Crosman 760 "enough" accuracy for a 7 year old?

[Methuselah]

Long story short, I've got a slightly used (1976) pumper  with smooth bore barrel I THOUGHT would shoot bb's accurately.

Maybe it is if you're seven?



Or would this just turn into an exercise in frustration?

[Methuselah]

 Well, I reckon I'll have my answer in a year or three, gave it to the next door neighbor for his son's first bb gun - perfect timing too, he was just gifted his first gel gun today for his birthday.

[Whirligig]

Deleted my post due to misreading your post.

Sorry,

-W

[Nick horse]

435fps at 10 pumps seems slow. I have shot the stock red ryders and buck that most get for kids and think 1 pump on my stock 760s has as much power and accuracy and as easy to pump. It maybe harder to cock the hammer on a new 760 than put in one pump. Grandkids have been shooting 760 with more success than single pump guns. 760 @ 2 pumps way faster and more accurate. But 760 is one of my favorite bb slingers. The single pump guns don’t have enough heat.

[Hoosier Daddy]

When I was 7 it was all about trigger time... ANY trigger time.
Good on you for your generosity!

[Methuselah]

435fps at 10 pumps seems slow. I have shot the stock red ryders and buck that most get for kids and think 1 pump on my stock 760s has as much power and accuracy and as easy to pump. It maybe harder to cock the hammer on a new 760 than put in one pump. Grandkids have been shooting 760 with more success than single pump guns. 760 @ 2 pumps way faster and more accurate. But 760 is one of my favorite bb slingers. The single pump guns don’t have enough heat.

Average 390 fps with 7.9 grain CPH. The original manual online at Crosman says 512 with 7.5 grain pellets, but if it's typical exaggeration it seems almost ballpark given it's about 50 years old and I scrubbed the bore. It was 425 with 15 pumps (kids do that, right?).

I'm thinking it should be a fun and reliable first bb gun (at about 3 ft. #, at least hoping...)

[HunterWhite]

I think that it is important to learn safety first.  This may or may not penetrate skin with two or three pumps.  Teach safety, don't expect the child understands anything.  The usual stuff,  always assume it's loaded, never point at anything that you don't want to shoot. . .
Safty glasses because BB's bounce.
I would expect pellets to be more accurate than BB's, but markedly more costly.
BB's don't have lead exposure.
If all goes well then move forward to a rifled barrel.


My $2 ( adjusted for inflation )


Hunter

[Nick horse]

435fps at 10 pumps seems slow. I have shot the stock red ryders and buck that most get for kids and think 1 pump on my stock 760s has as much power and accuracy and as easy to pump. It maybe harder to cock the hammer on a new 760 than put in one pump. Grandkids have been shooting 760 with more success than single pump guns. 760 @ 2 pumps way faster and more accurate. But 760 is one of my favorite bb slingers. The single pump guns don’t have enough heat.

Average 390 fps with 7.9 grain CPH. The original manual online at Crosman says 512 with 7.5 grain pellets, but if it's typical exaggeration it seems almost ballpark given it's about 50 years old and I scrubbed the bore. It was 425 with 15 pumps (kids do that, right?).

I'm thinking it should be a fun and reliable first bb gun (at about 3 ft. #, at least hoping...)

I was thinking fps with bbs. Perfect first bb gun

[lillysdad621]

That is a bit slow for 7,9, as a normal 760 will rub the underside of 500 fps easily. as far as accuracy... try this instead. get different BBs (daisy maxes, hornady, black widows, and test the gun with all of them. But more importantly, try at 4 or 5 pumps. make sure that the screws of the body are snug, put a couple of drops on the pump cup and slowly pump it and work it in. also get a wooden dowel and push some patches down the barrel. after about another 25 shots, do it again. (when oil blow by builds around the steel bore of the barrel, it creates bumps that will disturb the "air"cushion propelling the BB. try again and report back . make sure that the pumps are consistent (not too fast, not too slow... same pumps...)

PS: I got 760s that can stack BBs under a nickel at 10 yards. They can, we just never give them a fair try. also, it helps to dab some white paint on the front sight... easier to center on the rear sight notch.

[Nick horse]

 There is something about excess oil building up in the barrel when shooting bbs. I am glad you commented on that so now I think not something only I was imagining. I have also noticed accuracy falling off at times on the 760 and I guess other msp with bbs. After I decide it’s not me on a bad  day I poke some pieces of paper towel in the breech and shoot untill clean which helps me. I don’t have a chrono or shoot groups very often but the findings of others are interesting. I shoot bbs to clear my mind from the internal dialogue of other things and the 760 is excellent. Keeping msp oiled up properly and storing them muzzle up is bound to lead to oil everywhere it’s not needed. Storing the Crosman guns with a pump or two should help keep oil from building up in the valve which is maybe a plus for Crosman.

[Methuselah]

@lillysdad621, Nick;

I'll print and pass on the suggestions to the 760s new owner, thanks!

It's possible the tubing I used for the new transfer port seal has become a partial obstruction too. I'm including a tin of pellets that were very accurate so if they decide to get more they know what shoots good in it...

[anti-squirrel]

A couple things:
1: that's abysmal accuracy even for a smoothbore 760 at 25 feet.  My very first BB gun was a 760 and it could put every BB inside a 2" circle at 25 feet
2: such poor accuracy would have frustrated me to the point of losing interest
3: way more accurate barrels are available dirt-cheap from Crosman

What would I do?

Skip the smoothbore.  Just order up a MK4-177 rifled barrel from Crosman; somewhere in these threads I have a brief post on how I altered a given-to-me 760 a few years ago.  I've since re-barreled a number of 760s, and all of them shoot BBs mediocre... But they all cloverleaf at 15 yards with cheapo Crosman domes (and Daisy wadcutters).  I also found the RWS Meisterkugeln wadcutters really give great results (out to 30 yards-ish!).  I know BBs are way cheaper, but accuracy is far more rewarding with an accurate barrel.  I get frustrated with projectile-flingers that display horrid accuracy.

If I'm plinking with a BB-gun, I'd rather it be a dedicated BB gun like a Daisy Model 25 or Buck.