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dedpool · Veteran Member

Hey guys, I'm completely new to air gunning and I just got this old crosman 66 powermaster that my friend gave me. Anyway, I was wondering what kind of upkeep I have to do on it. Do I need to oil the pump? what oils good? do I have to clean the barrel? etc. Thanks in advance

AirGunEric · Site Admin

Because you got it used from someone else- it's hard to say what sort of shape the barrel is in. Probably a good idea to clean it. You can use "cleaning pellets" which are cotton- you oil them with whatever lightweight oil you like and shoot them like a pellet- keep putting them through until they come out clean (use each one only once). You can also use a rod and cotton swabs- there are airgun cleaning kits that come with an aluminum rod- you don't want to use a brass or steel rod like those found in regular firearm cleaning kits- they can damage the rifling (if your gun has any- I'm not sure if the newer Crosman 66's do or not). Normally- a barrel doesn't have to be cleaned more often than every few thousand shots- but as you don't know the history of this gun- better to just do it (there may be small rust spots in it that need to be removed).

Oil it, but use Crosman "PelGun Oil" or a silicone- based lube (you can get silicone spray lubes in any auto parts store- it gets used on rubber car parts like door weatherstripping and such). Petroleum based oils like those used for regular guns only cause problems with o-rings and seals. Any part of the gun that moves could use some lubing- i.e. pivots on pump handle/arm, loading area, etc. etc. For a pumper, instead of disassembling the whole thing, lube that you can reach, the put some down inside the valve behind where you would load a pellet and let it soak overnight- don't use too much. See about getting some lube inside the trigger mechanism. Again, don't overdo it or you'll end up with goo on your fingers every time you shoot for awhile!

I may have forgotten something here- but I'm sure someone else will add more...

cobracommander · New Member

hi there!

AirGunEric,

Aren't those silicon sprays sold at auto parts store petroleum based? since their propellant are petrol? I suggest looking for a silicon spray that are not "flammable". That way, you are sure to get a silicon spray that is not petroleum based nor petroleum propelled.

Also, if there are auto air-con shops near your area, you might want to ask for advice on what type of silicon oil they are using (yes, they use silicon oil in your air-conditioning system). Although they are not the spray type, but you're sure to get a non petrol silicon oil. Smile

for me, i use pelgun oil for my C02 and pump pneumatic guns.
http://www.airgunsbbguns.com/Crosman_Pellet_Gun_Oil_1_4_oz_p/cro02410.htm

AirGunEric · Site Admin

I don't believe the actual lube itself has any petroleum products in it- so perhaps it is the propellent. I checked a couple of different varieties sitting on my shelf- and the "STP" stuff says not to use on lock cylinder with black plastic in them (as an example)- which means to me it is likely to cause damage to such plastics because something in the can has a petroleum base. Another one I have makes no mention of this. So perhaps it's a real crap-shoot which are usable and which not.

Pellgunoil is obviously the best choice- but they sure don't give that stuff away, do they?

Here's a picture:

Pellgun oil is also typically available from just about any store that sells pellet or BB guns.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

A good sorce of pure silicon is mould release spray as used in the rubber industry, this is the same as is sold in auto shops, no petrol is used in these, I use it as a spray and also I punch a very small hole in the top of a can ( when I say small I mean very small) and let the propelant bleed off slowly and I finish up with pure silicon which I use on co2 seals and never had a problem.

The propellent used these days is typically propane, n-butane and isobutane. Dimethyl ether (DME) and methylethyl ether are also used. All these have the principal disadvantage of being quite flammable. Nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide are also used as propellants.

If you bleed off the propellent you finish up with quite a lot of pure silicon fairly cheap, certainly a lot cheaper than pellgunoil.

AL

dedpool · Veteran Member

would WD40 work? i have a ton of that stuff in my house

Also, where would I get cleaning pellets in the US? I checked walmart and Dick's sporting goods and neither had any. Do i have to order them online?

dedpool · Veteran Member

HA! I just cut the heads off some Q-Tips and shot those through my gun!! Cleaned the barrel out nice Cool

AirGunEric · Site Admin

For cleaning the barrel out you could use WD-40, but keep it away from the seals! It is petroleum-based. WD-40 has also become a really crappy lubricant for just about anything in the last 10 years (it used to be thicker and hold up better on surfaces). If you want a generic, lightweight spray lubricant that will work for lubing things- the rust penetrating oils available all work well (again, keep away from airgun seals)- i.e. PB Blaster and the like.

And there you go- Q-Tips- will clean just about anything when you're in a hurry!

Cleaning pellets themselves would likely be carried by a retailer with a solid pellet selection (i.e. Beeman and RWS pellets as well as the typical Crosman's) or any of the online vendors. For the number of times you are likely to use them- you're probably A-Ok with the Q-Tips. Just remember to fire a few regular pellets through the barrel afterwards to remove any stray fibers from the Q-Tip.