Sheridan Blue Streak 1972 , vintage , question

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

Thanks Tom for the info. The sight is attached as you describe and it is a rocker safety model. Approximately what year was this rifle mfg. Thanks. Pat

Without other info it's difficult to pin down. The rocker safety production began in 1963 (beware of my memory!) and I don't recall when it ended but it must have been in the '80s or early '90s. The rear sight retention system on your gun came into use @ 1971. Serial numbering began in April of 1972. Based on the latter 2 dates and your statement that your gun wears no serial # I'd guess it as 1971 or early 1972.

 

[denali]

I am thinking or buying a hw30s or the beeman r7, from what I read they are pretty much the same rifle. the hw at $299 or the r7 at 399. Also was thinking of topping it with a centerpoint 3-9x 40 scope. Any suggestions or opinions Thanks, Pat

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

I am thinking or buying a hw30s or the beeman r7, from what I read they are pretty much the same rifle. the hw at $299 or the r7 at 399. Also was thinking of topping it with a centerpoint 3-9x 40 scope. Any suggestions or opinions Thanks, Pat

It's a 25 yard gun----put the Williams Sport Aperture peepsight on it and never look back! If you have a vision problem for which you must compensate with an optical sighting system then you do what you must, but putting high-power optics on a short range gun is superfluous otherwise!

"Back in the day" when Beeman was THE standard of excellence I think the extra $ for the R-7 in preference to the HW-30 was justified. But Marksman bought Beeman and prostituted it while the HW-30 has just continued to get better. Your call. IIRC the R-7 still uses the Rekord trigger group which has long been the standard of excellence but I understand from the 'net airgun airgun fora that the HW trigger is now very tunable.

 

[denali]

Thanks Tom for the quick reply, I take it for what you are saying and I respect your opinion that the hw30 would be the better buy. I do however need a scope since my eyes just dont focus on open sights anymore. Maybe a less powerful scope would be ok since I wont be shooting anymoree than 30=35 yds anyway. I like the less powerful gun, dont need a mag. And the hw has a lot less cocking effort. Thanks. ps. I know of no one in my area into air guns, so this is the only way for me to get advice form people that know, Thanks again.

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

I do however need a scope since my eyes just dont focus on open sights anymore.

OK---fair enough----eyes get dimmer as we age. BUT----here's a thought------At 70 it's been many years since open sights were much more than a vague blur for me, but a peep aperture serves as a lens (remember 'pinhole' cameras a boy could make in magazines?) that reduces the number of blurs up front to a single well defined front sight blade. So most of us can STILL shoot with a peepsight long after open irons become little more than a vaguely recalled rumor. :wink: So---just for the heckuvit---pick up something with a peep on it and take a look.

 

[denali]

Ok Tom, I am with you on the peeps. I use one on a civil war muzzle loader and it shoots pretty good. The Sheridan I have I picked up at a flea market for 40.00. However the o ring on the bolt is onlt half there. How do you replace that. As far as air guns go I am not an avid shooter but do like to play with them in the back yard. I also own an rws model 34 with a BSA scope. 2-7x 32. I shoot a nice group and then for whatever reason they just start to walk all over. cant figure why. Maybe you can help. Thanks Pat

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

Ok Tom, I am with you on the peeps. I use one on a civil war muzzle loader and it shoots pretty good. The Sheridan I have I picked up at a flea market for 40.00. However the o ring on the bolt is onlt half there. How do you replace that. As far as air guns go I am not an avid shooter but do like to play with them in the back yard. I also own an rws model 34 with a BSA scope. 2-7x 32. I shoot a nice group and then for whatever reason they just start to walk all over. cant figure why. Maybe you can help. Thanks Pat

You'll have to pull the bolt to change the o-ring. Probably have to get it from Ron Sauls (see early part of this thread). To remove the bolt you'll have to remove the 2 screws holding the bolt adjustment ramp inside the breech on the LH side of the breech behind the loading trough. Once you have that out of the way you'll be able to see the tiny hex head bolt that secures the bolt. If you have a set of tiny hexhead screwdrivers you'll be able to remove it without any problem. Short that then you'll need to pick up a screw with an allen wrench type head that will fit over the bolt screw properly to make your special tool. IIRC the OD of the head was slightly too large to fit into the hole and I had to chuck it into drill press or lathe to grind it down a bit. Once the bolt is out remove the bolt from the rear of the breech sloooooowly over an old towel or cloth to prevent loss of the tiny spring, and in some instances microscopic ballbearing, that rides between spring and the inner surface of the breech. Once that step is accomplished you're home free if you have one of the tiny o-rings to hand.

In the case of the wandering groups I always suspect shooter problems. Search back thru this board or on the 'net for instructions on the right way to hold a spring piston gun. It's only critical!

 

[srma63]

I have a Sheridan Products Inc. "Blue Streak" 5m/m Cal air rifle. I bought it at a flea market in Truckee, CA in 1982, and it was "old" then. I guess it must be a "C" model Sheridan, but from what I've read elsewhere it doesn't seem to meet all characteristics. For example, it does not have a "machined aluminum" receiver, rather it is either copper of bronze. The barrel is not "ribbed or vented", but it doesn't have a "monte carlo" stock, although the wood is "nice". The rear leaf sight is held to the barrel tube by a compression clamp. The barrel, pump tube and receiver all seem to be made of copper or bronze (someone removed nearly all the original black paint. The safety is the "rocker type". The front "tube plug" and the piece behind the receiver, which also has the rocker safety, seem to be made of aluminum or other non-ferrous material, but not bronze. There is no serial number, but there is some kind of code stamped into the receiver right at the breach opening that reads D1791G, with the D being much larger than the 1791G. So, what do I have here, please?

 

[Kayak Jack]

Sounds similar to a .177 Sheridan I had about 60 years ago.

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

I have a Sheridan Products Inc. "Blue Streak" 5m/m Cal air rifle. I bought it at a flea market in Truckee, CA in 1982, and it was "old" then. I guess it must be a "C" model Sheridan, but from what I've read elsewhere it doesn't seem to meet all characteristics. For example, it does not have a "machined aluminum" receiver, rather it is either copper of bronze. The barrel is not "ribbed or vented", but it doesn't have a "monte carlo" stock, although the wood is "nice". The rear leaf sight is held to the barrel tube by a compression clamp. The barrel, pump tube and receiver all seem to be made of copper or bronze (someone removed nearly all the original black paint. The safety is the "rocker type". The front "tube plug" and the piece behind the receiver, which also has the rocker safety, seem to be made of aluminum or other non-ferrous material, but not bronze. There is no serial number, but there is some kind of code stamped into the receiver right at the breach opening that reads D1791G, with the D being much larger than the 1791G. So, what do I have here, please?

Sorry to be late to the party. Chuck re-did my password for me but I still couldn't make it work for several days. All fixed now----I hope! I'm better with airguns than computers. :?

"---it does not have a "machined aluminum" receiver, rather it is either copper of bronze. The barrel is not "ribbed or vented", but it doesn't have a "monte carlo" stock, although the wood is "nice".>

That is a description of the earlier---highly collectable---and expensive models A & B which preceded the Model C that you have.

"I bought it at a flea market in Truckee, CA in 1982, and it was "old" then."

Not really----the Model C went to the rocker safety in '63 so yours had to have been less than 20 years old when you acquired it.

"There is no serial number, but there is some kind of code stamped into the receiver right at the breach opening that reads 1791G,----So, what do I have here, please?"

Read that # backwards to get the date of production. Yours was built in 1971 so it was less than 10 years old when you got it.
HTH, Tom

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

Sounds similar to a .177 Sheridan I had about 60 years ago.

Your memory is getting faulty Jack! Sheridans have NEVER been made in anything other than. 20 caliber. Period!

 

[Kayak Jack]

Hell, Ron - my memory's getting better as I age. I didn't used to remember anything; now, I can remember my name and where I live. Maybe my Sheridan was a Crossman. Some of those manufacturers couldn't spell their names very well. :wink: