Crosman 101 ID's & years

[Bob Pratl]

What year did the 101 go to a steel barrel and what is the different design Bolt Cocking Knobs used for different years?
Are there any subtle differences to help ID the production years of the 101?
Mine wont be delivered until late next Monday.
I did find a few charts on line but they are very vague.

[Hoosier Daddy]

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[45flint]

What year did the 101 go to a steel barrel and what is the different design Bolt Cocking Knobs used for different years?
Are there any subtle differences to help ID the production years of the 101?
Mine wont be delivered until late next Monday.
I did find a few charts on line but they are very vague.

If you mean the last ones made with a steel barrel I think it’s a mixed bag. I have a 1949 style with a steel barrel and one with a bronze.  Post picks and we can give you our thoughts.

[strever]

here is info from Crosman
2nd page at the bottom says either barrel from 46 to 49

[Bob Pratl]

here is info from Crosman
2nd page at the bottom says either barrel from 46 to 49

Thanks Dick, my oncoming 101 looks like it's a 46-49 vintage because I believe that it has the steel barrel and It does have the 5-groove bolt knob as I see in the sellers photos.
Hopefully I will find out soon.
Is there any advantage between the steel and bronze barrels? I would believe that the bronze barrels where a little softer.

[strever]

Hope the info above helped Bob
i really can not say if one barrel or the other is better

[45flint]

here is info from Crosman
2nd page at the bottom says either barrel from 46 to 49

Thanks Dick, my oncoming 101 looks like it's a 46-49 vintage because I believe that it has the steel barrel and It does have the 5-groove bolt knob as I see in the sellers photos.
Hopefully I will find out soon.
Is there any advantage between the steel and bronze barrels? I would believe that the bronze barrels where a little softer.

I think steel is better given its strength.  But both work well. Sure tell for a 1949 is a little bracket on the back of the rifle that stops the barrel from coming out.

[OTmachine]

Thanks Dick, my oncoming 101 looks like it's a 46-49 vintage because I believe that it has the steel barrel and It does have the 5-groove bolt knob as I see in the sellers photos.
Hopefully I will find out soon.

I believe the bolt knobs are pretty much interchangeable between the years.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I think steel is better given its strength.  But both work well. Sure tell for a 1949 is a little bracket on the back of the rifle that stops the barrel from coming out.

Steve, I am new to the 101, but did you mean BOLT?

[45flint]

I think steel is better given its strength.  But both work well. Sure tell for a 1949 is a little bracket on the back of the rifle that stops the barrel from coming out.

Steve, I am new to the 101, but did you mean BOLT?

Yes the bolt!  Love they lock down your mistakes!

[OTmachine]

I think steel is better given its strength.  But both work well. Sure tell for a 1949 is a little bracket on the back of the rifle that stops the barrel from coming out.

Steve, I am new to the 101, but did you mean BOLT?

Yes, I believe that he meant the bolt.

[TerryM]

here is info from Crosman
2nd page at the bottom says either barrel from 46 to 49

Thanks Dick, my oncoming 101 looks like it's a 46-49 vintage because I believe that it has the steel barrel and It does have the 5-groove bolt knob as I see in the sellers photos.
Hopefully I will find out soon.
Is there any advantage between the steel and bronze barrels? I would believe that the bronze barrels where a little softer.

The bronze barrels are, of course, softer than steel.  One advantage of a bronze barrel is they are much less likely to be corroded if the gun has not been used for many years.

[45flint]

here is info from Crosman
2nd page at the bottom says either barrel from 46 to 49

Thanks Dick, my oncoming 101 looks like it's a 46-49 vintage because I believe that it has the steel barrel and It does have the 5-groove bolt knob as I see in the sellers photos.
Hopefully I will find out soon.
Is there any advantage between the steel and bronze barrels? I would believe that the bronze barrels where a little softer.

The bronze barrels are, of course, softer than steel.  One advantage of a bronze barrel is they are much less likely to be corroded if the gun has not been used for many years.

I hear this advantage but given oil is used inside the gun when shooting its really got to be a barn find to have rust inside?  The use of steel barrels in all their CO2 rifles to me shows it was more of a tooling choice?

[Bob Pratl]

Last Friday I received my 101 but I was gone all weekend so I had no time to check it out.
This evening I totally stripped  it and replaced all of the seals with a Baker kit.
It was a bugger in getting the barrel and the air tube off, but with heat and PB Blaster
it came off. Over all it looks good and I decided to refinish the stock and metal parts before
I reassemble it. In the sellers photo it looked like it had a steel barrel but it is bronze.
I'm still not sure of it's ID. The crest is the same as the top right photo and the bolt is the second
one from the top in post #3 above and the cocking knob has 5 groves. Maybe 1946

[Hoosier Daddy]

Sound just like my recent purchased project.
I too am searching for a reseal kit.
Was the Baker kit a perfect fit?
 What tool did you use for the valve lock nuts (2)?

Your post count is high enough you should be able to post pics...Care to share?

Here is mine dated 1946 for comparison.

[Bob Pratl]

Sound just like my recent purchased project.
I too am searching for a reseal kit.
Was the Baker kit a perfect fit?
 What tool did you use for the valve lock nuts (2)?
Your post count is high enough you should be able to post pics...Care to share?
Here is mine dated 1946 for comparison.

Scott, my mistake, it was not a Baker Seal Kit because they wanted $38 vs $20 on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/vod/FetchOrderDetails?itemid=174568440588&transid=2266134480007&ul_noapp=true

This kit was great and had all the correct seals to fit the valves. Very nice valve flat gaskets.
The tools I fabricated from a 1/4" and a 3/8" x  6" black pipe. I notched the sides to fit.
I will take photos when finished because right now it is just a pile of parts. For a 60+ year old AG I'm impressed with
it's simple design and craftsmanship. Very happy.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Your link must have been to YOUR purchase, not the item listing...

You can't view these order details. To view this information, you must be logged into the guest or eBay account used to purchase this item. See instructions to view guest order details.

Devil's in the details... LOL!

[Bob Pratl]

Scott, this the correct link to the kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Crosman-Complete-100-101-102-104-Seal-Kit/174622282219?hash=item28a84c91eb:g:SmUAAOSwtO5ddP1s

In comparing your Photos to my 101 they are identical except my air tube is steel and yours looks brass/bronze.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thank you very much Bob!
 For an extra $3... I may opt for his kit with springs, so I have them just in case.

On another note, that name sounds familiar. I don't mean THE Henry Ford, but an airgunner with that name here... or another forum maybe.

*EDIT*
AH-HA!!!
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?action=profile;u=32440

[Bob Pratl]

Thank you very much Bob!
On another note, that name sounds familiar. I don't mean THE Henry Ford, but an airgunner with that name here... or another forum maybe.

Thanks, that good to know, I did not associate Henry Ford with GTA.