Well this is what started it all, a Crosman 130 pump pistol I had as a kid.
It eventually stopped working (wouldn’t hold air in the valve) and after taking it apart (as a kid) and not getting it working, I left it in pieces in a box tucked away.
Now many years later, some rabbits messing up the yard reminded me that I had the old girl.
I was able to find all the pieces, except for the hammer spring, and after locating the exploded parts view on the web, I put it back together and determined which parts were needed to seal it back up.
I ordered them from Crosman and guess what, it actually worked. The addiction had begun! As you can see she was made in Dunville Ontario
I tried my hand at making a set of wooden grips out of some scrap cherry I had sitting around, and I thought they turned out alright for a first time attempt.
I’ve never had a pellet jam with this style of breech. Also I like the adjustable pump cup.
I made a trigger shoe out of a piece of ABS pipe.
After reading about the 2240 on the old msn airgunscanada site and this site (thanks sniper) I just couldn’t resist picking one up.
Next thing I know it I’ve added a 2289 barrel, barrel crown, homemade trigger shoe, pinned the valve with a couple set screws, trigger polish, cut a 2240 hammer spring to length to use as a trigger spring along with a piece of plastic clothes hanger O.D. turned down (using a drillpress) to fit the top of the spring, steel breech (remember to use a shorter rear breech screw), modified the breech bolt to become two pieces by drilling/tapping the end in order to use a set screw to hold the bolt handle, added a steel wire to the breech bolt face to extend the bolt, etc. Just need a red dot to complete this baby.
Well that was fun but the 2240 is a little noisier than the 130 and can’t really use it outdoors in the winter. I thought that maybe a 2289 backpacker would be a little quieter, plus it comes with the removable stock which seemed interesting since I could also use it on the 2240. I just needed something else to work on.
Along comes the 2289, which got similar upgrades as the 2240, plus I replaced the pivot pin with a pin and clip used on the 761XL
I found that the pump tube inside diameter of the 2289 is the same as the old 130 and thus the 130 pump cup assembly would fit. Just around that time I found that someone else on the web had the same idea and had shaped the remainder of the pump out of aluminum which I decided to try. I then tapped the end of the aluminum pump for the 130 threaded pump cup assy. Also made a hammer spring guide out of a weight pin from an old snowmobile clutch. Later I purchased a 1760 barrel (.177 at 20 inches) and .177 breech bolt that I can now install on either the 2240 or 2289. Seems to make them a little more accurate shooting at 10 yd indoor targets (plus pellets are cheaper). Still I prefer the .22 caliber for hunting. In my humble opinion, if only one mod was to be done to either the 2240 or 2289 I would go with the steel breech
I started wondering what a springer would be like. Quiet, no pumping, good year round, mmmmmm.
Ok, the Quest 500 sounded like a fun project. As others had found, the scope just didn’t seem to be as accurate as open sites so off it went to the 2289. Later I ended up replacing the plastic washers on the barrel pivot bushing with custom sized steel washers I made up. Complete tear down, degrease, de-burr inside and out, lightly sanded from 220 to 400 grit the compression tube, piston inside and out, spring ends, etc. I soaked trigger assy in moly mixed with 30w non detergent oil, trigger sear polish, shrink tubing on rear spring guide, very light moly lube to everything behind face of piston, replaced the bolts which hold the compression tube to the stock with hex head type bolts, blue locktite the pivot bolt. I also had a couple of aluminum top hats and spring guide locating block made up as well for experimenting. This rifle never had any spring twang from the beginning, but everything from the cocking (buttery smooth) to the shooting is now so much smoother and consistant. Since I was ordering other parts from Crosman, I also ordered a spare seal and main spring . I ordered the 1000 spring just to see for myself if there is any difference between the spring for the 500. What a surprise when a longer spring arrived. The wire size, inside diameter and outside diameter are identical but the 1000 spring has 37 coils at an unsprung length of 11.4" compared to 30.5 coils at an unsprung length of 9.3" for the 500 spring
Looks like whatever spring happens to be sitting in the parts bin at the time you order gets shipped, not too consistant.
I’ve always had very good results ordering through Crosman and usually receive the goods at the post office within 48 hrs. of ordering the correct Crosman part number and giving them my credit card information
If anyone knows how to kick this addiction, please let me know!! LOL LOL
It is my duty to inform you that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated 
Your photos clearly show that Crosman back then made a higher quality of gun. You did a great job on the restoration 
