Crosman 2289 Backpacker & Some Mods for the P1322

CAUTION: Airguns are Not Toys and must be handled with Extreme Caution and Safety at All Times. Handle any Airgun as if it were loaded. Always keep it pointed down range or away from any people. Read all directions and cautions before handling. Adult Supervision is strongly advised. Make sure your back stop is adequate to stop any stray rounds or flyers. Never shoot at a hard surface as your bb or pellet may  ricochet and strike someone or something unintentionally.

Above: Just the other night I decided to clean up my 2289 Backpacker carbine and put it up for sale. I had an idea that being a fairly nice, slightly modified backpacker that it might sell. They are no longer in production so I thought it might sell rather quickly. I had no idea just how quick that would be.

Above: When ever I get the chance, I like to clean my barrels when the air guns are taken apart.  It is always better to clean the barrel from the breech end of the barrel. This way I avoid doing any damage to the crown. I used a product called "Break Free CLP" to clean the barrel. I originally purchased it for my 9mm Beretta PX4, but wasn't satisfied with the results. So I thought I would give it a go on my .22 rifled backpacker barrel. Concerned that it might damage the "o ring" on the probe, I made sure not to leave any residue, CLP stands for Clean Lubricate and Protect. I am always suspicious of products that claim to do everything. And while I don't think it worked very well on my 9mm, it did a nice job on the air gun barrel.

Above: To clean up the steel breech I used a little bit of Crosman Silicone Chamber Oil on a Q tip. It did a bang up job, I will be using it more in the future.I cleaned the inner breech by incerting the Q tip from the back end. That's another advantage to cleaning the air gun when it is broken down.

Above: I like to use a wee bit of the BLUE LOCTITE on some of the machine screws. Just make sure you use the Blue loctite. If you use the red one, you might not be able to remove the machine screws. So remember Blue is Best.

Above: The re assembly went ok, except I mounted the breech and realized I hadn't installed the hammer...oooops. And that tiny breech screw can be a real pain in the arse. Almost without exception it falls off the Allen wrench just as I am trying to put it in place. And trying to hold the breech in place while replacing the tiny breech screw on to the end of the Allen wrench is always a joy!

Above: I eventually finished assembling the 2289 Backpacker carbine. Before posting it up for sale, I took a few shots out in the garage range , just to make sure everything was working properly. So why sell the Backpacker carbine?

Above: I have been doing a few mods on the new P1322.  And I think I would like to keep it for a while. And having two Crosman .22 carbines which are bisically the same air gun is not practical.

Above: The scope I removed from the 1377 custom carbine (to make the sale)  looks awesome on the P1322. This scope ended up on the 2289 Backpacker. I really like the P1322 as a long barrel scoped pistol. Maybe I'll make it sort of like the backpacker with a removable stock. Except in this case it will have pistol grips as well. A pistol scope with at least 12" of eye relief might be a good choce. At times the P1322 will be in the long barrel pistol mode and a minimum of 12" of eye relief will be necessary. I will look for a scope with an eye relief of 12 to 18  inches. Eye relief is basically the distance between your eye and the scope at which the scope is still effective. With the P1322 in pistol mode I will want to be able to extend my arms and still be able to use the scope. A friend of mine who was a sniper during the Vietnam conflict advised me that "18 inches of eye relief should work for me"

Above: I wanted to try a different stock this time. A custom wood stock was one idea. But I do not want to spend quite that much money. So I thought I would try this collapsible A-R style stock with the power adjuster / adapter. I took the barrel adaptor and air stripper off the 2240 custom. (I have a different muzzle brake ordered for the 2240) I wanted the new 14" rifled barrel to look a bit longer. I think the adapter and Air Stripper accomplished that nicely. And in pistol mode I can remove the Air Stripper to "shorten it up" a bit.

Above: I'm not sure if I am going to replace the pump lever grip. It seems there is a real shortage of Backpacker style pump lever grips. I suspect they have stopped producing them. I hope I am wrong about that.The Backpacker pump lever grip is an awesome upgrade. It looked really good with the crosman skeleton stock and was a really comfortable fit for larger hands. This new design pump lever grip is really sharp and I like how they design matches the new style grips. But I just want something that looks beefed up & fills the hand a little better. I am considering purchasing an unfinished wood pump lever grip and smoothing out the edges and painting it satin black.

Above: About the 2289 Backpacker Carbine. I listed it for sale at 2:00 am Sunday. When I got up at 9:30 am it had already sold. I really enjoyed owning and shooting the 2289. But I have a few other airgun projects going, so it was time. I also recently finished my Custom 2300 Silhouette so I'll be blogging about that soon. And I have something in the works with the Crosman Custom Shop. Until next time, Have Fun but Shoot Safe. I'm outta here, Hugh