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Lost in Thailand
Jan. 15th, 2019 07:21 pmThe airgun that I'm currently modding is a basic, straight-out-of-the-box Crosman 2240. It's one of the plainest and simplest CO2 air pistols ever made with literally tens of thousands of them having been sold throughout the world.
But because it's such a tried-and-true design, with a reputation for quality and performance despite its low price, it's become a favorite of custom parts suppliers and basement tinkerers from here to Thailand. Which is where I acquired my first piece of custom hardware for this project.
About a year ago, I had ordered a factory-built variant of the basic 2240--from the Crosman Custom Shop--called the 2300KT. For not too much money, I was able to get a decent CO2 airgun with some of the features that I thought I'd want in a basic carbine configuration.
That's a gun with a pistol grip but with the addition of a compact shoulder stock and extended barrel. Along with that, I opted for a steel breech which would allow for the mounting of such optics as a scope or red-dot or laser. (Soon after I got it, I upgraded the single-power pistol scope to a more versatile rifle scope and built an adjustable butt extension for the stock.)
And it's actually been a very enjoyable--and accurate--little airgun for target shooting in the basement. The one thing I DIDN'T like about it is that it's a single-shot gun, meaning that after each shot I had to lower the gun, open the breech, insert the next pellet (which was a job in itself), close the breech, re-acquire the target, and then shoot.
Then I discovered that an airgun custom shop in the UK was making a high-quality, multi-shot breech for the 2240. However, that was early December and, I suppose due to Christmas, they were out of stock. So I asked to be notified when they became available again but, by the time they did, my budget--like their inventory--had been ravaged by Christmas.
With the new year, and a renewed semblance of financial stability, I started looking again. And, once again, the Brits were out of stock. So I then proceeded to prowl around eBay and Amazon and found an offer from Thailand. In fact, found an outwardly identical item for significantly less money.
My original intention having been to install the multi-shot breech on my factory modded 2300, I skipped over the annoying small print and placed my order. And, initially, I wasn't disappointed. Consistent with the customer reviews that I HAD bothered to read, the fit and finish looked good and I remained convinced that I'd scored a bargain.
The first indication to the contrary was that, during the unboxing of my overseas bargain, there were no directions accompanying the Ziploc bag of assorted seals, cap screws, and grub screws.
Then, as I contemplated the disassembly of my 2300, I discovered that I did not have access to the front breech screw because it was directly under the sliding bolt. Even when it was pulled fully back.
It was at that point that I vaguely recalled another of those hastily-scanned comments which had said that my new breech would only fit if the front breech screw was FULLY EXPOSED when the bolt was pulled back. (And which would apparently not be the case on a factory custom-build. Still dunno why.)
Ahhh. So THAT'S what they meant. DOH! (Homer Simpson voice)
At that point, I was about ready to ship the whole thing back. In fact, I requested and received from Amazon the paperwork necessary to do just that. And this impulse was further supported by the belated reasoning that, "Why would I even mod an airgun on which I'd already paid the factory to install upgraded parts?" Another "DOH!"
I even went so far as to drive out into the cold and stormy night, with my intended return and related paperwork, in search of a UPS Store which was still open. But when I finally found a branch at Staples, they said that because they were only a UPS drop-off location and not an actual STORE, they couldn't accept this particular return.
Something about not being privy to the double-secret handshake with which they were required to greet the driver. Double DOH!
So I returned home having decided to ponder this turn of events in the cold light of the following day. At which time I concluded that this must surely be an omen from the two-headed god of hot lead and high-pressure CO2.
And that, furthermore, it was therein ordained that instead of paying an additional $10 in shipping costs, for which I would not be reimbursed, that I should go forth and purchase the exact model for which this new breech was intended. And so I did.
Upon its arrival, I immediately unboxed my new 2240 and set about stripping it down for my custom installation. And the first thing I discovered was that the front breech screw--which had stopped me cold on my previous attempt--required such a tiny hex key--0.05 or 1/20th of an inch, to be exact--that in 18 years of automotive work involving both metric and SAE fasteners, I had never seen such a thing.
Nor, apparently, had the folks at Lowe's or the Home Depot. So, in complete desperation, I ventured across the street to Harbor Freight where only the most outrageous of bargains or the most desperate of circumstances would lead me to venture.
And there, sure enough, I found a cheapo set that included not only my .xxxxx" driver but the next smaller size AND a nice little case and driver handle as well. Hmm. Maybe some of us, including my faves at Lowe's and HD, need to wake up and smell the, er, machine oil.
So I rush home, complete the disassembly, and find that the forward breech screw that'd been such a problem to remove was now going to be a similar PITA to replace. Because the Thai-guys, who had so thoughtfully sent two of each screw and seal needed to complete this installation, had sent the wrong GD size! TIMES TWO!!
Then, rising slowly out of the fog of recent memory, comes yet another of those vague recollections of something I'd read from another Amazon buyer. This genius had given a five-star recommendation for the product but then mentioned, almost as an afterthought, that the front breech screw was wrong and he'd had to search out the correct size. Another DOH! This one on him.
But I shouldn't throw too much shade because he did provide the correct size--which was an absolute doozy--#4-48 x 1/4." Which I'd have had no way of determining with any of the thread gauges I own. So, sincerely, my thanks Bro. (And I did call you a genius, lol.)
And, yet again, my go-to guys let me down. Nothing available at Lowe's or HD. Not even from their online catalogs. So online--to a specialty hardware outlet-- is where I had to place my order for 50 of these dang things because nowhere would they sell me just one or even a dozen. Or two dozen or three.
In the meantime, I went back to the bench and, with cold suspicion clutching my heart, tried the larger rear screw which was also supplied in duplicate. Right diameter, right length, wrong thread pitch.
Which means that my online friend who supplied the info about the front screw had probably stripped the threads in his CO2 tube by using the supplied rear breech screw. Genius my A$$. OK, sorry, still owe you for the good info on the front one, lol.
Anyway, that's where I am right now. I did find the more common rear screw at HD and am now awaiting my shipment of 50 front screws from Amazon.
Maybe, when I write my own review of this product, I'll include an offer to sell the right size of front screw to any future customers. But they'll have to pay the freight and buy a half dozen.
Unless they want all 49 of the ones I won't need...
LPK
Dreamwidth
1.15.2019
But because it's such a tried-and-true design, with a reputation for quality and performance despite its low price, it's become a favorite of custom parts suppliers and basement tinkerers from here to Thailand. Which is where I acquired my first piece of custom hardware for this project.
About a year ago, I had ordered a factory-built variant of the basic 2240--from the Crosman Custom Shop--called the 2300KT. For not too much money, I was able to get a decent CO2 airgun with some of the features that I thought I'd want in a basic carbine configuration.
That's a gun with a pistol grip but with the addition of a compact shoulder stock and extended barrel. Along with that, I opted for a steel breech which would allow for the mounting of such optics as a scope or red-dot or laser. (Soon after I got it, I upgraded the single-power pistol scope to a more versatile rifle scope and built an adjustable butt extension for the stock.)
And it's actually been a very enjoyable--and accurate--little airgun for target shooting in the basement. The one thing I DIDN'T like about it is that it's a single-shot gun, meaning that after each shot I had to lower the gun, open the breech, insert the next pellet (which was a job in itself), close the breech, re-acquire the target, and then shoot.
Then I discovered that an airgun custom shop in the UK was making a high-quality, multi-shot breech for the 2240. However, that was early December and, I suppose due to Christmas, they were out of stock. So I asked to be notified when they became available again but, by the time they did, my budget--like their inventory--had been ravaged by Christmas.
With the new year, and a renewed semblance of financial stability, I started looking again. And, once again, the Brits were out of stock. So I then proceeded to prowl around eBay and Amazon and found an offer from Thailand. In fact, found an outwardly identical item for significantly less money.
My original intention having been to install the multi-shot breech on my factory modded 2300, I skipped over the annoying small print and placed my order. And, initially, I wasn't disappointed. Consistent with the customer reviews that I HAD bothered to read, the fit and finish looked good and I remained convinced that I'd scored a bargain.
The first indication to the contrary was that, during the unboxing of my overseas bargain, there were no directions accompanying the Ziploc bag of assorted seals, cap screws, and grub screws.
Then, as I contemplated the disassembly of my 2300, I discovered that I did not have access to the front breech screw because it was directly under the sliding bolt. Even when it was pulled fully back.
It was at that point that I vaguely recalled another of those hastily-scanned comments which had said that my new breech would only fit if the front breech screw was FULLY EXPOSED when the bolt was pulled back. (And which would apparently not be the case on a factory custom-build. Still dunno why.)
Ahhh. So THAT'S what they meant. DOH! (Homer Simpson voice)
At that point, I was about ready to ship the whole thing back. In fact, I requested and received from Amazon the paperwork necessary to do just that. And this impulse was further supported by the belated reasoning that, "Why would I even mod an airgun on which I'd already paid the factory to install upgraded parts?" Another "DOH!"
I even went so far as to drive out into the cold and stormy night, with my intended return and related paperwork, in search of a UPS Store which was still open. But when I finally found a branch at Staples, they said that because they were only a UPS drop-off location and not an actual STORE, they couldn't accept this particular return.
Something about not being privy to the double-secret handshake with which they were required to greet the driver. Double DOH!
So I returned home having decided to ponder this turn of events in the cold light of the following day. At which time I concluded that this must surely be an omen from the two-headed god of hot lead and high-pressure CO2.
And that, furthermore, it was therein ordained that instead of paying an additional $10 in shipping costs, for which I would not be reimbursed, that I should go forth and purchase the exact model for which this new breech was intended. And so I did.
Upon its arrival, I immediately unboxed my new 2240 and set about stripping it down for my custom installation. And the first thing I discovered was that the front breech screw--which had stopped me cold on my previous attempt--required such a tiny hex key--0.05 or 1/20th of an inch, to be exact--that in 18 years of automotive work involving both metric and SAE fasteners, I had never seen such a thing.
Nor, apparently, had the folks at Lowe's or the Home Depot. So, in complete desperation, I ventured across the street to Harbor Freight where only the most outrageous of bargains or the most desperate of circumstances would lead me to venture.
And there, sure enough, I found a cheapo set that included not only my .xxxxx" driver but the next smaller size AND a nice little case and driver handle as well. Hmm. Maybe some of us, including my faves at Lowe's and HD, need to wake up and smell the, er, machine oil.
So I rush home, complete the disassembly, and find that the forward breech screw that'd been such a problem to remove was now going to be a similar PITA to replace. Because the Thai-guys, who had so thoughtfully sent two of each screw and seal needed to complete this installation, had sent the wrong GD size! TIMES TWO!!
Then, rising slowly out of the fog of recent memory, comes yet another of those vague recollections of something I'd read from another Amazon buyer. This genius had given a five-star recommendation for the product but then mentioned, almost as an afterthought, that the front breech screw was wrong and he'd had to search out the correct size. Another DOH! This one on him.
But I shouldn't throw too much shade because he did provide the correct size--which was an absolute doozy--#4-48 x 1/4." Which I'd have had no way of determining with any of the thread gauges I own. So, sincerely, my thanks Bro. (And I did call you a genius, lol.)
And, yet again, my go-to guys let me down. Nothing available at Lowe's or HD. Not even from their online catalogs. So online--to a specialty hardware outlet-- is where I had to place my order for 50 of these dang things because nowhere would they sell me just one or even a dozen. Or two dozen or three.
In the meantime, I went back to the bench and, with cold suspicion clutching my heart, tried the larger rear screw which was also supplied in duplicate. Right diameter, right length, wrong thread pitch.
Which means that my online friend who supplied the info about the front screw had probably stripped the threads in his CO2 tube by using the supplied rear breech screw. Genius my A$$. OK, sorry, still owe you for the good info on the front one, lol.
Anyway, that's where I am right now. I did find the more common rear screw at HD and am now awaiting my shipment of 50 front screws from Amazon.
Maybe, when I write my own review of this product, I'll include an offer to sell the right size of front screw to any future customers. But they'll have to pay the freight and buy a half dozen.
Unless they want all 49 of the ones I won't need...
LPK
Dreamwidth
1.15.2019
