Customer Reviews

Crossman 1377 American Classic Variable Pump Power Bolt Action Air Pistol

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Pros:

Inexpensive, accurate, powerful, plentiful upgrade options, pump action means you don't have to keep buying CO2 cartridges

Cons:

Stock sights aren't great, somewhat heavy, barrel wiggles slightly which is somewhat of an issue if you get the 459MT sight mounts for a red-dot or scope sight

Overall I am very happy with this gun especially given its price and upgrade flexibility. You can't beat the price/performance of this airgun which is probably why it's been around for so long. It is not perfect, but given the price and ability to upgrade you can't beat it.

Details on Pros:

This gun has a pretty long barrel for a pistol and as a result is quite accurate for ranges of 20-30 yds. It is also quite powerful but will not go through a 1/2" redwood fence. However, it is powerful enough that you do need to be careful with it. Since the gun is so inexpensive, you can easily get other add-ons that can make it a much more stable shooting platform without making the whole purchase too pricey: shoulder stock (~$20), red-dot sight (~$15), steel breech with integrated scope mount grooves (~$30). I would also recommend getting a steel target trap so you can shoot at targets and know that the pellets are being stopped.

Details on cons:

The stock sights kinda suck. I got a red-dot sight for it and once I got it dialed in, it is quite accurate to 25-30 yds which is all I need. I got the 459MT to mount the red-dot to the barrel, but the barrel twists slightly and can throw off the sighting but doesn't seem to affect the overall accuracy of the gun however. As a result, I may get the steel breech with sight grooves to have a better mount for the sight.

The gun itself is somewhat heavy, but part of that is because it has a long steel barrel which helps its accuracy so I guess it is a reasonable tradeoff. However, for shooters that are not very physically strong, it may make holding it steady without a rest of some sort somewhat difficult.

Update 12/7/07

I got the steel breech for the 1377 from Crosman and it made a *huge* difference. The biggest was a decent scope/sight mount. The stock plastic breech kinda bites. The steel breech's two main benefits are 1) a stable sight mount, 2) a set screw that keeps the barrel from moving around. The action also feels much better but I'm not sure that it has any direct effect on performance.

So, with the following three add-ons, you can have a very accurate mini-rifle:

1) Shoulder stock (~$20)
2) Steel breech (~$40) (strongly recommended even without shoulder stock)
3) 4x scope ($~10)

The 459MT is really not useful with the plastic breech because the barrel moves and constantly throws your sighting off.

FYI, the steel breech is a little tricky to install (not too bad) and there is a small steel sleeve that can pop out and roll away when you remove the stock breech, so be prepared.

The Good:
This pistol is a great air pistol that delivers more fire power (~600fps @ 10 pumps) than most other air pistols. This pistol is extremely accurate and does well with mounted scopes or red dot sights using the additional 459MT Crossman dove tails mounts. The pistol also has ambidextrous grips for left and right handed shooters. The pistol also offers a choice between a traditional nocth rear sight and aperture sight. The sights are all in one piece and to switch you just have to unscrew it from the back of the pistol and flip from the aperture to notch or vice-verse. The rear sight is also fully adjustable for drop and windage.

The Not So Good:
The pistol could benifit from a built in magazine so that shooting is faster, but slower shooting does encourage safety. The pistol could also benifit from a claw on the back of the air tube so that the sharper parts don't cut into the hand between thumb and fore-finger as much (not a big problem). The pistol is really front heavy making single hand shooting imposible; this is inherent in the design of any pump air pistol.

Overall:
With selectable power (amount of pumps used) and choise of built in fully adjustable aperture or notch sight and the capability of using universal sights with the crosman dovetails, this gun is great for learning the art of marksmanship. The pistol's 600fps also allows for the ability to use it for rodent control as well. The pistol is made of high quality components and will last for years to come.

Wonderful air gun. One of the most powerful air guns that Crosman ever made. Add the rifle stock (available through Crosman) and it is dead accurate. Over 600 FPS with lost of knockdown power. You can adjust the power with the number of strokes, Up to 10, on the pump. unfortunately the stock is made of plastic. But the gun is wonderful. it is also a very long gun compaired to other pistols.

Also use brand name pellets. There is a difference. Cheep pellets are poorly weighted and will wonder off target every time. High quality pellets will fly straighter.

Excellent power and good accuracy, best dollar value for an air pistol.

Trigger is heavy but easily improved. Sights are very basic, selectable notch or peep. Gun is .177 only (.22 no longer available from Crosman, but kits available for that, too).

Pros: Variable power (number of pumps), long sight radius, American made, enough power for rodents. Variety of aftermarket kits and accessories available. Fairly easy to work on.
Cons: Rear notch sight sometimes lacks adequate down adjustment. Screw in loading port interferes with loading. Pump handle too small, can pinch fingers. No integrated scope mount.

All of the cons are correctible, but the pump handle/forearm really ought to be improved the next time Crosman considers an update. The rest of us make or buy aftermarket forearms if we are serious about shooting it much.

The gun can be used out of the box, but put a little into it, and you will get a lot more out of it. The "13xx" has a cult following and there is a ton of info on the web about modifications, as well as kits. For $50-60, there is no comparable value on the market and the cons can be forgiven at that price point (but that forearm really could use an update).

Remember to leave the gun with a couple of pumps in it, when not in use, and the seals will last much longer. Research polishing the muzzle crown for an easy increase in accuracy.

As others have said, quality pellets make all the difference (Crosman brand pellets are usually good). The optional 1399 shoulder stock will turn it into a carbine, but you'll need an aftermarket breech to mount a scope properly (RJ Machine, Crooked Barn, Mountain Air, to name a few). Special pistons and valves will squeeze more velocity out of the powerplant for hotrodders.

You don't need to rebuild the pistol, but if you like to shoot, you may just get drawn into it. This is more power and fun than you get with some guns costing 2-3 times as much, and there is almost too much potential in it to call it "entry level", yet that's where it is priced. If you're even kinda thinking about it, you should just get one.

This thing is very powerful and very accurate. From 15 feet I hit a 1/2 inch center 5 times in a row at 4 pumps. I started with 1 pump, then 2, 3, and finally 4 hit dead center. The first 3 were low, and 5 pumps took it high.

Long range was just as good. Took 2 shots to get sited in, and then hit 3 bottles at 30 yards in a row.

Awesome gun....

This is a great little air pistol for the money. It has the take down power and accuracy that is out of its class for the price. And you never have to buy Co2. I've heard stories of these getting passed down though generations and still working great. Only issue is the newest ones being sold now come with plastic grips that are fairly low quality. Many wood grips that will fit are sold on the internet.

I have bought this gun about three months ago. It is a magnificent gun every thing is great. I could not find a stronger and more accurate gun on the market. Trust me ive LOOKED!!! The only problem i have had is it takes a while to get the site good but when you do so its perfect on target. I recomend the Gamo Raptor Pellets they add much penetration. My dad recomended this pistol because he has had the origional one for some time. He claimed that it was the best gun on the block in his time. I enjoy the pistol because it is not as big and bulky as a rifle and it gives just as much FPS as a rifle and it is a ton cheaper. I hoped this helped.

This is a great pistol. It is reliable and accurate. I thought a pump pistol might have problems with all the sand in Iraq, but I have had it for over a month with out any problems. Its accuracy is impressive for an air pistol.

With the combination of accuracy, power and value, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better air-pistol. I bought my first one almost 20 years ago and it's still going strong (all's needed is a little care and maintenance). The new one seems to be of the same quality.

As stated by another reviewer, this pistol does have a few sharp edges, but it is extremely polished for a gun selling for $59.00. It is certainly not a toy and care should be taken when using. Great for targets and very effective on small-ish varmints.

Great pistol with power and a good trigger pull for accurate shots. I've seen a steel breech kit that can fit a Williams adjustable rear sight or a scope at the Crosman website. It looks like a good upgrade if you are willing to spend the extra money.