Vintage Crosman Guns, How Much $$?

[Grandspud]

A friend has offered me a Croman 177 and Crosman 250, along with some other items. Below are pictures. Do you have an estimate as to any of these items value or what I should pay him? They will need seals. The tins are full of original pellets.

Thanks!

[bbv13]

I recently bought a Benjamin 150 bb pistol with a holster that needed a reseal for $100. I figure I have about $85 in the gun and $15 in the holster and I feel like I got a good deal. It's hard to put a number on these old guns because it always comes down to what someone will pay for them. No doubt you have a nice find there and the box along with the pellets adds to the value. Here's some pictures of the gun I bought.

Bryan

[eeler1]

Well, the 1st one looks like an old Benji front pumper, in ok shape I might add.  And the 2nd like a Benji Co2 pistol.  Pellets, however, are clearly Crosman.

1st is interesting, but the front pumpers are not too desirable as shooters.  Collectors require pristine, and it doesn't look quite.

2nd appears to be in good shape, but fairly common and it uses those funny little 8gr powerlets.  ehhh

Hmmmm, I might offer $100 for the lot, if I was intending in keeping them.  If I wanted to turn them over for profit, even less.

The thing about these guns is that they have little appeal to younger people, as is the case with many vintage airguns, and dropping daily.  By younger I mean born after about 1965!!!  Buyers tend to be those among us who had one as a kid, and there are fewer and fewer of us every day.

So, if it makes you happy, fulfills your hearts desire, etc., then maybe pay somewhat more for the collection.  But for investment and profit?  Somewhat less.

Just my $0.02 centavos, for what it is worth.

[Grandspud]

Sounds like good advice. Neither are the type that would be better shooters than something you can get today, so the collector value/ satisfaction needs to be there.

Good point about who buys this stuff and knowing the market. Those of us in our 50s and 60s typically have money, and think back to our youth. I found that out when I went looking for a Honda CT 70 motorcycle I had as a youth. In nice shape, those things sell for huge money! I guess it would be the same with airguns and other stuff that was popular in the time frame of 40 to 50 years ago.

[SeanAT]

I'm an 80's child and I love all these old guns. I'd put myself in the "they don't make them like they used too" category of collector. It's also nice to hold something from the long dead era of "Made in America".

I don't personally own any of these here, but that's more to do with lack of spending money and not lack of interest. I would gladly give up all my modern guns before I ever let go of one of my CR600's though.