Years ago when looking around a local salvage/antique shop I spotted an old Daisy Red Ryder priced at $10. I knew it wasn't the early model because the burnt in image was on the left side instead of the right side. It was in good condition but very gummed up so I got it figuring it might shoot okay after a good oiling up.
Well it didn't respond to WD40 at all so I just hung it on the wall and more or less forgot about it.
I had recently found that regular medicinal grade mineral oil helped free up my multi pump rifles and pistols so I liberally applied the same to the Red Ryder and was pleased to find it shooting harder with every shot till it started giving a respectable if still rather low velocity, perhaps 300 fps but probably less. These were never built to be barn burners to begin with.
Looked this ones features up in a Daisy collector guide PDF and found it was made in the late 70's, about 1977. There's no plastic except for a white nylon insert in the lever. There's no band on the fore end nor any sign it ever had one. It has basically the original old style mechanism and since none of the screws were over tightened which is common on recent replicas I figure it was hand assembled by skilled workmen.
I wouldn't mind a bit more velocity, but at short range it puts the BBs where you aim it in a fairly close grouping with no flyers.
No where near the gun my old model 25 or the Crosman M1 carbine were, but it brings back memories.
All in all I think it was a reasonable investment.
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