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Thread: Behind the times, broke, or both.

  1. #1
    Boolit Master Hanshi's Avatar
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    Behind the times, broke, or both.

    Ever since my very early youth I've loved BB guns and pellet guns, probably like most of you. Somewhere around 1959-1960 I bought a Sheridan Blue Streak .20 caliber (5mm) single shot pellet rifle which in those days was like getting a Corvette for your first car. Starlings, squirrels, rabbits and more became well acquainted with the little rifle. I never actually tested it for accuracy using the open iron sights but it just always seemed accurate enough for my use.

    Eventually it reached the point where it wouldn't pump up, and I've been casually, from time to time, thinking of getting it repaired. Thing is I just don't quite know how to go about getting this accomplished; it's certainly not a job for your friendly neighborhood gunsmith. I don't hunt any longer having stopped around seven years ago due to health problems and, okay I'll say it, old age. The Sheridan was loyal and served me for many decades.

    Before she died years ago my mother gave me (young at heart, ya' know) a very inexpensive .177 pump rifle with a scope at Christmas. This is what I've been shooting for years. I used it to discourage squirrels from gnawing their way into our attic, it killed them pretty well. Plastic stock but fun to shoot and it's getting about time to run this one across my chronograph screens.

    Please forgive these ramblings of an old man but an old man still interested in air guns. Any replies, information, suggestions, corrections or complaints are welcome.
    Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    My wife has one of those from about the same vintage. A few years ago it also stopped working, I bought a repair kit and fixed it. I don't remember it being terribly difficult to do, there is one screw that needed a special tool to tighten it but that was advised to order along with the repair kit and I did. They are quite well made and a simple, robust design.
    I think this is the one I used -
    https://www.bakerairguns.com/product...n-c-seal-kits/

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I still play with BB guns and air rifles and I’m 40 now.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I still play with BB guns and air rifles and I’m 40 now.
    I’m almost 62 and I still play with them. Guess I’m still a kid at heart , I mean fun is fun !
    Keep your powder dry and watch your six !!

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub
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    I'm 76 and still shoot air guns. Break barrels and CO-2.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    One of my favorite sayings is that.

    A in 50 years your dog will die, probably several times.
    B Your truck will rust away, fall to pieces, blow up or become irreparable.
    C Your wife will probably leave you, die, or you'll wish she would.
    D But a drop of oil once a decade and your blue streak will still be there, still doing the same job it was designed to do.
    And doing it with style, grace, and panache'

    I bought mine in I think 72, and other than the small o-ring at the probe which pushes the pellet in not much has been touched.
    I did manage to lose a roll pin from the nose where the pump lever attaches. Replaced it with a small fine thread bolt and acorn nut.

    Mine is just as accurate and dependable as ever. If there is any fault anywhere it is with the operator and old eyes that are no longer fond of iron sights.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


    TNsailorman's Avatar
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    I haven't shot a primer fired anything in something like 4 or 5 years. I am not going to pay the price being demanded for primers right now and am hording the primers I have for the future. My brother got a Sheridan .20 pump air rifle about the time I went on active duty in the Navy in 1960. I shot it one day at about 20 yards in 1962 or so and I put 3 shots into a clover leaf hole at that distance. Two shot were overlapping and 1 shot was just so close to the other two that we had to look carefully to see any space between it and the other 2. He still has that little rifle and I think he still shoots it once in a while. james

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
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    73, rediscovered air guns about three years ago. I decided PCP guns were my best choice. Extreme accuracy, and no cocking effort. I now have four.

    No regrets.

    Get your gun repaired and have fun. There are air gun specialists who will get it refurbished
    Last edited by dverna; 05-16-2024 at 08:31 AM.
    Don Verna


  9. #9
    Boolit Master Baltimoreed's Avatar
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    Also have a Sheridan Blue Streak. Actually my second, the first got ripped off. Nice little rifle. Going to try to break my 12 year old granddaughter who appears to be .22 caliber gunshy. I also have a Webley Tempest that I need to play with but it’s got a broken grip that makes it harder to cock.
    Last edited by Baltimoreed; 05-15-2024 at 09:50 PM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I still play with BB guns and air rifles and I’m 40 now.
    I still play with BB guns and I'm 66 now.

    Of course, nowadays they tend to be PCP full auto jobs, but they are just upgraded toys.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 S&W Long, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 10mm, 44 Special 44 Magnum. .223, 7.62x39, 7.62 x 54R, .30-06, 45-70, .32, .36, .44. .45. .50. .54. .58 and .60 round ball and various minies. And .375 heel crimped conical for those .36 conversions . KB6MRP on Discord

  11. #11
    Boolit Master


    TNsailorman's Avatar
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    I have gone over to air guns almost completely right now and will continue to do so as long as this craziness in the reloading components continues. I have 2 BB rifles, 2 .17 pellet rifles, and one (so far) .17 caliber pistol. I am thinking about getting one of the new rifles that you charge on Sunday and shoot all week. Price will be the determining factor though. I will most likely go up in caliber if I buy one of those rifles though. It would be great if someone made an affordable air shotgun, one that used air and required no primer or powder. oh well, it may happen some day but at 82 years I might not be around to see it. james

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I am more than a little surprised that no one has pointed the OP to "Gateway to Airguns" as they have a dedicated Sheridan streak forum. And links to some very very good streak mechanics who are capable of not only rebuilding them. But can also add more power, speed, etc.

    The guy I'm thinking of is in Iowa but I can not remember his name.

    Just went to GTA, guy I was thinking of was Mac1, looks like he may be retired of suffering health issues.

    https://www.pyramydair.com/product/b...p-guns-w?a=624

    Should work on an early model Sheridan ie pre 1995.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master WRideout's Avatar
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    Yesterday after my ten year-old granddaughter and I were done with her homework, she asked if she could sometime shoot one of my guns. We went in the basement and I set up my "range" next to the washing machine. She had fun shooting my Crossman pellet pistol (the one my wife gave me for Christmas a few years ago.) She did wear earmuffs, though.

    As a child myself, I had one of those Christmas Story events when I actually received a Daisy BB gun for Christmas. Aaah, fond memories! I have had an air gun for the past thirty years and will never give it up.

    Wayne
    What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - or else it gives you a bad rash.
    Venison is free-range, organic, non-GMO and gluten-free

  14. #14
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Baker Airguns in Mt. Victory Ohio will make your air rifle shoot like it was new. I and several friends have had rifles repaired by them and they are top notch.

    Make it shoot again.

    Biggest problem with the Streaks, is pumping them when you get to social security age.

    Send it to them and let them work their magic.
    Last edited by 15meter; 05-17-2024 at 09:46 PM.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Coming up on 63 in October and I haven't quit yet. First was a Crosman M1 at about 9 years old, it is long gone but it was replaced and lives with another half dozen or so. Just bought a Seneca Dragonfly 22, too much internetting and it sucked me in. Still have not shot it, but probably finish this weekend. Removed the Chinese child labor fit issues in stock and working the front sight assembly. The thread adapter application in my eyes a big variable stressing the front end, so sight assembly off, cut back, new aluminum 10Mx1 ID 1/2-20 OD adapter was made and secured for the new 11 degree cut made to entire front end. Picked up two threaded LDC's (that still makes me chuckle) to play with, one aluminum monocore and one K baffle digital printed, we'll see. Look up the Dragonfly, the whole point is I am holding/fighting off on SS as long as possible and this thing is supposed to be 15 lbs effort from start to finish with some pretty good numbers out of the front end.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Interesting looking rifle. Be nice to be able to put a scope or red dot on the ol Streak. But since that is not happening this would be a viable option. Price is not bad either.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy 6string's Avatar
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    Love my Air Pistols!

    Air guns are great! I started shooting when I was 9 yrs old, through a junior small bore rifle program at my Dad's country club.
    He got me an air rifle so I could practice at home.
    What Fun! I could practice my target shooting, but could also simply have back yard or basement fun with it.
    A few years later, my brother bought a Webley air pistol, and we had tons of fun with that!
    But, the trigger and balance on the Webley was terrible.

    Fast forward.
    When I got serious about competitive Bullseye and International free pistol competition, I wanted an air pistol for at-home practice. That old Webley was not gonna do it! Fortunately, my local club had an air pistol league, and I dove into that! I did as much coaching as I did shooting, and had access to a first-class air pistol collection. These included Feinwerkbau, Steyr, Moroni, Walther, and Pardini air pistols. These are precision pistols as good or better tan any cartridge firing pistol. The prices on these range from $1500-2500. So, I was very lucky to get to use them. As luck would have it, I ended up becoming the guy who also had to take care of them!
    All in all, a great experience.
    Today, I really like the classic target air pistols. These run on CO2, spring piston, or single stroke pneumatic power.
    Attached are a couple photos of some favorites. They are shown with an offhand (one hand) target, 10 shots fired at 10 meters, the standard distance for Int'l air pistol. Admittedly these are amongst my better targets. But on any given day, they will stay within the 9 and 10 ring on the standard air target.
    These are shot in my basement range.
    They are also fun to shoot outdoors. Clay targets are a good target out to 30 yards or so, (which is really pushing it for an air pistol!).

    The FWB80 is spring piston powered. The Pardini uses bulk fill CO2 cylinders. Both these air pistols were amongst the elite pistols in their day.
    I think they're still great!

    Some guys mention the price of reloading components.
    I just ordered some H&N pellets from Pyramyd. They are running a sale, plus they offer "buy 3 get 1 free". Order over $150 worth, and you get free shipping. I ended up paying 0.77 cents a pellet.
    And, I save the lead from my pellet trap!!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails FWB80.jpg   PardiniK60.jpg  

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check