while it can be changed, it is not user adjustable in the field.
Shots between refills.
Air pressure drops 500 psi for every 10 shots. After 2 magazines, you may have to increase holdover on longer shots. After 4 mags, it's time to refill.
Pathfinder
Pros
Compact. Folding and telescoping stock allow for backpack carry for field use.
Lighter weight than the Marauder. 6.4 vs. 8.2 lbs. (no scope)
Fab Defense AR15 style stock and pistol grip with storage.
Short Picatinny rail on underside of forend for light/laser/bipod mounting.
300CC air bottle giving 50-80 shots depending on power setting.
User adjustable 4 position power setting.
Twin air pressure gauges giving both air bottle and regulator pressure.
Magazine is a work of art. Machined from billet aluminum, it is flawless in execution and in use.
Toggle action is very easy to cycle. No striker to cock.
Very accurate with pellets it likes. Velocities are very consistent. Single digit SD is common.
The rifle has a thread on suppressor of very basic design that makes the rifle very quiet.
Cons
Rifle is not a bench gun. It's designed more for field use. Shooting off the bench is not as effortless as with the Marauder.
Trigger is not as good as the Marauder, but it is adjustable. Not terrible, just a bit too heavy. I will be exploring this when the time comes.
Spare magazines are expensive. Fortunately, Orion makes 3D printed mags that work very well and are affordable for multiple spares.
Rifle sells out quickly and is often on B/O.
Fun facts:
In the UK, air gun power level can be no more than 12 ft. lbs. by law unless you have a firearms certificate and then you can have the full power air gun that is now classified as a firearm. The BRK manual states that the factory sets the power level at 11 to 11.7 ft. lbs. so the air gun police don't kick down their door and shoot their dog.
The US export version is set to the max power of 27 ft. lbs. and the box is so marked.
The US Pathfinder on the lowest power setting is still more than 12 ft. lbs.
Even though the Pathfinder barrel is half the length of the Marauder barrel, the velocities are essentially the same. I attribute this to the Pathfinder air bottle being larger and higher pressure and probably a higher setting on the regulator.
Velocities.
Here are some readings I was able to take today. Dunno if my chrono is just getting old, or the pellets are harder for it to see, but everything had to be just right to get a reading. So I focused on that and will leave getting groups for another day.
I ordered a sampler pack of pellets to test an assortment of weights/styles.
13.4gr.
Marauder
Avg vel. 841
SD 7.2
MAD 5.1
ES 10.2
Pathfinder
Avg vel. 848
SD 19
Mad 14.3
ES 51
15.9gr.
Marauder
Avg vel. 812
SD 2.5
MAD 1.8
ES 6.3
Pathfinder
Avg vel 795
SD 1.4
MAD 1.0
ES 4.5
18.1gr.
Marauder
Avg vel. 773
SD 3.8
MAD 2.8
ES 10
Pathfinder
Low power setting in parenthesis
Avg. vel. 783 (600)
SD 2.7 (14)
MAD 2.3 (9.7)
ES 8.2 ( 33.9)
Magazines
As mentioned, the factory BRK mags are billet and pricey. But they work like a dream. But at $119 ea., Homie don't play dat.
A company in S. FL named Orion makes 3D printed mags for a bunch of popular air guns however, and at $30 ea., these were much easier to take.
Factory mag on the left, Orion on the right.
BRK mag has a hinged lid that makes loading a breeze. Orion has a magnetically attached lid that you pop off to load.
The Orion mag has a block that prevents you from closing the bolt on an empty mag. The BRK does not.
Both mags fit and function flawlessly.
