Comments:  While the Crosman Model 600 is not a replica of a firearm, it is included in this collection simply because it is the best semi-automatic CO2 pellet pistol Crosman, or perhaps anyone else, has ever made. This is a true semi-automatic from the Golden Decade of Crosman CO2 pistol production. Concurrently produced with the Model 600 were the 451, Mark I & II, 38C, 38T, and the SA-6. The Model 600 was manufactured from 1960 to 1970. The sophisticated design of the Model 600 uses a built-in 10-shot magazine with a swinging loading arm. The first shot requires cocking the gun by hand. Gas pressure recocks the gun after each subsequent shot. Since some of the gas is used to recock the gun, the 600 doesn't get as many shots from a 12 gram CO2 bulb as other models do. This gun gets about 40 good shots from each cylinder. The loading arm swings back and forth to move pellets from the magazine to the breech. This pistol is fun to shoot, but loading pellets requires some care to avoid getting a pellet in backwards. This particular specimen is a first variant (piercing pin in cap) and is in excellent condition but has had the rear sight replaced with a machined brass unit. The Model 600 is still highly sought after by collectors and shooters alike. The Model 600 along with the Model 451 represent, in my opinion, the high water mark in Crosman airgun innovation and engineering.

Pyramyd Air Report on the Crosman Model 600.
American Vintage Airguns Forum article on the Crosman Model 600.
Stoeger 1962 Ad for Crosman 600

Performance: Measurements were made on 4/08/07 at a temperature of 61 ºF and 14' elevation. A ten shot string was fired from a bench rest at 15' using H&N Match-Kugeln pellets (13.4 gr). The highest velocity measured was 314 fps, the lowest was 282 fps (average of the 10-shot string was 300 fps, s = 11). A six shot string fired with open sights grouped at 0.59". Click the thumbnail below to see a larger image. Click here for a description of the measurement methods.

The Crosman 600 was sent to Dave Gunter for tuning. After tuning, measurements were made on 11/05/07 at a temperature of 71 ºF and 14' elevation. A ten shot string was fired from a bench rest at 15' using RWS Hobby (12.1 gr). The highest velocity measured was 419 fps, the lowest was 408 fps (average of the 10-shot string was 414 fps, s = 3). A six shot string fired with open sights grouped at 0.39". The Gunter tuning clearly improved the performance of this classic Crosman by increasing the muzzle velocity, decreasing the shot-to-shot variation in muzzle velocity, and improving accuracy. Click the thumbnail below to see a larger image. Click here for a description of the measurement methods.