Is there a date code on Crosman 180’s 400’s?

[45flint]

A fellow forum member said in a recent post that the number on the breech plug of these rifles is a date code?  Is this true?  Here is my 400 with a number 58.  If 1958 that would be about right.  Are there various numbers out there in the date ranges of these rifles? Curious.

My recently acquired 400 has a 38 code.

Steve - Is your 10 shot magazine a bit wobbly?

Not really?   Maybe a little?

[45flint]

It has the 1st variant direct sear trigger with crossbolt saftey through the stock.

Looks like it was made for maybe a year than the new trigger made the second variant complete in 1962?  But I think yours is it’s own variant? Wonder how many different variants we can find?

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

My Sears .22 gas has 54
May '64?

[45flint]

My Sears .22 gas has 54
May '64?

What a nice example!

[Dave S]

This 180 has 125 so It must be Dec 1965. I knew it had to be somewhere in there because I bought the gun in 1966 when I was 15. I was too young to buy it so I had to wash a wax my buddies older brother's '58 Chrysler Imperial to get him to buy it for me! I remember paying about $21.00 for it at the Gemco in Downey, Ca. Still my all time favorite! dave

[TerryM]

  I sold a long tube Sears gun a while back that had the through-stock safety.  The stock was beautifully made with a high, slender comb and beavertail forearm.  Much nicer than a run-of-the-mill Crosman stock.

  None of the rear plug numbers on my guns seem likely date codes. 53, 26, 43, 82.  All are second variants.

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

My Sears .22 gas has 54
May '64?

What a nice example!

Thanks, the only real "flaws" with the rifle is the white spacer is yellowed just a little and on the right side towards the rear of the butt there is a small spot the the finish is missing, it is strange because there is no scratch, ding.
That was 10 yards 10 shots standing free hand with the iron sights.

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

  I sold a long tube Sears gun a while back that had the through-stock safety.  The stock was beautifully made with a high, slender comb and beavertail forearm.  Much nicer than a run-of-the-mill Crosman stock.

  None of the rear plug numbers on my guns seem likely date codes. 53, 26, 43, 82.  All are second variants.

The second variant 180 was made from 62-67 according to Blue Book so, from what I have seen here 53= May of 1963, 26= February 1966, 43= April 1963, and 82= August 1962. It seems to fit to me.   

[45flint]

  I sold a long tube Sears gun a while back that had the through-stock safety.  The stock was beautifully made with a high, slender comb and beavertail forearm.  Much nicer than a run-of-the-mill Crosman stock.

  None of the rear plug numbers on my guns seem likely date codes. 53, 26, 43, 82.  All are second variants.

Seem right to me?  May 1963, Feb. 1966, April 1963, Aug 1962.  All seem right for second variant?  Yikes a second late!

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

Now I need to dig out my 180 series and add that info on my inventory and information sheet. 

[Dave S]

  I sold a long tube Sears gun a while back that had the through-stock safety.  The stock was beautifully made with a high, slender comb and beavertail forearm.  Much nicer than a run-of-the-mill Crosman stock.

  None of the rear plug numbers on my guns seem likely date codes. 53, 26, 43, 82.  All are second variants.

The second variant 180 was made from 62-76 according to Blue Book so, from what I have seen here 53= May of 1963, 26= February 1966, 43= April 1963, and 82= August 1962. It seems to fit to me.

I believer the last year production of the 2nd variant 180 was 1967!  dave

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

  I sold a long tube Sears gun a while back that had the through-stock safety.  The stock was beautifully made with a high, slender comb and beavertail forearm.  Much nicer than a run-of-the-mill Crosman stock.

  None of the rear plug numbers on my guns seem likely date codes. 53, 26, 43, 82.  All are second variants.

The second variant 180 was made from 62-76 according to Blue Book so, from what I have seen here 53= May of 1963, 26= February 1966, 43= April 1963, and 82= August 1962. It seems to fit to me.

I believer the last year production of the 2nd variant 180 was 1967!  dave

OOPs, I had typing dyslexia I meant to type 62-67

[Dave S]

I have in my possession a QB77 Deluxe, the first 160 "Knock-off" ever to be introduced into this country from Shanghai  China. Designed by Tim McMurray and built to his strict specifications. I thought it might be interesting to those out there who are hardcore Vintage Crosman buffs like me. The gun meets all the expectations of the finest Co2 Crosman Bolt guns ever made. It is  a .177 caliber gun done in the very early '90's....circa 1992. Guns is a tack driver at 40 ft. I would be interested to know who else owns one of these. dave

[Rabbit\Squirrel Killer]

I have in my possession a QB77 Deluxe, the first 160 "Knock-off" ever to be introduced into this country from Shanghai  China. Designed by Tim McMurray and built to his strict specifications. I thought it might be interesting to those out there who are hardcore Vintage Crosman buffs like me. The gun meets all the expectations of the finest Co2 Crosman Bolt guns ever made. It is  a .177 caliber gun done in the very early '90's....circa 1992. Guns is a tack driver at 40 ft. I would be interested to know who else owns one of these. dave

It seems to me you might get more input if you start a tread on the subject.
In this thread it is kind of buried.

[Dave S]

I have in my possession a QB77 Deluxe, the first 160 "Knock-off" ever to be introduced into this country from Shanghai  China. Designed by Tim McMurray and built to his strict specifications. I thought it might be interesting to those out there who are hardcore Vintage Crosman buffs like me. The gun meets all the expectations of the finest Co2 Crosman Bolt guns ever made. It is  a .177 caliber gun done in the very early '90's....circa 1992. Guns is a tack driver at 40 ft. I would be interested to know who else owns one of these. dave

It seems to me you might get more input if you start a tread on the subject.
In this thread it is kind of buried.

I tried this a year ago and it got tossed into the" Darkside Jungle" for not being a Vintage Airgun! The post received no attention and only took several hours to reach the 3rd page and lost into infinity.  Very few people know the History concerning this gun and can be easily  confused with the QB 78 which was a poor copy of the QB77. Yes, the Chinese ripped Tim off and started their own new production of the  QB 78 in the mid '90's and flooded the market with them! Lesson learned! I was mainly curious to know if any one in THIS forum was fortunate enough to get hold of this rare model which was responsible for the whole QB series. Didn't mean to step on this thread and figured it had pretty much run it's coarse. You're one response was more than I ever got on the Darkside. dave

[45flint]

I have in my possession a QB77 Deluxe, the first 160 "Knock-off" ever to be introduced into this country from Shanghai  China. Designed by Tim McMurray and built to his strict specifications. I thought it might be interesting to those out there who are hardcore Vintage Crosman buffs like me. The gun meets all the expectations of the finest Co2 Crosman Bolt guns ever made. It is  a .177 caliber gun done in the very early '90's....circa 1992. Guns is a tack driver at 40 ft. I would be interested to know who else owns one of these. dave

It seems to me you might get more input if you start a tread on the subject.
In this thread it is kind of buried.

I tried this a year ago and it got tossed into the" Darkside Jungle" for not being a Vintage Airgun! The post received no attention and only took several hours to reach the 3rd page and lost into infinity.  Very few people know the History concerning this gun and can be easily  confused with the QB 78 which was a poor copy of the QB77. Yes, the Chinese ripped Tim off and started their own new production of the  QB 78 in the mid '90's and flooded the market with them! Lesson learned! I was mainly curious to know if any one in THIS forum was fortunate enough to get hold of this rare model which was responsible for the whole QB series. Didn't mean to step on this thread and figured it had pretty much run it's coarse. You're one response was more than I ever got on the Darkside. dave

I always thought it would be somewhat better to classify this section as collectible Airguns vs. vintage with a arbitrary date.  Yours is a good example.  This would be a rare gun of probably no interest in the Dark Side.  I guest my thought would be I would still rather have an original Crosman given I’m a collector. Any upgrade Tim would have made would be of minimal interest?  Have you compared it to the Crosman version? It is fascinating that this rifle is still being made today given it was designed in the 1950’s.  Testament to Crosman’s “golden age”

[Dave S]

I have in my possession a QB77 Deluxe, the first 160 "Knock-off" ever to be introduced into this country from Shanghai  China. Designed by Tim McMurray and built to his strict specifications. I thought it might be interesting to those out there who are hardcore Vintage Crosman buffs like me. The gun meets all the expectations of the finest Co2 Crosman Bolt guns ever made. It is  a .177 caliber gun done in the very early '90's....circa 1992. Guns is a tack driver at 40 ft. I would be interested to know who else owns one of these. dave

It seems to me you might get more input if you start a tread on the subject.
In this thread it is kind of buried.

I tried this a year ago and it got tossed into the" Darkside Jungle" for not being a Vintage Airgun! The post received no attention and only took several hours to reach the 3rd page and lost into infinity.  Very few people know the History concerning this gun and can be easily  confused with the QB 78 which was a poor copy of the QB77. Yes, the Chinese ripped Tim off and started their own new production of the  QB 78 in the mid '90's and flooded the market with them! Lesson learned! I was mainly curious to know if any one in THIS forum was fortunate enough to get hold of this rare model which was responsible for the whole QB series. Didn't mean to step on this thread and figured it had pretty much run it's coarse. You're one response was more than I ever got on the Darkside. dave

I always thought it would be somewhat better to classify this section as collectible Airguns vs. vintage with a arbitrary date.  Yours is a good example.  This would be a rare gun of probably no interest in the Dark Side.  I guest my thought would be I would still rather have an original Crosman given I’m a collector. Any upgrade Tim would have made would be of minimal interest?  Have you compared it to the Crosman version? It is fascinating that this rifle is still being made today given it was designed in the 1950’s.  Testament to Crosman’s “golden age”

Steve, I have 2  "Trigger Block" Crosmans.  A 180 and a 400. I always wanted a 160. Tim designed this QB77 on the 160 platform. Now, the bolt cocks pushing forward and has the same Crosman trigger block.....and the gun is dovetailed....which is way cool! The gun has all the good Urethane seals and O rings. Tim wouldn't have it any other way. Aside from the smaller caliber, I would guess this gun is as close to a Crosman 160 as it would ever get. There were only limited number of these guns available back then and I would say they are definitely a rare collectible. A Tim MacMurray Special! dave 

[oldair]

I bought a "Sportsman QB77 Deluxe" back in 1992 - manufacture date December '91.  At the time, it seems like Crosman 160/167's were harder to find than today, and of course the dovetails and personal TimmyMac attention were desirable features.  It came with a bulk-fill adaptor as well.

Don R.

[Dave S]

I bought a "Sportsman QB77 Deluxe" back in 1992 - manufacture date December '91.  At the time, it seems like Crosman 160/167's were harder to find than today, and of course the dovetails and personal TimmyMac attention were desirable features.  It came with a bulk-fill adaptor as well.

Don R.

Don, you're a lucky guy! I just got off the phone with Tim and he told me that only 1500 of these guns were imported,  including the QB 77 and QB 22 rifles. (Guess I missed out on that one!)  The .177's were first followed by the .22 cal. models Every single gun was inspected and assembled  by him. After the first 1500 shipped, the next shipment had defective barrels and  other various parts. So, that ended that! These guns are definitely collectible!....and I would consider Vintage! I think Rudy Merz would be proud!   If I ever see a QB 22 for sale...I'll buy it! dave

[oldair]

Dave, now you mention it I recall Tim's frustration at the fall-off in quality after he had set up the supply chain and controls to turn out a superior product.  I bet the manufacturer was happy to be finished with Tim's requirements as they arranged another route for selling QB's into the USA.  I think Compasseco in Kentucky was the first outlet, using the Tech Force branding.  Wonder how many of these have been made over the 25+ years?

Don R.