Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Six decades with the Sheridan

I have had mine a little over 50 years. Never had any trouble with it. I have killed a godawful number of squirrels with it. Bunnies, chucks, coons, chipmunks, crows, gophers a few feral cats. That damn thing has stood in the corner by the back door for forty odd years. It still works just as well as when I bought it. My current setter is right there as soon as I pump it once. I have never seen a dog who hates red squirrels with the passion she does. Grey squirrels she thinks ought to die too, but the reds she has a special thing for. She likes the Sheridan even more than I do, every time I pump it she knows another red squirrel is going to die. As gentle as setters are, I have learned that my fingers do not belong on her red squirrel until she says I can.

I still have my Benjamin that was bought in 1969 IIRC. I had it resealed for the second time about a year ago. It's still fun as hell to shoot.

Got my Sheridan SS in 1964, still have it and still use it.

I tried contacting Dennis via email on their website, never got a response!

Best way is to call and talk to him.

I have one that needs that done. Who do you send it to?

There is a place called Mac1 airguns. Check out their website. Also, JJ Hack knows a lot about sheridans. Im sure a pm to him would get you pointed in the right direction.

Mine is in it's 5th decade as well, only a Benjamin "Franklin" .22. I think I got mine for Christmas in '69 or '70. Both of my older cousins got Silver Streaks that same year and I can still remember shooting them together at my Grandparent's house over the holidays. I also remember them telling me how much better their guns were than mine! My dad simply told me to tell them that mine was a larger caliber and had more knock-down power for hunting. Boy did that start a little "mine is bigger than yours" debate among the young Johnson cousins!!!

Never owned a Sheridan but have always wanted one. My observation is that you don't see very many for sale in gun stores... same for old Benjamins or Crosmans for that matter. I always thought the Sheridans were pretty "futuristic" looking. Correct me if I am wrong, didn't they have a couple of plastic parts on them? I know my old Benjamin is pretty much all walnut and brass except for the seals, etc. I'll have to give my cousins a call and tell them their Sheridans were the "Tikkas" of their day!!! They would get a kick out of that... I think. With that said, I'd take one of those old "Tikka" air rifles any day!!!

Always wanted a 5mm as a kid, later in life, p/u an R9.......never disappointed. A thumper with 14.3 Premiers.

Yes, the original pellets were solid and penetrated great, pros/cons depending on application. Newer pellets improve the versatility.

Now slingshots (mostly a "Pocket Rocket")......I can tell you guys some stories! Heavy lead projectiles accounted for many DRT squirrels. Steel Ball bearings and marbles took care of various feathered varmints.

And a Feaux S&W 41 - aka Daisy 790G, tweaked with a little extra "Rod" to add power, that little thing was a tree squirrels worst nightmare....

Not to change the subject, but sling shots and wrist rockets are worthy of another thread!!!

I'd perfected their application well before getting my pellet gun. A neighbor, who was an avid trap and skeet shooter, gave us all of his old spent primers to shoot through ours. They flew straight, hit hard, and even "whistled" on their way in almost like a missle! I can't believe I never broke a window with one, at least that I know of! My first sling shot was carved from an old willow from my Grandfather's yard in So. Calif. (Inglewood) and utilized thick rubber bands and a pouch made from the tongue of an old leather shoe. I had it for years, then it turned up missing. I hope I find it someday for one of my Grandsons.

Back to Sheridans!

I've had a Crossman 766 for 45 years now, still holds air, never been rebuilt. I'll have to try that match trick. It's been deadly on the pigeons, ground squirrels and Asian doves of late.

I bought a break barrel "Ruger" pellet gun a few years back on sale at Bass Pro. It doesn't come close to the accuracy of the Crossman.

Lund- yes, dad shot ALOT of trap, and yes - those primers whistle

NVh - the Springers - can vibrate, and have a slower locktime, which can make them 'hold-sensitive"

A former RWS 34 was powerful, fairly accuracy, but very "rough in firing behaviore' - an FWB 124 and similar R9, will allow more precision often times simply due to a smoother firing cycle. Pumps, Co2 and compressed air do not have those issues, and often allow easy less sensitive precise shots to be made.

Years back, one airgun Guru, did conversions on the old Sheridan Co2, to a Dual cartridge, bumping up the power...just more trivia. Sure wished I had picked up several of both models in Silver back when they were made with more hand labor in Racine.

Did anyone ever put 2-3 BBs in the 760, was hell on birds at close range! could not tip the barrel down tho!

Mine you could, the bolt was magnetic.

so was mine but it would only hold 2 BBs the 3 one would roll out!

You guys just rekindled another good old memory!

I remember getting my hands on some old lead bird shot and "packaging"/twisting a small portion into a small (cleaning patch size) piece of Saran wrap and loading it into my .22 Benjamin... poor kids "air shotgun". I can't remember whether it accounted for any close range sparrows or not. It did "pattern" on cardboard though!

I can't even imagine being a kid today where you could not wander, explore, and experiment a little.

Yep, I'd load 3-4 in mine. With 10 pumps it still flung them pretty good. Mine musta had a stronger than average magnet as it would hold 3 against the bolt face even if you pointed it at the ground.

Where do you have these resealed? I was gifted an old worn out POS and was going to pitch it. But if they can be refurbished I would certainly do so.

Thanks tmitch.

It needs a new rear sight also. Should I just ship the whole thing or do you guys do this yourself?