Crosman 2100 Classic Chrony & Accuracy update. Also, playing the fps game with the Hatsan Sortie

Airguns are Not Toys.  Improperly used  they can cause severe Injury or Death.Read All Cautions and Directions before handling any BB or pellet airgun. Any mods you do to your airgun will most likely void the factory warranty. 

Above:  The Crosman 2100 Classic is now sighted in well enough to take it out back "when the weather warms up a bit". At some point I will be trying a few other pellets to see if I can improve my accuracy.

Above: This is the information printed on the Crosman 2100 Classic Box. 2 to 12 pumps. Which should according to the box will produce 400 to 800 feet per second. Although I keep seeing 3 to 10 as the "recommended number of pumps" for the Crosman pneumatic air rifles of this design. I wonder if this rifle has a better exhaust valve assembly. I'll have to look into that.

This got me thinking, at what number of pumps does the Crosman 2100 Classic's (velocity) max out? I do Not recommend that you pump your airgun beyond the manufactures recommended number of pumps.

Above: Using the FX Radar Chronograph, I wanted to document exactly what FPS the Crosman 2100 Classic could achieve in the real world using a typical (7.0 grain) pellet.  Starting with (2) Shots at 10 pumps (then increasing the number of pumps by 2 for each 2 shot string. I then recorded the FPS (feet per second) and also the FPE (foot pounds of energy) for each string.

At 16 pumps the Crosman 2100 Classic (above) maxed out at 713 FPS generating 7.90 foot pounds of energy. Nowhere near the claimed 800 fps with 12 pumps. I know Crosman chooses to use extremely light weight pellets to get the max fps. But the higher fps numbers achieved using super light pellets are meaningless. Because the super light pellets have less mass, so they generate less energy.  Lighter pellets will not carry the energy down range nearly as far as a heavier pellet will. Force = Mass X Acceleration.

Above: At the top of the page I entered the information relevant to what I am doing. Keeping a ballistics log for me is becoming a necessity. As the number of airguns in my collection grows, the harder it is for me to remember which pellet works best with each airgun.

Above: I believe I found this Ballistics Log Book on Amazon.com. I would highly recommend keeping a ballistics log book. Especially if you are going to be blogging or vlogging about your airgun experience. Crosman is not the only manufacturer who uses super light pellets in their ballistics testing.

Above: The only "entry level" Airgun manufacturer (that I know of) that uses lead pellets for ballistics testing is Hatsan. It's not the manufacturers fault that we the consumers are all hung up on the fps numbers.

Above: I recently found myself playing the fps game with my Hatsan Sortie. The .22 caliber Sortie is advertised as a 700 fps semi  auto pistol. And it Chrony tested at 675.7 average fps with the H&N Sniper light 14.04 gn.  And 702.6 average fps with the H&N Baracuda Green 12.96 gn.

Above: By the way the Sortie shoots both of these pellets really well at pistol distance.  I was sure surprised to see
the FPE results for these two pellets was exactly the same at 14.21 fpe. With both pellets at 14.21 fpe the heavier pellet wins. This is because the heavier pellet will carry more force down range.

Now lets see what happens when I go to an even lighter pellet. Above: The 11.75 gn Predator GTO .22 cal. Lead Free pellet

Above:  Ok, Shooting the Predator GTO 11.75 gn pellet the Sortie managed a high of  732 fps.  And an average fps of 722 fps. Really impressive, that's until you see the average FPE (foot pounds of energy) is now down to 13.6 . So the 11.75 gn Predator GTO wins the fps race. But looses the Foot Pounds competition. But in the field, where it really matters... The 14.04 gn H&N Sniper Light wins hands down. Because it is going to deliver the most force to the target. That force could be the difference between a quick humane kill or just badly wounding a critter. It could also be the difference between a good meal and going to bed hungry. Food For Thought.  Pun Intended.
   Until next time, Shoot Safe. Cheers, Hugh

Crosman 2100 Classic Trigger work and pellet selection

Airguns Are Not Toys. Used improperly they can cause Serious Injury or Death.  Read All Instructions and Cautions BEFORE Handling. Modifying your airgun will no doubt void the factory warranty. You alone are responsible for any mods you do to your airgun. And you alone are responsible for using your airgun in a safe and legal manner.

Above: After the trigger mods, my trigger pull is much better than the 5 Lbs 10 oz that it delivered out of the box.  After seeing that the results (above) were shy of the 1 Lb 8 oz that I was trying to achieve. I held the (unloaded and depressurized)  2100 upside down. I pulled the trigger back. And using the straw I sprayed some SLICK (a short burst) in the gap and let the 2100 sit for a while. Now my trigger pull is right around 2 Lbs.

Above: After remounting the UTG 3 - 9 X 40 AO scope and Shooting from the Stable Table and using a K Zone rifle rest. It was time to see if the  trigger mods would help me tighten up my groups.

After some warm up shots and a little windage and elevation adjustment. (I adjusted the windage and elevation going by where most of the shots were grouping)  I took these shots at a fresh target using the Crosman Premiers 7.4 gn pointed .177 cal.  lead pellets.. I always sight in at close range (about 25 or 30 feet) before going out back. My neighbors are close. This string was really disappointing. There is no way I'm taking the rifle outback shooting like this.

Above: My Sig MPX HPA conversion shoots the RWS Diabolo Basics pretty well. So I thought I would give them a try in the 2100 Classic. Usually Crosman airguns shoot Crosman pellets really well. Definitely not the case with this Crosman pneumatic rifle. With a few minor adjustments I should have no problem destroying the bulls eye on this 4 " Splatterburst target using the RWS pellets.

Above: This is where the trigger pull is at now. The Slick Silicone spray and a little use have helped drop the trigger pull weight down a bit.

Above: When it comes to pellet selection I'm not the guy who's gonna try 10 different pellets. That's what the internet is for. Poking around on youtube you can usually find someone who has done the work for you. From now on I will not say "Crosman Airguns love Crosman pellets". Now it's "Most Crosman airguns love  Crosman pellets".

Above: These are the 3 parts that I modified to lighten the trigger pull. For the trigger spring, it is just a matter of bending the straight leg so that it puts less pressure on the safety push-pin. As for the Sear itself, I  used a bench grinder to take a little off the height of those two shark fin shaped protrusions or tabs on the top. And for the Sear Spring, it is just a matter of shortening it. As suggested in the video I cut off one ring from the sear spring. In retrospect I wish I had removed two. (that may not be the correct Sear Spring pictured)  I was looking to get the trigger pull down to 1 or 1 &1/2 Lbs.

Above: To help find the grove when replacing the receiver,  I taped a toothpick to the bb pusher knob. The best advice I could give anyone attempting this mod (or any internal mod). Is raise up the rifle using books or something very stable. Make sure the barrel, and the receiver and stock are all held up evenly. Leave a gap for the cocking handle that sticks out the opposite side of the receiver.
The rifle must be stabilized. If allowed to move, it will basically fall apart.  That, I learned the hard way...lol  And be extra careful with the springs. Watch the video before attempting this mod. I used two different Youtube videos to help me. One is the trigger mod video for the Crosman 2100 Classic. The other is the take apart and reassemble the Crosman 766 / 2100 Pellet / BB Rifle video. Both can be found on Youtube. Having a few extra parts on hand might be a good idea (especially the springs). This is not a simple job putting the 2100 Classic back together but it's not impossible. I have what is called "low vision" which means I don't see very well. Taking apart and reassembling  an airgun I have never worked on before is always a real challenge. My wife on a many occasions has helped be locate fly-away springs. Best of Luck. Shoot Safe . Cheers, Hugh

Crosman 2100 Classic gets s huge scope upgrade

Caution: Airguns Are Not Toys! If misused they can cause Serious Injury or Death . READ  All Cautions and Instruction and Manuals BEFORE handling.

Above: The Crosman Targetfinder Superscope is not going to work for me. I was able to shoot with this scope, but it was a real strain.

Above: Ok, I probably paid more for this scope than I did for the Crosman 2100 Classic. This UTG Leapers scope was on a custom Co2 carbine that I never shoot. So it is in really good shape.

Above: So far I like everything about this scope. For starters, it has easy to read windage and elevation turrets. No magnifying glass and screwdriver needed to make adjustments. These turrets have a crisp audible click. 1/4 " per click at 100 yards. very nice.

Above: If you are new to the whole scope thing, I'll try to explain what the info on the scope means "as best as I can". I am certainly not an expert when it comes to scopes. But I do use optics on everything I shoot, so I do know slightly more than nothing. The first two numbers 3 - 9 indicate  the ability to adjust the magnification from 3 x to 9 x. The numeral 40 indicates the size of the objective  lens in this case a 40 mm lens.

Above: The A.O. indicates this scope has an adjustable objective.  AO allows you to keep the image and cross hairs sharp at  different distances. The AO on the scope shown above is set at 50 yards.

Above: Mil-dots are the evenly spaced dots on the crosshairs. These are used to compensate  for (on the horizontal reticle)  windy conditions. Say you have a steady left to right wind blowing across the front of your target. You might move over 1 mil dot to the left of center to compensate for the wind blowing your projectile off center of your target.
        On the vertical reticle these mil dots are used to compensate for changes in distance. Say your air rifle is sighted-in (or zeroed) at 50 yards. And you find yourself 70 yards from your target. You might line up your target up with the first mil dot below center to compensate for the longer distance. You might want to practice doing this. Because your pellet weight and the power of your rifle
are different than mine. I am just using one Mil dot as an example.

Above : Another nice feature is the (red / green) light up reticle . EZ Tap press G for Green and R for Red. Keep tapping selected color to change brightness.

 Above: Example of a Green reticle. This feature is used in low light conditions or when you need more contrast.

Above: You can also fine focus the eyepiece by rotating the ring. These are all features to give the shooter the best possible view of the target.

Above: This is the ring for setting your level of magnification. It's pretty much self explanatory. Just a suggestion. Too much magnification can make it difficult to locate your target.

Above: Today I started to sight in the Crosman 2100 Classic at close range. When I am satisfied I will take it out back and gradually move back until I have it zeroed  at my desired distance.

Above: Now that the scope issue is taken care of. The trigger is still a problem. I need to soften and smooth out the trigger pull if I am going to get the most performance and enjoyment out of shooting the 2100 Classic.

Above: Today I ordered a new Sear (18) and a new Sear spring (19) Also ordered a new trigger spring (not shown) My plan is to modify all 3.  Hopefully the trigger pull will be much better when I'm finished. Looking forward to doing a blog post about that in the near future.  Another chronograph is out of commission. I have just about talked myself into ordering a FX doppler chronograph. Always wear eye protection. And sound protection as needed. EYES AND EARS!
                             Shoot Safe, Cheers, Hugh

The Crosman 2100 Classic .177 dual ammo  pneumatic variable pump rifle.

Remember Airguns are not toys. Misused they can cause serious injury or death. Read All Cautions and instructions before handling.

Always wear approved shooting glasses and ear protection when needed.

Above: There it is, in all it's metal receiver glory. First, lets talk about this dual ammo thing. If you have a rifled barrel you should probably take advantage of that and use pellets. If you want to ruin your rifled barrel and don't care much about accuracy then use BB,s

Above: There she is, the metal receiver. That my friends is why I had to purchase this air rifle. I remember the first time I saw a Crosman pneumatic with a plastic receiver. Something inside me died that day. ltms... Here was an airgun I had dreamed of owning as a boy. And seeing it with that plastic receiver, all I could say was "why would Crosman do this?" I said the same thing about Ford Motor Company when I saw the 1974 Mustang. So both Crosman and Ford have made amends.

Above: That slot I am guessing is the magazine for the BB"s that I will never put in it. The Scope is called  "The Targetfinder" Superscope. Good name for it. I did spend a lot of time trying to find the target. This is a scope for young eyes. I'm not even gonna bother commenting on the Superscope part. I bought this rifle without the scope.
So, why put this scope on it. Well, because this is the scope it would have came with. I don't really plan on using this rifle much.  And that's ok. I bought it for the 13 year old boy who wanted it 50 years ago.

Above: This could be misunderstood. It is a 4 X fixed magnification scope with I am guessing a 15 mm lens. It does say you can focus the eye piece and it has a lock ring. I haven't tried that yet. Like I said, this is a scope for young eyes.

Above: The trigger is a real challenge. The pull goes on forever and it's a real work out. I brought the 2100 inside after sighting it in at close range. I told my wife "the trigger pull is 10 pounds if it's an ounce. Well it came in at 5 lb 13 oz to 5 lb 15 oz. It felt much heavier than that. I think the trigger was a little too close for me. I'll try to adjust my hold next time.

Above: The forearm / pump lever handle felt wider than I would have expected. It was actually quite comfortable. No complaints there. I didn't get a chance to chrony test the 2100. But rumor has it the actual fps is a bit lower than the 800 fps advertised on the box.
I would expect the fps to be around 600 fps. This is odd, On the box it says 12 pumps up to 800 fps. I am sure I read in the manual not to exceed 10 pumps..ltms

Above: It is a nice looking rifle. The 2100 measures out at 38 & 1/2 inches approx. With the scope it weighs (on my scale) 4 lbs 5.5 oz.

Above: The high viz front sight looks more than adequate. My iron sight days are over. The rear sight looks the same as it always has. If you are determined to ruin the rifling in your barrel, it has a BB capacity of 850.

Above: The stock is plastic and will never be mistaken for wood. But it looks good. The plastic stock and forearm don't bother me at all. They have been plastic as far back as I can remember.

Above: As I said this sight hasn't changed much in my lifetime. You can see why it's called an elevation ramp sight. It must work ok. I'm sure they would have replaced it by now if it didn't.

Above: It's late now. I had to take a flashlight with me to get this picture. This is as good as I could do with that trigger and scope today. If I can soften the trigger up a bit and keep the sun at my back, I'm sure I could do a little better.

Above: The breech open. I really like the look of this breech. Once you get a technique that works for you, it's not that bad to load.
If you can find a way to soften the trigger pull and invest in a better scope. This Crosman 2100 Classic could be a nice close range small pest control rifle.
                  Take Care and Shoot Safe. Cheers, Hugh

XCORTECH X3500 CHRONOGRAPH Review and repair. Updated 2/24/20

I have wanted to purchase a new chronograph for a long time now. But after watching other airgun enthusiasts struggle with their chronys,  I decided to "think about it" for a while. The old style chronographs need the  light conditions to be just right. Watching others struggle with error after error. I just knew their had to be a easier way.

Above: The XCORTECH  X3500 chronograph. This little chronograph seems to be the answer to my problem. It's affordable and it is easy to use. I do struggle with it at times because my vision is crap. And being born in the 1950's all this high tech stuff really drives me nuts sometimes.

Above: Here I have the X3500 set up on a tripod (not included) to check the fps of my Diana Bandit. I installed a regulator in the Bandit and wanted to check my fps. As it turned the fps was lower than I hoped for. So I had to reset the regulator.

Above: This particular screen is from testing my custom Crosman 2240. These are pretty good numbers for a 2240 with a stock valve assembly and stock transfer port. I am particularly pleased with the extreme spread of only 11.3 fps. I use 14.3 grain Crosman Premier hollow point  pellets (and a fresh 12 gr Co2 cartridge) in the 2240.

Above: This is the main screen. This is the screen you will see when you are putting rounds through the chrony. This reading is the Diana Bandit after setting, then resetting, then removing and cleaning and resetting the regulator. I was hoping to get it around 500 fps on the regulator. But after all the trouble it gave me, I'll settle for 472.8 fps.

Above: This is the Ammo selection screen. This gave me the most trouble. I thought I could only select from the weights and calibers shown. I only just recently figured out these can be set to your ammo caliber and weight. The part I dont like is, you need to convert the pellet weight to grams. It will calculate the muzzle energy once you have entered the correct caliber and weight. Another thing, it displays the muzzle energy in Joules not f.p.e. (foot pounds of energy) Now, I may find out latter on that these can be reset as well. But for now I am stuck with grams and Joules. The chrony does let you choose between fps (feet per second and m/s metres per second for the velocity. That is the main thing I need (velocity). The conversion  from joules to f.p.e. can be done online.

Above: I should mention this, the chrony actually has two separate components. The viewing and selection screen and the main part with the ballistic tube. The screen can be removed and attached to a picatinny / weaver rail. Each has it's own batteries and they have a wireless connection like Bluetooth. Also you won't have to worry about a flyer hitting the screen, I've seen more than one chronograph with the display screen all shot up.

Above: The Xcortech X3500 with screen mounted on a Picatinny rail.  Airgun: The Sig Sauer Virtus .22 cal. pcp rifle. No chance of accidently shooting the display screen with this set up.

Above: I won't go into detail about how this ballistic tube rim got shot up on the Xcortech X3500. Lets just say it was a bad set up with too many distractions. I decided to repair it, if I can.

Above: I was able to contact the manufacturer through the seller. I sent along a pic of the damage. I was quoted 147 TWD Which in US currency is $7.00 and that includes delivery. You can't beat that with a stick!

Above: After removing the 4 (push in) rubber feet there are 4 Phillips head screws connecting the bottom and top halves of the cover. Fortunately all the electronic stuff is in the bottom half.

Above: The translucent tube is the on / off button. It sits on a peg which is the actual switch / indicator light. There is nothing to hold the tube straight while installing the new top cover. It took a few tries but eventually it came together nicely. The new top half of the case came with a new translucent tube taped to the bottom inside of the cover.  I will find out latter that I should have replaced the translucent tube as well.

Above: The new cover is installed and the switch / indicator light is working fine. I did notice the button switch is now recessed a little more than it was before. That's probably why the new cover came with a new translucent tube. I think I will leave well enough alone.

 Out of 5

Above: I think the little chrony is fantastic. Maybe not the best chrony for me. But that's only because of my poor vision and my inability to use all the functions properly. But for anyone else? I think it would be great! I give it 5 Stars *****