Does The Benjamin Marauder Magazine Fit The Beeman 1085?
It’s a question I’ve been asked multiple times. Does the Benjamin Marauder magazine fit the Beeman 1085? Here’s what I’ve found…
The 1085 was first launched at the 2020 SHOT Show. The official name for this gun is the Beeman Power Series Model 1085. However, a number of dealers are calling it the ” Model 1085 QB II”.
HAM readers saw details of it back in our show report in January. It’s a CO2-powered, 10-shot, bolt action repeater development of the long-serving QB78 air rifle. Available calibers are .177 and .22 cal.
Anyhow, spare magazines for the 1085 have been somewhat hard to find. In an attempt to overcome this, there have been claims that magazines from the Benjamin Marauder can be made to fit the gun. I tried this using a sample Beeman Model 1085 air rifle in .22 caliber, together with a well-used Marauder magazine in the same caliber.
As we can see from the heading photograph, the two magazines are fairly similar in appearance. There are some differences, as in the way the number of remaining shots is indicated on the magazine. It’s on the face plate of the Marauder’s (right) and provided on the end of a rotor for the 1085’s.
But the real issue is this. “Will the Marauder magazine fit into the magazine well of the Model 1085? From my measurements it’s close. Very close.
First, let’s start by measuring the width of our sample .22 caliber Marauder magazine. It’s 0.585 Inches, as we can see below.
That gives about 11 Thou “wiggle room” when inserted into a sample Marauder .22 caliber breech.
Measuring the width of our sample .22 caliber Beeman Model 1085 breech, we see it’s 0.586 Inch wide. So will our Marauder magazine fit? Well, yes, just. There’s a 1 Thousandths of an Inch gap. That’s pretty tight, but it might just fit in!
Then we observe that the Beeman magazine is designed to fit against a stop pin protruding from the base of the Model 1085’s magazine well.
The Benjamin Marauder does not have such a pin. Thus, although our sample Marauder magazine does – just – fit into the 1085 breech, it will not engage completely.
Apparently there is an answer to this, I’ve read. Simply pull out the stop pin in the magazine well of the breech. Then the Marauder mag will slide correctly into place.
This may well work if the pin can be removed. It’s a push fit into a hole in the 1085’s magazine well. Make that a TIGHT push fit!
In fact, on the sample gun, the magazine stop pin was such a tight fit that I could not pull it free using pliers 🙁
So, does the Benjamin Marauder magazine fit the Beeman 1085? Well, yes, I can see that it might – if it were possible to remove that pesky stop pin.
However, you may find – as I did – that it’s not something you want to attempt. The force required might at least result in marred finish on your airgun from the pliers as the pin brakes free…
Fortunately Beeman tells us that spare magazines for the Model 1085 are becoming available. So just wait a short time and you will be able to have multiple, dedicated magazines for your Beeman Model 1085 air rifle.
