by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
My Sheridan Blue Streak dates back to 1978 when I bought it new.
This report covers:
- History
- Clean sheet of paper
- Changes
- What remained?
- The Blue Streak
- Thumb safety
- Rocker safety
- Accuracy
- Trigger
- Sights
- Benjamin-Sheridan
- Summary
Oh, my! You know you’re getting old when airguns you bought brand-new are the topics of the history section of this blog. Such is the case with my Sheridan Blue Streak. I bought it at a gun store in California in 1978 after returning from Germany. I had wanted one all my life but until I had money of my own I couldn’t afford one. As I recall the price at the time was around $39. A check of the serial number shows my rifle was made in 1977.
History
E.H. Wackerhagen had a dream of building the finest multi-pump pneumatic air rifle in the world. He had the desire and the money but not the skill to realize his dream. But at some point in the mid 1940s he found and linked up with Robert Kraus whose technical skill completed the equation. Sheridan started making airguns in 1947. Their first product was called the model A and is the airgun we know today as the Supergrade.
Sheridan Supergrade.
The Supergrade was an airgun in which nothing was spared to achieve perfection. Its barrel and pump tube was made of phosphor bronze, a metal with great lubricity. The receiver was an aluminum casting. The stock and pump arm that served as the forearm were both walnut, and the buttstock had a raised cheekpiece like sporting rifles of the period. The valve was an exotic ball bearing sitting in a seat of Hycar — a then-modern synthetic that promised reliability and long service life.
The working prototype rifle was made in .22 caliber, but Wackerhagen felt that the pellets of the day would let it down, so all production guns were built in .20 caliber. Sheridan took the bold step of producing their airgun in a proprietary caliber, probably thinking if they controlled the quality of their ammunition they ensure their rifle’s success. And never forget that a proprietary pellet means only Sheridan can provide it — at least in the beginning. But don’t overlook the flip side of that — if the airgun isn’t standard how many stores will want to stock it? Let me put it this way — what if an electric car had to be charged from a 440 volt connection?
When new the model A sold for $56.50, which was $11.50 more than a .22 rimfire Winchester model 61 pump! As good as it was, American shooters of the 1940s were not into perfection — especially not in pellet guns!
Sales were slow, so in 1948 the Sheridan company revised the design of the model A to produce a model B that had fewer frills but still retained an air of quality. That gun retailed for $35. And customers still stayed away in droves. In fact only half as many model Bs were produced, compared to model As.
Clean sheet of paper
By 1949 the handwriting was on the wall and it didn’t say, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN.” It said, “Either innovate now or get ready for your Going Out Of Business sale.” Kraus and Wackerhagen started with a clean sheet of paper and designed a gun they could manufacture for a lot less than either the model A or B. Phosphor bronze was replaced with red brass and, while walnut remained the stock material, the design that was created minimized wood waste. They ceased asking ,”What’s the best there is?” and started asking, “How can we make…for as little as possible?” The ubiquitous model C that we know as the Blue and Silver Streak was born.
Changes
The model C was slimmer, lacked any embellishments on the plain walnut stock, had a cheaper stamped metal adjustable open rear sight to replace the more expensive and fully adjustable peep sight that came on both the model A and B. The massive aluminum cast receiver became a small brass part that was soldered to the tube that held the pump mechanism the firing valve and the hammer with its spring.
What remained?
What is most interesting is all that remained. The model C weighed the same, was just as accurate and just as powerful. It did everything the model A did; it just wasn’t as impressive. Oh, and it saved the company! That is the airgun we will now look at.
The Blue Streak
The rifle I am reviewing is from the second major design of the model C. The first design had numerous differences that I won’t get into, but if that’s something you want to learn more about I recommend that you purchase Ron Elbe’s book, Know your Sheridan Rifles and Pistols, second edition, which is available on Amazon.
Thumb safety
The biggest feature of the first model C was the thumb safety button. A spring-loaded “button” at the top of the pistol grip had to be pressed down in order for the cocked rifle to fire. It was supposed to operate like the grip safety on an M1911A1, but it was positioned so far from where the thumb wanted to rest that it was clumsy to depress. So shooters held it down in a variety of ways, with the most common being to wedge a toothpick in the slot with the safety depressed and to break it off flush with the stock. In other words no safety — ever!
The thumb safety (arrow) has to be depressed or the cocked gun cannot fire.
Rocker safety
The rifle I bought in 1978 has what we now call the rocker safety. There are two buttons — one on either side of the pistol grip. Press down on the S on the right side and the rifle is safe. The F on the left makes the rifle ready to fire. These buttons are not spring-loaded and do not have to be held down while shooting. Once a button is pushed the rifle remains in that state until the other button is pushed. The safety can only be applied when the rifle is cocked.
Buttons on either side of the pistol grip determine whether the rifle is safe or ready to fire on the Sheridan C with the rocker safety.
The rocker safety model is considered the most desirable of all the Cs, though a nice example of the thumb safety may command more money due to its age. Rocker safeties were produced from 1963 to 1991. The Benjamin Air Rifle Co. acquired Sheridan in 1977. They moved their Benjamin production from St. Louis (home of Benjamin) to Racine, Wisconsin from 1986 to 1994. In 1991 Benjamin began blending their 392 and 397 rifles with the Sheridan Blue and Silver Streaks and before long it was difficult to distinguish one from another by anything except the caliber. The rocker safety went away, replaced by the single sliding safety lever of the Benjamin rifles.
The Blue Streak and its nickel-plated sibling, the Silver Streak, operate on between 3 and 8 strokes of the movable forearm. I have tested them at a greater number of strokes and confirmed that the power diminishes after 8 strokes, however older guns sometimes gain a little with a ninth stroke. A rifle that’s operating at spec, though, tops out at 8 strokes. At that level you get a medium-weight .20 pellet traveling in the mid- to upper-600 f.p.s. range. Each rifle will be different. My 1978 rifle was old and tired until reader Jeff Cloud rebuilt it in 2016. It now now goes about 609 f.p.s. with the Crosman Premiers that are no longer available in .20 caliber. I say they’re not available, but 14.3-grain Benjamin diabolos are Crosman Premiers in everything but name. Of course I will test the velocity for you in Part 2.
The Blue and Silver Streaks are small, lightweight air rifles that pack more power than their size indicates. Only PCPs have greater power in packages of similar size. The overall length is just over 36.5 inches and the weight of my rifle is an ounce and a fraction under 5 lbs. Yet the pull is a decent 13.25-inches and the barrel is 19-3/8-inches long. That’s adult dimensions in a pint-sized package.
Pump effort starts low and builds into the final couple strokes that are in the 35-lb. region. Beeman used to add up the effort for all of 8 pump strokes to demonstrate how much work shooters had to do. That’s like counting the number of times your bicycle pedals go around for a one-mile trip. In my mind, the figure is without merit. You either will or will not like to pump the gun for each shot — it’s not something that, when measured or put on a spreadsheet, has any real meaning.
I like pumping because it slows the shooting down. It’s relaxing — like shooting a flintlock rifle. But if you like an AR and hi-cap mags, a multi-pump may not be for you.
Accuracy
I will test the Blue Streak in the usual fashion for you, so accuracy will get defined. But I’ll say right now that a Blue Streak is not as accurate as what can be obtained from some of the better spring rifles like the RWS 34.
Trigger
The rocker safety Blue and Silver Streaks have triggers that were designed before the corporate lawyers were allowed to voice an opinion. They aren’t light, but they are nice for what they are — simple direct-sear trigger mechanisms. And they can be made nicer with simple fixes like lubricating and removing the slop in all the parts.
Sights
Besides the thumb safety, the rear sight is the second-quirkiest thing about the Blue Streak. It does adjust in both directions, but the vertical is just a simple screw and the horizontal is a weird arrangement of a push-pull set of opposed screws. Up and down is via a straightforward screw in the leaf.
The rear sight moves sideways by loosening a screw on one side and tightening the screw on the other side (arrows). Up and down is via the screw in the rear that’s blurry in this picture.
I’ll have more to say about the design of the airgun in future reports. For now I want to discuss something different.
Benjamin-Sheridan
Soon after Crosman acquired the Benjamin company, who already owned Sheridan, they began marketing airguns with the name Benjamin-Sheridan. This has caused a lot of confusion in the collector market — similar to the “Benjamin Franklin” play on words that Benjamin stamped on some of their airguns. Now there are airgunners who think Sheridan is only half the name of an airgun and that anything Benjamin is also Sheridan. As a result of this, Ron Elbe ends his book in the mid-1980s, with no reference to the guns that were made during the Crosman years. It sort of means that Sheridan didn’t go out with a bang but a whimper. For collectors who are serious about the brand, the Sheridan Blue and Silver Streaks are iconic air rifles.
Summary
I have reviewed the Blue Streak in the past, but over the last three years this blog has had such a great influx of new readers that I thought it was time to look at the gun again.
B.B.,
A nice re-cap. These would have been offered in my bb gun youth, though I do not ever recall seeing one, even in print. I would have been around 9 in 1970. Looking forwards to the testing. The 880 was my first multi-pumper.
Good Day to you and to all,……….. Chris
B.B.,
Do you have an opinion on the currently offered 392? A “392” search of the blog does not indicate that have reviewed a new/current one.
Chris
Uh oh, he’s getting the fever. He is starting to think about adding a multipump to his collection.
RR,
Yes. Now don’t bother me. I must go to work! 😉
B.B.
BB,
What? I don’t know what you are talking about.
You had better get on with it though or I will have him drooling over my 101. 😉
RR,
If I could have 392 quality and performance in an 880,… I would consider. The 880 just does it for me in the style dept.. No offense to the 392 lovers out there,… but after seeing them here for the first time,… they looked more like a club. No dovetail is a turn off too.
I still think they should make a top quality 880. Full adult sized with a L/W barrel.
I do not know enough of what is out there in the oldies to have a favorite/opinion. I am sure though that a slow, leisurely stroll through The Blue Book would yield at least 50 or so,…. of that I am sure! 🙂
Chris
Chris,
The good news is that there are modern options available. Here are two of them.
/product/seneca-dragonfly-multi-pump-air-rifle?m=4514#8800
/product/seneca-aspen-pcp-air-rifle?m=4715#9347
Though they do not have LW barrels, they can be equipped with them.
Neither of these really trips my trigger so to speak, but the updated 392 kind of has my attention.
/product/benjamin-variable-pump-air-rifle-black?m=4869#9745
I like the stock, the compactness and reliability. As for a scope, I personally would rather equip it with a peep.
/product/air-venturi-williams-64-peep-sight?a=5
The power and range make this a great 25 yard gun.
RR,
I would have to lean to the Benji. It seems a big improvement over the older models. I still think a high quality, adult sized 880 (styled) would be a big seller. Keep the quality high and the weight down though.
Chris
Chris,
As do I. I really need to get my 101 together and see how it does. In looks and construction it has it all over the Benji. If it shoots half as good as it is looking I will be very happy with it.
RR,
I came home from the TX airgun show with three Blue Streaks – the right opportunity presented itself. Once I shot one there, I was hooked. (It was really BB’s fault, with an assist from Pelletgage Jerry Cupples! ) And then I came home and ordered a new 392 from PA.
Jim M.
Jim M.
LOL! The Great Enabler strikes again! You must really like to pump it up!
Chris,
I think my pump-assist 392 is as current as I have. It’s just a 392 modified to pump easier, but the power is the same — I think!
B.B.
Chris,
My advice is you should get a recently resealed, Racine made, rocker safety Blue Streak. Stock up on some .20 pellets, and you’re set.
Michael
BB,
I don’t know how close the stock on this rifle is to a current 392, but the profile looks similar. If it really is close to the same, do you have a hard time using the sights on it? I don’t know if it is just me, but I had a real hard time getting my eye low enough to see through the sights on my 392.
CB
CB,
No, I find the sights on both this and the 392 easy to use. They align well for me.
B.B.
Must just be me. I had the receiver grooved and put a scope on it, so I can shoot it, but I thought it was odd that I was having such a hard time with the sights.
Anyway, always enjoy the blog.
CB
CB,
I find your comment about using the sights interesting. I have the same problem with the Diana 240 classic. I have mentioned it in two forums but no one else seems to have the same problem.
TJKing,
I thought it was odd too, but I had to put me head at odd angles or forward of the comb to get low enough to see through the sights. It was quite awkward to shoot until I got the scope on it.
The only other gun I have had that issue with was the Red Ryder that my nephews and niece have, but I haven’t shot that many different types of airguns.
CB
TJKing and Captain Bravo,
My wife, Edith, had the same problem both of you describe. I worked with her for years and could not find a resolution.
Putting her head down on the comb of the stock was impossible for her. And she had a long thin neck.
The closest we got was for her to lift the butt higher on her shoulder.
B.B.
BB,
Did you intend to write “butt” rather than “bull”? If not, explain “lifting the bull…..” I have Captain Bravo’s issue with my 392 and will try anything.
Half
Half,
Yes, I meant butt. I will correct that now.
B.B.
B.B.,
We know what a “drooper” is. What does one call the opposite? ;^)
Michael
Michael,
No name that I know of. An “upper”? 😉
B.B.
I think the opposite of a “drooper” is a “swooper.”
Mike U
BB,
I did just what you are describing at first. It just felt really awkward to shoot. Now it just feels awkward to pump. You either have to hold the comb or the scope.
CB
TJKing
I just recently fitted a V-Mach spring into a friends Diana 240 Classic. When I began testing the new spring over my chronograph, I found it practically impossible to aim correctly at my intended target of 7 1/2 meters distance. At the time I found this quite odd as I had no problem aiming the same air rifle with a scope before replacing the spring. I thought it might just be my lack of open sight experience, however upon dismounting the scope on my Weihrauch HW50, and replacing it with the iron sights it came with for comparison, I found I had no problem properly aiming the HW50 in my usual way. After a bit of measuring, and commiserating I finally concluded it might be because the Diana 240 Classic stock has no comb, It seems the lack of a comb meant the stock wasn’t high enough to accommodate a decent check weld as per my usual shooting custom. My Weihrauch HW50 does have a slight comb which seems adequate for aiming without the need of raising the butt end of the rifle higher up my shoulder. I see no other way around this peculiar dilemma for me when using iron sights on an air rifle that lacks a comb. I note there are a number of others who have this unique “problem” so perhaps BB might address the issue in a future column. I hope this helps if only to let you know you are not unique with your open sight aiming pet peeve.
Ciao
Titus
Titus,
I will look for additional material to make something of this.
B.B.
Titus.
I don’t think the problem is not enough comb. Rather it is not enough drop to the stock. Most longguns today are meant to be used with optics and stocks are designed for that. A red dot works just fine on my 240.
T.J.
T.J.
I was thinking along the same thought as you mention after I submitted my comment yesterday. I remember my uncle’s CZ in 7mm had quite a pronounced drop to its stock, and I don’t remember having a problem shooting it with iron sights. However that was over 35 years ago, and my technique might have changed considerably since. It will be interesting to see what information BB has to add to the mix after he finishes his research.
I did enjoy shooting my friends Diana 240 Classic with scope. I wasn’t able to detect much difference between the stock spring, and the new V-Mach spring I installed. It is very easy to cock, and seems to be quite accurate out to 30 meters (consistently under 1 inch groups). Its favourite food seems to be JSB Exact 7.33gr. (580fps), and JSB 8.44gr. (510fps) pellets a close second.
Ciao
Titus
Capt Bravo — Are you tall? I’m 6’ 5”, and it takes some “scrunching” to get myself l8ned up just right on one of these.
Jim M.
Jim,
not particularly. I’m about 6′. So far, this is the only adult gun I have had this issue with.
CB
CB,
I have the exact same problem with my 392. It may be an issue with the barrel pointing up rather than the drooping that seems more normal in air guns. When I adjust my rear sight down to a point where I hit the aimpoint at 25 yards or so, the adjustment screw is actually visible in the notch of the rear sight. That doesn’t seem normal to me and leads me to think the barrel is soldered on with an upward slant, is curved up or isn’t bored on center. The way that I have to line up the sights is awkward as hell and I can’t shoot well that way. The gun is accurate enough that I want to find a solution to the shouldering issue.
I posted a comment here not long ago on a blog about the 392 or maybe the comment section just drifted, as it sometimes does, to the topic of the 392 or iron sights in general. At any rate, I was looking for other shooters that had this same problem. None came forward, other than to suggest a Williams peep sight might help me and a scope would certainly eliminate the problem. I want to carry the gun in my truck to have anytime a shooting opportunity crops up, but a scope would be too prone to misalignment from bouncing around in the vehicle, so I bought the Williams peep sight. I love the sight but it has the same problem.
I tried another suggestion made by one of the readers here and glued a piece of copper wire onto the top edge of the front sight to make it stand taller, which allowed me to raise the rear sight higher and also gave me a nice contrasting “bead” on top of the front post. That helped but not enough. If I raise the rear sight to a point where I was shooting at 80-100 yards (which is well out of this gun’s range) I can shoulder the gun more normally. I think that I’m just going to have to take a rasp to the comb and add a longer butt plate to the stock to make it an effective, although ugly, shooter. If that works I may make a new stock for it, now that I have been taught how by Hank/Vana2!
Hope you find a solution to your issue, as well,
Half
Halfstep,
scoping it isn’t the perfect solution. In addition to your very valid concern, you either have to hold the scope or resort to an awkward comb grip to pump the gun. Neither one of which I like. But it does shoot nice with the scope on it. I have half an eye out for a better solution though.
CB
CB,
I also suspected that the hand position for pumping would be bad with the gun scoped, unless the scope was mounted “scout rifle” style way out on the barrel. Mainly it was the fragile nature of the clamp on mounts made for the gun that steered me away from scoping it. I also just wanted it as compact and simple as possible since I wanted it for impromptu plinking on just a few pumps, ideally.
Just curious, if you remember from shooting yours with open sights, did the adjusting screw begin to show itself in the rear notch at about 25 yard sight-in because the ramp had to be adjusted so far down?
Half
Halfstep,
I bought mine used and it came with a set of clamp on mounts that I immediately removed. I didn’t trust them either.
I don’t remember if the screw showed or not. My dad has a small machine shop in his garage, and I probably didn’t shoot it more than a dozen shots before I shipped it to him to groove the receiver.
CB
I look forward to your report. The Sheridan “C” was my first pellet rifle after my Daisy 94 BB gun died. That was in 1968. That one has the optional Williams receiver sight. I think it was about a 5 dollar option. I shot that gun for years and years. I still have it. It has been resealed and is still going strong. I most often shot it with 5 pumps since that seemed to be most accurate with the Sheridan Pellets. I have another later one bought off Ebay about 10 years ago. I have a Scout Scope forward mounted with a Crosman Intermount forward of the chamber and the grip. It works great but I had to shim the Intermount with Milk Carton plastic to make it fit. BTW, I still have a box of Beeman Silver Jets in 20 Caliber.
Mike
Mike,
“The Sheridan “C” was my first pellet rifle . . .” That’s like having a ’57 Chevy for your first car! :^)
Michael
B.B.,
There’s something about a Sheridan! For years I wondered what the fuss was about. What difference could there be between a Sheridan Blue Streak and a Benjamin 329? I already had owned two 392s, and they were just fine. But I kept reading in this blog and elsewhere about Sheridans and their devotees. There is no following for Benjamins, as far as I can see, that matches that for Sheridans in number and passion.
So I found a nice Racine-era rocker safety Blue Streak, and I could tell immediately that it is a more slightly refined machine in every respect. Better feel, smoother cocking, better trigger, a bit more accurate, smoother and more ergonomic wood furniture, better finish on the metal, everything was a bit nicer.
It also helps in my case that I had a few of cousins and an uncle up in Racine who worked at Sheridan at one time or another, so there is a mildly sentimental value as well.
Michael
Good morning B.B!
I never get bored of your blog topics, especially when it’s about Sheridan Products!
My Sheridan CB Blue Streak is from Dec.1972, and has a factory installed sheridan-williams rear peep sight that works perfectly with this stylish pneumatic rifle.
I also have a Crosman 1400 from 1976 and a Benjamin model 317 without a serial #, which apparently narrows it’s manufacture date between 1940-56.
I am quite pleased with my American multi pump pneumatic rifles, and I have them all holding air and shooting as straight and as hard as they ever have!
Fine examples of American Pneumatic multi-pump rifles in .22cal, .20cal and .177cal…
Spinoza,
A fine collection of classics you have there.
Michael
Spinoza,
I do not see any sights on the 1400. Are they off for a reason?
Just wondering,
Don
Lol, I had them off while doing some rust maintenance on the outer barrel, but they are back on now, I just haven’t taken another photo yet.
Spinoza,
That is a very good collection. It represents what I feel is the peak of the quality made multi-pump rifles in the U.S.A. Those guns were made to last.
Thanks for the picture,
Don
I agree that they represent the peak, or like B.B/Tom has said before, the “high watermark” in pneumatic AirGun design!
“has a factory installed sheridan-williams rear peep sight that works perfectly with this stylish pneumatic rifle”
Spinoza,
I am with you 100% on that comment! I have the sister of your Blue Streak right here. She came from the factory wit open sights, but after trying her with a scope (and not liking the way the gun had to be held to pump it), I coughed up the whopping sum of $12.40 and had the factory ship me the same sight you have. Since my gun was not tapped for a peep sight, I was very fortunate that our neighbor was a machinist, who mounted the sight for me. And yes, I love the way the rifle shoots with this peep sight; it allows the gun to maintain clean lines, keeps it easy to pump, and increases practical accuracy…I love it! =>
Thanks for sharing,
dave
P.S. B.B., you can hardly say too much about these fine rifles; they are a true piece of Americana!
Dave,
I see both you and Spinoza have the rubber protector over the barrel. Did the guns come with those from the factory?
Don
Yes, Don, they did; and in order to mount a scope, you had to pop that piece off and mount the two-piece Sheridan “inter-mount” in it’s place. But once you do that, you have to hold the rifle by the pistol grip to pump it; and that’s not cool (in my opinion) as you are now stressing the bolt that holds the rear stock to the receiver. I think the way Spinoza and B.B. and I have the rifle set is the best way: iron sights with the protector in place so you can hold it in one hand while your other hand grasps the end of the pump arm. That way, you pump the rifle while held in front of you about chest height…giving you excellent leverage. =>
While I’m a bit late to the party, would love some input! I was at a gun show yesterday and now have an opportunity to pick up my second Blue Streak. It currently has the factory Sheridan inter-mount and scope attached and I would like to remove it, install a Williams peep, and install an original rubber/plastic barrel protector/pump grip. The problem is finding that part! I know there are many Blue Streak owners that have scoped their rifles and have no use for the barrel protector…
I got my first rifle for Christmas from my uncle in 1971 and it’s dated December 1971. I love the backwards date codes as mine has 1791 on it, the year our Second Amendment was introduced. It’s in great condition and I’d also like to install a peep on it. Any thoughts on the effect of value if I do?
Another posted that getting a Streak as kid was similar to having a ’57 Chevy as a first car…I was lucky enough to acquire a ’57 Nomad as my first car 2 years later. Yes, I sold the Nomad.
Thanks,
Paul
Paul,
That Blue Streak should be worth what any good Blue Streak in the same condition might bring today. As for the rubber barrel protector. I have no idea where one could be found. Maybe a craft fair?
BB
Mine is all factory original. It seems like this Sheridan was trapped inside a time capsule until I bought it last winter.
It’s amazing for an air rifle that was made in Dec.1972!
Spinoza,
The Sheridan multi-pumps are the best in my opinion, you got a very nice gun. I am partial to the Benjamin 312 as that was the gun I had as a kid. Great memories. Your Sheridan will last for generations with a little care.
Don
OK, OK, I give in. One of you guys send me a Blue Streak with a peep and I will let it reside at RidgeRunner’s Home For Wayward Airguns.
Good one, RidgeRunner! You’d have to pry that girl out of my hands; she’s awesome! =>
LOL! Well, I don’t really need one to move in here actually. I have all of the parts ready now to put together my late ’40s Crosman 101. I may even start on it tonight.
Cool! If you do, please post a pic. =>
Dave,
You may rest assured that I will be bragging about it. 😉
B.B.
They were not a part of my childhood. I shot one once and just remember that I thought it was hard to cock.
Most airguns I guess have fond memories…
-Yogi
Yogi,
You are correct; I can’t just hold the rifle in my left hand and work the bolt with my right (I’m right-handed).
I hold the gun in my left hand and brace the butt on my right hip, and then a firm tug with just my pinky on my right hand can cock the bolt…wow, I’ve done this without consciously thinking about it so many thousands of times that my first thought when I read “I thought it was hard to cock” was “no it isn’t”…but actually it is..although that is easily overcome by technique. And as B.B. has already noted, this rifle has an excellent power-to-weight ratio. =>
Thanks for the memories,
dave
CB,
Hold the comb or pistol grip when pumping. Never hold the scope. It can’t hold a zero.
B.B.
I use a three point hold with my right hand on the pistole grip and the butt on my thigh if sitting or against the top of my thigh if standing; then pump with my left hand. Been doing it that way since I was a little kid even with guns that are open sights. I have pumped a Sheridan but never owned one so I don’t know about the stock holding up this way but I never had a problem with the Benjamin pumpers.
Efficient pumping is all in the rhythm as best I can explain it. There is a pumping frequency that decreases as the pressure builds that uses the least energy. As B.B. says it is easier to go a little slower, I think it has to do with the restriction of the intake valve.
Don
The forward mounted scout scope get rid of the pumping problem. You pump it just like it only had the open sight.
Mike
Off topic,
But I see that Meopta scopes will be offered for air gunners. Looking forwards to the release and reviews. (Per the HAM site).
Chris
Chris,
Yeah and you better have a thick wallet.
RR,
“….. exceptional price points…….” were the words used I do believe. We shall see. The different reticles are interesting. I like the Athlon reticle that I have.
On the weather,…. it has been hot here in central Ohio. Getting Mom and Dad moved has been the #1 priority,… in fact they are,… but still quite a lot to be done. This Summer will be pretty much a bust on shooting. If it never got above 70 degrees and cloudy,…. I would be thrilled. 😉
Chris
Chris,
So would I. When the temperature and the humidity are competing to see who can go the highest I stay indoors. I am just thankful that up here in the VA hills it is a bit cooler. Yeah right.
Was sad to see the last report for the S&W 77a. I looked in my note book to see if I had shot it for accuracy, but did not find anything on it. I just shot spinners and cans with it. If I test for accuracy the usual process is eight dots on an 8.5×11 paper then 10 shots at 10 meters with eight different pellets. Best group wins. To daunting a task with that rifle. Still a cool rifle.
Your current test will be of interest, as always, as I have picked up a silver and a blue streak within the last six months. Good shooters so far.
Pat
B.B.,
Enjoyed the Multipump report; before I moved to the PCP/Big Bore Dark Side I hunted with a number of different brands and models. Most folks just never understood the capabilities of the American Air Rifle. I particularly enjoyed each and every one of my Mac1 392 STEROIDS; the build that made them what the guns should have been from the manufacturer.
In History under the photograph of the Sheridan Supergrade, first paragraph:
“The stock and pump arm that served as the firearm (forearm) were both walnut….”
shootski
shootski,
Got it. Thanks!
B.B.
B.B.,
Is it that time of the year when you change out of Daylight Saving Time again?
Siraniko
Siraniko,
Not yet. We have a little saying in order to remember which way to set the clock,….. “Spring forward’s,… Fall back”. We are in full Summer at this time.
Chris
Chris,
I don’t know about where you live, but we only had about two weeks of spring and have been in full summer for months now. I am ready for winter.
“By 1949 the handwriting was on the wall and it didn’t say, ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPHARSIN.’* ”
* Numbered, numbered, weighed, divided
Or as interpreted by Daniel:
“But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.
“And this is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, [UPHARSIN.
This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
—- Daniel 5:22-31
B.B., I meant to comment on that earlier, like for posterity’s sake, just in case anyone ever reads this blog and is not familiar with the origination of the term (as I well know you are =>), “the writing on the wall.”
Yes, it’s right out of chapter 5 of the book of Daniel…great stuff.
I love how you weave all this little tidbits of knowledge into your reports, B.B. =>
Dave,
I did it for JUST this reason. Thank you for explaining it.
Even our friends who only read the Tanakh, particularly the Ketuvim, should know this one!
Who says you need social media? 😉
B.B.
“Who says you need social media?”
Amen to that! I read this blog rather than social media! It’ much better for my mental health! =)~
Me too!! Bro. BB
B.B., or anyone,
I have an old Crosman Model 147 multi-pump that I purchased new in about 1960. It has a broken link rivet (140-22) and lever link bushing (140-23). Benji-Don thought that he had the parts I needed but it turned out that he did not.
Does anyone know of a source for these parts? It hasn’t been shot in over 20 years and I would like to get it back to shooting condition once again. I’ve have contacted Baker Air Guns and Pyramid Air but they do not have the needed parts. Here are a couple of pictures showing the parts and a diagram.
Geo
Geo,
Not that I can help with your quandary,… but I looked it up in The Blue Book. Yours has a “swollen” pump arm,… while neither the 147 and 147 BP (the only two 147’s) show that. They have a “finger grooved” pump arm. Both show 2 pins through the pump arm,… which yours does not appear to have. A closed, full profile picture would help to narrow it down more. I do assume that you are going from a stamped model # on the rifle itself?
At any rate,… I do hope that you find what you need. A “rivet” and “bushing” do not seem that hard to come by. Mc Master Carr would be a first thought. You should get something close that you could modify slightly if needed.
Chris
Thanks Chris. Yes, the model 147 is stamped on the receiver. These parts are unique to these models. I will continue my search for these parts.
Geo
Chris/Geo…And usually end up with something better , if done right.
Keith
Geo,
I do see the pump arm pins now,… after a much closer look.
Chris
George,
Have you tried here?
B.B.
B.B.
Thank you, I will check with Rick Willnecker and see what he has to say.
Geo
B.B.
Thanks again for suggesting Richard Willnecker. I contacted him last night through email and he responded this morning. He had the parts I needed and I have ordered them from him.
When I have done the repair on this old Crosman 147 I will post the completed repair and any pertinent information.
Geo
George,
Tim McMurray and all the other repair stations buy many of their parts from Rick, who has them made.
B.B.
Geo791,
http://www.mac1airgunshop.com/mobile/
Call him in California if anyone can help Tim can.
shootski
Shootski,
Thanks for the suggestion. I will check the web site and contact Tim to see if he has the parts.
Geo
And the parts diagram…
Just got back from camping and seen the Blue Streak blog. After reading some of the posts I had to run upstairs and check out my Blue Streak that Dad bought new in 65, along with a Sheridan .20 CO2 pistol which I now have both, since Dad is gone. I remember faking a tummy ache so I could play hookie from 4th grade to pump up dad’s .20 cal and pop some Ground Squirrels there in Sacto, Ca. GS’s but a dove off the power lines at 35 plus yards.
The serial number is a 5691F. The gun is in really, really good shape. I shoot it often. Rebuilt the innards, had a scope on it at one time to drop 55 yard pigeons . Nice gun…………NOT for Sale!!! Shawn
At the Texas airgun show, I bought a 1985 Silver Streak in 80-90 shape. Shoots pretty well, although pellet sensitive. Goes with my 1968 Blue Streak bought at the Arkansas Extravaganza 4 years back (?). That one is a beauty. Love these old classics. Looking forward to more from BB.
Yes, I love those old classics…nice rifles! =>
Jerry,
You got a beauty with that Silver Streak. Mice peep sight on it too. I would be interested if you ever decide to part with those. See my post above about how you and BB are responsible for my new-found Blue Streak addiction…er…collection. Ha ha.
Jim M.
Inherited a Racine Blue Streak in need of seals. I may get the Mac1 steroid parts if only for strength. Thoughts?
These always reminded me of an M&P shotgun and I like it. Should keep my Crosman 140 and Benjamin/Sheridan. .17 pumper company. That’s the extent of my pumper collection.