Crosman Airsource adapter for 1077

[Spooner]

I've had to shift gears momentarily to deal with this. Does anyone here have any experience with the original Crosman Airsource bulk tank adapter for the 1077 rifle? It was discontinued many years ago. when I bought my original 1077 in 2005, I bought one of these adapter kits for it. Like the rifle, it sat for 12 years. I tested and  it today with a new JT cylinder (off of the rifle of course). at first it seemed to be ok but I noticed as I screwed on the bulk tank the inlet was turning too. not knowing that Crosman made that inlet reversed thread I turned it clockwise to tighten it a little bit and the gas started escaping. I quickly turned it the other way but the damage was done... damaged seal  . I went ahead and removed the inlet, then removed the close off valve to check for any other damaged seals.


This is the adapter kit.


so the inlet seal looks decent, not great, but it seems to be intact.


The inlet to gas chamber seal is where the gas was escaping from. I managed to find a black buna seal at work that matches this brown one in size. Not sure if it will work but the size matches.
The valve tip seal was missing. I found one small piece of it in the gas chamber. Just enough of it to know that it has squares edges, that the OD appears to match the OD of the valve shaft, and that is may have been some kind clearish brown harder seal of some kind but not sure? I also found a black Buna seal at work that matches the OD of the recessed area where the seal goes, but it is doughnut shaped rather that squared edges and that probably is not going to work? The center valve seal is in tact and is of the same type as the tip seal appeared to be.

I opened a ticket with Crosman... "Very sorry that item is discontinued and we no longer carry the seal kit". I have searched all over online, followed every link, from link to link, of any place that's still lists this kit (out of stock everywhere) looking for any information I can find about the seals. All I found was a user manual with no diagram and a 13 year old thread in another forum that did give me the Crosman part number for the inlet tank seal which I replied to Crosmans response with.

I can always use the standard CO2 cartridges to plink around with, but I prefer use the adapter and bulk tank to sight in my scope. Better consistency with pressure and 400 shots per tank is a ton of fun!

If anyone here has one of these adapters and knows what size and types of seals I need to reseal this properly... I would greatly appreciate the help. I am going to test the seals I was able to find, but its most likely gonna cost me another emptied tank. I gotta try though... maybe I will get lucky until I can get to the hardware store and search through their boxes for anything that looks right.

Thanks... I wish I could provide more information, but without a set of calipers... its the best I can do.

[happymecanic]

Hi Spooner, I found a reseal kit for the AS2250, it does include the AirSource adapter seals, and they list the seals generic ''model #''. Haven't been able to find just the AS adapter seal kit, maybe by checking the numbers you could find equivalents locally? HTH.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/O-Ring-Seal-Kit-for-Crosman-AS2250-2250-AirSource-King-Ratcatcher-Rifle-CR4-/371060897907?hash=item5664f3f873

[Spooner]

Hi Spooner, I found a reseal kit for the AS2250, it does include the AirSource adapter seals, and they list the seals generic ''model #''. Haven't been able to find just the AS adapter seal kit, maybe by checking the numbers you could find equivalents locally? HTH.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/O-Ring-Seal-Kit-for-Crosman-AS2250-2250-AirSource-King-Ratcatcher-Rifle-CR4-/371060897907?hash=item5664f3f873

thank you very kindly Sir... I definitely recognize a few of them and looks like the smallest one is the one for the stem tip. looks like the black Buna seals are ok to use as well. i'll check ebay for this kit and hopefully I can find it available in the U.S. somewhere. Crosman was able to find an exploded view and parts list for this adapter and sent it to me. the exploded view does not list the O-ring sizes or types but atleast I have the exploded view with the original part numbers. they gave me the name of an airgun shop here in state that bought a bunch of their older stuff... i'll try them as well.

for anyone who ever needs this...




I got lucky for now... the two I found at work seem to be holding. an hour now and no leaks. hopefully it will hold until I can track down the seals in the exploded view. Thank you very much for looking up that kit... i'll get that tracked down here and get one ordered. 

[Spooner]

well, my luck ran out. went to gradually discharge the tank and the center valve stem seal failed. i tested a black buna that seemed to be very close in size but i think the OD is just a bit too big. it sheared the outer edge a little. i was able to remove the old seal without it falling apart too bad and i think these stem seals are meant to fit flush with the OD of the stem, but it is so hard to know for sure? are they with squared edges or do they look that way because of age and wear... hard to know for sure? i ordered the ratcatcher set and will go from there. this is just gonna take time and patience.

[Spooner]

so, I am learning an awful lot about O-rings these past two days... more than anyone should ever have to know. 

I have determined for sure now that the two valve stem O-rings are indeed square as is the inlet tank seal. they also have to be at least of a Buna-N type which allows for -40 to 250 degree operation... looks like this is standard in paintball and Co2 air rifles. I have the seal kit coming from the UK, and I ordered a "variety" set of square O-rings from here in the states from a company that deals in a number of industrial applications as well as paintball and air rifle seals.

once I have this all figured out, I will post the sizes and styles that worked. this will take some time, but maybe this will do some good for anyone out there trying to salvage their adapter. for now... I gotta step back as my head is spinning from this, lol.

[Spooner]

I have to amend by findings in the post above. I took the middle stem seal pieces to work and looked at them under an optical comparator. I could see enough traces at high magnification on the edges to tell that the middle stem seal is (or was) rounded. So, the tip seal would have been rounded as well. Basically, all the seals in this adapter are rounded type. The Ratcatcher seal kit that happymechanic listed above does have the two valve stem seals in it. the larger clearish yellow/tan one looks like the inlet seal but the part number is different than the part number for the adapter. I will know more when that kit arrives... a few weeks yet.

[Doug Wall]

When you go to put it back together, you might want to put some Locktite on the threads for the inlet to gas chamber. That should keep it from unscrewing when you're tightening the 88g.

[Spooner]

When you go to put it back together, you might want to put some Locktite on the threads for the inlet to gas chamber. That should keep it from unscrewing when you're tightening the 88g.

Thanks Doug... I did. The version of this adapter that was made that way the first version. The second version was machined out to use Allen head bolts to attach the adapter inlet. I guess Crosman realized that having reversed threads wasn't very smart for a bottle that tightened in the opposite direction, lol.

[Spooner]

My AS568 variety kit of O-rings came today and I was able to match up the ones I need. My original bottle seal seems to be ok, so I did not remove it to compare its size with the kit but I know there will be one in there that matches if needed. I submerged the bottom end of the adapter in water for several minutes and saw no bubbles. I am going to leave the bottle attached and check it in the morning. The Ratcatcher reseal kit is still coming from the UK, so I know those two valve seals are correct and I can compare them to the variety kit I have for verification. I am hopeful for the first time that this adapter is saved... time will tell.



If I ever have to replace that bottle seal, I will update and post the picture. Keep in mind that there are two versions of this adapter. I have compared the o-ring list for both versions and the part numbers are the same for both. That doesn't mean that there aren't other differences, only that the part numbers for the O-rings for both are the same.

[Spooner]

so it sat for several hours with no leaks then I found it empty. The Bottle seal failed. The Buna 112 looked perfect compared to the original seal but it leaked too. At this point, I will go no further until the seal kit from the UK arrives. there is one seal in it that looks right but the part number is different, so don't know? this one may just have to be a specific material type but the Buna should have worked. I may have to get creative and use a combination of seals in this area?

[Spooner]

thanks to another member here (thanks Glasstomb) I was able to order the bottle seal from this company... https://www.gunspares.co.uk/products/24356/AS1077/

These are from the UK as well. they have one other seal for this adapter but the rest are either out of stock or no longer available. the bottle seal was all I needed, so that works out in my case.

[Tack Driver 10]

I have a 1077 and one of these upgrade kits for use with the larger CO2 tanks.
The tank seal on mine was bad so I picked it out in pieces like wax.
The best seals to use with CO2 are cast polyurethane O-rings, Buna will also work.
The correct one for the tank seal is a 90 duro AS568-112.

I get my seals from The O-ring Store.
Here's a link to the 112 seal:
https://www.theoringstore.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=367_1322_1328&products_id=27568

[Spooner]

Thanks Ron, just saw your post. The Ratcatcher seal kit came today and unfortunately... there were only two in the kit that could fit. I already have those in Buna working, but it was worth a try.

the 112 in Buna (in my o-ring kit from the o-ring store) came very close but had a very light trickle leak. Thank you for identifying the bottle seal and the link to it. I had no idea what material type it was but did find a pack of them in the UK that another member messaged me with. Should the stem tip and stem center seal be polyurethane as well? I know they were not originally Buna, but like yours... the center came out in pieces and the tip seal was gone completely. I just couldn't identify what type of material they were? The Buna's are working so far but are only 70 duro.

i'll order a couple of these bottle seals you linked me, cheap enough, and they will arrive faster than the ones from the UK. One thing is for sure... this has not been an easy task and I just want it to be over with. Fix one seal, another goes. Until I get the lower sections sealed up I wont know about the two on the gun tube end but my guess is they are probably gonna go next? hopefully not.

[Spooner]

I was searching around eBay yesterday and came across two sellers that were offering Crosman 88g Airsource tanks. you see them for sale there every now and then. one guy had a factory box, and it was pretty obvious by the box labeling that it came from Crosmans old inventory and it had 20 out of 25 tanks in it! that one went for $90 plus shipping... an excellent price. I bid on and won a listing for two of these tanks from a different seller. those two were still in the blister pack and I got them for $26 plus shipping. not terrible bad price wise and I will get the package with the details on the back plus be able to compare them to these JT tanks just to make sure everything is the same.

once the cast polyurethane O-rings come in from the o-ring store... I'll switch the internal bunas to those, put in the bottle seal, and go at this again.

[Spooner]

ok, so back on topic...

my cast poly O-rings came in from The O-Ring Store today and I have them installed. the two for the valve stem were very hard to get on, especially that middle one, but after poking my fingers multiple times with o-ring picks, success! they are in place. the bottle seal was a little difficult to get in there but not as bad as that middle valve stem seal. sizing and matching looks good and I can feel resistance in the valve stem when turning. too dark now, but will test in the morning.

a note about the black Buna's. they work on the valve stem but when I went to switch them out for the polys'... they had already begun to deteriorate after only a couple of bottles. they were not disintegrated but left a black residue inside the valve chamber and wiping them with a napkin left black all over it. so far, the black Buna between the tank adapter and the pressure body is holding up.

if by some miracle these seals in the lower half hold up, I will attach it to the 1077 to see if the original upper adapter seals are good. the EVP does not show you how to access those two and if they are bad, I will have to figure out how to get to them? if the test goes well I will update the diagrams and include one for both old and new versions with what I have learned, and post them. if the test fails... it will be time, sadly, for me to give up on trying to save this adapter. I have spent a small fortune and I am out of options after this.

fingers crossed...

[Spooner]

Success!!!
There is a tiny, tiny leak in the bottle seal... about one air bubble every half minute or so but that is sealed enough to last for an entire tank of shooting. it may seat in completely on its after a tank or two but I am good with it as is. the upper adapter seals were ok and no leaks when installed on the 1077 with it charged. I also identified adapter to main body seals which is also the probe tube to main body seal... it is a Viton. Since I only have the old original adapter, there are elements of the new one that I cant identify. "The O-Ring Store" seems to carry every kind of o-ring known to man and I am sure that the face seal (#16 new) and what ever that o-ring is at the base of the tube (#9 both) can be found there.

here are the final diagrams...






once the original Airsource tanks come, I will post a picture of the front and back of the packaging. might as well have all the information there is in one place.

I want to thank the people who posted here and messaged me. I couldn't have figured all of this out without your help and I greatly appreciate it! with these adapters being so hard to find and the seals so hard to identify... maybe this will help someone else out there trying to save theirs someday. 

[Spooner]

here are the pics of the Airsource tank package. the back of the package is the most important one as it has instructions.



some final thoughts...
when removing the adapter from your 1077, remember to close the adapter valve, make sure your gun is cleared and the mag removed, then pull the trigger repeatedly until all the remaining gas is gone. this will prevent damaging the seals of the rifle.

this is just my own opinion, but I personally would not recommend leaving an un-emptied tank attached to the adapter. after seeing what I have seen with my own, it is clear that any seal you use in these adapters degrade with exposure to the Co2. every one of these seals are exposed either directly or indirectly to the gas and long term exposure will most definitely cause them to deteriorate. the cast poly seals for the areas of direct exposure seem to have the rigidity and composition to last for a good span of time and they are readily available, so that replacing them when needed is not an issue.

Check the seals often. the upper two seem to be the most protected. mine are original, still holding, and I didn't even need to take that part of the adapter apart. the bottle, valve, and adapter seal take the hardest hit. give them a little oil from time to time and you should be able to make them last even longer.

discharging the bottle from the adapter. I could find no instructions either on the package, or the user guide for the adapter specific for doing this. no matter how you do it you are exposing the seals to constant flow and freezing. the only way that makes sense is to follow the 1077 user guide and pull the trigger repeatedly (with the adapter and bottle attached) until it is discharged. how I am going to do it is to open and close the valve for short bursts with time between each burst. better than pulling the trigger a couple hundred times and better than the alternative of rapid discharge which will freeze / damage the seals.

that's it for me and hope this helps someone else. 

[happymecanic]

Glad to see it turned out well for you Spooner, and thank you for the well documented thread .

Cheers!

[Spooner]

Glad to see it turned out well for you Spooner, and thank you for the well documented thread .

Cheers!

I was more than happy to do it. Thanks. 

[caveman]

Hi Spooner, glad to see you make headway with your project. I have a AS2250 and have been through the same program. I had to get a 88gr adapter to 12gr botts for testing when I did mine. Those 88gr tanks sitting there hissing out were killing me. I found the adapter on ebay a couple of years ago, but I bet they still have them. It was money well spent, a 12gr hissing out didn't hurt nearly as bad. I use it all the time now instead of a 88gr if I remember right it was less than 10 bucks. Good luck my friend. Geno