Today I am testing out the Crosman 2240XL Special Edition here in the Sea Can indoor shooting range. It is getting a bit colder and raining outside, but the Sea Can is sitting at a comfortable 19 to 22 degrees Celsius, providing a great baseline environment for testing a fresh CO2 cartridge. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the dedicated Table Top Review for all the specifications and build details on this model. For this field test, our focus is entirely on performance: running it through the chronograph for real-world velocity and testing the downrange accuracy.
Chronograph & Velocity Performance For the velocity baseline, I used a brand new CO2 cartridge and loaded up some heavier .22 caliber Crosman Premier Hollow Points, which sit around the 14 to 15-grain mark. Crosman claims around 460 FPS on the box, but keep in mind that is typically achieved using the lightest possible ammunition.
Here is how the 5-shot string performed through the chronograph:
Shot 1: 329 FPS
Shot 2: 330 FPS
Shot 3: 337 FPS
Shot 4: 335 FPS
Shot 5: 335 FPS
The Crosman 2240XL Special Edition settled in nicely around a 333 FPS average. Because this is a bolt-action setup rather than a fast-firing semi-auto, the CO2 doesn't cool down too rapidly between shots, which helps keep the velocity remarkably consistent across the string.
Downrange Accuracy & Target Testing Moving over to the accuracy test, I set up a fresh paper target 30 feet downrange. For this setup, I decided to mount a bit of a monstrosity of a 4x optical magnification scope using the dovetail mounts, which I pulled right off another gun just for this test.
I took about 9 shots from a rested position on the table. The first two shots were close together, but the grouping eventually opened up to about 2 inches, including one major flyer that I definitely didn't feel like I pulled. Honestly, I wasn't super impressed with this particular grouping. The 2240 platform is famous for its accuracy, so this spread might be down to a few different factors: potential nicks on the pellets during loading, the cheap optical sight I attached, or just user error while trying to stabilize it.
Handling Notes & Optics Fitment One of the absolute highlights of the Crosman 2240XL Special Edition is the trigger. It has a very nice, light, and short pull with essentially zero break required. However, shooting a pistol with a magnified scope from a rested position proved to be awkward. Trying to pull a pistol-length platform close to your face for proper eye relief (using a rifle scope rather than a pistol scope) can make everything feel quite shaky.
If you plan on running a larger optic like this, I highly recommend adding a shoulder stock to help stabilize the gun. Alternatively, swapping the massive scope out for a compact red dot or sticking to standard pistol sights would make this much more comfortable to shoot in its stock pistol form.
Final Thoughts The Crosman 2240XL remains an incredibly highly modifiable platform, fitting right in with the various pumper and .177 caliber variants available on the market. While my grouping today wasn't the tightest, the potential of this gun is massive once you dial in the right optics, ammo, and perhaps a stock for better stability.
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