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Classic American Airguns, Rocklin, CA (2026)

07/19/2026

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Classic American Airguns FaceBook Page. Another busy weekend working on side projects as I wait for another batch of parts to come back from the oxide contractor. I’m sure it was mentioned on more than a few occasions that woodworking is not a strongsuit of mine. But the separate stock and forearm needed to be completed as the final assembly of the Crosman model 99 first variant CO2 powered 14-shot .22 caliber lever-action rifle is tentatively scheduled for next Saturday.

As can be seen from the included pic, the two cast metal receiver halves got their last coat of satin black epoxy paint applied and the finish will be fully cured by next weekend. The model 99’s wood furniture was sanded down after being first treated with Jasco stripper to remove the last remnants of old finish. But not too much sanding, as Crosman stocks and forearms were never finely prepped. Interestingly enough, the factory original guns I have now (and many others I’ve seen over the years) had varying colors of finish applied. Wood finish was all over the map in those days in the mid-late 60s era guns (including subcontracted guns for Sears, Wards, Western Auto, etc) and there was seemingly no rhythm or reason to this part of the Crosman manufacturing process.

So that fact alone does give me some latitude with respect to the finish on this first variant gun. Right now I’m leaning toward a darker walnut with some grain showing through. Pics included here are the final sanding job and a couple of moderate coats of dark walnut stain applied. When the wood is done it will have a clean satin sheen to it matching the other survivors in the reference collection.

One other stock related item I had to deal with is repairing the model 99’s black synthetic butt plate. These get brittle over time and at the upper half where the stock screw goes through there were chips broken off around the chamfered screw hole. I’ve repaired a number of these Crosman butt plates in years past, even replacing larger sections that had broken off and were subsequently lost. The simple DIY recipe for making replacement material utilizes a good quality two part epoxy and black polymer powder that can be purchased online. Mixing the epoxy throughly first, the powdered synthetic polymer is added and mixed in until it’s a nice consistent paste. A batch usually more than is needed is recommended as it’s better to have too much than having to stop the repair mid-stream to mix more.

Once applied and cured, the repaired section will be shaped and smoothed out with a Dremel. The top butt plate screw hole will then be redrilled and an appropriate counter sunk chamfer cut to match the lower screw hole. A few light coats of satin clear will finish the repair job.

Assuming the latest batch of oxided parts arrive by next Friday, it’s hoped that both the model 99 rifle and the rusty, crusty Crosman 150 two-piece barrel pistol will be put back together in fully restored and shooting form. There’s much more to come so stay tuned folks. -SRG

07/11/2026

Here is a quick project update report covering a number of guns in various stages of restoration. This first part is dedicated to fellow Classic American Airgun hobbyist “Eddie”. In case you folks have not seen me restore a Crosman 150/157 series hammer group then this will also be of interest to you.

This particular assembly is a later factory assembled (fixed) unit but can readily serviced should a repair be required. Back in the day, Crosman put these together in advance and staged them on the assembly floor for technicians to install during the final phases to complete a finished pistol. The later hammer group incorporated no fixture screws, locking nuts or any other attachment systems save for a simple peening job at the very top of the cocking rod which runs through the center of the hammer. This cocking rod goes through the cocking k**b and terminates at its forward end.

I’m sure Crosman had a simple jig fixture to hold the assembly together, allowing the end of the cocking rod to be effectively peened or staked in place. Super easily and fast to assemble many dozens of hammer assemblies per hour once you have a jig system setup and a tech trained up to do this work.

As it happens, taking one of these apart is absolutely no big deal using a few basic gunsmith tools and a decent bench vise with padded jaws. As shown in the accompanying pic, the hammer assembly is placed in the vise with the cocking k**b flush with the top of the padded vice jaws. With the cocking k**b secured in the vise, take a 1/8th size roll pin punch and position it in the center of the cocking rod. There is typically a stake or peen dimple in the rod and that’s where you locate your punch. A series of controlled light taps with a gunsmith hammer will defeat the peen and the assembly will come apart.

Once servicing has been completed, reassembly is obviously in reverse order. In my particular case, I’m having the cocking k**b and cocking block reblued so when those parts come back we will again revisit this project for final assembly and a number of others that are currently in the restoration queue.

Additional project updates include the Crosman 99 rifle and Hahn 45 BB revolver. After some careful thought, I’ve elected to retain the sling swivels on the Model 99 hardwood stock and separate forearm. Given that the holes for these are stupid large I just did not feel like plugging them and besides; my youthful gun had a sling so these are going to stay.

As for the early variant Hahn 45, the old factory paint has now nearly been fully stripped, the bass valve front cleaned up and the gun’s other steel parts will be heading out for reblue along with various parts for the other aforementioned restoration projects. A ton more stuff will be coming your way as we dial up the pace for Summer.
-SRG

07/03/2026

Hello everyone and happy Independence Day to all Classic American Airgun Patriots! As promised, I’m doing a follow-up post report on refinishing the Crosman 105 aluminum grip frame. These had a few different black textured or wrinkle finishes over the years; the early bulk fill CO2 pistols and the first variant Crosman 130/137 series multi-pump pneumatic pistols having a more aggressive texture while later guns were more subtle in presentation.

This grip frame comes from a two-piece barrel Crosman 150, the same gun that I first showcased earlier this year that was heavily corroded and had mold covering the wraparound grip and grip frame. I choose this gun as a prime candidate to restore both the steel metalwork and aluminum frame so the time has now come to address the grip frame refinish.

As detailed previously, the old finish was removed using an aerosol stripper. After all finish was removed, the frame was carefully cleaned of any remaining stripper and then thoroughly degreased with 91% alcohol to make absolutely sure that all remaining stripper was neutralized.

There are a couple of aerosol wrinkle paint products on the market, I’ve included a pic of the brand I’ve been using for awhile now. This is interesting stuff in that when done right, produces that cool wrinkle pattern effect we are after. But its application is far more critical than simply applying a basic spray paint. The directions advise that you apply a first coat making sure to cover all surfaces that need to display the wrinkle effect. A following coat then needs to be applied in three minutes. No, not two minutes or 4 minutes, three folks. (I’m just the messenger here so bear with me.)

All other applications protocols are typical for rattle can paint work. Obviously pay attention to application temperatures and do not expose the work to direct sunlight for any extended period as UV rays don’t play nice with this paint product. As you might anticipate, cure time is required and I let my work free hanging for at least a week unmolested.

The final stage is to apply a number of coats of flat black aerosol paint to achieve the final old school factory look. As mentioned, early Crosman guns had a more pronounced texture while later guns were more subtle in appearance. In this particular case, I wanted to hit a middle ground here by applying enough coats until I was satisfied with the result. Should you make a mistake here, it’s a relatively simple matter of stripping the piece again, taking lessons learned from the previous attempt until you get it dialed. Much more to come in the next few weeks so stay tuned everyone. -SRG

06/21/2026

To all those Classic American Airgun BB & Pellgun dads out there; Happy Fathers Day. It was worth every second, too. -SRG

06/18/2026

This is a Classic American Airgun pictorial capturing a moment frozen in time. A US made product that now stands mute testimony to an era long gone. At one time this was someone’s personal property. A prized possession perhaps, used for training, pest control, recreational shooting or just plain having fun plinking in their backyard.

But time marched on as it inevitably does. Somewhere along the line this item lost favor with its owner. It may have served its role admirably only to be set aside for other pursuits as the demands of life have a way of redirecting one’s priorities.

And so it became derelict. Shoved away into a hall closet, then when priorities changed again, went into a basement, shed, attic or garage. Placed in these environments with little or no protection, the item would slowly but steadily deteriorate. Multiple layers of dust accumulated as the seasons passed and exposed steel surfaces would continue to corrode as the years ticked slowly by.

If only it could speak and tell us of its travels. What memories and stories would it reveal. Born in the late 1960s, this was a turbulent time in America, a time of social unrest and cultural change. Yet it did survive this era and numerous others, to eventually be rediscovered decades later. In this modern time many of us still honor the past. And with its restoration the item will again be someone’s prized possession, inspiring all new stories for this generation and those that are yet to come. -SRG

06/09/2026

The next Classic American Airgun to cross the restoration finish line is an early one piece barrel Crosman 150 CO2 powered .22 caliber single-shot pistol. When found at a gun show a dozen years ago it was ironically in is original red factory box and although the box was quite tattered, the gun had seen hardly any use. The most unfortunate aspect of this particular find was the corrosion that had seriously attacked the left side of the pistol. Based on the pattern of the corrosion, one would presume that this side was exposed to the lion’s share of the moisture given the water damaged condition of the factory box.

Pulling the gun apart revealed an all aluminum exhaust valve assembly with no filter and an updated three piece pressure cap with strait knurling although the base was still aluminum at this point. (Figure production in 1956 - 57.) The hammer assembly was also updated, being factory peened together with a two-stage power selector. Interesting enough, the front frame screw was still the legacy large round head with flat top. With the single piece barrel Crosman changed the sighting system completely, going with a ramped blade front sight and a far more robust square notched steel rear sight but it was still only windage adjustable. Even more intriguing, the sear spring head was brass as seen on much earlier model 105/106 multi-pump pneumatic pistols and the bulk fill CO2 powered pistols. No doubt someone at Crosman Arms Company came across some in the warehouse and given how cheap Phillip Hahn was in those days, these parts were used up without a moments thought!

With such low miles on this gun the grip frame was in great shape and I merely stripped it for a detailed cleaning. The white full wraparound grip on the otherhand had separated along its original glue line. This is common on these 70 year old pistols and with no other apparent damage the grip halves were detail cleaned and carefully glued back together.

After the steel parts came back from reblue, the reassembly went at light speed. As you can see by the include pics it is now drop dead gorgeous and shoots remarkably hard thanks to the repacked exhaust valve stem courtesy of our good friend GF down in Southern California.

Besides completing this Crosman 150 one piece barrel variant restoration, much progress had been made on several other projects including the Crosman model 99 CO2 powered .22 caliber 14 shot lever-action rifle. This gun of my youth has been a labor of love and will be ready for final assembly before the end of this month. As all of these projects come together more will be started so stay tuned for additional updates in the coming days folks. -SRG

05/31/2026

This weekend two more Classic American Airgun project guns crossed the finish line. The 2nd variant model 180 was a real challenge in that the corrosion on this particular example was more advanced then first accessed. The barrel was especially affected and initially I had my doubts that it would come completely back. But Mr belt sander had other ideas and along with my trusty Scotch Brite wheel we managed to pull off a very decent restoration of the metalwork.

Final assembly was a walk in the park, it’s nice when all of your pre-assembly work comes together into a sharp looking and totally functional gun. Note that the stock you see is a temp install until I fully address touching up the original stock. As mentioned previously, there is enough factory finish remaining and with no serious structural flaws it can be brought back with minimal effort. This will be a subject of a separate post report on how I typically go about this process.

Likewise for a quick look at adjusting the legacy Crosman cast trigger assembly. These were widely used on both Crosman branded rifles and subcontracted variants all throughout the 1960s. When setup correctly, they offer an additional level of precision that the more simplistic triggers could not possibly provide. Moreover, safety is another factor that must be considered when dealing with these older products. I can absolutely tell you that a trigger like this would never see the light of day in this modern sue happy world of product liability. More on that subject coming down the road.

The first variant Crosman 150 (two piece barrel assembly) was also an easy assembly job. Do note that the very first model from 1954 had the more advanced finely tunable hammer assembly. Seems issues with this hammer group would soon give way to a more simplified and ultimately completely reliable unit. This first variant Crosman 150 had its original 1954 hammer assembly which was restored along with the rest of gun’s metal work and mechanical systems. Other first variant features included a three piece pressure cap that was crossed knurled and had an aluminum base held together with a blued steel slotted screw. The front slotted frame screw has a large round head and is flat on top. The exhaust valve assembly which was original to this example had an aluminum front and a brass rear. As Crosman did not use any manner of filter in this early valve, be extra careful not to introduce contaminates into the compression tube. Eyeball all CO2 cartridges and make sure they are clean or it will come back to haunt you. Ask me how I know; insert 14 year old Pellgun kid living in Southeast Michigan.

More final assemblies are on deck along with a number of side projects scheduled in the weeks ahead. In between, I should even manage to post some cool Classic Airgun Airgun catalogs so check back soon my friends. -SRG

05/26/2026

Subassembly work can be tedious but lends itself to the successful final result of a Classic American Airgun rebuild or restoration project. What will be the next gun to cross the finish line? I frankly don’t know. But that’s not at all important here and we will let nature and the flow of work determine the ultimate outcome.

Having done a number of Crosman 180/187 series rifle hammer assemblies for both early and late model guns, these are relatively easy to restore. Same with the very early Crosman 150/157 series pistols, these assemblies are inspected, disassembled, original blued parts are then stripped of old finish & rust, then sent out for reblue.

As you can see by the completed assemblies, these always look like a million bucks when done and will provide maximum performance in their respective host guns. Note that the very first variant Crosman 150/157 series single shot CO2 powered pistol had a very unique multi-adjustable hammer assembly that featured both a two-stage power selector and a more finite power adjust by manually rotating the cocking k**b clockwise or counterclockwise to further fine tune the power output. That’s a pretty cool feature for a gun that retailed for $14.95 yet this sophisticated hammer assembly proved problematic and was soon replaced by a more simplistic design.

I also put together the late Crosman 180/187 series 3-way adjustable trigger group. This assembly is held in a cast metal housing and after being repainted, the reblued steel trigger, sear and other relative components were installed in the freshly refinished housing. Final adjust of this trigger will be done once it’s attached to the Crosman 180’s compression tube. More on proper adjust of this match trigger in a followup report.

Next up we will be checking out the rebuilds of several project gun exhaust valves and some rather interesting internal subassembly work on the Crosman 99 lever-action CO2 rifle. I also have a couple of really cool Classic American Airgun catalogs to share from the 50s & 60s that will be fully reproduced here as we further document this bygone American industry. Enjoy the ride everyone. -SRG

05/15/2026

Took the Mother’s Day weekend off to hang with the wife and youngest son Jake to do some serious fishing up at Clear Lake. We hammered them and it was brutal, violent combat angling and I have the bruises to show for it. Back on the project series tomorrow so stay tuned folks. In the meantime, here are a few vintage Classic American Airgun ads to enjoy while you wait. -SRG

05/03/2026

Final assembly of the crusty/rusty late model Crosman 600 CO2 powered .22 caliber semi-auto pistol was uneventful. For the record, it was my first full restoration of this Classic American Airgun from the later part of the 1960s. As you saw from earlier post reposts, the gun was in pretty tough shape. It was missing its blued steel blade front sight and the 600-088 push button style piercing cap assembly. Moreover, both the steel compression tube and barrel were frozen inside the cast metal frame due to decades of unfavorable storage conditions that promoted external as well as internal corrosion.

Having resolved all these issues, the gun was fully disassembled, steel parts processed, reblued and the cast metal frame repainted. All along this journey various other restoration and rebuild projects were also moving forward but the late variant Crosman 600 crossed the finish line first. Having now worked on a number of these true semi-auto gas pistols in recent months, I believe I’ve learned enough of the gun’s quirks and idiosyncrasies to be confident of rebuilding the remaining guns that son Jake and I have rescued over the years.

As for the actual assembly work, I did note that someone had been inside this particular Crosman 600 before me. After finally getting the compression tube removed, I observed that a previous removal and reinstallation of the exhaust valve assembly retaining pins had clear signs of being filed down. When properly installed these two pins sit a few thousandths below flush of the compression tube. When the exhaust valve retaining pins were installed after a presumed rebuild, they were not seated fully into the compression tube. This is critical that they not protruded past flush as the tolerances between the OD of the tube and the ID of the cast frame are quite tight.

Rather than resolving this fitment issue, a common practice was to file the pins down to flush. In this case, file marks on both pins and the leading edge of the compression tube, where the pins are inserted, was quite evident. With all due respect to anyone now contemplating working on this admittedly advanced Crosman pistol, taking short cuts only creates more problems down the road. Plenty of professional help is out there so when in doubt ask an expert hobbyist for some guidance.

The remaining portion of the assembly was a cake walk and when charged with CO2, the old girl responded by putting ten .22 caliber wadcutter pellets into my pellet trap at lighting speed. What a super cool Classic American Airgun this is folks! And speaking of modern production .22 caliber wadcutter pellets, there are a number of really good precision brands available these days. Sure, you can occasionally shoot some vintage Crosman Super Pells for nostalgic purposes, but most all of these half century old lead pellets have deteriorated to the point that they are more likely to cause jams and lead contamination due to oxidation. Matter of fact, I’m already working on a new post report that will showcase these modern precision .22 caliber wadcutter pellets for the Crosman 600 as well as a number of other repeating Classic American Airguns that feed this specific type of ammo. Stay tuned my friends. -SRG

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