Crosman Hahn M-166 Repeater
Excerpt from my CD “Old Airguns and Memories.”
Excerpt from my CD “Old Airguns and Memories.”
Hello to all;
Crosman introduced the M-166 "Hahn Super BB Repeater" lever action Co2 BB Rifle in 1958 (it was discontinued in 1971) styled after the Winchester 30-30 lever action rifles; they were able to do this using a new (for Crosman) a die cast construction process. The Rifle was powered by 1- 12gm Co2 cartridge. Interestingly, as I understand it, at the time of the release of this rifle Crosman was not in the BB making business, they worked around this by using another Companies BBs!!
The Model 166 was diminutive in size, 34 inches in length, weighed 3 lbs used a spring powered integral tubular magazine, with a capacity of 30 BBs, in conjunction with a Magnetic Swing load arm to position the BBs from the magazine, operating the lever action would swing out the arm, load and position the BB in line with the barrel. Crosman claimed 100 shots from a single Co2 cartridge. The rear sight was a leaf type adjustable for windage and elevation. Front sight was a post type. The safety was the half cock notch position of the exposed hammer on the receiver.
The M-166 was a sleek looking lever action rifle, wood butt stock and forearm painted receiver blued barrel etc. there were no velocity/accuracy claims that I could find. The Model 166 was clearly a marketing ploy off of the TV westerns of that time frame which were very popular i.e. Roy Rogers Gene Autry, Gunsmoke and the like. It’s difficult to separate the Bad Guys and Good guys in today's venue, BACK THEN IT WAS SIMPLE BAD GUYS BLACK HATS, GOOD GUYS WHITE HATS!! A bygone era!!!
I picked mine up at a Gun show in 1989 it was in very good shape externally but of course would not hold a charge. I gave the rifle a fresh internal valve rebuild at that time (a second valve rebuild in 2009) and a complete wood refinish and bead blasted the cast frame instead of painting also, otherwise it is as I received it.
Charging the M-166 required , making sure the magazine was empty, unscrew the tube cap assembly, insert one 12gm CO2 cartridge small neck first replace the tube cap and, cock the hammer point downrange cock and fire this will pierce the Co2 cartridge and the rifle is now charged.
To load the magazine thumb the hammer to the half cock safety position, retract the spring loaded magazine follower and lock in the slot on the magazine, load 30 BBs into the hole on top of the magazine tube and release the follower from the capture notch, from this point forward operation of the lever action will cock the hammer and load a BB with each successive operation of the lever action. LEAD BBs SHOULD NOT BE USED!!!
I set up a target at a range of 25 ft. using card stock paper with 1/2 inch adhesive dots, and from a bench rest shot 5 rounds of Daisy Zinc plated BBs on each dot first target 2.20 inches Center to center, second was 1.64 inches center to center, both targets had fliers which enlarged the groups! Smooth bores and BBs equal fliers no getting around it!! MINUTE OF COKE CAN ANGLE!!!
The M-166 averaged 388 fps for 30 shots, shot number 40 had dropped to 170 fps. Clearly I was not able to match the 100 shots quoted by Crosman
Really a fun BB plinker my great Grandson’s (plural) favorite!!!!!!!!!!
Garey
