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Sequence of Crosman Pellet Containers

May 25 2007 at 1:41 AM
kennyboy  (Login therealkennyboy)




From left to right in the above pic:

I don’t have the earliest version of the Crosman container (pre-Crosman Arms, it was a Crosman Bros box); the earliest container in my collection is for “CROSMAN .22 PELLS” for the Crosman Pneumatic .22 (the only rifle they made at the time). The ‘Pells’ were soon to become 'SuperPells'—Crosman initially used a stick-on label on the boxes to introduce the new name.

The first boxes with the ‘SuperPells’ name feature a graphic of the pellet itself, along with what I have always assumed to be a piece of roundball ammo (even though all Crosman were rifled and were not intended for roundball). From this point on, all pellet containers would be available in both .177 and .22.

The next version of container is the venerable cardboard tube with crimped tin ends. From this point on, SuperPell containers would be available in different sizes as well as different calibers. There are at least 3 different versions of these style tubes: ‘Rochester 7’, ‘Rochester 7 Made in USA’, and, subsequent to Crosman’s move from Rochester, ‘Fairport’. The containers come in 250 and 500 count for both .177 and .22.

The next container is the traditional tube but with updated graphics: Crosman has dropped the image of the pellet and has introduced the ‘dot-in-the-C-target’ version of the Crosman logo. These ‘Super Pells’ (with a space) were a very short-lived version, as Crosman was about to make the leap to metal tins.

The metal tin containers, often referred to as “pepper cans”, reintroduce an image of the ‘SuperPell’ (space is gone again) itself: the good old ‘flying ashcans’. There are at least two versions of these tins: those with the caliber indicated on the front, and those without. The ones without preceded the ones with (if you stack two tins of different calibers side-by-side, you cannot tell which is which). Crosman was quick to see the necessity of putting the caliber info on the front.

The next pepper can introduces the ‘bulls-eye-hits-on-the-4-ring-target’ logo, and goes to an all red scheme. The image of the pellet is gone again, and the space is back in ‘Super Pells’. [As a side note, I have always found that the hardest-to-find tins are the .177/500 count tins; for some reason, this is a much rarer tin.]

Crosman then introduces “Lubricated Super Pells”, often seen with a ‘NEW’ sticker affixed to the tin. The ‘Super Pells’ name is now registered.

The last of the pepper cans is the “New Lubricated Super Pells” with a plastic flip-open top (no more metal sliders).

The next container is an all-plastic tube style. Crosman re-introduces the image of the pellet on the packaging: still the flying ashcan. I have only found these containers in 250 count sizes, for both .177 and .22; I’ve not seen a 500 count package for either caliber. (It could certainly exist, I’ve just not seen one).

From this point on, Crosman begins using the plastic belt-clip design, and my collecting interest rapidly wanes. From a shooting perspective, it is only now that Crosman pellets become interesting, shedding the traditional ashcan design for the proven diabolo with the introduction of the Premier line of pellets.

 
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AuthorReply

(Premier Login Grantthekiwi)

Very Interesting.

May 26 2007, 6:41 AM 

Thanks Ken for the interesting line up. Apart from the earliest ones, i have got together quite a few of the others, but i have never been sure of their order of manufacture till now.
Regards Grant, N.Z.

 
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DT Fletcher
(Login DT_Fletcher)

Rare Crosman containers

May 30 2007, 10:02 PM 

There are two major variations of the earliest Crosman pellet containers. There is the Crosman Brothers box and also the Crosman Hi Powered Pneumatic box. There are at least two color variations of the Hi Powered versions. Any of these are worth $100 plus to serious collectors. The early boxes are, for some reason, much appreciated by collectors of .22 rimfire boxes.

The earliest "Crosman" pellet container is the "Universal" tin. These were made by the inventor of the Crosman rifle William McLean. The only way we were able to determine that these were made by McLean is that the container carries the home address of McLean. These pre-date the Crosman Brother boxes. See The Crosman Rifle 1923-1950 for pictures and some more info.

Another rarity is the .21 caliber cardboard tube that are green. These were for the model 121 CG but the container indicates they are for the Crosman model 200 carbine. No other mention of the model 200 has ever been found.

Another nice item is the model 747 that holds something like 6 pounds of BBs. Finding one of these in nice condition is a real challenge. Most are missing at least some portion of the label, due to the way they were packabed.

Other than the above containers, there is little value in any of the Crosman containers. Crosman made them all by the millions.

DT Fletcher

 
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(Login UKPELLETCOLLECTOR)

CROSMAN SILENT TUB

January 8 2008, 7:28 AM 

hi KENNYBOY, that is a very impresive collection you have there, i was wondering if you could put a date on the one i bought just before christmas 07.
it looks like one of yours of course, under the second target from the left, it reads "500, superpells, crosman, .22 cal. for, crosman silent .22, mfg. by, crosman arms company, rochester 7 n.y" and there is an advertisment on the right side of the tub for crosman`s AUTOMATIC DODO TARGET".
i hope that will help, if not i could send you a couple of photos, keep up the good work............UKPELLETCOLLECTOR

 
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(Login dougotis)

Crosman cardboard pellet container

October 24 2008, 5:26 PM 

Would you havbe one of the Crosman cardboard pellet containers with pellets for sale?
Doug Law
dlaw1940@yahoo.com
www.bigspringguns.net

 
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(Login dougotis)

crosman tin with cardboard body

February 1 2009, 4:42 PM 

Hi Im trying to add and o0ld tin of Crosman pellet tin to my collection which waere made in the 30-50s.
Im looking for one of the Crosman tin s which were made of Cardboard with a crimpted metal lid, about two inches in diamerter and 2-3 inches tall. If you have any of these for sale, please




contact me . Or if you can suggest another collector that might have one for sale, let me know

Thanks for the help
Doug Law
dlaw1940@yahoo.com

 
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