Carl, God rest his soul, posted a lot about the Mars Lander when he was releasing his kit back over a decade ago.
This is all from memory so take it as such.
The dies for the wraps Estes used were lost/worn out way back in the early '80s.
Carl had to make his, and I seem to remember they were not easy.
The ML is very marginally stable, but it is stable. Most stability issues come from the kit being
"overbuilt" and over painted. Any modifications need to be considered from that standpoint.
It's VERY sensitive to weight and CG. We are talking grams making a difference.
The bottom line don't paper the legs, make sure your glueing is neat clean and minimal, think about any
modifications, and paint sparingly.
It's also very sensitive to wind. I have launched mine in a 10mph wind with good results, but it was
arcing a bit under boost.
If I remember correctly, adding a 24mm motor is not an easy solution but it can help. Adding mass to
offset the heavier motor/mount can be an issue.
It's a VERY draggy rocket.
I was most of the way done with my clone when Semroc came out with their kit, so I used
Semroc wraps. The wraps were very nice and glossy. No paint was needed, as such the embossing
looks good. Start adding primer and paint, then they will disappear. The paint/primer will also negatively
impact the stability.
It fly's really good on a C6-3! Maybe 200-250 ft. Remember, this is not a high flyer.