crosman 392 why not steel??

[chad2]

Very new to air guns and I bought the 392 before knowing it was made of brass. Why dont they use steel wouldn't steel last longer. Please help me. Am I going to have issues with the barrel or anything else because it is made of brass?

[BenjiHunter]

No issues.
The barrel will last for as long as you shoot it.
But no hard brushes in the barrel when you clean it.
But don't expect to lands and grooves in the barrel.
The barrel has polygonal rifling as seen in the right image.

[chad2]

that is weird that you say that because in my 392 i can clearly see lands and grooves. do i have a different version?

[daveb50]

They have always been made of brass, can't answer why, but it has worked well all these years. If you only use cloth patches, no metal brushes,  to clean the barrel, you will not have any problems. You will need to clean the paint out of the muzzle end of the barrel to get the best accuracy. Never use any powder burner solvent on a Sheridan, or Benjimin pump air rifle.(powder solvent dissolves brass) Here is a quote from Timmy owner of Mac1 airguns in this thread about Benji's: http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?action=post;quote=401812;topic=42958.0
 [/quote]

Often the barrels will need the paint cleaned from the muzzle with some Nail polish remover or acetone. Be sure to push a pellet in about 2 inches with toothpick before this work so you make sure no harsh stuff gets at the valve. Once your done with the overspray you can shoot the pellet out. Brass is a real slick bearing surface so leading is not common. The system is designed so oil is going thru it constantly to maintain the valves cleanliness and it keeps the barrel coated. Normally just pulling soft cotton patches is all it will ever need. You're always pumping a lot of atmospheric contaminants and moisture through the gun so the Secret Sauce oil is the vehicle that fights friction, heat, wear, corrosives and dirt all at once.
You don't really need to add any harsh cleaners unless the gun has been oil starved and the gunk is a higher percentage of solids to oil coming thru the gun. Completely oil starved guns will accumulate a sludge in the valve/piston group till it shuts the system down with crud/heat (AG congestive failure) combo. It is like running your car with Zero Oil/coolant. Fried machine. Smoked seals. Good for my business. Bad for your pocket.
The carrier in the KryTech (Butyl Acetate) is 95% of the product and that is a fairly effective solvent for the task of cleaning barrels. Don't shake, just drip. For Lubing pellets shake vigorously 6 drops per 200 pellets. DO IT. DON'T OVERDO!

TimmyMac1
[/quote]

[daveb50]

..and more info from Phil on Crosman Airgun Forum:
 "Brass

....is great for air rifle barrels. There are many reasons why: doesn't require as much maintenance as steel; brass has far better friction properties than steel (brass produces less friction); brass has cleaner cutting properties when machined; it will wear far less quickly than steel; brass is more dense than steel; some brass is harder than steel (not sure the grade Crosman uses).

If properly maintained, the Benji barrels will pretty much last forever. Stay away from metal brushes when cleaning! Really, to clean them well all you need to do is run patches through them.

Brass barrels really are fantastic."
http://www.network54.com/Forum/275684/thread/1269941193/brass+barrels

[chad2]

so much information thank you so much for the help! that really makes me feel good about my purchase. i really was hoping to get a good pellet gun that my kids could learn to shoot on.

[BenjiHunter]

that is weird that you say that because in my 392 i can clearly see lands and grooves. do i have a different version?

Yes that's strange. My rifle clearly has polygonal rifling.
I started to wonder when I didn't see any groove marks on the pellet.
So I looked around on the net and found out it has polygonal rifling.

[rsterne]

Aren't some parts of the Benji's soldered together?.... The Crosman 114s were, hence the reason for the brass....

Bob

[BenjiHunter]

Barrel and breech is soldered to the pump tube.

[FNG54]

Removal of the rear sight has also been recommend by some. It may cause the barrel to separate from the tube.

[bgmcgee]

Another big plus on brass is corrosion.  When you compress air you generate heat which pulls water out of the air being compressed. Or atleast thats what I hear.

[tomykay12]

I always wondered why they did all that soldering stuff, instead of a more modular construction like the 140. Is what it is I guess, tk

[oldnamvet]

Very new to air guns and I bought the 392 before knowing it was made of brass. Why dont they use steel wouldn't steel last longer. Please help me. Am I going to have issues with the barrel or anything else because it is made of brass?

Had to check my early 90's model 392PA.  Looks like standard lands and grooves rifling to me as well.

[BenjiHunter]

Very new to air guns and I bought the 392 before knowing it was made of brass. Why dont they use steel wouldn't steel last longer. Please help me. Am I going to have issues with the barrel or anything else because it is made of brass?

Had to check my early 90's model 392PA.  Looks like standard lands and grooves rifling to me as well.

I can't remember where I read it has polygonal rifling.
I'll try to find it.

[chad2]

i have been trying and trying to remove the over spray in the barrel and it will not all come out. i have used nail polish remover, paint thinner, and a lot of cotton swabs. is there a better method to this.

[BenjiHunter]

Use a q-tip and paint stripper.
But be careful so you don't spill it on other parts of the gun.

[md1911]

I will be taking delivery of a 397 today and wondered the same thing.  It makes sense though.  Are nylon brushes as detrimental as the coppr/metal brushes to the brass barrels?

[oldnamvet]

I will be taking delivery of a 397 today and wondered the same thing.  It makes sense though.  Are nylon brushes as detrimental as the coppr/metal brushes to the brass barrels?

It take a while to get used to it but you don't need to clean the barrel that often as with regular firearms.  And then I only pull patch through using monofilament line with a little goo-gone on the patch.  Then unless accuracy starts to go I won't clean the barrel again for a long time.  Clean the barrel first thing when you get it and then pretty much leave it.