The Co2 powered .22 caliber Crosman 2240 is a bolt action, single shot pellet pistol. It is a nice plinking / target pistol right out of the box. It is also one of the best platforms for a custom air pistol project that you are likely to find anywhere.
As I mentioned in the last post, I believe the best place to start is with the plastic breech. Before I ordered this pistol from Pyramyd Air I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted it to look like when finished. Luckily I already had a 12 inch .22 cal rifled barrel on hand, left over from a 2289 Backpacker I upgraded. Having the barrel handy was a really good start. I ordered the steel breech on ebay. Here I have installed the new breech along with the longer barrel. The 2240 is already starting to look imposing, although there is still a long way to go.
Note: This style breech is known as the "hidden screw breech" or "The Shorty". The breech screw is hidden under the bolt. The idea is, it makes loading a pellet a smoother process. Read the description carefully before ordering, as this breech does not fit every Crosman pistol. It isn't really much harder to install than the normal forward screw steel breech. If I can install one, your grandmother can probably handle it. This breech comes with a hammer that is designed to work with this breech. And they do work together very well, cocking is really smooth.
And for comparison, here is a typical Crosman breech. You can clearly see the screw in front of the probe. You can clearly see where the hidden screw breech would be smoother loading.
Here is a closer look at the steel breech and the machined 3/8 dovetail rail. If you look at the length of both breeches, you will notice the steel breech is much longer than the original plastic breech. This will make a secure mount for the longer backpacker barrel. The stock 2240 barrel is rifled and is 7 and 1/2 inches long. Remember too, that everything you take off the pistol has value. In fact I just dropped the original barrel at the post office for shipping this morning.
Here I have installed a BSA RD-30 red dot sight. I first tried a Hammers 1 x 30 Circle dot sight. But that sight is more for a weapon you are going to shoulder, like a carbine or rifle. The BSA RD-30 has a 30 mm diameter lens which is big enough that I can see through it when I am holding the pistol with arms semi extended. I found a good home for the hammers tactical sight, but that's a future post. Anyway, the BSA RD-30 is a real nice sight that functions very well for a reasonable price. The Rd-30 sells for around $25.00 to $30.00 US. I have this sight on two of my air pistols.
Above is one of my favorite upgrades, the Crosman Sear Spring Adjustable Trigger Spring Upgrade Kit. This allows you to adjust (up or down) the amount of ft pounds it takes to pull the trigger. The harder the trigger pull, the more difficult it is to stay on target when pulling the trigger. Be Aware, the pistol will fire much easier when the adjuster is dialed down. My kit specs are about 1 ft lb to 6 ft pounds. So this might not be the best upgrade for a new shooter. Of course you should not have your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. And the same goes for the safety. The gun should remain on safe until the pistol (or rifle) is on target and you are ready to shoot. Range Safety is always important, no matter what type of pistol or rifle you are using. Today's air pistols and rifles are serious pieces of equipment and should always be handled with care, safety and respect.
I found these Grips on the ebay. These are from Alchemy AirWerks I think they look fantastic.
I just checked the ebay and I don't see this exact style today. But a very similar style (Red Dragon) are priced at 27.48 . I don't know the exact process for painting these, but I know the seller will answer any questions you might have.
Please Keep in mind, These are just my opinions. And only meant to be suggestions.....
Here I have added a "Crosman Power Adjuster". I was reading some reviews one day about power adjusters. One fellow stated that He was adding a power adjuster to gain more power. As far as I know the power adjuster is for dialing down the power when you are shooting targets or plinking and want to get the most shots out of your Co2 cartridge. The Power Adjuster can also be used to tune your air gun. Say your max fps is 500 fps. But you notice (or smell) excess Co2 when you fire your air gun. If you have a Chrony (or can borrow one like I do) you can dial down the power a bit and check it on the Chrony. If the fps hasn't dropped, You are wasting Co2. Continue this process until you notice the fps drop a little. At that point, turn up the power a bit, and if it is back to 500 fps you can lock it in there. Note: you will want make these adjustments the same day in the same environment, with a fresh Co2 cartridge. And take about 5 min between shots. This should give you a fairly accurate results. If what you are looking for by installing a power adjuster is more power. Save some cash and install a heavier spring. Or remove your spring and carefully stretch it out "a wee bit" then reinstall it.
This Muzzle Brake / Adapter is also from Alchemy AirWerks. Is it necessary? of course not. But the Cool Factor is off the charts! I won't describe the threading, because I'll probably screw that up.(pun intended) But you can read all about that on their ebay store. Attachments might have to come from somewhere far away. But I am sure it would be well worth the wait.
I think that about covers it for the "Bad to the Bone" Crosman 2240. The power valve is stock and other than the sear spring adjuster I didn't do any trigger upgrades. I am very satisfied with the performance of the pistol. So for now anyway, it's finished. I'm Out, Shoot Safe!, Hugh
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