Range report: Crosman 99 Co2 lever-gun..

[BrushPopper]

This gun is a 10-shot lever action repeater and was manufactured by Crosman between 1965-‘70.

It much resembles a contemporary  levergun made by Savage.

I recorded my testing using the pure repeater mode, which fires @ 1/2 cock. Thumbing back to full yields higher numbers, but at the expense of fewer shots/ctg.

The mechanism on mine can be finicky as far as what ammo it ‘likes’. I found RWS Superdomes and some older Beeman Laser pells to function flawlessly.

Velocities with the ‘Domes ran in the 420’s, with the Lasers clocking abt 30 fps higher. 16 yard groups ran sub-inch with both pills.

Velocities stayed N of 400, until shot 35, where the Domes hit 398. By #40, it hit 387, but the 16yd groups were still tight and centered on the bull.

So, is this the baddest, most bullseye-poppinest, crow killing’est repeater in all the land?

Decidedly not, but a fun, tolerably accurate little gun...I’d love to turn it loose on a barn-full of rats!

[HunterWhite]

That's a nifty little co2 rifle you've got there!
Definitely a joy.

[Glasstomb]

They are really fun repeaters. Mine likes the JSB Jumbo Match Wad-cutters the best. But still hangs occasionally.  Will try the Superdomes.
Not working when I got it  Not an easy one to work on. Had to send the valve out to get it resealed. Loud on full power but seems to hit fairly hard .

What power level produced those crony numbers?

[BrushPopper]

What power level produced those crony numbers?

1/2 cock, just work the lever/shoot.
Temp=80 degrees

[bavaria55n]

I have one that shoots great. Feeds good with the old Super Pells.
Lots of fun to shoot.
Gary

[avator]

Love me some lever action repeater guns.

[Drew_in_MI]

I've recently obtained one and posts like these helped a lot.

I can confirm the crosman 99 lever action feeding system improved dramatically when I switched to wad cutters.

I started with hollow points and they would not cycle.  When one loaded from the magazine the tip of the next one would catch and jam after each round.

After changing ammo the cycling was crisp and fun.  When an occasional jam did occur a light nudge with my thumb continued the cycle.

Posting for future people who may be looking for info on the 99.

[kerplunk]

I tested around 10 different pellets and roundballs in my 99 and my two 600s and the H&N Sport wadcutters were the only one that cycled almost 100% reliability in all three guns. That's pretty much all I feed them now, I want to be as gentle on these old precise mechanisms as possible.

Jigging the follower a little after you load the mag helps get the pellets "in line" and further reduces jamming.

[CaptJ]

Very nice. Renews my interest in picking up one myself.

[Beaver Trapper]

 Have two of them, one working. Dad bought it to teach us how to shoot. Been resealed a couple times now. You say you'd like to turn them on a barn full of rats? Our old barn was 80 feet long and 45 feet wide, four stories high. Average shot was 20-25 ft. Killed a lot of barn rats and pigeons with ours. Hammer all the way back. Biggest issue with the 99 was that the pellets available (only Crosman wads) had a lot of swarf in them back then (1960's - 70's) and it caused jams. It was a rat whacking machine because it was a repeater. The better English Bulldog pellets we used in my brothers SS .22 Benji were better but domed and wouldn't feed through the  99's magazine, and the old ashcans were the only ones available to us. Your comment brings back memories.

[Mzq284]

I resealed one for a friend, neat rifle. They're the same valve as the 38T/C. It shot pretty good when I got it done, I would have liked to have it around for a bit. If one turns up at a decent price I think I'll nab it