Hard to Find .177 Crosman Model 100

[c801tfd]

While I don’t buy much off of Ebay I do like putting items in a watch list just to see how much a rifle I am interested in may sell for, early this past week I was watching this Crosman 100 on Ebay. When I got home late Tuesday night I decided to go for it after convincing myself that this was my chance as it was only the second one I have ever seen. 

Well I was bummed when I got to my watch list and found it was sold. My wife heard me say well that’s what I get for being hesitant. She asked me what happened and I told her, she told me she had bought it because our youngest told her dad really wants this for Christmas.

Today it arrived and my wife allowed me to inspect it and make sure it functioned, but I could not have it until Christmas. She did let me take some pictures to decide how I want the clean it up or not. Now I am counting down the days to Christmas, and who knows I may be out in the yard shooting it at 2:00am on Christmas Day.

Based on new information about logos (small curve pellet logo) it may have been made around 1948.

 

[BackStop]

I know you despise that enabling wife of yours. (chuckle)

And, of course, you didn't put a bug in your youngest's ears did you? 

Well, did you? LOL!



Don't know who said it first, but:

"The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys."

 

[wijib]

Pretty cool story. Hope you have a lot of fun with you newest acquisition.

Bill

 

[c801tfd]

BackStop,

My youngest son likes to look with me to see what is being sold on the various auction sites. It did not hurt that we had looked at it together the day before they bought it. I am surprised he did not talk her into it for his own. As for my wife she supports anything that our boys and I do together. Knowing this never hurts when putting out a hint or two.

 

[c801tfd]

Bill, 

I all I know is I was really down on myself for procrastinating on buying this riffle, but that happens when I look at numerous places online and locally, I miss out on something because I am looking for “It” whatever it may be, most time I end up with several to research and then decide. This time they beat me to it, but I am glad they did.

 

[Ripper]

You sure it isn’t a Crossman 101? I see yours has the brass barrel. I have one that has the steel barrel and the tombstone Peepsight. That’s the only differences I can see between mine and yours. Mines built somewhere Somewhere around the late 40s. I was lucky that I got it for such a good price since it is in cosmetically good shape and works great.I know a lot of people that go nuts over the old Benjamin and Sheridan pumpers. I like the old Crosmans better.

 

[c801tfd]

Ripper, 

The 100 and 101 were the same design and used same parts, the only difference was caliber. To be positive it’s a 100, I got check caliber a .22 pellet would not fit but a .177 did, I also got to shoot that 1 pellet to verify caliber and make sure it would shoot before wife took it to hold until Christmas.

 

[Ripper]

Ripper, 

The 100 and 101 were the same design and used same parts, the only difference was caliber. To be positive it’s a 100, I got check caliber a .22 pellet would not fit but a .177 did, I also got to shoot that 1 pellet to verify caliber and make sure it would shoot before wife took it to hold until Christmas.

OK, that would make it rare then because most of them I have seen were 22 caliber. Including the 102 which is a magazine fed one.It seems like 22 caliber were more popular in the old days of pellets Rifles and pistols. It’s when it got into the 60s you started seeing more 17 caliber pellet guns.

 

[c801tfd]

Ripper, 

A member on GTA who has obtained DT Fletcher's documents and is himself very knowledgable in Crosman provided me with some basic information on the model 100 Crosman produced between 1940-1950 which also included a short period of time production was shut down to aid with the war effort: There is no known total of model 100's sold, but on average Crosman .177 production was a little less than 10% with the other 90% being .22 caliber. Most guns from that period were maple with a walnut stain. Later they were maple with a lighter stain, and at the end they were Elm. Based on the small curved logo he also indicates my 100 was produced in early 1948.

Here is the information he provided about Crosman production during WWII: 

Crosman made airgun until early 1942 when need materials were unavailable and what few workers Crosman had went to war industries or the service. Nothing made in 1943 other than Tojo paper targets and lead pellets. 1944 was able to secure government contract to produce 1000 102 rifles for the OSS. 1945 production restarted after end of War in August. a very few 101's were produced using prewar hardware and receivers before new Merz redesign parts were available in early 1946.

1941 full production; 1942 production stops after a few months; 1943 no air rifle production; 1944 production one thousand 102's only with round .22 ball shot ammo; 1945 production after August assemble from prewar hardware and receivers; and 1946 production large pellet logo.

I also want to share the information and picture he provided of what I now understand to be the primary logo variants associated with the Crosman "Silent series of Air Rifles:  

There are five major types based on receiver casting logos. There are variants among each type, but we will just cover the major types right now.
TYPE 1: CROSMAN PATENT LOGO RECEIVER (mid-1925 to mid 1930) - I have seen this one called the "Straight Logo" 
TYPE 2: PREMIER PATENT LOGO RECEIVER (1927 to 1929) Wards only
TYPE 3: APPLIED DISC PELLET LOGO RECEIVER (mid 1930 to 1945)
TYPE 4: CAST LARGE PELLET LOGO RECEIVER (1946 to mid-1948)
TYPE 5: CAST SMALL PELLET LOGO RECEIVER (mid-1948 to mid 1951)

I am looking forward to the GTA members efforts to publish a book on Crosman, I feel it will help provide information that will go a long way in providing much needed and long overdue refrence material about a historically important American made air rifle and its maker. 

My Crosman "Silent Series Air Rifles" consists of the following: .177 Crosman 100 – 1948 small curved pellet logo; .22 Crosman 101 – 1947 large curved pellet logo; .22 Crosman 101 – 1930-45 Disc Logo; .22 Crosman 101 - 1925-30 Straight Logo X 2; and a .22 Crosman 102 - 1926/27 Checkered Stock (The 102 is special to our family as it belonged to my Great Uncle who bought it as a teen and took it with him when he went off to war and served in the pacific theater abord the USS Enterprise).