Time for a new quest Crosman 118?

[45flint]

Now with the 108 in the bag, I’m left with a need for a new quest.  I tend to be drawn to the unique and strange, and this has caught my eye.  Made for only a couple years it’s was more expensive than the 108 and the repeating mechanism kind of quirky?  Would have the same pellet issue with the 102, getting a modern pellet that will cycle, I think Gamo is the only 22 wadcutter now?  Would be my first entry into the CO2 world?  Saw earlier posts that Terry has one, what else is new, I seem to always follow in his footsteps.
Pic of the net.

[TooJung2Die]

I have a restored 118. It's been in the family since my Uncle got it in 1952 when he was 12 years old. It was missing some parts and had a cracked butt plate when I got it. Rick at Precision Pellet came to the rescue with the missing parts. It likes RWS, H&N and JSB .22 wadcutters. They feed reliably. Forget about the original Crosman Superpells or Daisy. I made an adapter for a paint ball 20 oz bottle to fill it. The Tru-Oil refinished stock looks good. It is quite accurate. It gets about 30 good shots (three magazines) before the velocity starts to drop noticeably. That's a 1.5 cm bull at 25 yards.

Jon

[45flint]

Interesting you would think with that big tank you would get more than 30 shots, but I’m a CO2 rookie. 

[TooJung2Die]

That is less shots than I expected too. There is a power adjustment knob on the rear of the receiver. I keep it maxed out for about 600 fps. Less power = more shots. It's my only co2 airgun. I was shooting it last weekend. 32 degrees outside. Barely got 20 shots out of a charge in that weather.

[45flint]

Wonder if I can keep the noise down for backyard shooting?  Haven’t thought that one through.  Maybe reduce velocity? Nice thing about my pump guns 3 or 4 pumps are usually stealthy. Actually that could be a deal breaker.

[TooJung2Die]

It's a quiet airgun. The sound of a pellet hitting a steel soup can is louder than the muzzle report, even at full power. I'd call it backyard friendly.

[45flint]

It's a quiet airgun. The sound of a pellet hitting a steel soup can is louder than the muzzle report, even at full power. I'd call it backyard friendly.

Cool

[TerryM]

  I have a 118 but, alas, it's a problem child.  Bad barrel, has tight spots that result in lousy accuracy.  I've fiddled with it a bit, been meaning to try the JB bore paste more aggressively.  Thought about replacing the barrel with a new Crosman steel barrel, a doable project but I haven't worked up the will to take it on, yet.  To busy having fun with my other old guns that shoot great.    I shoot my model 400 repeater pretty often, it's a great shooter.

   Not to change the subject but, I have a couple of 114s that I shoot a lot.  Same internals as the 118 but a single shot.  They are very accurate and hard hitting.  A 114 can be had for very a reasonable price, I think because most people don't want to bother with the bulk fill accessories that are necessary.  I got a couple of 20 oz. paintball tanks and a fill adapter from B&A.  I used to get my tanks filled at Academy Sports till I found a second hand 20 lb. tank, now I fill them myself.  I've learned how to get an optimum fill in a 114, a little over 2 ounces.  That's the equivalent of four or five 12 gram cartridges.  With the power turned down to around 500 fps, I can get more than 150 shots on one fill.

  Once you have the fill equipment, you might as well get another old bulk fill Crosman or two.  Or three, or four. 

[45flint]

“fill adapter from B&A”

Who is this?

[TerryM]

  Formerly Bryan and Associates, I believe Baker Airguns acquired the business after Ron Sauls, the former owner, passed away.  He may or may not have the adapters.  Look for a brass one.

[TooJung2Die]

I've learned how to get an optimum fill in a 114, a little over 2 ounces.  That's the equivalent of four or five 12 gram cartridges.  With the power turned down to around 500 fps, I can get more than 150 shots on one fill.

Don't leave us hanging. How do you get a 150 shot fill? I fill with the paintball tank upside down. Thinking it's transferring liquid co2 that way but I don't get more than 20% of the shots you get. I try to keep the gun cool and the tank warm. What is your secret???

Did you ever ask Rick if he had a barrel? I remember he said he had a couple of parts 118 in the shop. I forgot where I bought the tank adapter. I might still have the receipt around here. The only one I could find was steel so I'm very careful threading it in.

Jon

[TerryM]

I've learned how to get an optimum fill in a 114, a little over 2 ounces.  That's the equivalent of four or five 12 gram cartridges.  With the power turned down to around 500 fps, I can get more than 150 shots on one fill.

Don't leave us hanging. How do you get a 150 shot fill? I fill with the paintball tank upside down. Thinking it's transferring liquid co2 that way but I don't get more than 20% of the shots you get. I try to keep the gun cool and the tank warm. What is your secret???

Did you ever ask Rick if he had a barrel? I remember he said he had a couple of parts 118 in the shop. I forgot where I bought the tank adapter. I might still have the receipt around here. The only one I could find was steel so I'm very careful threading it in.

Jon

  Everything I've learned about filling these things, I've found online.  Check out my post from two years ago: https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=108133.0  ( So weird, my photobucket pics are still working!)  That gun shoots a lot harder now, I put in a stiffer hammer spring.  Would have to back the power adjuster screw way out to get that many shots now.

  It does seem to help to have the gun cool and the tank warm.  Cock the gun, screw on the tank while holding gun upright, quickly open the valve.  Wait a half a minute or so, then fire two or three shots, still holding the gun upright.  wait another 20 or 30 seconds, close valve and remove tank.  You should have a good fill, can only be sure by weighing before and after.

  I've noticed that it's easier to get a good fill when the 20 ounce tank is near full.  When it gets below 8 or so ounces of CO2, I was getting short fills in the gun.  Used to take them to Academy for filling when they got low which was  aggravating at times.  They would sometimes give me a light fill, one time they overfilled and the safety burst disc let go when it warmed up, as I was driving home.  That was exciting.  Now that I have my 20 lb "mother tank" I can top off my 20 ouncers myself when they get low.

  Oh yes, I asked Rick about a 118 barrel.  No go. 

[TerryM]

  Didn't mean to hijack your thread, Steve.  The 118 is an interesting old gun, very unique.  Fun to own, mine would be a lot more fun if it grouped better.  The gamble of online purchases, you win some, lose some.

  Here's some eye candy for you, my 118 when I tried a Weaver B4 on it.  Had to tilt the mount slightly to the left for the cocking handle to clear the scope but it worked alright.

[TooJung2Die]

Thanks for the tips! When you are filling with the gun upright (muzzle up) what position is your fill tank? My fill tank would be horizontal with muzzle straight up. I'm wondering what is more important, the position of the gun's tank or the position of the fill tank?

Jon

[45flint]

  Didn't mean to hijack your thread, Steve.  The 118 is an interesting old gun, very unique.  Fun to own, mine would be a lot more fun if it grouped better.  The gamble of online purchases, you win some, lose some.

  Here's some eye candy for you, my 118 when I tried a Weaver B4 on it.  Had to tilt the mount slightly to the left for the cocking handle to clear the scope but it worked alright.

You can hijack my thread anytime lol.  I think beyond the gamble of online purchases Crosman can have a lot of variability.  DT Fletcher said in another post that if the parts fit together and made a gun they would ship it.  Some great guns some not so great.  They lasted this long because they were profitable.  I see that in their barrels.  Some rifled well, some a little ghosty.  With my favorite 102 I can push a pellet through and it’s got a nice resistance except for 3 inches in the center where there is no resistance? Still shoots well. A recent, really old 102, I haven’t resealed yet passed the pellet push test perfectly.  Adds to the excitement you never know what you got till it walks in the door. 

[TerryM]

Thanks for the tips! When you are filling with the gun upright (muzzle up) what position is your fill tank? Mine fill tank would be horizontal with muzzle straight up. I'm wondering what is more important, the position of the gun's tank or the position of the fill tank?

Jon

  A picture being worth at least a thousand words, here is my valve and fill adapter attached to a 20 ounce paintball tank.  I cut a screwdriver slot in the on/off knob, it was a booger to turn under pressure.  When filling, the tank points straight down.  Am I understanding you, yours is at a 90 degree angle to the gun?  If so, try securing your gun at a 45 degree angle when filling.  The tank must point down, the gun, up.

[TooJung2Die]

Am I understanding you, yours is at a 90 degree angle to the gun?

Yes. The tank is 90 degrees to the gun when attached. Here's photo. It shows another tank with fill adapter option for 45flint. I weighed it and it's down to about 8 ounces left. Time for a refill so I can try the fill method.

Jon

[TerryM]

It's a quiet airgun. The sound of a pellet hitting a steel soup can is louder than the muzzle report, even at full power. I'd call it backyard friendly.

  Jon is right on about the sound level of these old Crosman bulk CO2 guns.  My Sheridan sounds really loud in the back yard when pumped up high.  A 114 at the same power level is noticeably quieter.

[TerryM]

Am I understanding you, yours is at a 90 degree angle to the gun?

Yes. The tank is 90 degrees to the gun when attached. Here's photo. It shows another tank with fill adapter option for 45flint. I weighed it and it's down to about 8 ounces left. Time for a refill so I can try the fill method.

Jon

Now I see.  That could get awkward with your gun propped up at 45 degrees.  Go ahead and try it with your last 8 ounces.  Just be safe.

[TerryM]

  Jon, did you try filling your 118 again, with the tank pointing downward?  Interested to hear if your shot count improved.