I used to have a Crosman multi-pump pistol in .22 caliber, I think I bagged some house sparrows with it years ago. Noticed they have brought the .22 back and am not sure which to go with for target/hunting, the .177 or the .22. Found a website where the guy had problems with penetration of the .22. With such a short barrel I might be better off with the .177 if penetration is marginal.

I currently have 3 air rifles in .177, but was wanting the pistol for carry on camping trips, etc.

.22 is known in the rifles for being a better hunting caliber, but with the pistols, not sure. Anyone hunt pest birds or fur bearing animals with either, which one worked for you?

I have witnessed a small squirrel shot with the .177 version and a basic hollowpoint pellet. The pellet made it into the ribcage and took out the lungs. That squirrel took maybe three wobbly steps and fell off the tree. It was dead when we got to it. The shot was probably 15 yards, with the maximum 10 pumps for a little over 500 feet per second. These pellets don't really expand, even shot into a stump, so shot placement would be paramount. A squirrel's lungs are awfully small...

We also shoot bottle caps pretty consistently when supported with our elbows on our legs while sitting at 40 feet in my friend's back yard. It's quite a lot of fun- well worth the $60 investment, in my eyes.

I went ahead and ordered the gun in .22, partly because I wanted some variety, and the guy at Pyramid Air felt the .22 would hit harder. It will be interesting to see how it does on birds and I could also use it on fur critters too. I can add another in .177 as the price is low enough, will see.

I'm a little slow on my reply but have used the .17 Crosman 1377 on grouse for many years. I read up on the specs of .22 and .17 at the time and opted for the .17 due to more penetration of the smaller diameter pellet at the relatively slow velocities. Bigger might be better, but the .17 kills grouse reliable if hit in the head or spinal column of the neck, which is the only place I aim for. Hit in the body you lose many of them.

I went to Beeman Silver Jet precision pointed pellets years ago and stocked up enough that I haven't bought any more pellets in years so don't know what is current. They have been super accurate.

Tell us how you like the .22 version.

I own the crossman 1377. It is great. It the one of the most accurate pellet pistols I have owned. I use it for knocking down gophers in the lots next to our house. I have never tried shooting anything bigger with it. For me the lighter the ammo the bigger the groups. With crossman field point lead ammo off a prpoer rest in can hit a soda can at 25 yards almost every shot.

I have hunt with both. I just bought the 1322 and dropped a squirrel at about 35 yards with one hit. I pumped it 12 times using the Crosman Premier Hollow pellets (14.5 gr.) This pistol is great and well worth the money. I recommend it to any over the Crosman Classic 1377. The 1322 hit birds like a 12 gauge... im talking heavy impact.

You know that the max pumps in a 1322 is 8 pumps, pumping more than that isn't making more power for the gun, the valve can only take so much air. If you want to be able to put more pumps you need to modifyi the valve. The Crosman valve can produce good power if the valve has been bored out, angle the transfer port, and lighten the spring. Other than that, keep the pumps to 8, your 1322 internals will love you for it.

I've killed a bunch of rabbits and grey squirrels around the yard/bird feeder with my Crosman 2240. It works pretty good out to 20 yards with head or chest shots on either. Same velocity as the 1322 so it aughtta work too.

1377 with bamboo shishcabob scewers dont laugh there deadly.

One summer, years ago......I mean a lot of years ago.....37 to be exact, I owned and hunted with what was the forerunner of the 1322, the Crosman 130.
I still have it:


I needed food. I took eight rabbits with nine shots using that gun at ranges from, IIRC, ten to twenty yards. None of them went anywhere.
Back then we had only ever heard of one kind of pellet....Crosmans general purpose wasp waisted .22.
Caveat... 10 pumps? No...twenty pumps. I eventually blew the seals and had to have the gun rebuilt. It did last the summer, though.
Pete

PeteD...nice story and photo too. It is interesting to see how the gun has evolved.

I have never herd of 8pumps max in the 22... That was a Sheridan thing. Crosman's I remember have always been 10 recommended max. But simple upgraded make double that a reality. I have my'77 equipped with upgraded flat topped valve and piston. I don't usually pump past 15 but have shot some at twenty and get 100% valve evacuation. I haven't had a chance to chrono at max but at 6 pumps I'm about 540fps with a 8 g Poly mag pellet.

Great guns and quite capable too. I read somewhere killing power is best Cyphered using foot pound of energy. Then doubling the animals weight. So a 2/3# tree rat will require 4/6# of energy to humanely harvest. Now you also need to remember this is AT IMPACT and pellets slow pretty fast so distances your gun can maintain 4/6 fpe is key. I would say in factory gun your ok to 15-17 yards. Modified you may almost double that.

Good luck,

CW

I used my .22 pumper 130 to knock off a couple of pigeons off of my neighbor's roof at a solid 35 yards as a kid. At the price of those guns I'd get more than one.

Good topic.
I have a Benjamin pump pistol in .177 that I put a cheapy Tasco red-dot scope on it. I am continually stunned by its accuracy. No game taken but it is just a matter of time.
I took a shot at one of those @#$% Eurasian Ring Necked Doves that made the mistake of landing on our lawn. Missed. I was probably so nervous about being caught / heard / seen by a neighbor that my hold wasn't very steady.

rmorgan736, I would like to hear more about the kabob spears! Have thought about doing that myself, but perhaps with your experience you could save me a step or two.
Thanks

Lou M

I was about to ask what some of the afore-mentioned addressed.
I have a 1377C that I have taken gray squirrels and cottontails at the bird feeder which is 21-23 ft. using 10 pumps. My question is as stated here earlier; should I opt for a Crosman #2240 @ 460 fps. or a #1322(same vel.)? Does the .22 cal. trump the higher velocity/penetration of the .17? At 21-23 ft. would this be a non-issue? Is there anything not to like about the
#2240? I do also have an old 38T .17 (S&W style) piece which is very accurate. Never tried it on squirrels. Think the velocity would be to low? (350 fps.) Noise is at least a little issue
because of neighbors. Sometimes I use a .22 short or CB out of a
23" barrel rifle as it is quieter than my #1377.

I split the difference and found two Sheridan .20s.



10 yards...







Second one was given to me by an acquaintance. Stock was off GunBroker and is for their paintball guns...







Velocity with the pistol using the 14.3 grain Cylindrical:

8/397/393/399/400/398

9/414

10/421

With 9.88 Silver Bear:

8/487/487

10/517/516


Carbine with 14.3 Cylindrical:

6/345
7/361
8/383
9/398
10/409


Have not hunted with them but having killed rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, starlings and a crow with the Sheridan rifles they should work fine under 25 yards...

Bob

I got a 1322 a few weeks ago. Also got a steel breech and shoulder stock. Spent about $130 total. Mounted an old Bushy Banner 1.5-4X. Shoots 1- hole at 10 yards with 5 pumps. Best bargain out there.