Crosman’s 362 100th Anniversary Edition. This is not a stock photo: it’s the actual rifle being tested.
This report covers:
- Still around
- Worth it?
- Owners
- The airgun?
- Front sight
- Pump effort
- The box
- Disclosure
- Summary
Today we have something different and I will report it differently than you expect. What we have is a Crosman 362. Nothing too special about that, right? I reviewed it for you in 2022. But this 362 is different than that one. This is the 100th Anniversary Edition. It is one of the rifles that Crosman has selected to celebrate a full century of being in the airgun business. And that’s significant.
Still around
Crosman is still doing business as Crosman. The Crosman airgun company no longer sells seeds. They started out in 1838 as the Crosman Seed Company, and that company is still in business today. In 1923 they spawned the Crosman we are talking about that makes and sells airguns. In their hundred years this company has seen other airgun makers come and go. The Benjamin Air Rifle Company is gone. Yes, Crosman owns the Benjamin brand and makes and sells airguns under that name, but the company that was Benjamin no longer exists. Sheridan is also gone — same as Benjamin.
Daisy was Crosman’s oldest competitor and had existed even longer than Crosman, though they didn’t go quite as far back as they claim. They bought Markham and chose to backdate their founding to the start of that company in 1886, when it probably was more like 1888. Daisy still exists as a company, but under the umbrella of Gamo. So their future is in the hands of others, as was Benjamin’s and Sheridan’s at one time.
What I’m saying is Crosman has a right to be proud of their history. Proud enough to embed a brass plaque in the buttstock proclaiming the rifle’s heritage. And yes, it is pressed into the wood, so the plaque is lower than the wood around it.
The anniversary plaque.
Worth it?
Is the Crosman 362, 100-Year Anniversary Edition worth it? This is where I have to say something. The moment the 100th Anniversary Edition became available all the “engineers” in Airgunland got their phone cameras out and heated up the chat forums with this and that disparaging word about what Crosman did and what they “…should have done.”
The rifle arrived at my house yesterday and I opened the box in the presence of my neighbor, Denny. His first words? “Wow. What a looker!” Or very similar words. Yes, he really said that. If I’m lyin’ I’m dyin’.
Now, Denny is currently building a walnut bookshelf for his daughter and son-in-law. Yes, walnut! Just the wood for that project cost $500. So Denny knows wood and he knows manufacturing. And yet he said “Wow!” So Wow it is.
He even said this rifle needs to go on my wall, which is ultra-high praise because he has to make the walnut board it goes on. I am already scouting a wall. I swear I never intended turning my home into a man cave! But I guess it’s time to think about parking my Harley in the living room. No?
“But BB, this rifle costs four hundred dollars! I can get a (insert name of favorite low-cost PCP here) for that!”
Fine. Then do.
Owners
What about the people who bought one and expected something different? Guys — this is a 362. No amount of pixie dust is going to turn it into something else. It’s a 362 that has a Crosman 362 barrel — not a Lothar Walther barrel. It has a Crosman stock, not a stock made by Minelli or Steve Corcoran — either of which would cost more than this entire rifle. It has a Williams peep sight. Well that’s nice. Back in 1923 Crosman gave you something much cruder for a peep.
This is what Crosman gave you for a peep sight in 1923.
We praise them for their innovation in 1923 but somehow they gotta do better a century later? Well, they did. A Williams peep comes with this rifle.
A Williams peep sight comes on every Anniversary 362.
Oh, and my apologies to readers Vana2 and pacoinohio for daring to mention the past. Stick to the 386 airguns from 35 manufacturers that are for sale, BB!
But the Crosman 362, 100-Year Anniversary Edition rifle is available right now.
No matter. Just don’t mention the past! I did but I think I got away with it.
Well — let’s see. Have I insulted or angered everyone yet? I don’t want to leave anyone out. Please tell me in the comments if I have overlooked you and I’ll be sure to slight you in some cheap and yet meaningful way.
The airgun?
That’s right — this is a blog about airguns. So, what do we have here? The rifle is a .22-caliber multi-pump pneumatic that the manual says operates on two to eight pumps. It is rated to 850 f.p.s. with alloy pellets. It is single shot and has a rifled barrel. We will test both velocity and accuracy.
The stock is genuine Turkish walnut finished matte. The finish resembles Tung oil more than a little. I find several manufacturing scratches in the wood on the pump arm and on the butt. The butt pad is thick black rubber that’s grippy.
The pull is 13-inches on the nose. The overall length of the rifle is 35.5-inches and the barrel is about 21-inches long. The test rifle weighs 5 pounds 7.3 ounces, but remember that wood, being a natural, product, will cause small weight fluctuations.
The breech is steel, which is an upgrade on the standard 362. It is grooved for an 11mm scope mount but you’ll have to hold a gun to my head to get me to mount one. I say that because this rifle comes with an adjustable Williams peep sight in the rear.
Front sight
I mentioned the rear sight is a Williams peep. The front is fiberoptic — grrrr! BB doesn’t like fiberoptics! But that’s what is there so he will live with it.
Pump effort
The 362 is a conventional multi-pump. By that I mean that after the Dragonfly Mark 2, whose pump effort never increases, and the Barra 1866 Cowboy lever action whose pump effort was never hard to begin with, the 362 is from the old school. So the pump effort will increase with each pump and I will test that for you.
The box
Crosman put some effort and money into the box the rifle comes in. You may not keep all the boxes your airguns come in — I sure don’t. But in my opinion this one is worthy of retention.
Even the box it comes in is attractive.
Disclosure
This rifle was given to me by Crosman. We have done a lot of business over the years and they are honoring me with this gift. I tell you that so you know where I stand in all of this. I will be as honest as possible in my testing, but know that this rifle was a gift.
Summary
We have an air rifle to test. It’s a Crosman 362 that we have tested within the past year. I don’t expect performance to be dramatically different with this one; as mentioned — the largest differences are cosmetic. On the other hand, with the demise of the Sheridan Blue Streak and the release of the Benjamin Variable pump whose stock makes using the open sights challenging, maybe this 362 does have an important niche to fill.
B.B.
Looks like you have a nice rifle to test.
How did you take the first photo of the actual gun with no background? Just curious for my next guest blog…
-Yogi
Yogi,
I took that photo with the rifle laying on my carper, then spent 30 minutes in Photoshop cutting out thee background.
BB
BB,
Would getting/making a light box save time in the long run? Although you might have to build one to fit an air rifle. Off-the-shelf ones look like they’d fit air pistols without any trouble though.
Nathan
Nathan,
It would save time in the long run.
BB
Yogi
Bed sheets, blankets and large bath towels work fine too.
B.B.,
Congratulations on the Special air rifle!
Get Denny to make that box art a home with the rifle on the wall.
Now don’t forget to always leave two pumps in it after a shooting session.
shootski
Tom,
Shouldn’t be too big of a deal to either place a hood over the current front sight or replace the current front sight with the front sight of a stock 362 which does not have any glowy thingy attached.
$250 for the wood and $50 for the peep sight on top of the base 362. No wonder manufacturers have shifted to synthetic stocks!
Siraniko
BB,
This rifle looks so great; the best thing they could do to improve it would be to offer a replacement front sight assembly with a steel blade (instead of the plastic fiber optic); that would be in line with the rest of this beautiful rifle. 🙂
It’s a very nice gift, for sure.
Blessings to you,
dave
I’m hoping BB’s accuracy test tempts him to do something to make the front sight more precise.
Deck
Deck, yes, that would be cool 🙂
I was tempted to order one of these with the 20% off Crosman sale Pyramyd is running. Instead I ordered a stock 362. I’ll drill out the aperture and use it as a “trainer” for using the ghost rings on my Marlin 1894 and Ruger Scout. I already have a steel breech 362 for cheap scope practice.
If anyone from Velocity is reading, I would purchase a 362 with factory steel breech, with the Williams sight that fits the dovetail already installed. This would replace the Benjamin 392 variable as a premium pumper.
Oh, and a 360 (.20 version) would replace the Sheridan, I would get one of those for sure!
I too like the look of this air rifle, despite it’s oddly ended wooden forearm. 🙂
Looks like an attempt at a Schnabel forend.
kevin,
agreed. Shame they cut it ugly, ie short. 🙁
Maybe it’s nicer to behold for real. Just don’t ask Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier) to hold it. 🙂
edit: to hold your beak in German is ‘halte Deinen Schnabel’ and translates as a colloquial version of ‘be quiet’ ! 🙂
“Wow. What a looker!”
I’m not going to disagree… This thing is *nice*.
BB,
What?! No cheap shot at me?! What a cheap shot!
Nice air rifle. It does deserve the non glowy thingy front sight though. I would investigate replacing it, but…
This almost makes me wish I did not have a 101, almost.
Am I to assume there is a red plastic cap slipped over the end of the brass cocking bolt?
Did not Velocity Outdoors buy out Crosman? It is nice that they still use the old name, but…
I saw a picture of a gentleman named Ed Shultze shooting a Gunnar at the EBR.
RR,
Yes Velocity Outdoors does own Crosman. I guess that is the same as Daisy being owned by Gamo. Both still operate as their separate entities but their fates are in the hands of others, not unlike Harley Davidson when AMF owned them.
Oh, and RR is cheap! There’s your insult! 🙂
BB
Cheap folks, FM being one, are just about getting the most bang for their buck. 😉
LOL! I’m not cheap! I’m frugal!
RR, et. al.:
I am value-conscious and fiscally-responsible.
That equals “frugal,” and sometimes, Jack Benny “cheap!” Younger readers can look up Jack Benny’s stage persona, a human nephew of Scrooge McDuck.
One would think that with CAD and modularity, corporations could come up with highly refined sub assembly units and find ways to standardize those excellent designs across their product line. That is, if one has a highly refined trigger unit that offers great “feel” and adjustability, then why wouldn’t it be possible to use that across the line from top to bottom. Economy of scale would reasonably bring down the price and also improve the customer experience.
I understand that a TO-5 trigger might be way over done in a Two-Fifty and about right in a Model 48, but would it be a good thing to have that standard of quality across the whole line. Would it give confidence to the buyer that Diana has a consistently great trigger no matter what one buys?
My collegiate degrees are NOT in business. Obviously, I am asking questions while those then suggest a direction that a business analyst probably would shoot down readily. Yet, as a consumer, I’d like to know that my dollar would ALWAYS BUY a great trigger no matter where I enter the product line. That’s why my arms locker has a preponderance of RWS/Diana products stretching back to 1989. I have YET to own a bad one, but can not say that about some other product lines.
Anyone have any ideas, corrections, critiques, here? Inquiring minds want to know….
LFranke,
I apologize for taking so long to respond to your post, but I wanted to give you a serious response with a bit of thought behind it.
In many respects, I have wondered that myself. The only possibility I can offer is one of economics. As an example, you use the Diana TO5 trigger. As you stated, it is a bit much for something like the more budget minded Dianas. It is also not suitable for PCPs, of which Diana only offers one at the present. I do not count those made by Wang Po Industries as true Dianas.
I may be wrong in this conjecture, but if I am not mistaken many of the cheap sproinger triggers are made by the same company and sold to other companies to use in their sproingers. This is possibly why so many can be upgraded with the exact same parts. When these companies buy such in bulk, they save a lot of money. If you do your homework, you will find that most companies will buy parts from other companies and put them together and sell these as their stuff. TCFKAC is famous for that. Some companies will import entire airguns (other stuff also) and have their names put on them and sell them as theirs.
There are a few companies that use standardization of components across their lines, but not many. I concur that many companies should consider parts such as trigger assemblies to become “standards”, but few will invest in the R&D to do such. Most will look at their bottom line quarter to quarter, not over long stretches of time.
It will always be our responsibility to purchase good quality and reject junk. Unfortunately, places like Wally World will buy in bulk from whomever. The purchasers are not airgunners and the companies are selling to people who are usually clueless. I do not buy airgun stuff from places like Wally World. I save up my pennies, do my homework and buy what I know is good quality stuff from those who know what they are doing. That is all we can do.
I concur with what you say. I also DO NOT buy my air gun equipment or supplies from Big Box stores, not even OUTDOOR Boxes like Cabelas or its clones. I’m a P/A customer again and again even if some of their policies are annoying – like the 4-for-3 always discounts the cheapest pellets so one has to be careful to lot order similar price points. In other words, learn THE GAME at P/A as well at other shops.
With Diana essentially being an assembly business instead of a manufacturing business, the potential would seem to exist for Diana to specify a common and best trigger assembly for springers and another for PCPs? They will, of course, do what makes the most assembly and economic sense to them. Our part is to not join their design nor marketing team but to add the weight to those decision-makers that Diana customers what great triggers.
Wally*World doesn’t listen to us. It doesn’t know us. The upper echelon probably looks at their data and thinks “BB guns” and then orders mens’ underwear.
Our influence comes from being the customers of P/A and, especially, participants in the blog.
Yes, even PA has its little marketing games. I have watched them and others grow over the years and have seen many changes come about. More often than not, those changes are not what I would consider for the good. Of course, I am just an old curmudgeon, so what do I know?
So many of the airgun companies have become assembly companies, although there are still some that do most of their own manufacturing. Perhaps this is one of the reasons I prefer the old gals. They were once built from raw materials to airguns by people who knew what they were doing and took pride in such. These days, you can still get that, but you are going to pay for it.
B.B., I’m curious whether the wood stock is as loud to pump as the synthetic stock. Otherwise, with the current promotion, I may pick one up along with a set of those commemorative pellets.
Shootski, how do you nitrigen-purge them again? You mentioned this once or twice before.
Roamin,
I think the wood stock is just as loud to pump as the synthetic stock. Since this one’s mine, I will look into thin felt pads.
BB
Roamin Greco,
To purge the pellet tin of regular air you will need a source of Nitrogen gas. You will need a container to work inside of. You basically have a choice between a can/bucket large enough to work the tin inside of or a big enough clear plastic (Zip closure helps) and an assistant to close the bag around your arms inside the bag.
The Nitrogen is heavier than Oxygen (the stuff you want to eliminate in the air inside the pellet tin) so it will pool in the bottom of the can/bucket as long as you don’t stir it up too much.
The plastic bag is better because you can drive out (blow out) all the constituent gases as well as the water vapor from the bag with the flow of Nitrogen from your source.
Close the pellet tin while inside the container and seal the halves with a good archival rated tape or that silicon pipe wrap.
It should keep almost forever if not opened. If opened you need to do the whole purge drill all over.
This works for almost anything you want to “save forever” as long as the container is sealed and not permeable (escapable) by the Nitrogen.
shootski
Thank you!
I agree with your neighbor Denny, it is a very nice looking rifle. And I must give Crosman some praise. When I thought I had an issue with my Crosman, I was able to dial their phone number and speak to a knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and patient person. Thankfully, it turned out to be operator (me) error, not an issue with the gun. Anyway, the point is that I think that one important reason that Crosman has stayed in business so long is customer service like what I just described. Looking forward to test results, especially how you are able to utilize the Williams peep sight. And congratulations on the nice gift from Crosman!
The photo of the peep sight shows ser. no.1. Did you get no.2?
rk,
No, that photo is a stock photo. Mine is number 607. Reader thedavemyster may find that interesting.
BB
BB & Shootski
Shootski above suggests leaving the rifle with two pumps when through shooting. The vendor I got my Crosman 100 from suggested three pumps. I think you go with one pump. Are all okay or does it matter?
Thanks,
Deck
Deck,
The older the valve, the more pumps it takes. I leave my Sheridan Supergrade with two pumps and it holds. With this one — one pump would do.
If the valve has been rebuilt, consider it like a new gun.
BB
BB
Thanks. So my Crosman 100 gets 3 pumps, my Sheridan Blue Streak 2 and Dragonfly Mk2 gets 1. May be time to go from 1 to 2 pumps for my 1300KT and 1377 which are both several years old and well broken in.
Deck
Decksniper,
Tom’s suggestion certainly is a good rule of thumb that has been around for a long time in the World of Multi Pumpers.
I go for a more individualized approach. One pump wait a week or so and check by discharging an AIR BLANK. If the reservoir/valve held air great…if not, repeat with two pumps and so on until it holds or tells you it needs some work by not holding with three pumps.
Also: Don’t lay a Multi Pump on the side for a long time; best to stand it on the Butt or rotate it regularly if horizontal to keep the Pump Cup/O-Rings sealed and lubed 360°.
Best of all shoot any airgun regularly not like i did to my Benjamin Discovery :^o
shootski
PS: I continue to be a Thorn in B.B.’s side; surprised he didn’t/hasn’t called me on it!
Maybe he finally got used to you.
J.K.
Roamin Greco,
I think it is an Army – Navy thing ;^p
shootski
That, I wouldn’t understand.
Although my Dad used to call me Καπιτάν Φασαρία (Captain Trouble).
;o)
Shootski
I will do your test on my Crosman Custom rifles. The Crosman 100 is happy with 3 pumps and the Dragonfly with 1.
All my rifles are kept vertical and all get shot in rotation.
Thanks for the tips,
Deck
Tom,
I very much like my 100 Year Anniversry 362. I think Crosman did it right, producing an air rifle that recaptures the spirit and quality of the company’s great golden age.
Michael
Michael,
I agree. And you inspired tomorrow’s report with your question about making good airguns! 😉
BB
I have a 362, have emptied a few cans of pellets through it. I put the steel breech on it, and scoped it. It is a good shooter, but if it starts to wander, check the barrel band set screw. Mine has loosened 3 times now, starts to frustrate me with scattered shots until discovered. I haven’t explored whether thread locker works in plastic threads?
I see that the steel breech on the commemorative is different in that the in breech screw is under the bolt nose, no divot to trip up pellet loading.
I put a TKO on it, it is very backyard friendly that way, pumping is much noisier.
Kits now to turn it into a .177 with a replacement bolt and barrel. Seems like a keeper.
MMCM13,
Don’t use Loctite. They warn against using on plastic.
But Vibra Tite is fine. They say it is safe for plastic.
BB
As stated above the standard 362 front sight can replace the glowie thingie that comes on the rifle. They should be about $3 from Crosman.
The Crosman Challenger front sight adapter has the dovetail groves for target sights. This would be the way I would go if I was going to replace the front sight. The variety of aperture inserts would be great.
The Crosman Silhouette or 2300S have nice target post sights that fit the barrel.
I tried the standard Crosman 362 sight on the anniversary rifle but actually liked the glowie sight better with the peep sight.
PS. My Aniversary 362 rifle pump handle came with a felt pad and is much quieter than the standard version.
Readership,
IF Tom wants to modify things on this air rifle that is of course his decision. For the Provenance of this gun to be in tact to maximize valuation for his Heirs or Estate Sale he needs all the documentation from Crosman gifting it to him, the box, the airgun unmodified and in the best condition possible. In this very Special Case he should include hard copies of his Blog Reports/articles and Links to same would make this particular air rifle even more valuable.
My opinion,
shootski
shootski,
I do understand.
However, I prefer to value my airguns like a stamp collector: they have to show signs of use to become more desirable. 🙂
I dream of buying a beat up airgun that includes a record of every single event that left a scar… ooh, yess ! 🙂
Besides, wouldn’t anything that provenance shows, once belonged to the Godfather Of Airguns, already have an elevated status/ desirability/ price? Surely no need for Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier) to be too precious about it, or die. 🙂
One tip for front fiberoptic sights: tap out the fiberoptic element, and you are left with a small aperture front sight.
It looks like Crosman can’t decide what to call this airgun. A Model C2023 or 100TH Anniversary Limited Edition 362 or it may simply be considered a Wood Stocked 362 Variable Pump? So, we have all three.
There have been over a half dozen changes or improvements over the standard Model 362, including new barrel manufacturing improvements so it may even be considered a 362 Gen II version as well. May help justify the cost increase to identify them.
If I get a standard Model 362 and swap stocks, I will have two one off airguns along with my first C2023.
A plastic anniversary edition and a wood stocked 362.
Speaking of stocks, this wood stock has a nice slim grip area. Not at all like the fat M1 Carbine. And just about the entire forearm has a comfortable palm swell on the bottom, but not too wide.
Apparently, they need to pay more attention to the finish and detail of the stocks. Looks like the felt pad bumper causes some misalignment with the forearm and the stippling on one side lines up perfectly with the original 362 plastic pivot section, but only on one side. And that was on the better of my two rifles. The other had a dent, deep scratch and very uneven finish. But these are things only the owner will notice, for the most part. Just drives perfectionists crazy.
Not sure what to do with the clown nose on the bolt handle. Gues it will grow on you? Who knows, it may turn out to be an “In thing” 😉
PS: Finally have my electric power restored after nearly 2 months. All ready for the next wildfire!