The best backyard rifle. European vs American tradition

[45flint]

No question the quality of these German guns was unsurpassed. But a 1930s Crosman pump has a build quality that surprised you. It did me and bronze parts are kind of cool. I have no desire for any Crosman built after the 1949 Town and Country. I would love to see a quality pumper made by someone like FWB, but it will never happen.

[coburn]

Last time I was in upstate New York, well Westchester County to be exact, your back yards were about the size of a small farm here in the UK. US I'd go for a Beeman R1/HW80 but in my small postage stamp of a garden a HW30 or HW 55 makes more sense.

[Mark D]

No question the quality of these German guns was unsurpassed. But a 1930s Crosman pump has a build quality that surprised you. It did me and bronze parts are kind of cool. I have no desire for any Crosman built after the 1949 Town and Country. I would love to see a quality pumper made by someone like FWB, but it will never happen.

A quality pumper FWB did indeed make - just that it's a SSP - The FWB range of quality match SSP are great for plinking, just buy a 'Junior' version and they are light enough to shoot all day.

[Garvin]

A quality pumper FWB did indeed make - just that it's a SSP - The FWB range of quality match SSP are great for plinking, just buy a 'Junior' version and they are light enough to shoot all day.

So true, Mark, and if you want the satisfaction of spring plinking, the short 300S Junior is probably the ultimate plinker!

[45flint]

How about this one?

http://www.americanairgunhunter.com/quigley.html

[45flint]

Example today of advantage of variable power, got backyard metal target in the mail. The kind that has five metal "spoon" shaped targets that rotate up to a bar once hit. When all five are up you hit a target above to release them. Three pumps too much they would go up and bounce off, two pumps enough to let them stay up. Variability is a much underapreciate attribute because so few guns have it.

[DT Fletcher]

Can't let this end without mentioning another fine Crosman multi-pump the model 1400. It replaced the earlier 140 and is essentially the same design; however, this was during the "Going Great Guns" era that put an emphasis on quality design. The model 1300 Medalist II, was in the same class.

The 1400 was the Crosman Arms best effort at designing a great, all metal and wood, multi pump. These came towards the end of Crosman Arms and are actually much rarer than the earlier 140 models. While the 140 is a nice rifle, the 1400 was really one of the finest guns ever produced by Crosman Arms. Rare for any Crosman, many of the 1400 barrels had scope grooves. There are a number of variations in the stock and 2 variations of breech (slide cover and bolt) so there's actually a nice bunch of things to look for in this model.

[45flint]

Can't let this end without mentioning another fine Crosman multi-pump the model 1400. It replaced the earlier 140 and is essentially the same design; however, this was during the "Going Great Guns" era that put an emphasis on quality design. The model 1300 Medalist II, was in the same class.

The 1400 was the Crosman Arms best effort at designing a great, all metal and wood, multi pump. These came towards the end of Crosman Arms and are actually much rarer than the earlier 140 models. While the 140 is a nice rifle, the 1400 was really one of the finest guns ever produced by Crosman Arms. Rare for any Crosman, many of the 1400 barrels had scope grooves. There are a number of variations in the stock and 2 variations of breech (slide cover and bolt) so there's actually a nice bunch of things to look for in this model.

With all the new technology one simple aspect of the early rifles that was needlessly abandoned was the peep sight. It is probably the one aspect of my early 102 that I find most endearing to a 66 year old shooter that has had catertact surgery. And it is the cruder 1930 peep that for me is field superior to the "finer" 1949 peep. It's hole size is about perfect for many lighting conditions and the thinner more carefully formed front blade, gives me deadly easy accuracy even with my eyes. I scoped the rifle for a while and have taken it off. It's just "right" the way it is.

Better technology and then put on a cheap sight, reminds me of the Hy-Score as much as I love it?

[DT Fletcher]

How about this one?

http://www.americanairgunhunter.com/quigley.html

With the success of PCP, don't see how anything like that would have much luck on the market. Personally, I've been a bit surprised at how deep Crosman has pursued their PCP designs. It wasn't too long ago that the idea of Crosman producing a big bore pneumatic wasn't on anyone's radar.

I know Quigley put great effort and thought into trying to figure out what type of high end airgun he could build that would be attractive enough to mass produce, or at least get solid sales on. Getting Crosman/Benjamin interested would probably be a bridge too far; for any number of reasons.

Of course there are examples of American airgun manufacturers picking up European designs, Benjamin and the Sterling being the prime example, but, Benjamin, if they wanted to expand the product line, had little choice: they had no design department, never did have one. Crosman, which now owns Benjamin, has had a solid engineering department since 1945.

[Blackrider]

Apart from a Crosman "Ratcatcher", which I once owned, I'm not familiar with US air weapons. However, for many years I used a BSA Lightning .22 as a backyard gun which was light and easily handled.
I currently use a Theoben .22 Fenman which is superb !

[45flint]

Apart from a Crosman "Ratcatcher", which I once owned, I'm not familiar with US air weapons. However, for many years I used a BSA Lightning .22 as a backyard gun which was light and easily handled.
I currently use a Theoben .22 Fenman which is superb !

That Theoben Fenman looks like a great carbine size springer. You English have a advantage with your backyard shooting, this gun in the US has the silencer gutted

[Hsing-ee]

Feinwerkbau 300S with a scope is an excellent backyard air-rifle. Super-accurate and will last forever, no tanks or CO2, perfick.

[Blackrider]

That Theoben Fenman looks like a great carbine size springer. You English have a advantage with your backyard shooting, this gun in the US has the silencer gutted

I couple my Fenman's with low mag, wide angle what you Guys call "Turkey Scopes". A favourite over here is the little Simmons 1.5-5x20 WTC, a little long in the tooth nowadays but a cracking combo with a carbine air rifle for close-in shooting !
And not just close quarters, that short 7.5" Anschutz .22 barrel is pretty accurate at longer ranges too !

[45flint]

For the backyard I'm finding the peep sight a little more sporting? I can only get so far away, my latest metal target gallery has golfball size targets, even with the peep I'm hardly ever missing. Something cool about getting back to using a sight.

[Airsporterman]

When they were very little - we got the kids a Crosman Powermaster 66 pump gun (supervised by us at all times I add!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdasSrVT1tI We were amazed at what a good little rifle this was for the price - good quality and good fun!

ASM