Posts Tagged ‘Crosman 2240’
The new best airguns for the money: Part 1
by B.B. Pelletier
Blog reader Kevin Lentz asked for this report; but as soon as he posted his request, it was seconded by a couple other readers. The first time I did a report with this title was way back in 2007, and that was a four-parter. This time, I’ll hold it to just two parts to save some time, because there are a lot of new models coming out at this time of year. Kevin revised the categories just a little and I went with his suggestions.
Guns under $150: Air rifles
A couple guns that used to be in this category have fallen off the list, in my opinion. They did so due to major changes in product quality. Even at this low level, a gun has to shine to make the list.
Crosman’s 1077 is a wonderful 12-shot CO2 repeater. It’s accurate, reliable and a lot of fun to shoot. This budget rifle is accurate enough to benefit from a scope.
The Crosman M4-177 multi-pump is another wonderful value for the price. It’s accurate, has a tactical look and is very rugged. As a bonus, this is a five-shot repeater!
The Gamo Lady Recon makes the list for its accuracy, ease of operation and the fact that it comes with open sights. The plain Recon doesn’t have open sights and misses the list for the lack. This is a lot of youth air rifle for the money, but I suppose only girls will like it because of the pink color.
Stoeger’s X5 makes the list for accuracy and build quality. The one drawback with this one is the heavy trigger. But if you get past that, this is a lot of airgun for the money.
Daisy’s Powerline 953 TargetPro is a budget version of that company’s 853 target rifle. Though it lacks the Lothar Walther barrel, the 953 manages to do quite well with its domestic barrel. It’s a great way to get into target shooting without spending a bundle.
Buy the Daisy Avanti Champion 499 only if you like hitting what you shoot at. Billed as the world’s most accurate BB gun and the only gun used in the International BB Gun Championships (because nothing else can compete with it), the 499 is every target shooter’s dream. Sure, it’s a BB gun, but one that will put 10 shots inside Roosevelt’s head on a dime offhand at 5 yards.
And the winner among air rifles in this price range is the Air Venturi Bronco. It is, without question, the most accurate pellet rifle under $150, and it has the best trigger of the category as well.
What can I say? I love this air rifle.
Guns under $150: Air pistols
For informal target shooting, you can’t do any better than Beeman’s P17 single-stroke pistol. It’s a Chinese-made copy of the German-made Beeman P3 that costs many times more, yet the P17 holds its own on power and accuracy. A few of them have been known to have reliability issues; but if you oil yours with Pellgunoil, I think you’ll get past that. I’ve owned two, and both were perfect.
There used to be several different models of this next gun to choose from, but the last one standing is the Crosman 357W. A pellet revolver for under $50, this CO2-powered gun has inspired shooters for decades. It has the accuracy you want and ease of operation, plus it’s a pellet revolver!
Another super buy is the Crosman 2240 .22-caliber single-shot pistol. This gun is the direct descendant of Crosman pistols dating all the way back to the 1940s. It’s accurate, powerful and a wonderful value.
The Crosman 1377C is a classic multi-pump air pistol selling for half the price of most other pump guns. It has the power and accuracy to hold its own against challengers selling at more than twice the price. Plus, it’s the basis of many hobby airgunners’ projects.
The Makarov BB pistol is the best BB pistol in this or any other price category. It’s accurate, reliable and extremely realistic. If you like to hit what you shoot at and want to shoot BBs, this is the gun to buy!
If you want a fun, realistic BB revolver, they don’t get any better than the Dan Wesson BB revolver. I’ve linked to the 8-inch barreled gun, but all the barrel lengths and finishes cost the same and provide the same great service.
Guns $150-250: Air rifles
Not as many guns in this price category, because I hold them to a higher standard. With guns like the Bronco and the Beeman P17 out there, most higher-priced guns can’t deliver.
Hatsan recently decided to go it alone in the U.S., but I haven’t had a chance to test anything they offer. Back when they were making guns for whatever conglomerate financial organization owned Webley at the time, who knows what craziness they were forced to make? So, they should be given the chance to make and sell good guns on their own. Time will tell, but this year I have no information, so they didn’t make the list.
With all the product-cheapening that’s been going on, it’s been difficult to see that the Diana RWS 34P has progressively morphed into a fine air rifle. The barrel got better, the trigger did the same and the powerplant went from a cheap buzzy nightmare in the 1980s to a dream gun in 2012. Diana avoided the Gamo pitfall of going to more power, and, instead, they concentrated on giving us a great rifle with reasonable power and splendid accuracy. You do need to use the artillery hold to get it, though. This one deserves credit for being a wonderful air rifle. When I list the 34P, I’m actually including all 34 rifles.
Guns $150-250: Air pistols
Same thing goes for air pistols as for rifles. Too much competition from the lower-price category and not enough innovation and quality in this one.
I can’t say enough good things about the Smith & Wesson 586 4-inch CO2 revolver. It’s a “real” gun! Get one if you like fine double- and single-action triggers, smooth revolver actions plus stunning accuracy. The realism cannot be faulted. Same thing goes for the 6-inch barreled gun.
Some of you may remember my story about telling the then-president of Crosman why airgunners would drop $150 on a handgun he sold for $39.95. Well, he left the company, and the new management decided to build these modified guns themselves! The Crosman 2300S is one such gun. It’s based on the 2240 frame, but has a boatload of high-value appointments that are just what most airgunners want. Can’t beat it for the price.
I’m going to include the Daisy Avanti 747 Triumph Match, which is somewhat quirky and more than a little clunky, but it’s the lowest-cost real target pistol available. The Lothar Walther barrel is what makes it rank above the nearly identical 717. And, Daisy, could you please give this gun a couple more names? I can still pronounce it without taking a breath.
What’s this? I put the Beeman P17 on this list for under $150 and I’m also putting the Beeman P3 on the same list? Yep. This one is good, too. Better trigger than the P17 and just as accurate and powerful. Want a better gun? Get a P3.
Well, that’s my list. You might ask me what the criteria were to make the list. Simple. These are the airguns I can recommend and not hear anything bad about them. That doesn’t mean that everyone likes all of them. It means that the guns, themselves, don’t have any bad habits or features that make people mad at me for recommending them. Next time, I’ll do a $250-500 list and an unlimited one. You think I was picky today? Just wait.
A note from Edith: This is a G-rated site
Recently, I’ve noticed some acronyms creeping in that aren’t G-rated. If you have a budding young airgunner that you’ve encouraged to read the blog and the comments, do you want to have to explain to him what those initials mean? Probably not, so it’s best if we don’t use those colorful words/acronyms in our comments.
Also, when symbols have to replace letters in a word because the word is offensive, please don’t use that word…with or without symbols. I appreciate your help in keeping Airgun Academy a G-rated site and a place where airgunners of every age can comfortably ask questions and grow to love the shooting sports.
Crosman’s 2240 pistol – Part 3
by B.B. Pelletier
Crosman’s 2240 pistol is a big, powerful CO2 pistol. It represents great value.
Before we get into today’s report, here’s an update on the Roanoke Airgun Expo. Dee Liady, Fred’s widow, is going ahead with the show exactly as it has been planned, in honor of Fred. This will probably be the largest airgun show ever held, as I expect to see a number of new tableholders who are coming for the first time, not to mention a great many new attendees. I know I plan to bring a ton of stuff with me this year. Here’s a link to a PDF of the show flier that has all the pertinent information. If you want to reserve a table, better do it soon, as there’s a limit to the number of tables the room can hold.
Okay, today is accuracy day. I shot the Crosman 2240 with the same three pellets that were used in the velocity test. These are not necessarily the best pellets for a 2240, but they’re among the best pellets in most airguns, so there’s a good chance they’ll work well. Or, perhaps, just one or two will be good.
Since the target range is indoors and the target trap is sitting on my night stand, I always check to see that the sights are aligned reasonably close to where they have to be. I don’t care about hitting the center of the bullseye, as you know, but I also don’t want to throw a stray shot into the wall behind my bed. So, I shoot the first shot at about 15 feet, and if it’s close to the aim point, I’m okay.
All shots were fired from a rest, the same as the Crosman Mark I. I shot at 10 meters, with 10 shots per pellet. I did encounter the 2240 bleeding off the power band, so I installed a new CO2 cartridge and re-shot that target.
In fact, that’s one thing I have against CO2 guns. When they start to lose power, they begin to string their shots vertically. It doesn’t matter that much to action pistol shooters, but to target shooters and hunters it’s a real pain.
Okay, on to the accuracy tests. First up was the RWS Hobby pellet.
Ten RWS Hobbys at 10 meters went into this somewhat scattered group.
After I examined the group the Hobbys made, I knew the pistol was capable of doing much better, so I played with the sights a little. I also did something that may surprise some newer owners of the 2240. The barrel band or hanger has Allen screws on the top and bottom to secure it to the barrel and CO2 reservoir. Sometimes, if the sights won’t adjust properly, it’s because the barrel is misaligned with the receiver. Loosen both of these screws and move the barrel in the necessary direction, then tighten them again. This is an old field fix for sights that don’t quite adjust far enough, so I mention it for everyone who hasn’t heard about it yet. Anyone who has taken the barrel off the gun even one time should know about this fix.
Next up were Crosman Premiers. Where Hobbys had fought me during loading because of the screw hole in the loading trough, Premiers fell into the breech like mercury down a drain. They didn’t seem to meet any resistance when the bolt went home, but I waited to see how they printed on paper.
Ten Crosman Premiers made the best group of the test. Actually, this was the second group fired, because the pistol was running out of gas during the first group.
Waiting proved to be a wise decision, because the 2240 loves Crosman premiers. Put them on your short list for this pistol.
Next up were the RWS Superdomes that everybody is telling me I have to test with more airguns. Well, this was one such test.
Ten RWS Superdomes went into a nice group that was close to the Premier group in size, but for one hole at the top.
The Superdomes proved tantalizing, because they wanted to group well but didn’t quite make it. More shooting with them might prove worthwhile.
It’s loud!
One thing Edith commented on when I was shooting was how loud the 2240 is. And two of our three cats were very vocal about their disapproval. They finally left the room I was in and retired to the quiet garage. But Punky, our Pepe LePew look-alike, decided he liked the shooting, so he came into the living room and plopped right down on the floor, no more than 10 feet from where I was shooting. There he remained throughout the test, asleep at the end!
Not a care in the world. Punky’s a gun nut.
So, some family members may not approve, but those that are easy-going will accept the 2240 in stride. This is the end of the 2240 test, but I’m still going to shoot the S&W 78G as a comparison. When I’m done, you’ll be able to compare all three pistols: the Crosman Mark I, the Crosman 2240 and the S&W 78G.
Here are the links to the Mark I reports:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
S&W 78G and 79G – Part 2
by B.B. Pelletier
Today, we’ll look at velocity and power of the S&W 78G. I’m getting reacquainted with this pistol because I’d completely forgotten how it performs. For starters, I’d sent this gun to Dave Gunter in Oregon to reseal and soup it up. Dave and I decided that I wanted the maximum power I could get from the gun, so that’s what he gave me.
Dave also told me I’d get only a few shots from a CO2 cartridge at this power level. I accepted that because I seldom shoot CO2 guns, anyway, so gas conservation isn’t high on my list, but in this case performance was.
In Part 1, I neglected to tell you about the pistol’s other modifications. At some time in the past, the former owner had the trigger turned into an adjustable one. Though it’s only a single-stage regardless of where the trigger is set, the let-off can be adjusted down into the dangerous range. It was set that way when I bought it through the internet, and I asked Dave to adjust it to a safe level as long as he was working on the gun.
Trigger adjustment
He was shocked at how unsafe this kind of adjustment is, because all it does is reduce the contact area of the sear. For those who are new to shooting, the sear is that part of the trigger that safely holds the action in the cocked position until the shooter intentionally fires the gun through the use of the trigger. That last thing you want is a gun whose sear contact area is so small that it can slip off on its own or even slip when the gun is bumped slightly!
The trigger adjustment just changes the area of sear contact. This is not where the factory adjustment would be. And, yes, that is the first owner’s name scratched into the triggerguard. It’s also on the box.
Power boost
To get the power from the gun, Dave worked on the valve, both opening and smoothing the ports through which the gas must flow. he also switched the valve return spring to one better balanced to the modifications he’s made. That we cannot see because it’s buried deep inside the gun. But we can see one additional touch he added to the bolt. He thinned the bolt nose and smoothed it to reduce any resistance to gas flow.
The thinned bolt probe is seen on the left, and this photo shows you how the bolt opens straight back. Since it doesn’t cock the mainspring, the bolt is light and easy to move.
Velocity with RWS Hobbys
Okay, time to stop talking and start showing the performance. RWS Hobby pellets are lightweight .22 caliber pellets. At 11.9 grains, they’re just about the lightest all-lead pellets you can find. In my hot-rodded 78G, they average 532 f.p.s. with a spread from 523 to 542. That’s quite a bit faster than the 2240, so I remembered wrong. The average muzzle energy is 7.48 foot-pounds, or a full foot-pound more than the 2240. The 2240 averaged 482 f.p.s., and the Mark I averaged 472 f.p.s.. The 78G is clearly in the lead.
Velocity with RWS Superdomes
With RWS Superdomes the 78G averaged 492 f.p.s. The spread was a tight one, from 484 to 497 f.p.s. The average muzzle energy was 7.8 foot-pounds, so a little more than the Hobbys. For comparison, the 2240 averaged 455 f.p.s. (the Crosman Mark I wasn’t tested with Superdomes).
Velocity with Crosman Premiers
The 78G shot Crosman Premier pellets at an average velocity of 494 f.p.s. The spread went from 486 to 498 f.p.s. That works out to an average muzzle energy of 7.75 foot-pounds. The 2240 averaged 448 f.p.s., and the Crosman Mark I averaged 431 f.p.s.
So, what’s the downside?
You want that kind of power? Then you must pay. You might get that power from a longer barrel, but to get it from the stock 78G barrel means the total number of shots is just 15. There are powerful shots left after No. 15, and a casual shooter might see as many as 25 shots from one cartridge. For tight velocity spreads, 15 shots is all you get.
This is where the 2240 will kick the 78G’s butt. Because for only a few dollars, you can put on a longer barrel that will probably give you the extra oomph you want without disturbing the shot count. This is where the physics of CO2 operations comes into play.
But this 78G is still a cool air pistol. I’m having fun shooting it again after so many months of being dormant. It’s sleek and it’s powerful. We’ll find out next time if it’s also accurate.
Crosman’s 2240 pistol – Part 2
by B.B. Pelletier
Crosman’s 2240 pistol is a classic single-shot CO2 pistol. It has more potential than many airgunners realize, yet it sells at a rockbottom price.
Today, we’ll look at the power of the Crosman 2240 as well as some subjective things like loading, handling and trigger control. This pistol sure has hit the hot button of shooter’s passions! The response to the first report was quite heavy, even for a weekend. It seems that a great many readers have one or more 2240s in their collections, and some of you are even wild-eyed modifiers of the 22XX-series of Crosman guns.
Powered by CO2
The powerplant of the pistol is based on CO2 gas, using a common 12-gram cartridge. The gun uses a single cartridge, from which it gets a reasonable number of powerful shots. How many shots depends on exactly where you stop loading and firing. For some that may be around 45 shots, but for most I suspect it’s closer to 60 and more. If the target is a tin can at 15 yards, the loss of a little velocity is of no great concern. However, the hunters want every pellet to go exactly where the sights say it will. And those are the things that determine the useful shot count.
Unlike action pistols, the single-shot 2240 does not suffer from power loss during normal operations on a reasonably warm day. Cocking and loading the next pellet takes long enough that the gun has time to recover from whatever temporary power loss due to a momentary temperature drop.
Loading
Loading the 2240 reminded me of a couple of things. The brass bolt that comes standard in the pistol fits the receiver loosely, which results in a slightly jerky motion when the bolt is retracted. To compensate for that, I place the thumb of my right hand on the back of the receiver and squeeze my hand together. That brings the bolt along smoothly. The steel bolts found in the 2300 T and S models seem to cock more smoothly than this one, which is due in part to their longer bolt handles.
There’s a hex head screw at the bottom of the loading trough that causes most pellets to hang up and want to flip. The knack to loading a 2240 is to let gravity do the work. Let the pellet fall into the breech and use the bolt to push it past the gas transfer port once it’s in there. If you try to load this pistol like a British SMLE Mk IV bolt-action battle rifle (i.e., try to slam the pellet into the breech with the bolt), you’ll be sorry.
That hex head screw and the slight divot it creates in the loading trough catches the noses of most pellets being loaded.
Velocity with RWS Hobbys
The average velocity with the RWS Hobby pellet was 482 f.p.s. The spread went from a low of 473 to a high of 490. The average muzzle energy was 6.14 foot-pounds. Loading Hobbys was difficult because the front lip of the wadcutter nose kept hanging up in the depression for the screw head. That was when I remembered to just let them fall into the breech on their own and forget trying to push them with the bolt. Point the muzzle at the ground and hold the bolt back with your thumb. Then, let the pellet fall straight into the breech and it should enter smoothly.
For comparison, the Crosman Mark I averaged 472 f.p.s. with the same pellets. And their spread was from 464 to 479.
Velocity with Crosman Premiers
The 2240 averaged 448 f.p.s. with Crosman Premiers. The spread went from 444 to 454. That’s much tighter performance than the Hobbys, but even the Premiers had loading problems unless they were dropped into the breech. The average muzzle energy works out to 6.37 foot-pounds.
With the Mark I, Premiers averaged 431 f.p.s. The velocities of the two guns are close, with the 2240 just shading the Mark I by a little.
Velocities with RWS Superdomes
The 14.5-grain RWS Superdome averaged 455 f.p.s., and the spread went from 448 to a high of 458. That’s an average energy of 6.67 foot-pounds, which was the highest energy seen in this test. I didn’t test the Mark I with Superdomes, so there’s no comparison to make.
The trigger
In truth, the 2240’s single-stage trigger is very simple, and no amount of gunsmithing or aftermarket parts will turn it into a target trigger. But, it’s reasonably light and not too creepy, letting off at 3 lbs., 12 ozs. If you need something a little better, there’s no shortage of options available from third parties.
Well, here we have an air pistol that generates slightly more than 6 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. For the money you pay, it’s certainly hard to imagine getting any more than the 2240 offers.
S&W 78G and 79G – Part 1
by B.B. Pelletier
Nobody asked for this report, but after completing the report on the Crosman Mark I and starting the report on the Crosman 2240, I thought I’d complete the circle by reporting on this pistol, as well. Why this one, you ask? Because, back in the day, the 78G was a competitor of the Mark I in both power and accuracy.
I reported on the 78G as recently as last year, but that report was thin. Now, with both the Mark I and the 2240 getting a full three-part test, I feel I have to include this gun as well, to round out the field.
This is my S&W 78G in the box. Many of these guns have their original boxes because they were sold as new old-stock just 10 years ago.
History
The .22 caliber 78G and .177 caliber 79G single-shot target pistols were made (actually, produced) by Smith & Wesson from 1971 through 1980. They were first made in their Tampa, Florida, plant. In 1973, they moved the airgun division up to Springfield, Mass. In 1978, they moved airguns back to Florida. From this point forward, I’ll speak specifically about the 78G, unless I indicate otherwise, though much of what goes for one gun goes for the other, as well.
The first version of the gun was finished in shiny black paint, featured two power levels and had an adjustable trigger. Later, the adjustable trigger was discontinued, the cocking notches reduced to just one and the paint was changed to a dull matte finish that was more uniform than the shiny black.
Blog reader twotalon sent us this photo of the adjustable trigger on his S&W 78G.
In 1980, S&W parent, Bangor Punta, sold the pistol design to Daisy, who rechristened them the models 780 and 790. The triggers got much heavier and creepier during this transition. The final model Daisy made was a shiny, nickel-plated, .177 caliber model 41 that paid homage to the S&W model 41 target pistol, which the guns were originally patterned after. It has the worst trigger and surface finish of all.
So, if you’re seeking the finest guns to shoot, look for a model 78G with shiny black paint and adjustable trigger. But beware. S&W had problems with porous metal castings in the early pistols, and some of the early guns will leak down and cannot be repaired. I owned one early model, but the gun I’m testing for you in this report is the later version.
In many ways, the 78G is the equivalent of the Crosman Mark I and the 2240. The way it handles is beautiful. It balances much like a Smith & Wesson model 41, which I borrowed and compared — gun-to-gun — for an article in an Airgun Revue. Both guns hold well, with the weight centered in the hand and just a touch of muzzle heaviness.The 78G feels as much like its firearm equivalent as the Mark I feels like a Ruger, except that the 2240 has no firearm counterpart and feels just as nice as the other two.
Fit
The gun sits low in the hand, making the sight line easy to acquire. The trigger blade is well-situated for my average hand. Like the Mark I, the 78G has two cocking knobs protruding from either side of the frame above the trigger. However, the later versions of the gun have a single power level, unlike the Mark I. The early gun with the adjustable trigger also has two power levels.
Loading
Loading is done separately from cocking, just like the Mark I. On this gun, a latch is pulled and the bolt is pulled straight back to expose the loading trough. There’s no resistance to this bolt, as it doesn’t cock the action, so loading is smooth and easy.
Adjustable power
The gun’s power is adjustable, and there have been aftermarket power boosts for this pistol almost since Smith and Wesson began making them. The power adjustment is in the same place as on the Mark I, and it works the same way. Turn the screw inward to put more tension on the hammer spring and outward to reduce tension. The more tension, the longer the valve stays open and the most gas flows through.
All 78G and 79G pistols have a power adjustment screw located beneath the muzzle at the front of the gun. The outer ring locks the power adjustment screw in place.
My observation
What I’m about to suggest has no basis in fact, and I’ve never even heard it suggested before other than by me. I find the Smith & Wesson 78G/79G actions to be remarkably similar to the Crosman Mark I/Mark II actions. They cock the same way, they load the same way, the power is adjusted in the same way and the adjustable triggers work the same. I see too much similarity to believe it happened by coincidence. The Crosman guns began production in 1966 and the S&Ws started in 1971. I feel certain there was some borrowing of technology by S&W when they designed their pistols. Beyond that observation, I know nothing.
This should prove to be an interesting report. When I’m finished, we’ll have nine reports on three very significant air pistols.
Crosman’s 2240 pistol – Part 1
by B.B. Pelletier
Crosman’s 2240 pistol is a classic single-shot CO2 pistol. It has more potential than many airgunners realize, yet it sells at a rockbottom price.
The Crosman 2240 pistol is one of those bread and butter guns that have assured Crosman’s continued presence in the airgun world. It’s as simple as dirt, and thus has a following of tens of thousands of enthusiastic airgunners, many of whom are learning about guns through this very worthy platform. In fact, I have an interesting anecdote about such airguns to share with you.
In 2001, I was at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Kansas City, and the NRA hosted an airgun breakfast. Normally, the airgun breakfast was a SHOT Show event, but in the beginning they held it at both SHOT and NRA Meetings. Dennis Quackenbush and I were seated next to the then-current CEO of the Crosman Corporation. That was before Ken D’Arcy joined them.
We were talking about Crosman’s SSP 250 pistol and the 2240, and Dennis was telling the Crosman boss how his business had grown because of all the aftermarket add-ons he made for these guns. The Crosman guy seemed to be incredulous at what Quackenbush was saying, so Dennis summed it up for him in one simple sentence. “Yeah, you sell them the pistol for $39.95 (the 2001 price) and then I get to sell them $125 worth of modifications!”
Well, in two years, that man was gone and D’Arcy was the new head of the company. He had some things to fix right off the bat; but within five years, the Crosman Custom Shop had opened and they were starting to pay real attention to what their customers said they wanted. The result is that you can now buy many of those same mods directly from Crosman, though boutique shops like Quackenbush’s continue to make exotic parts.
This report will be an examination of the basic .22 caliber 2240 CO2-powered pistol and not an excursion into what modifications are possible. I still find the basic gun to be a wonderful value in an air pistol, as I believe I stated in the recent report on the Crosman Mark I and Mark II.
This is not the first time I’ve reported on the 2240. Back in 2005, I wrote a short report. Again in 2007, I wrote a report about modifying the 2240. The gun has appeared in a number of other reports on guns it has influenced and sired, such as the 2300T and the 2300S.
The 2240 is a .22 caliber single-shot pistol that operates via a bolt-action. The brass bolt is set into an engineering plastic receiver that’s the basis for many of the aftermarket mods. Quackenbush turned out solid steel receivers for many years, and now Crosman does the same, offering them through the Custom Shop. They also engineered the 2240 into their fine 2300T and 2300S target pistols, both of which come with a steel receiver.
The pistol might be seen as the descendant of the early model 150/157 CO2 pistols. There’s a passing resemblance between those early guns and the 2240, though time has changed many of the actual parts. The 2240 uses a brass bolt to both cock and load the gun. The 150 cocked via a separate knob located at the rear of the receiver tube, and loading was done by sliding a loading cover backwards. That cover was connected to the bolt that pushed the pellet into the breech and past the gas transfer port.
When I told Edith I was going to report on the 2240, she asked if we had one. I answered, “Of course.” Some pellet guns are just too fundamental to this hobby, and I hang on to them when I get them, because I know they’ll keep turning up over time. In fact, Crosman gave me this gun years ago. Crosman’s manufacturing director, Ed Schultz, sent it and told me to just keep it because I would find repeated uses for it. That’s exactly what happened. I keep the gun charged with CO2 all the time, and I know for certain that it’s been over a year since I last checked it. But it was still holding a full charge when I retrieved it for this report.
The gun is light, at 1.8 lbs., and with the 7.5-inch barrel it measures just over 11 inches. The ambidextrous plastic grips are raked back at the ideal angle for pointing. They discovered this angle back in 1950 and have held to it steadfastly for 60 years since. You pull the brass bolt handle up and straight back to cock the action. Here’s one place where Crosman has not yet fully listened to the market. Quackenbush discovered that right-handed shooters like the cocking bolt handle to be on the left side of the gun, but it’s on the right. So southpaws have a rare benefit with this airgun. What that means is that left-handers can hold onto the gun naturally in their shooting hand and still work the bolt, while right-handers have to take the pistol out of their shooting hand to cock and load.
I checked the blog archives for performance figures but couldn’t find any. In my feature article for Shotgun News, where I compared the 2240 to the Mark I and the S&W 78G, the 2240 came out the clear winner for power and accuracy. Maybe the S&W was more powerful, because I had Dave Gunter soup it up for me, but I remember being impressed with the 2240’s accuracy.
Plastic parts
We just had a guest blog from Brian in Idaho that explained the advantages of modern plastics in airgun manufacturing. So, where does plastic show up on this pistol? The receiver, front and rear sights, and grip panels are plastic. The barrel hanger looks like plastic, but it’s actually aluminum. These are the parts many buyers complain about, and the same ones that keep the boutiques humming. They’re actually stronger than they need be, but shooters want what they want and that’s what keeps the market lively.
The trigger is a simple brass-plated lever that a number of boutiques can improve upon. I guess TKO Airguns is the current flavor of the month for that part. They also have improved trigger internal parts to help with the trigger-pull.
Rear sight
The sights are fully adjustable, though only by sliding around. But so many shooters upgrade the gun with optical sights that I guess it doesn’t make any sense for Crosman to put more into them. One neat rear feature demonstrates the level to which Crosman has engineered this airgun. The rear sight is a square notch, but it’s also possible to flip it over to get an aperture. That’s for when you couple the pistol to a shoulder stock. Good job, Crosman!
Flip the sight leaf over and it’s a peep. Perfect for use with a shoulder stock. This gives an indication of how much thought has gone into this pistol design.
That’s my report for now. I’m sure I’ve missed a hundred details that our faithful readers will discuss for many days to come.
