Crosman challenger break barrel

[Duckfish]

Who made the old break barrel crosman challenger?  Looks like Anchutz to me.

On fleabay.

Looks like Diana 45. 

Prob no parts available

[oldair]

That's a Model 6100 which was indeed a Diana 45.  The 6300 and 6500 were Anschutz 333 and 335 respectively.

Don R.

[lefteyeshot]

That's a Model 6100 which was indeed a Diana 45.  The 6300 and 6500 were Anschutz 333 and 335 respectively.

Don R.
[/quote

That's my understanding also. I've had a D45 for a while. Just got the Crossman 6100 Challenger. Crosman has a lot nicer stock. Guy chopped the barrel to 15 ". Said he re-crowned it. It grouped about 1" at 25 yards. It's at the gunsmiths being re-crowned. I had three other rifles that day.They were one holin' to holes touching

[TooJung2Die]

Do you have a link for the auction? I have a 1981 Diana RWS model 45 and I'd like to see the difference.

[oldair]

I found it by searching ebay for 'crosman challenger' - quite straightforward.

Don R.

[MDriskill]

The biggest diff was the stock. The "Crosman Challenger 6100" wood is a rather squared-up design, very similar to that fitted to the Diana model 35 S; the fore end is parallel-sided and not tapered as on most 45's. (IIRC this combination was also sold in Europe under the "RWS" name, weirdly enough; but the US-marked RWS 45 had the same stock as the most other Diana 45's.)

Pure speculation, but I've wondered if this was a way to use up stock blanks originally intended for the slow-selling 35 S? The inletting would have been different for the 45 though.

[TooJung2Die]

I found it by searching ebay for 'crosman challenger' - quite straightforward.

Don R.

That’s what I did too. The only Crosman Challenger I see on eBay is a CO2 rifle. My 45 has a blocky forearm with parallel sides.

[TooJung2Die]

My RWS model 45. Did it look anything like this?

[lefteyeshot]

My RWS model 45. Did it look anything like this?

My D45 is in the same stock as yours. The 6100 I bought recently is at the gun smith having the barrel re-crowed. The ebay vendor said it was a customized D38 stock. I checked out pics of a 38 and they don't have the hole above the trigger. With my 6100 came an owners manual and the pics show it in the nicer stock meaning monte carlo style stock with raised cheek piece and nice checkering on the pistol grip.

[MDriskill]

Just a quick reminder, there were two completely different guns sold as the Diana (or RWS) 45.

The first one is from the 70's and 80's, and is what the "Crosman 6100" is made from. The signature detail is the crossbolt through the stock above the trigger.

The second one is from the 90's and 00's, and is simply a model 34/36/38 action in a stock that resembled the first 45.

[lefteyeshot]

My 45 and 6100 have the cross bolt above the trigger. I've never had these apart. what does that cross bolt do?

[MDriskill]

The crossbolt holds the action in the stock. The only other relatively modern Diana made that way is the model 50 T01 underlever, which was basically the same gun aft of the breech - shared the same powerplant and trigger.

[lefteyeshot]

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