Home Blog  
Education / Training Daisy No. 100 Model 38

Daisy No. 100 Model 38

by B.B. Pelletier

When you hear the name “Daisy,” I bet you don’t think of a single-shot BB gun. Most people probably think of the popular Red Ryder Daisy has made since 1938. But, there were plenty of single shots in the early Daisy lineup, starting with the first models in 1888. By the turn of the century, Daisy had added a lot of repeaters, but single-shots were still very prevalent. However, after World War I, the repeater ruled the day and single-shots were not as common.

In 1938, Daisy made a single-shot they called the No. 100 Model 38. It resembled the 1912 Model C made 26 years earlier but stood apart from the typical lever-action construction of the day. Besides the obvious lack of a cocking lever, this rifle has no visible screws. It’s held together by rivets.

38-web
Daisy’s No. 100 Model 38 is a simple single-shot BB gun that looks different than the traditional Red Ryder. It was made for younger children and also to be cheap.

Fixed sights
This was a budget BB gun, so the sights are fixed with no pretense of adjustability. In fact, the rear sight also serves to anchor the spring-piston assembly, which was a common way for BB guns to be made at the time. The riveted construction makes this gun a little harder to work on than a more conventional gun with a cocking lever.

To cock the gun, you break down the stock. I’ve taken a picture to show you how it works. Loading means just dropping a BB down the muzzle. This gun was produced starting in 1938, so it’s built for .173″ steel BBs – the BBs of today.

38-broken-web
Broken open for cocking, the gun shows how much more leverage there was over traditional lever-actions. Though it was a youth gun, the Model 38 was powerful.

The age of the gun also means the piston seal is leather, so you have to keep it well-oiled to keep the power up. There is no oil hole, so drop the oil straight down the barrel and stand the gun on its butt for about an hour. Do that every couple of weeks, or as the power seems to drop.

What kind of power?
This model was made for younger children, but the mechanical advantage of using the whole butt as a cocking lever means it can be powerful. And it is! Mine has an air leak in the compression chamber because the tack-welded outer tube has broken open, and I still get 220-240 f.p.s. A good one will, no doubt, top 300.

Accuracy
My gun is not one to go by since it leaks air, but I get reasonable BB gun accuracy from it. I don’t shoot it enough to really know the gun, but I’m sure little boys who shot their guns every day got pretty good with them.

Cost
It wasn’t an expensive gun when it was new and it’s still very affordable today. You should be able to find one in very good condition for $100 or less. I paid $50 for mine because of the damage. An equivalent grade of lever-action from the same time frame would bring $150 or more.

I have to admit that I never saw one of these when I was a kid in the 1950s. It wasn’t until I started attending airgun shows that I saw my first one, but they aren’t rare. You can always find several at any good collector’s show. I admired them for many years before getting this one. Now, I’m thinking I should get a fully functioning gun to really give it a test.

Any of you old boys out there ever have one?

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

48 thoughts on “Daisy No. 100 Model 38”

  1. B.B. Off Subject: I was contemplating buying a Crosman Nightstalker but the 7lb trigger bothers me. I know that you and TG have commented previously about the gun but am I right to be so concerned?

  2. i read thru the spring gun tune section and their comments, but i cant seem to find anyone who asked, so here goes:
    my gun is lubed about well enough, so all i need is to damp the vibration. can i buy some tar, and push it into the cocking slot in the action, without any disassembly? will using this much tar slow the velocity, and will it cause it to shift forward in the reciever?

    i ask the last question, because, i tried a little experiment. i bought a dollar store dart gun, tore it apart, switched out the spring for the one from an electric airsoft pistol, and embedded the entire spring in petroleum jelly.
    it all moved out of the “transfer port”, leaving none on the spring. it collected in the “barrel”. can this occur with velocity tar?

  3. Hello B.B.,

    Off topic subject/question –

    Long time lurker, first time poster.

    I would like to compliment you in the blog. I have made alot of purchases I have been happy with based on your opinions, and believe I have avoided some bad buys also.

    One of the purchases the blog helped steer me toward was the .177 caliber Gamo CFX. I love this gun!!! One of the reasons I love it is because its an “underlever” (fixed-barrel), and definitely because of the price-to-satisfaction ratio. I am deadly accurate, with the help from your tips on how to hold and shoot a “springer”.

    Now I am hooked, and I am looking for a .22 caliber underlever.

    This brings me to my questions:

    1) Where are they? Gamo doesn’t distribute the .22cal/5.5mm CFX in the US (which I would buy in a heart-beat; currently looking outside the US without any luck in finding someone to ship me one). Also, the Hammerli Nova, and the Norica Quick, do not appear to be distributed in the US in .22cal/5.5mm versions. All three of these are moderately priced choices, within the $200 – $300 range. I know there is the Diana RWS 460 magnum, but its a bit pricey at $500+. Plus, it seems like I have read problematic issues concerning the Diana RWS 300R and 46 models, that make me nervous about buying a pricey lemon, regardless of their reputation.

    2) I am pleased with the quality of Gamo products. How do the Hammerli and Norica products stack up? I read somewhere that the Hammerli Nova is just a re-badged Norica Quick.

    3) Why does is seem as if .22cal/5.5mm underlevers are not readily available in the US? There are plenty of break-barrel, and pre-charged .22/5.5mm out there to chose from, therefore, I can’t see it being a safety issue. Is Pyramid catering to particular models, by not importing/distributing/offering other models with similar characteristics.

    4) Do you know of, or deal with, any “out of the country” distributors” that are reliable, trustworthy, and have experience with shipping air guns (namely Gamo/Hammerli/Norica products) to customers in the US. I have actually called an ATF agent, and he has confirmed that airguns are not “fire-arms”, and the US government should have no issue with them coming into our borders. I have emailed Gamo distributors in Spain, Australia, and New Zealand, and they all have taken a “hands-off” approach.

    5) How do you communicate to airgun manufacturers that there is a market for these guns in the US, and they should at least allow for special order through distributors they deal with here? And also, even though wood stocks are great, there are plenty of guys who want a rugged, “all element friendly” composite synthetic stock.

    I know this is a lengthy post/question, but its my first time out. I’ve been lurking for a while, so I’ve been saving up.

    Any answers to these questions would be appreciated, and feel free to take me down another path to manufacturers or models I haven’t mentioned.

    Thank you for your time in this matter.

  4. Squirrelkiller,

    I have the AA Tx200 in 0.22 that is great killing squirrels at 735fps. Smooth and sweet.

    Look at the BAM B40 .22 Air Rifle and BB’s comments on this gun on this blog. It is a lot less than the Tx200 but comes very close to performance as I have read from BB. You can see this gun on Pyramyd and get it in 0.22 and I believe it would be closer to what you mentioned on price range.

    KTK

  5. KTK,

    I appreciate the advice about the TX200 and the B40. I had read B.B.’s posts on these before.

    I just can’t get into the Chinese B40, even if it showed favorable results. Chinese are not known for their barrels, and workmanship is crude. B.B. might have gotten the best apple out of the bunch. Plus, to me, its ugly as sin (lol; like my guns just like my women, nice lines and good to look at).

    The only underlever .22 that caught my eye was the Diana RWS 460 magnum. I will reach that far in price if necessary, but would rather hear from B.B. on what he knows about the Hammerli or Norica guns, and whether he knows of how to acquire these and/or the Gamo CFX in .22 (even from out of the country if necessary).

    Thanks again, KTK

  6. and your cfx is more purdy than a tx200…me think not…LOL

    Too bad for you that you dont live in europe, here we can buy all gamos models in .22 also the CFX and brand new hunter 1250s in .22…

  7. Details….details…

    Keep in mind I never criticized the lines of the TX200 only the B40. B40 is too plain jane… The accuracy is always in the details…lol..

  8. “too bad you don’t live in Europe” is not a line I ever thought I would hear to win an argument about who has better shooting sports. Keep your stupid Gamos.

  9. I just informed him that you can buy .22 gamos in europe..
    Besides, all quality airguns made in europe.
    American airguns is often stamped sheetmetal.

    Buy weihrauch instead.

  10. hi bb
    i have a few questions i hope you can answer about the crossman 1077
    yes i did read both reviews

    1. what is the maximum range you can shoot say 2 inch groups? in other words do you think you could push it out to around 150 feet?

    2. can you remove the front sight for use with a scope and reinstall it later?

    3. would this rifle be a good alternative to a higher priced rifle to learn to shoot informal target?

    4. how long will it take to beak in the trigger if i happen to get a bad trigger. also will cycling the trigger to break it in were out the hammer spring or do internal damage?

    5. what do you think about mounting a cheap leapers 4 by 32 scope on it?
    thanx for your advice

    Field Targetier

  11. i have head several comments on paint in the benji’s barrel. There is paint about a 1/2 into my barrel. Does it really effect accuracy. My gun isn’t shooting what i hoped it would. How does on remove the paint if necessary. Also what’s up with the cheap sight screws that break.

    thanks
    hb

  12. Field Targetier,

    Concerning your question #2 (I’m assuming you mean rear-sight), on my Crosman 1077 I just unscrewed it and turned in around 180 degrees, and reattached it. That way I would have plenty of room to attach my scope, and wouldn’t lose it, in case I removed my scope and needed it in the future.

  13. BB,
    So I heard that the micrometer tank gets 40 shots at highest power setting for a talon ss. How is that different than the standard talon tank? I thought the whole purpose is to produce more consistent shots with the micrometer tank.

  14. HB,
    I got much better accuracy from(C9A)this gun has after the paint was removed. With a thin wooden dowel you can push a pellet trough the barrel on a disassembled gun and actually feel the resistance when it reaches the paint. I also did find out that the best accuracy is not available at the 8 pump level however. Mine likes 5 pumps, using Sheridan’s 0.20 Diablo Pellets (now no longer available,) for best paper punching accuracy. Some of my groups are 0.3-0.58” c-t-c shooting from 48 ft. end of muzzle to paper. My basement is 55’ long. Only my Tx200 shoots this good or better and it has a 3-9x -40mm Leapers scope on it vs. just the peep on the Sheridan!!! My RWS 34 and 350 both can have better groups if I could since theses springers give me at least 1 or 2 flyers per group that spoil a decent group. The Sheridan and Tx200 can give me consistent groups all day long.

    — As for the paint removal:
    I used Lacquer Thinner and had some success but need to augment it with Kwikeeze Brush Cleaner. Using Q-tips and a lot of elbow grease while holding the barrel down to avoid anything going up in the air transfer port you can slowly remove the black paint. It took me 60 minutes and about 15-20 Q-tips. At first nothing seems to come out but after some time and rubbing the black starts to appear on the Q-Tips. Be careful not to rub the stems of the Q-tips against the crown too much. You will Feel the difference as it is removed.

    Best of luck.

    KTK

  15. Micrometer tank,

    You will get HUNDREDS of shots with this tank. Where did you hear only 40? That’s a standard tank rating. The MM tank shoots very slowly and even high power isn’t that fast.

    That was all reported in this blog. Did you read the report?

    B.B.

  16. Field Targetier,

    Yes, cycling the trigger does break it in on the 1077. As for the 50-yards groups, two inches might be possible on a dead calm day.

    It is unnecessary to remove the front sight as the scope cannot see it.

    Question three answers itself.

    An inexpensive Leapers scope will do well.

    B.B.

  17. Somebody asked you how many full power shots do you get on a condor with micrometer tank, you said 35~40 shots. It’s on the Thursday, March 08, 2007 blog.

  18. Another question on the micrometer tank. If it’s not 35~40 shots full power on a condor, how many shots do you get with full power on Condor and talon ss?

  19. I read my answers on Mar 8, 2007, and I was referring to the number of shots a Talon SS gets on high power. I cannot find a reference to that number of shots for the MM tank.

    Had I said it, that would have been in err. The MM tank does get hundreds of shots.

    B.B.

  20. I just got one of these rifles from my grandma for christmas, it was given to her when she was younger. I have a few questions about it

    1. Would .177 ” pellets still fire from it?

    2. What do I do if it needs repairs?

  21. Daisy 38,

    I wouldn’t put any oil in the barrel. I would put regular petroleum oil down the air transfer port behind the barrel (when it is closed), and stand the gun on its butt for an hour. Put in 5-10 drops and the leather seal on the piston will get soft and supple. That gives the gun the most power it is capable of.

    B.B.

  22. I had a Model 100 as a kid. I think that it was about 1951 when my Grandpa gave it to me. I shot birds, squirels, and a lot of rabbits with that little gun, until a friend told me I needed a real 22 rifle to hunt with. Grand Pa go me and old Stevens single shot rifle. I don't remember getting any more game with it, but it did cost more to shoot. I will buy a Model 100 as soon as I find one in shootable condition. Nothing makes you remember your youth than a simple little gun. The !00 was as powerful as any BB gun that I ever had as a kid and I had a lot of them.

  23. dogships,

    Good luck with your search for a nice Daisy 100 model 38. The prices for them have risen dramatically in the past few years. They seem to be insulated from the hard economic times, because they are holding at $250-300 in very good condition.

    B.B.

  24. It sounts like a point of sale sign. These have been reproduced. A new one would be worth ten dollars. A vintage sign is worth whatever the market will bear. Maybe a hundred dollars?

    B.B.

  25. I had a 100 model 38 repeater in 1961 given to me by a neighbor kid. I had it in good working order all those years. I left it at my parents house in 1982 when I moved to Texas and sometime after that my Dad threw it away thinking it didn’t work. How do I find out where these air gun shows are so that I may find another one like it. Help please.

    • Podge,

      Well, you missed a huge airgun show held here in Texas in September. The way to find this out is to stay connected with the airgun community. This blog is a good start.

      No more airgun shows are scheduled for this year. The next show will be in Ohio in April, and at the end of April (2015) there should be a show in Malvern, Arkansas, a town close to Little Rock.

      But you don’t need to wait that long to get a Daisy 100 number 38. There are couple guys who probably have them now, or can get them.

      Larry Behling 
315-695-7133 or  co2bbjlts@juno.com

      Bucky’s Parts (Daisy) http://www.daisyrepair.com

      B.B.

  26. B.B., the link to Buck’s Parts above goes to some half-hijacked site that’s all about flowers.

    Meantime, I’ve no idea if my comment or question made it through. I have a No. 100 – Model 38 and came close to damaging this fine and powerful airgun tonight partly because I have no manual for it. Is there such a thing? Can the 38 be serviced? I’m not into filing off rivets.

    • Baryonx,

      I would like to add an additional comment or two – first, you are posting to a 7 year old blog and only a few of us, including BB, will get comments. BB does not mind off-topic comments on the current blog and it’s to your advantage to post any questions on anything airgun related, to the current blog where tens of thousands of like-minded enthusiasts will be able to read and offer help.

      Second, here is a link for various manuals – operation and repair but not from the Daisy site. Try this: http://www.ebook-download-site.com/daisy_bb_gun_repair_manual

      If BB said your air rifle is not easily repairable or maintainable, I would take his word as gospel.

      Welcome to the blog and hope you become a regular visitor.

      Fred DPRoNJ

  27. This was posted by Barry, but went to spam and was eliminated.

    Phew. Took me forever to figure out how to maybe get in contact. Thank you for the many great insights.

    I just resurrected a No. 100 – Model 38 from where it had been lying unused for years and years. I thought it was jammed or clogged because when I dribbled a BB down the barrel and fired it, nothing came out. Oh–the BB was rolling out of the barrel because I was shooting downhill.

    In the meantime, realizing there were no screws to be undone to take the gun apart, I thought maybe I’d just unscrew the shot tube (as in the Model 25) and see what was going on. Duh. Stopped just in time. Shooting a bit uphill later, I saw that yes, the old thing does indeed still have whack, enough to blow through both sides of a soda can at 30 feet, which is a challenge even for the Model 25.

    To cut to the chase: can the Model 38 be serviced? Is there a manual? I realize now that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but I am curious. Is this the gun that lasts forever?

    Thanks for any answer!

  28. Phew. Bless you all, as they say. It has taken me thiiiis long to figure out how to get back to the blog, and thank you, Fred DPRoNJ, for so very gently pointing out how far away I am from the current blog date and topic. I am only replying here (again!) because I didn’t want to dump an utterly off-topic query into the current blog on What to Do With Your New Airgun. I still don’t get the structure of the blog, and yes, it’s not you, it’s me, but I truly didn’t want to interrupt the current discussion.

    And thank you, B.B. for the reply immediately above. I reckon you will have a reward in airgun heaven for being so kind and patient with inept stumblebums like me.

    I think I understand now that this site is not a forum. I enjoy reading the articles and I realize the site is not set up for questions and discussion threads and I’m sorry I didn’t get that earlier. I’ll keep working at it and trying to use the Search tool to get closer to topics. Right now I’m curious about why one of my Model 25 Daisys fires each time I rack the slide and about an old…Gecado? pistol, Model 2, but those questions have no place here, I think, and I’ll keep looking.

    Sorry for the long message. It’s all of by way of saying thank you to you all.

    • Baryonx,

      You can talk about anything airgun related on any of the blog entries. We don’t worry about the subject.

      Your Daisy’s trigger parts are worn. That’s why it fires when you close the pump lever.

      Gecado was just an exporter out of Erlangen, I believe. Your model 2 was made by Diana, and you can access it in the Blue Book of Airguns.

      I am on the road and don’t have access to my Blue Book but if you want to ask me a question, fire away.

      B.B.

Leave a Reply to B.B. Pelletier Cancel reply

Buy With Confidence

  • Free Shipping

    Get FREE shipping on qualifying orders! Any order $150+ with a shipping address in the contiguous US will receive the option for free ground shipping on items sold & shipped by Pyramyd AIR during checkout. Certain restrictions apply.

    Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

    View Shipping Info

  • Shipping Time Frame

    We work hard to get all orders placed by 12 pm EST out the door within 24 hours on weekdays because we know how excited you are to receive your order. Weekends and holiday shipping times will vary.

    During busy holidays, we step our efforts to ship all orders as fast as possible, but you may experience an additional 1-2 day delay before your order ships. This may also happen if you change your order during processing.

    View Shipping Times

  • Shipping Restrictions

    It's important to know that due to state and local laws, there are certain restrictions for various products. It's up to you to research and comply with the laws in your state, county, and city. If you live in a state or city where air guns are treated as firearms you may be able to take advantage of our FFL special program.

    U.S. federal law requires that all airsoft guns are sold with a 1/4-inch blaze orange muzzle or an orange flash hider to avoid the guns being mistaken for firearms.

    View Shipping Restrictions

  • Expert Service and Repair

    Get the most out of your equipment when you work with the expert technicians at Pyramyd AIR. With over 25 years of combined experience, we offer a range of comprehensive in-house services tailored to kickstart your next adventure.

    If you're picking up a new air gun, our team can test and tune the equipment before it leaves the warehouse. We can even set up an optic or other equipment so you can get out shooting without the hassle. For bowhunters, our certified master bow technicians provide services such as assembly, optics zeroing, and full equipment setup, which can maximize the potential of your purchase.

    By leveraging our expertise and precision, we ensure that your equipment is finely tuned to meet your specific needs and get you ready for your outdoor pursuits. So look out for our services when shopping for something new, and let our experts help you get the most from your outdoor adventures.

    View Service Info

  • Warranty Info

    Shop and purchase with confidence knowing that all of our air guns (except airsoft) are protected by a minimum 1-year manufacturer's warranty from the date of purchase unless otherwise noted on the product page.

    A warranty is provided by each manufacturer to ensure that your product is free of defect in both materials and workmanship.

    View Warranty Details

  • Exchanges / Refunds

    Didn't get what you wanted or have a problem? We understand that sometimes things aren't right and our team is serious about resolving these issues quickly. We can often help you fix small to medium issues over the phone or email.

    If you need to return an item please read our return policy.

    Learn About Returns

Get FREE shipping on qualifying orders! Any order $150+ with a shipping address in the contiguous US will receive the option for free ground shipping on items sold & shipped by Pyramyd AIR during checkout. Certain restrictions apply.

Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

View Shipping Info

Text JOIN to 91256 and get $10 OFF Your Next $50+ Order!

* By providing your number above, you agree to receive recurring autodialed marketing text msgs (e.g. cart reminders) to the mobile number used at opt-in from Pyramyd AIR on 91256. Reply with birthday MM/DD/YYYY to verify legal age of 18+ in order to receive texts. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg frequency may vary. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel. See Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy.