GRAPHIC!! PIC. HEAVY! New Marauder in James Linthicum stock, take on prairie dogs.

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We had a great day today. On the road at 04:30. Pulled through the cattle ranch gate right at 05:45. I had hoped to get there and sight the Marauder in with close to zero wind. Didn't happen. When I got to the dog town and stepped out of my vehicle, it was already starting to blow. Nothing horrible, but still 3 to 5 miles an hour. It would get much worse.

I didn't wast any time getting my gear set up. The conditions don't improve with time. The question in a prairie dog town isn't, is it going to be windy, but just how windy will it be today.

I set up my shooting stand, got out the Marauder, put the Harris Bipod on her, dug out my rear bag and pellets, and put them on the stand. Next I put out my portable target holder at 55 yards. Loaded a mag with 18.1 grain JSB's, and started sighting her in.

I started shooting on a large 10 inch Shoot-N-C bull so I could easily spot the pellet impacts. She was shooting several inches high and right. I made several scope adjustments before I had her centered where I wanted. I moved up to a black dot and fired five for effect. They dropped into a half inch. I'm very pleased, but not surprised, considering she was stacking the same pellets at 20 yards indoors.

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Next I put one of the Shoot-N-C prairie chuck targets out at 55 yards and dropped five shots onto it. I love these targets, instant feedback, and they do a very good job of replicating the size of a typical adult prairie dog. The five went into just a hair over a half inch.

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Time to hunt. I ordered the new Marauder stock from James Linthicum a couple of months before I even had the gun. I knew the factory stock wouldn't work for me. I had purchased one of his Discovery stocks, and the transformation that it made in the balance and handling of that gun was truly amazing. I had started talking to James about a Marauder stock about three months ago. He said he was working on several different designs, and would send me some pictures of the rough patterns.

When I saw the one with the rollover cheek piece, I knew that was the one for me. It reminded me of my Anschutz model 54 sporter stocks, but with a better designed forend.

The order was placed, and only 8 weeks later I had my stock. Pretty fast for a custom handle. About a week before, my Marauder had also come in.

Once again, the stock has transformed the Marauder into a different handling gun. The balance is much better, the comb height works really well with my high mounted MTC Viper scope. The grip is closer to the trigger, and a palm swell makes for a very nice and comfortable touch.

I have bought a lot of custom stocks over the years, and I've always felt the money was very well spent. A good custom stock really personalizes a gun. This one fits me like a glove.

I got everything put away, and it was time to hunt. The first p. dog I saw was at a lasered 71 yards. I dropped him with a heart lung shot. It turned out to be the long shot of the day.

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I had been hunting along for about twenty minutes when I spotted one right at 55 yards. That's my sight in distance. Not a good thing for the p. dog.

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A little farther along, I saw a p. dog with just his head and shoulders showing over the edge of his mound at 61 yards. According to my wind meter, the wind had picked up to a steady 14 miles an hour, but It was directly at my back. I settled the crosshair on the top of his head and lightly touched the trigger. The pellet launched, I saw his head snap back, and a fraction of a second later, I heard that tell tale THWACK come across the prairie to me. That's the "sweet sound of success".

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By this time I had been hunting for almost four hours, and it was getting even more windy, and uncomfortably hot. I headed for "Command Central" to get some Gatorade, have a sandwich, and just generally marvel at my Marauder. I've got some nice airguns to compare her to, and she's holding her own against them just fine thank you.

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For me, with all of my guns, accuracy is where the rubber meets the road. I like shiny metal, and gorgeous walnut as much as the next guy, but if the gun isn't a tack driver, it's out of here.

The Marauder is a keeper. Nice trigger, smooth bolt operation, and as accurate as I can ask. The new stock is the frosting on the cake. It makes her a pleasure to hunt with. Nice balance, and she fits me like a glove. I think she and I will go prairie doggin' again next week.