Crosman Bushmaster.
This report includes:
- Crosman responds!
- Why this blog is a good one
- How did this happen?
- Why this is good
- Summary
Got a good one for you today. Today we talk about failure. I will explain at the end of the report why that’s a good thing.
In Part Two I showed you a part that I called the Crosman Bushmaster’s bolt. Crosman calls it the striker and I think they are right because it strikes something else that’s really the bolt. I showed you a flat spot on that part that I thought could have been the problem.
I said in Part 2 that I thought that flat spot on the striker might be the problem with low power.
Crosman responds!
I sent a message to Crosman about the problems I was having and Matt was kind enough to speak with me. He sent me both a new magazine for the gun and also a new striker.
I didn’t really need the new mag because Ian had purchased one in October of this year when he bought the airgun. The pawn shop he bought it from didn’t have a magazine for the gun. I wondered now if the magazine he bought could have been bad from the factory? The only way to know is to try the new mag because even with the old one the gun does shoot a little. But no dice.
I thought the striker with that flat spot was the problem that caused the low velocity. Imagine my surprise to discover that the new striker has the same flat spot!
1
The old striker is on the left. Yes its flat spot is a bit larger than the new one, but these are enlargements. In real life they aren’t that different.
Nothing worked
I tried both the new mag and the new striker with no luck. I also tried firing the gun on full auto because that was a problem several people mentioned online. For them the gun fired fine on full auto but not on semi-auto. I tried it but again the gun was weak.
Why this blog is a good one
I went online, looking for what might be the problem and I came up with ALMOST nothing. But I did find ONE video that was buried several pages back that gave a possible reason for the power loss.
I thank the man who made this video, because he discovered what probably caused the weak firing problem. AND—knowing what he said in the video I looked at many of the complaints about the DPMS rifles and Bushmasters online. A LOT of people have the same or similar problems. And NOBODY is addressing the issue that probably causes it. In the video, look at exactly 4 minutes in.
In the video at 4 minutes the man points to the spring that he says fixed his problem with weak firing.
The comments to the video all say that spring is supposed to work on the rear disassembly pin to keep it captive. The trouble with that is, the Bushmaster’s rear disassembly pin is not a captive pin and that spring does not touch it or any other part that does!
Looking straight down at the receiver where the rear disassembly pin passes through we see there is no detent or spring pressing up from beneath. This pin is NOT captive!
How did this happen?
In the video the guy tells you he had replaced his grip in an “upgrade.” When he put the factory Bushmaster grip back on the gun the weak shooting went away. And looking at his original grip I see that the one on the gun I’m testing has been replaced with an A2 grip from an AR-15. I think that small spring does affect the function of the gun.
The replacement grip that’s on the Bushmaster I’m testing came with an aftermarket A2 grip. There are no springs in this grip or in the receiver of the airgun.
Why this is good
From what I’ve seen there are a LOT of weak-firing DMPS guns and Bushmasters. IF getting those two springs back in the gun will fix the problem it’s a good thing because now we know. Whether it is or isn’t we’re gonna find out.
Most You Tube reviewers don’t like to say bad things about the products they review, so this issue is not addressed. And the guys on the discussion forums don’t ever mention it. If I had not found the video that’s linked above I would never have figured it out.
Of course we still aren’t certain this is the way to fix one of these guns that fire weakly or not at all. But if it is this blog will be the second place online that tells you about the problem and how to correct it.
I still think the Bushmaster has a lot to offer. If it is as accurate as people say it will be a good buy for shooters. I want to test it because when it does work a lot of shooters seem to like it.
Summary
I’m taking my time as this story unfolds so you can see things in more detail than usual. We may get to the place where I have to return the gun to Crosman for a repair, but I am hoping I can do everything that’s needed to get this one back working again.
B.B. and Readership,
Happy New Year!
If you do have the fix a whole mess of people who own these weak shooting bb guns may find 2026 is in FACT a happy one!
Guten Rutsch!
shootski
shootski,
I’m working on what might prove to be the fix today! Otherwise I think it’s beyond me.
BB
BB,
The rear disassembly pin ‘is’ held captive. There is a pin ‘inside the receiver wall’ up in the rear hole. It may be stuck some and not fall out with the spring immediately. I had to tap on the receiver for it to come out. Black pin in the picture. The forward pin/spring is for the safety / selector detents.
Look at the disassembly pin and you will see a slot for the retaining pin to ride in. Make sure the disassembly pin slot is orientated correctly, down, for it to receive the retaining pin,,, if in fact the pin is still installed and not lost. Sounds like it is missing. NOTE: The end of the pin that rides in the disassembly pin is ’rounded’.
Also, there is no hole or detent in the original grip for the rear retention pin spring to sit in AND it can get out of alignment when installing it grip and smashed. Keep an eye on those two springs during assembly. I don’t see any way the disassembly pin and retaining pin can affect the power.
Not sure if you read my comment in part 2, I believe, about checking the green air seal around the bolt.
Pull out the Striker / Bolt ‘carrier’ (black) and it will be exposed to check it over for damage.
Bob,
Thanks. I will read what you said carefully.
BB
Bob,
I found the green seal. My colorblindness does not always help!
It’s deeply grooved in front and there is a small ring at the very front. Backwards?
BB
That is a cup shape with the center used to surround and seal the bolt / firing pin. Sounds right. Compare to the picture above. Two sealing surfaces in one. Looks like there is some small retainer or ‘c’ clip out front of the seal. Too small and greasy to see.
Looks like this seal is what captures CO2 for blowing back the inner bolt carrier and pin… inside the outer bolt carrier which is really part of the ‘T’ handle cocking mechanism The seal on the back of the mag seals the bolt pin and gap with the, fixed in place, inner bolt carrier housing that has the green seal in it.
Looks like the outer spring in the stock is for the ‘T’ handle and ‘So called’ outer bolt carrier assembly and the inner spring is for the striker. It has a guide pin inside the center for the striker and spring I assume.
The only CO2 leak points, breach seal, mag seal and the green inner bolt carrier seal. Try to rotate that one and look for any damage.
Other than that, it must be a mechanical problem, dirt or ice. Aside from my thoughts about that forward striker stop popping up to reduce power in semi-auto?
This will be interesting. Mine is NIB if anything needs comparing to.
I’ve been playing with bolt action rifle chassis lately and those with AR grips need no springs. Recently I changed the grip on my “Bench” AR and paid no a bit of care to the springs until I saw both on my workbench after installing the new grip .
One other thing concerns me. Upfront there is another striker stop alongside a curved actuator link. This stop changes operation, up / down, depending on the firing mode. In full auto it is pulled down and held down with the trigger pulled and held. Same as the rear sear striker stop.
In semi it pops back up for each shot.
My first impression is that it hits the striker bottom (also steel reinforced) and restricts the strikers travel forward reducing the distance it moves forward and strikes the bolt reducing the power in semi- auto mode? Not sure what its job is without knowledge of the inner workings.
Then there is the chance of ice buildup after full-auto operation clogging things up?
BB,
You may be on to something there. What many forget is that bb guns are not always an exact copy on the inside to what they may look like on the outside. Much internal redesign must go into these things to make them function. Many bb and pellet “replicas” are way different internally than the real deal. I have a replica or two laying around here that “gave up the ghost” and were given to me in the vain hope I could get them going again. I think they were actually given to me to get them out of their sight.
I do hope you find “the cure” for this and I look forward to reading more on this. Keep safe. Have fun. Enjoy the New Year.
RidgeRunner of the Peeples Demakratik Republik of Virginia 🙁
Over the years there have been many a good write up in firearms publications about where do parts go when they fall or get slung into the ether of your your workshop. Jokingly, some writers have mentioned an alternate universe that the parts enter. There is one this months Shooting illustrated. John Conner has many good ones in Guncranks from American Handgunner. You never realized what is on the floor,under benches & toolboxes , neither regions of your workshop until you are on hands and knees belly flopping around using reading glasses and a flashlight trying to find a part lost during disassembly or assembly. I usually find missing parts while looking for other parts after purchasing new ones.
If your parts-on-order go missing inside the belly of the USPS, suggest one consider them lost forever.
Happy New Shootin’ Year, everyone!
I prescribe to the “alternate universe” theory and think it’s totally feasible…
After all, if parts can blatantly defy the laws of physics, you know… ignore gravity, bend light to become invisible, achieve escape velocity without rocket assist… stuff like that, then teleporting to another dimension doesn’t seem to be that big a stretch of the imagination.
When searching for things I’ve come across items that I don’t recognize I can only guess that someone, somewhere, is looking for that exact item. 😉
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Hank
Last week I found what appears to be a broken aluminum knob for a Lyman rear sight under a bench in my workshop. Funny thing is I’ve never owned an aluminum Lyman sight nor have I ever worked on one for anyone. Seems I receive broken parts from bizarro Singleshotcajun.
To All
Amen
Another point of interest with this airgun. The front imitation silencer will slide out after removing the front side rail mount screws. The outer barrel inside is threaded in reverse, I assume for a replacement airsoft silencer, but the original captures the inner straw tube barrel so that would need to be addressed. Spacing tape works well there. BUT it also retains the inner barrel. It keeps it in the back of the breach seal and prevents it from blowing out. Another need for getting out the thinking cap.
By the way I have that UTG custom pistol grip in the video on my DPMS SBR, same receiver. I believe I just had to drill the hole in it a bit deeper for the safety / selector spring pin.
B.B., and Readership,
Something to chew on at the front end of 2026. So i have been researching buffer springs and possible enhancements for my AR-15 and found a great amount of chatter about braided wire or shaped wire for better performance. This link: https://www.ctspring.com/resources/press/2012/03/stranded-and-shaped-wire-springs has some interesting information. As i was reading reducing the SPROING sound was discussed…that made me think of what RidgeRunner calls Spring Piston airguns and a jump to why don’t the quality manufacturers (that i know of) use shaped or braided springs to drive the powerplant?
You springer experts have any ideas on this slightly Off Topic?
shootski
shootski,
One possibility would be cost. The researching of such would cost time and money, which would cut into the profit margin. You would also have the cost of changing to a different type of spring when the common type is easily sourced. The round wire spring is easily and cheaply made, in a relative sense.
Most companies are built on the shoulders of the risk takers, those who step out and try something new. Staying in the airgun world, once upon a time no one used gas sproings in there sproingers. Then along came the gas sproing in the auto industry. Then one day someone said, “Hey, this might work in an air rifle.” The rest is history.
Theoben took it a step further and made it possible to adjust the pressure in the gas sproing powerplant. Some have played with that idea, including Hatsan, but have not been very successful. Weihrauch was able to get their hands on the Theoben design and produce the HW90. I have managed to get my grubby little paws on one of these and it is going nowhere.
Now one of Uncle Xi’s buddies has supposedly figured out how to make an adjustable pressure gas piston for an air rifle (probably stolen plans). It is my prediction that there will be a mad rush to snatch up these things and there will be geegobs who will over pressurize these things to try to get more speed and power out of these things and end up flooding the market with broken air rifles.
Of course, all of this is pure speculation on my part as I view the world from atop my ridge as I tap out these words on my laptop. It is my hope and prayer that all of you have a Most Blessed New Year.
RidgeRunner of the Peeples Demakratik Republik of Virginia 🙁
shootski,
My scout platoon had 20mm automatic cannons on some of their 114 scout vehicles and they used twisted wire mainsprings to help stop the bolt during recoil. It took a LOT of strength to cock those guns!
BB
B.B.,
I’ll bet it did!
I would think that any .177 or .22 caliber spingers would be way easier to cock even with a braided spring.
Hopefully no one will try to build a 20mm spring piston airgun ;^)
shootski
I’ve had a Crosman MPW for a few years now and at one point I did chronograph it. I’ve since lost the data, but I remember it being in the neighborhood of 450 fps. It’s not a weak bb gun.
The accuracy of mine isn’t bad, but the various Umarex Legends bb guns and the Barra 400e are significantly better. I remember it shooting about 1.5″ groups at 10 yards.
SB,
I am not really into bb guns, but I think I need to see just exactly what my Daisy 99 is capable of.
I’d be curious as to what kind of accuracy it’s capable of. I know the 499b is significantly more accurate, but to me the appeal of a lever action BB gun lies in its ability to spit out BB’s as fast as you can work the lever, so I’d rather have a model 99.
Most of the Daisy lever actions are around 250-320 fps in stock form, but getting them up to 400 fps is relatively easy.
SB,
The 99 is not as accurate as the 499, but the ’59 99 will hold more bbs than you will care to shoot.
I used to hunt carpenter bees with mine. I had no problem shooting them at five yards. I was pretty good at getting them at ten yards. I just may have to shoot it some at some targets and see what it will do.
Just so you know, in 1960 Daisy changed the design of the 99 to where it used a bb feed system like the 25 pump. It would only hold 50 bbs. That can be quite a few for most shooters.
I picked up a broken one about a year ago that I’ve been intending on fixing for awhile. I’ve got about 4 project guns in front of it though. I’ve found that Daisy lever actions are great campfire guns. You just fill them up and plink and because of their power level just about anything is a safe backstop.
When I was young and shooting my Daisy 1894 lever action there was never any question about missing a targeted item. It was my fault. I did not aim properly or pay enough attention to the way I shot the airgun.
It was absurd to think that any manufacturer who made and sold a gun of any kind would sell it if it didn’t hit what it was aimed at. Sights were there just to aim it properly not really to compensate for poor accuracy.
They were adjustable for shooting at various distances and strong winds, period.
Moving on to firearms, I never had any accuracy problems I could blame on the gun, but I never used them for target shooting or really long-range shots I only expected to hit with luck anyway.
Most shooting was well within the gun’s accuracy range for the most part and freehand, so luck and aiming correctly were still considered part of hitting what I was shooting at.
Then I found this Blog!
Now I know why some guns are way more expensive than others and pellet guns can be a source of anguish when used for target shooting. It is not always my fault now when I miss and trying to correct that situation can be frustrating. Every gun is different and challenging. May be why I enjoy shooting six shooters from the hip at reasonable targets. Way more shooting method and luck involved, just like the old days when I was young.