30 yr. old Benjamin Sheridan pellet rifle

My father-in-law recently returned my wife's .20 pellet gun that she used to use to hunt frogs, squirrels, etc. When I say returned, should really say "gave me," because my wife just rolled her eyes.

It's a Benjamin Sheridan Silver Streak (Model F) in 5mm/.20. It has a rifled nonferrous barrel, and uses CO2 cartridges. Man I wish it was a pump type. When it was given to me it was in a moldy vinyl rifle case, and as I found out later, had been stored with a pellet and CO2 cartridge in it.

Anybody out there have any experience with these little guns, especially the CO2 type?

I have a Sheridan blue streak basicly the same rifle but a dfferent color. I have taken small game up to the size of coytes at ranges of about 50yds. It's a great gun and I wouldn't sell it but mine is a pump gun and I have no idas about what the CO2 guns are capable of

Yeah, I would have really liked a pump model. If I like this one maybe I'll spend the money on a new or used pump model. I know there are very powerful and accurate air rifles out there, with very powerful prices also.

I'll actually be happy to just get this back in good working order since it was my wife's and somewhat sentimental.

I need to get a sock or cheap case for it too. People are nervous around here, compared to other places I've lived.

"...get this back in good working order..."

Years ago I bought a Benjamin .22 pump rifle that was missing a few parts. Sent it back to the factory, and for a very reasonable price they had it working good as new. So I would suggest that you try the same thing...

I actually have paperwork with this little rifle and it was serviced by the company back in 1979 for failure to hold pressure. It may work perfectly, but I haven't had time to get out to where I can test it. I've thought about waiting until the neighbors go to bed, but then I'd never be able to see what I hit.

I will definitely talk to the people at Crosman if I need to replace any seals or o-rings or worse.

Paul D.,

I have tinkered with a few pump types and several paint ball CO2 guns over the last 15 years or so. My advces is under absolutely no circumstances shoud you ever dry fire an older air powered gun (with a compressed/pumped charge and no pellet/B.B. in it.) If the seals have even the slightest imperfections from being dried out they love to split, i.e. no longer holds pressure.

If you have not uloaded the rifle yet remove the CO2 cartridge, if it hisses when you remove it this is a great sign the seals are still intact. Use a air rifle or .22 cal rifle cleaning kit to gently push the pellet out of the chamber.

If you live in a county/municipality that restricts firing air rifles within city limits then ignore the next part.

1) Find The matching caliber ammunition to the gun and purchase one box and some CO2 cartridges. Also, if you have safety glasses or shooting glasses put them on before proceding to step two.

1A) If you have the owners manual follow the instructions for oiling the seals. If you do not have the owners manual check the manufactures website for a PDF downlodable version for your model. After oiling let the gun sit for 24-48 hours to allow the seals to rehydrate an become supple again.

2) With apropriate target set up (apropriate being a pellettrap or something that will stop/ contain the projectile), install CO2 cartridge and listen for leaks. At this point the rifle should still be unloaded.If you hear the hissing of a leak stop, unload the CO2 cartridge and contact the manufacturer for repairs.

3) Load one round into the chamber. BE VERY MINDFUL OF NOT POINTING THE GUN AT ANY ONE OR ANYTHING, THIS INCLUDES YOUR SELF. The gun is now loaded, so actuate the safety ( i.e. push the safety to safe) and without pointing the gun at yourself listen for leaks again.

4) If you have made it this far aim at safe target, push safety to the FIRE position and squeeze trigger. If gun fires repeat steps two through four one time.

5) If two shots fire sucesfully gun is relatively safe, so have fun with it.

OR, just go shoot it to clear the chamber.

Hope this is of some help.
Joe

Assuming that it is similar to my old Benjamin, be sure to put some oil on the felt piston, that will really help with the air pressure thing. You should be able to swing the pump open, turn the weapon upside down (sights down), and see the piston thru either a slot or hole. Drip some gun oil on it, then pump it a few times to get the oil spread around...

Joseph13,
I guess I've left a lot of stuff out of this. I got the pellet and the CO2 cartridge out shortly after getting the rifle. I was afraid the CO2 cartridge may have rusted since it wouldn't slide out. I put a rare earth magnet on a stick and got the CO2 cartridge out, which was surprisingly pristine so I'm not sure why it stuck. It had long been empty, since it had been in there for 20 years minimum.

After searching my basement for 30 mintues trying to find the .22 kit that I have but is packed away since I don't have a .22 right now. I finally had some thin dowel stock and pushed the pellet out. The pellet is pristine also and was still "shiny" where it had been in contact with the gun. I ran a lightly oiled patch and several dry patches down the barrel and it looks good. The O-rings are what concern me. What I can see look OK, but we all know looks are deceiving with any kind of o-ring or gasket.

Also, it came with an almost full tin of 5mm pellets and a few CO2 cartridges. The pellets are great; the cartridges, who knows?

OldBaldGuy,
I don't know if this model has a felt piston. I can't see anything that looks like felt at all. Maybe because yours was a pump? I don't know.



I just need to visit where I'm from and I have plenty of safe and legal places to try it out. I'll report back to this thread after I do.

"...I don't know if this model has a felt piston. I can't see anything that looks like felt at all. Maybe because yours was a pump? I don't know..."

Nope, brainfart on my part, I didn't know/forgot that yours was CO2 powered. Senior moment. Sorry...

Paul D.,

Pleas forgive me for for not asking if you had pryor firearms experience. I just reread my post and felt like my father had typed it, when I was about 9yrs old.

In reguards to the CO2 cartridge still in the gun. I left one of my pellet pistols in my room with a charged CO2 cartridge for about a year, patialy used CO2 had not completly bleed off, so I got a his as I removed it. Some models have a rubber or silicone seal near/around the puncture needle. Your CO2 cylinder could have stuck to this, or some forign material could have collected around the cylinder. But, on the bright side your gun sounds like it survived storage well.

A friend of mine found his faters pump-action .22 rimfire in his shed after the gun had been in a house fire and a leak in the roof near the gun, it was a sad sight. It took two weeks for us to remove the rust/scale and reblue the metal then refinish the weathered stock.

If memory serves me your gun can take an adapter for the CO2 rod and cartridge, should you want to use a larger tank.

Anyway, glad to hear everything looks o.k. with the new toy. Best wishes on a very enjoyable shooting trip.

Don't sweat it, either one of you guys. My first post was probably confusing because I wasn't really sure what to post about the thing. I didn't even know there was a .20/5mm pellet size until I got this thing. I've looked at a lot of nice (well expensive and European anyway) air rifles, but could never see spending the money when I could buy something with a little more "bang for the buck."

I have an original Sheridan (pump) that's older than that. I had the Sheridan factory rebuild it for me in 1970 or 1971 (I obtained it used). It is an awesome little air rifle. I am more fond of it than my fancier spring guns. As you mention, too bad yours is not a pump.

Google it and you should find a fellow that specializes in these - I don't have the site on this computer. Plenty of info available on these.

The pump version, with some of that fellows modifications, is very well thought of by folks who actually use them long-term out in the boonies.

Tom