Crosman Buyer Guide

Crosman is an industry leader in the air gun realm. This popular company manufactures air rifles, pistols and accessories for shooters of all ages and skill levels under its own brand name, as well as under the Benjamin & Sheridan label. But with such a vast array of models, ammo and accessories available, how do you choose the right product? Enter the experts at Airgun Depot. We want you to get the most enjoyable and best use out of your purchases so we developed this informative guide to make the decision process easier. Here, we've hand-picked products that are most appropriate for your (or maybe a gift recipient's) age, skill level and intended use. In this buyer guide we sift through our inventory and provide personal recommendations and solid advice that ultimately will help you select the Crosman air gun right for you.

Choosing an Age Appropriate Air Gun

Choosing an age appropriate gun doesn't have to be difficult or confusing. Crosman offers a variety of air guns for young shooters through to adult shooters. For young shooters, under 13 years old, consider purchasing spring powered or pump action air guns. These guns tend to have less power and cause less damage if handled incorrectly. (These air guns are still dangerous and young shooters should be supervised at all times.) Perfect guns for young shooters include:

• Crosman 760 Pumpmaster Air Rifle
• Crosman 1377C Air Pistol
• Crosman Recruit Pump Air Rifle .177 cal with Scope

Shooters in their teens, 13 to 16 years old, tend to be able to control the air gun more than their younger counterparts-- a helpful skill for lining up a target in the crosshairs. Here are just a few suggestions for teen shooters; these guns tend to shoot projectiles faster and come in a variety of calibers:

• Crosman Vantage Air Rifle
• Crosman Venom Dusk Air Rifle
• Crosman 357 Premier Shooters Kit

Mature shooters looking to have more fun--whether plinking or taking out pests--would enjoy Crosman's line of powerful PCP, Nitro Piston and CO2 air guns. Although these guns tend to cost a bit more, they have the oomph you are looking for--more knockdown power and can shoot projectiles at higher velocities.

• Crosman Quest 1000X
• Remington NPSS
• Benjamin Trail NP XL1500

Choosing the Right Caliber

For those that are new to air gunning, the caliber refers to the the approximate internal diameter of the gun's barrel. The smaller the barrel requires less force to achieve higher velocities compared with larger calibers that need more force to achieve high velocities. Crosman has a large selection of air guns in .177, .22., .25 and .357 calibers that are perfect for all types of air gunners. Whether you need an air gun for plinking, target practice or pest control, Crosman air guns has an option for you. Here are some general guidelines when it comes to picking the right caliber air rifle:

• .177 Calibers are perfect for target shooting and plinking. Better at shooting distances than other calibers, these gun lack serious knockdown power to take larger pests. These guns can be used for controlling small pests such as chipmunks or grey squirrels.
• .22 Calibers are great if you are primarily hunting larger pests such as jackrabbits or wild wood chucks. A .22 cal air rifle is going to be your best choice because of its tremendous knock down power and range.
• .25 Calibers are primarily used for hunting the largest varmints, such as coyotes, and can deliver upwards of 30 FPE . That's a lot of energy, making it the preferred caliber for hunting larger vermin.
• .357 Caliber is the largest caliber Crosman has to offer. With this caliber, you can take large game such as deer and wild boar with its whopping 240 Ft. Lbs of energy when using 170 grain air rifle pellets.

The Difference Between Power Plants

Airgun power plants have a great deal to do with the kind of airgun you choose. With so many variables that affect shooting, there are different reasons for choosing the correct type of power plant for your needs. Below are some guidelines when considering the different power plants that are available:

• Spring Piston
  The Spring Piston is the most common type of airgun power plant for a few reasons, but perhaps its biggest advantage is that it continues to produce the same power, shot after shot. This power is generated from a powerful spring that is compressed when the gun is cocked; then, when the trigger is released, the piston is forced forward, creating high pressure. This design is different than CO2 and pneumatic versions, which each contain a storage compartment for air or gas instead of a spring--and also tend to lose power after a shot. The Spring Piston, however, may not be the most suitable model for beginning shooter; the power-packed shot may affect the accuracy of the shot for the novice.
• Nitro Piston
  This new power plant is growing in popularity with manufacturers and shooters alike. At 70% quieter than a traditional spring powered airguns, Nitro Piston air rifles offer high velocities for small game hunters and plinkers. These break barrel airguns feature a nitrogen filled gas piston powerplant. While traditional powerplants such as steel spring and CO2 are adversely affected by changes in temperature, these airguns are not and that makes it easier to cock with one simple motion.
• Pneumatic
  Pump-up guns are undoubtedly one of the most accurate types of airgun available, Pneumatic airguns included. The reservoir inside Pneumatic airguns becomes filled as the gun is pumped and then, as the trigger is pulled, the reservoir opens, the air escapes and the pellet is propelled toward the target. The power level of the gun can be adjusted by varying the number of pumps--the more you pump, the more the reservoir is recharged. Often, though, a single pump provides a consistent level of power. Pneumatic airguns are so accurate--more so than spring piston guns--because there is almost no recoil.
• CO2 Gas
  Carbon-dioxide, or CO2, is an excellent propellant. Think back to high school chemistry class: when this gas is under pressure it becomes liquid and, when it is placed in the airgun reservoir in this form, it self-regulates. The liquid is turned into gas as shots are fired. And the CO2 lasts for a good amount of time before needed to be replenished. The one downfall to CO2 is its sensitivity to extreme temperatures on either end of the thermometer. If the temperature is too cold, it might not ever transform from its liquid form, resulting in less power. On the other hand, in the extreme heat, the pressure could become so much that it locks up the valve.
• Pre-charged Pneumatic (PCP)
  If you are looking for a high-power, accurate airgun, consider Pre-charged Pneumatics, or PCPs. These nearly recoil-free guns reach a power level of 1500 to 3500 psi or higher. They use a reservoir similar to CO2 guns, but the propellant is high-pressure air. The power level of PCPs make it the power plant of choice in hunting larger game, such as deer or wild boar, or in for target and FT shooters. The cons of PCPs are that you'd need a source for air that is capable of containing 3000 or more psi, such as a special hand pump or a scuba tank, plus a source for filling the tanks.

Finding Just the Right Crosman Air Gun

We carry a full selection of Crosman air rifles and air pistols and our goal is to help you make an educated purchase. This buyer guide was intended to give you some professional recommendations, but there are plenty more choices. As you browse Airgun Depot, you'll find that searching for--and finding--the perfect airgun is easy--but we have so many options that perhaps choosing between your own top choices will be difficult! To make your shopping experience efficient and helpful, we offer two ways to find an air gun on our website. First, you can use the search box on the upper right of our website; just type in a keyword or two and hit the magnifying glass--you will be presented with products that meet your criteria. Or you can simply navigate to one of our pages via our menus. Whether you use the search or navigate directly to a page, you will find that you can use filters to easily narrow down the selections. For example, you can sort by price or rating. Additionally, our product pages feature customer reviews and suggest related items. We are confident that you will find what you are looking for at AirGunDepot.com and the airgun experts here will help you navigate, whether its our hand-picked choices in this Crosman buyer guide or providing a robust site search and feature-rich online store.