by B.B. Pelletier
Today, we’ll look at power, gas consumption and accuracy of the 2300T. First, I chronographed two pellets I felt were likely candidates for the accuracy test – the Gamo Magnum pointed and the Crosman Premier 7.9 grain. When I refer to a Crosman Premier, I always mean the pellets packed in the cardboard boxes, unless I say otherwise. The other “Premier” pellets in tins are not sorted by die lot and may vary more in size and weight. You never know, so I use the ones in cardboard boxes.
First, the chronograph
With a fresh powerlet installed (always with a drop of Crosman Pellgunoil on the tip), I was ready to clock some pellets. The Gamo Magnum pointed pellet is the heavier of the two, so you would expect it to shoot slower than the Crosman, which it did. I got an average of 515, with a spread from 494 to a high of 522. The Premier lite gave an average of 520, with a spread from 501 to 529. Both pellets had a spread of 28 f.p.s., which is a bit high for a CO2 gun.
Problems with the Premiers
If you recall the loading difficulties I mentioned with the 2300S pistol, they carried over to the 2300T. The Gamo Magnums loaded okay, but the Premiers were rolling on their noses and jamming sideways in the breech. Either that or they would not chamber at all – having hung up on the sharp edge of the breech. I think this is something Crosman needs to address in both pistols. A shooter in the field isn’t going to appreciate having to rod the bore every third shot, and a competitor won’t stand for it.
Sights were difficult to use!
I noticed that the front post is very narrow on this pistol, compared to the rear notch. There is a lot of daylight between the notch and post, which makes it difficult to estimate when the post is centered. Because of this, I believe I will mount a red dot and try it again. You don’t get any more precision with a red dot sight, but the difficulty of aligning the sight elements goes away.
Accuracy
Because the 2300T has no power adjustment, the gun was at full power from the start, so I went right to work at the power that proved most accurate for the 2300S. It must be for this gun, as well, because I shot a better group than I did with the 2300S. That’s doesn’t mean the T is more accurate than the S, but it DOES mean that Crosman’s barrel has a lot going for it! The average groups were larger than the one shown, but they were still smaller than an inch.
Gamo Magnum pointed pellets were the best. This 15-yard group can be covered by a dime.
Crosman Premiers made this best group at 15 yards.
Crosman rates the 2300T at 40 shots per powerlet, but I got 60. I think the 2300S would do the same if you ran it on high power all the time.
Final comments
I think Crosman has hit one out of the park with both the 2300S and the 2300T pistols. The T lacks the power adjustability of the S, but the Crosman barrel loses nothing to the Lothar Walther. If a shooter wants a good all-around pellet pistol, the T is the one to buy. If you want to compete in airgun silhouette, the S is for you. Either way, you’re getting a great American airgun.
Hi BB,
Off topic, but I’m considering taking the leap from spring to PCP. The catch is I need to do it in such a way that the wife won’t immediately reach for the phone and call a divorce attorney! : )
Can you reccommend a rifle and accessories that would get me into PCP without breaking the bank and yet still be of good quality? I do about 80% plinking and 20% hunting and would like a rifle that can do both.
Thanks,
bob
Bob,
I do have a recommendation, but it isn’t the absolute cheapest gun out there. In my experience, the “cheapest” guns often are more expensive than they first appear, because of all you have to do to get them to work right.
I recommend an AirForce Talon or Talon SS (the quiet one). and a hand pump. That will get you into PCPs at the lowest cost and still get a rifle that works as advertised. Either of these two rifles will shoot alongside a Logun or a Falcon that costs almost twice as much.
The major drawback with all AirForce rifles is the straight line of the gun. You have to hold them differently to shoot comfortably. But I can shoot sub-inch groups all day long with these rifle at 50 yards, and many of my groups approach the half-inch mark. Despite all you read, that is some good shooting.
B.B.
I was looking at the Talon. And I fully understand your “cheapest” comments and you’ll note that in my original question I asked for quality that wouldn’t break the bank, no the cheapest…..
Although, looking at the Pyramid site the Talon is just about the cheapest, er, I mean least expensive.
BB, Good advice to Bob. I started with the Talon and I have never been sorry. I added a 24 inch barrel and between the two almost all of my shooting needs are taken care of. Unfortunately, once you are into airguns the addiction grows and other aspects of the sport begin to take over. My advice to Bob is to get your wifr interested in knitting and every time she buys yarn you get another gun. Works for me!
CWI
That would have to be some pretty high priced yarn to keep up! : )
Instead I use her golfing addiction. I’ll probably wait to get the Talon when she orders her next set of clubs…..that should about equal out!
B.B.
Do all PCP air tanks/cylinders have to be hydro tested? If not, why not? A lot of the PCP guns look like their air cylinders aren’t removable (at least not by the owner).
Thanks,
.22 mutli-shot
.22 multi-shot,
That question is good enough for its own posting.
Thank you!
B.B.
Hi
BB OT what dot sight on this web site?
Would be strong enough to take the recoil of a Rx2 or a Hw90 in 25 caliber?
Bob,
You haven’t priced yarn recently. Believe me, hand made sweaters are verrrry expensive even apart from the cost of the labor.
CWI
Hi BB,
Just acquired an IZH-61 on the strength of your blog. I am amazed at its accuracy and consistency. I do have a question about maintenance though. The manual doesn’t show where the piston lubrication access is. Do you know? Any others here got one and know this?
Thanks, Gazza.
dot sight,
Most of the dot sights on the Pyramyd site have Weaver or Picatinney mounts that are not correct for an RX-2. This one will fit:
BSA 30mm 22SB Air Gun Mount
Dot sights are more rugged than scopes, so I don’t think there will be a problem with the recoil, but if there is, Pyramyd backs what they sell
B.B.
Gazza,
A drop of pure silicone oil through the transfer port is all it takes. The transfer port on every spring piston airgun is located behind the pellet in the breech. Just look where the clip runs and locate a hole at the rear. That’s the transfer port.
B.B.
Can you provide some examples of pure silicone oil to use to lubricate the piston?
Silicone oil,
Crosman RM Oil.
B.B.
BB,
On the IZH61 the clip runs through, and the bolt pushes the pellet forward each time its cocked. On the top of the plastic receiver on mine, just forward of the clip, and probably just behind the pellet when its loaded, is a countersunk plastic screw. If I remove it it seems to serve no purpose except to seal. Does this access the lube point?
Is Pellgunoil OK for this?
Thanks Gazza.
BB,
If the RWS 48 is tuned down to reduce the recoil, would it ever be nearly as accurate as tx200 or hw77? Thanks.
Gazza,
No, the transfer port is where you lube the piston. That is a hole behind the clip.
B.B.
There is no reason why an RWS 48 couldn’t be as accurate as a TX200. The difficulty is shooting it. It has a heavy piston that causes weight shifts when the gun fires. The TX is balanced much better in that respect.
Expert shooters do get groups that are spectacular with the 48 – it just takes a lot of technique.
B.B.
B.B.
Thanks for all the information on the 2300S and T! It will not only help me with purchase choices on these specific guns but on other Crosman guns and accessories that use the same parts.
The rear sight of the 2300T appears to be the LPA mim sight available on Crosman’s custom CO2 pistol (Crosman Custom Shop). The breech seems to be the short steel breech from the custom CO2 pistol.
The breech on the 2300S looks like it is the 1377SBPK .177 steel breech from the Crosman custom accessories shop.
I would recommend anyone with a 1377, 1740, 1760, 2240, 2250, 2260, 2289 or 1322 to buy the 1377SBPK (.177) or 2240SBPK (.22) breech if you want to mount a scope. These breeches not only give you a dovetail, but enhance the gun overall and are only $29 (+ S&H)!
As for the pellet loading difficulty, I have experienced something similar with the 2240SBPK (.22) steel breech. The problem on mine seems to be the indentation for the screw inside the loading port that helps secure the breech. The pellets catch on it. If I load the head of the pellet forward of this I don’t have problems.
Thanks again for all the good information!
.22 multi-shot
Does the Crosman Shoulder Stock fit this 2300T? Part numbers 1399-510.
Thanks
Also can I put the Crosman 0410 targetfinder on this? what kind of mount do I need for this scope. Thanks again
I have forwarded your questions to Pyramyd Air. They will have to answer them because they have all the product-spefcific information.
B.B.
Did you ever run the test of a red dot dight on the 2300T? If so, what did you find?
As far as I remember I never did test the red dot on a 2300S. It would have worked well because of the pistol’s accuracy.
B.B.
Do the stock valves in the 2240 and 2300t have the same performance ?
Popeye,
I really don’t know, and since they are two very different airguns, (different barrels, calibers, etc.) I don’t know how you would ever be able to test them.
B.B.
Did you ever get a chance to mount a red dot? Could you point me to info about doing so? Thanks.
JoeGo,
Welcome to the blog.
No, Apparently I never tried a dot sight.
B.B.