Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Chrono results from some 5mms....

Over the last 30 years I've ended up with a few of the older Sheridan 5mm/.20 caliber air guns. Have never had the time to sit down and chrono all of them at once till a little time became available today.

In addition to 6 rifles, I have the results from a friend's gun, two handguns and a Beeman R9.

Although I have several different pellets, I've decided that the Sheridan rifles will only be fed Benjamin-Sheridan Cylindrical pellets. This makes logistics and sighting in very simple. These pellets are the cheapest on the market and shoot as well as any match pellet I've tried in these guns. They also have a better BC and only one pellet, the Silver Arrow has a better SD (not counting the 25 grain RWS that is).

Three of the seven guns have been to MAC1 Airguns and had the full steroid and billet pumphandle modifications.

Stock guns:

#1 I built this gun for my friend and 40 year shooting partner about three years ago. Unfortunately he only got to shoot it once before he died. This gun was made in 1972 and was in mint condition. The Bushnell 2.5 Phantom Pistol Scope, base and Sheridan Intermount were added as a birthday present...





Velocities with standard B-S 14.3 grain pellet:

Pumps:
2/350
3/425
4/475
5/511
6/547
7/580
8/606

These readings were when I built the gun and didn't try 9 or 10 pumps.


Next is one of mine...a 1987:

2/360
3/430
4/380
5/520
6/555
7/585
8/610
9/645
10/647

Notice this gun has a 9 pump limit before the air bleeds off. This was the first gun tested today and each "pump" was tested three times. Shot to shot variations were less than 5 fps...most in the 3 fps range. I didn't waste the effort on the rest of the guns as past chrono sessions have proven that Sheridans have a very very low Standard Deviation.


Next is another Blue Streak made in 1986:

2/349
3/409
4/458
5/487
6/517
7/541
8/563
9/583
10/595-594-587



Next is a very old Silver Streak made in 1968..it is also fast...

2/357
3/426
4/481
5/520
6/561
7/595
8/623
9/640
10/664-658-659

The three test pumps for the 10s were for a reason. I wanted to see if heating up the reservoir would cause a variance in velocity. Velocity #1 and #2 were shot first and the 2-3-4- shot and then a final #10...and there was no difference.



The next three guns have been modified by Mac1 Airguns..up to 14 pumps can be put in...and after 10 it takes some effort..

First gun was the second Sheridan I bought....the first one was a Silver Streak that had a barrel/air reservoir separation due probably over tightening of an Intermount.

This gun was made in 1964...I only ran 10 pumps in it today...

2/388
3/464
4/522
5/562
6/600
7/623
8/646
9/664
10/684

Somewhere around I have a chrono sheet for this gun up to 14 pumps....

Next is a 1985...

2/371
3/458
4/516
5/565
6/594
7/641
8/666
9/701
10/714-716



And another 1985...

2/377
3/456
4/512
5/556
6/593
7/616
8/647
9/670
10/685-691-686

When I first got this gun back from MAC1 (and was much younger) I did the full 14 pump testing:

Crossman Premier 14.3 grain (the Premier will run just a little faster than the Cylindical as it has less bearing surface):

1/245
2/385
3/462
4/525
5/573
6/607
7/647
8/673
9/699
10/724
11/741
12/755
13/765
14/775

Beeman Silver Bear HP 9.88 grains

1/313
2/463
3/542
4/582
5/655
6/669
7/724
8/763
9/780
10/801
11/816
12/836
13/848
14/864


Beeman Crow Magnum HP 12.8 grains

1/246
2/400
3/482
4/545
5/590
6/629
7/661
8/686
9/711
10/731
11/742
12/760
13/774
14/785


Top and bottom guns are the 1985 Steroided guns. Middle is the old Silver Streak.




Bob

A couple of years ago I did some chrono/accuracy testing with the same 1985 Steroided gun and was set up with the same type pistol scope as my friend's.

10 meters 6 pumps:



Sheridan Diablo: 666/669/670 8/720





The old original Sheridan Ashcan 14.3 gr.: 587/579/575





New Cylindrical 14.3 gr.: 597/596/596 8/644





Silver Bear 9.88 gr.: 681/682/679 8/731





Crow Magnum HP 12.8 gr.: 610/615/613 8/660





Silver Jet (very very hard to find and expensive): 647/647/649 8/700

[img]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Aiirguns/Sheridans072607014.jpg[/img]




Original Ashcans bumped up to 8 pumps: 632/627/627/624/628
These work better the faster they go but still are the most inaccurate .20 pellet going...

[img]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Aiirguns/Sheridans072607018.jpg[/img]



In the other 1985 Steroided gun:

Sheridan Diablo (Almost the same as the new Crossman Premier):

3/525
4/585
5/640
6/675
7/710
8/740
9/770
10/795

RWS 25 grain...a REAL heavy:

8/530/537
10/582/583/584



Bob

These are two Sheridan Model H Pneumatic Pistols...








..and its Carbine Companion...





The stock is from a Sheridan Paintball Gun...



10m accuracy with the handgun is very good...

[img]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Aiirguns/Sheridans072607022.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b77/RJM52/Aiirguns/Sheridans072607023.jpg[/img]

When chronoing the Carbine today the target was about 25' away and had several .41 bullet holes in the backer. Most of the pellets went through the bullet hole I was aiming at.

Velocity with the pistol using the 14.3 grain Cylindrical:

8/397/393/399/400/398

9/414

10/421

With 9.88 Silver Bear:

8/487/487

10/517/516


Carbine with 14.3 Cylindrical:

6/345
7/361
8/383
9/398
10/409


Fun shooters and may be just powerful enough with the right pellet to take a rabbit or squirrel if close...

Bob

..and the R9... Always wanted a Springer in 5mm and when this used one was priced right a local shop I bought it. It is VERY accurate and unlike the Sheridans, very easily scoped.

R9/Sheridan Pistol-Carbine/Standard Dan



Chrono results:

B-S Cylindrical 14.3: 652/626/637/659/643

Crow Magnum 12.8: 700/697/701/700/697

Silver Arrow 15.5: 611/612/606

Silver Ace 11.44: 701/704/706

Silver Sting 10.53: 756-757-761

Silver Bear 9.88: 819/816/817



The following is a chart from one of the websites on the R9/HW95..

http://www.straightshooters.com/ourtake/ottestr9.html

The gun is "advertised" at 830 fps but that is going to be a 8.9 grain Laser pellet...

I am hoping to get a AirForce Condor sometime soon...they will crack 1100+ fps with .20s...and maybe one day a Beeman Hw77K Carbine....

But the Sheridans are true "sleepers". Most can be found in excellent condition in the $90-150.00 range... This one on GunBroker is a 1979...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=234604999

....and the wood is usually beautiful....





And for $150.00 MAC1 will do a full Steroid and Billet pumphandle modification....if you want the power that is...

http://www.mac1airgun.com/steriodags.html



Bob

I have one from the early '60s that I got in '63 at age 12. It is still going strong except that the bolt is real floppy. Is there a way to tighten it? It is loose in the verticle motion and not the lateral. Thanks
Pete

The Silver Streak above is the same way...looks like an easy fix..get a new O-ring seal on the bolt... I noticed the SS had some air blowby when fired. In looking at the other bolts it became quickly apparent that the SS O-ring was smaller than the rest.

That should lock the gun up more solidly...

Bob

More time this morning so I decided to zero and get the dropps on the R9 from 10-50 with the B-S Cyindrical pellet. Used just the sitting position not from a bench.

The gun was already zeroed at 25 and the first shots from there went into a 1" black patch. So I moved up to 10 then 15 the 20 then 30 and if the crosshair was in the patch when the gun went off then the patch was hit. I did notice it was just a hair right most of the time. At 10 yards I shot at a bullet hole and all the shots were just a little right.

At 35 yards the group was .25" low and still right so I moved the POI left, and it was a little too far. I went out to 40 and moved the group right little by little till they were right even vertically with the patch. At 40 yards the group was now 1.25" low so 10 clicks elevation was dialed in which was about two clicks too much.

At 45 yards 10 clicks shot .25" low.

At 50 yards +10 clicks impacted 3.5" low so 20 more clicks were added for a total of 30 over the 25 yard zero. This proved a little too high so it was reduced to 20 over "0". This put the group .5" high right at the top of the diamond.

Groups:

Top left: 15-20-25

Top left just to the right of the patch was the 10 yard group.

Top right: 30 yards

Bottom left: 35 yards

Center bottom: 40 yards

Right bottom: 45 yards

Upper target: 50 yards. Low group was first three shots with the 10 clicks of elevation. Top group of 2 with 30 and the four just above the patch were with 20.



Scope is the no longer made Bushnell Sportview .22/Airgun Scope. It was replaced in the Bushnell line by the Simmons .22 Mag. 3-9AO. Inexpensive scope that holds up well on springers... Mount is a B-Square and Weaver Low rings..




My back yard is 35 yards from the deck to the woods. Longest shot diagonally would be around 55 yards. If the 20 clicks are left dialed in most anything shot at in the back yard should be hit. 20 clicks at 25 yards is only 1" high....

Bob

ps...when I was shooting the top right patch a chipmunk came out and sat on the pallet just to the right of the patch...he was right in my field of view through the scope for a good five minutes...

My sheridan is a SS. Where would I find a source for parts? Thanks for the chrono stuff, I've often wondered what kind of velocity these guns produced.
pete

The website for MAC1 is above or call Benjamin/Sheridan/Crossman...I am sure both have the seal.

You can also try here...

http://ujays.net/ab-pnr.html

Bob

Did some more shooting this morning with the R9. It is a lasered 39 yards from where I sit just inside the sliding door to the can I have suspended at the end of the yard. There is nothing for almost a mile behind me...







This morning I put up a small three gong swinger target and started shooting with the 20 clicks dialed in. First shot missed so I dialed 5 down and the next shot hit right on top of the disc. So I dialed 5 more down and all the shots were on the disc but a little left. Came 4 clicks right and it is right on the money. Took one shot at the small center disc and hit it on the right side...all of this is from the sitting position. A friend came over and he hit the left gong...




Then I put up some of my favorite long range targets...shotgun shells.



First round put one right in the center....







This rifle is too easy to shoot.... Bob

Bob, glad to see you have alot of time on your hands.....as well as lead

Gee we think alike.....41s.....5mms....

I have an R9 in 20 and it loves CPs, the 14.3s go around 670-680 IIRC and will shoot one tight hole for 5 at 25 when held well. Crow Mags were about as accurate but faster...since lighter. Have shot birds and squirrels to around 70 yds, nice thumper.

Noticed you too employ clear 35 mm can's for pells. I have some w/5mm CPs, as well as 'lites' and 'heavies' for my sons R9 blue/laminate .177.

Nice collection there...always drooled over the silver streaks as a boy......though never had one. Always thought the 'F' models would be fun....although slow if not w/a dual C02 conversion by Mac or similar.

Nice report and pics - thanks for sharing.

Very nice report.

I sold a Sheridan C-series to a memeber here a few years back. Might have been to RJM, but I don't remember for sure. The rifle without the buttplate looks kinda familiar.

I have a whole pile of these old Early to mid 60's sheridans. There was a Gun shop closing down where I used to live. The owner was in some big trouble for something? He had them on his "used rack" so I asked what he wanted for one of them, I think there were 9 or 10. He said "gimmie 200 bucks you can have them all". So I took them all. I still have most of them too. Every one works and shoot perfectly. I refinished the best and the oldest ones. Here are some of the pictures.



These three all shot 650-700 plus fps with JSB pellets. The one in the middle I've had since I was ten years old. It's killed 1000 small game animals heck maybe 10x that many and that does not count the thousands of other things that tried to hide for one second longer then they should have!



There is absolutely no question or doubt that the Sheridan Air rifle is what trained me to shoot as I do today. Pumping 9 times for a single shot made you concentrate and practice extreme trigger control. To this day some of the practices formed in my mind using the sheridan are so much a part of how I handle firearms and shoot. My 9yo son can also now pump a Sheridan 9 times and shoots just as I did as a kid.

I doubt he appreciates that the rifle he shooting is 48 years old!

Montana...nope, I got all my Sheridans locally.... Big shop down the road usually sells them for $80-100.00.... I think I paid $85 for my friend's gun...

JJ...never heard the story about all the Dans...that is great. I love that early hooked sight Sheridan put on the early Dans...ony one of mine has that...an first year after the rocker safety came out 1964... have you ever taken one to Africa??

Several of mine need refinishing and that is in progress...but slowly... The Silver Streak is next...and will polish out the barrel and action. Won't have a lot of time till after the 27th to "play" again....

Bob

JJ,
Which JSB pellets are you using in your guns and what peep sights are on your guns? I suppose your son is terrorizing the ground squirrels around your place as well as starlings.
pete

What starlings, ground squirrels? they used to live here in the old days. He has a red dot scope. I wish I could get him to turn it off when he's done. That thing goes through batteries.

It's the standard Sheridan peep, not sure the brand?

The JSBs are called exacts I think they look like the Crossman Premiers kinda.

The peepsight is a Willaiams 5D and I think it can still be had from Brownells. 5D-SH #962-150-790

Here are the pellets... Pyramid Air has them for less but there website is sometimes hard to pull up...

http://www.straightshooters.com/jsb/jpjsbexact.html

From the tests on 5mm pellets I have seen, one of the best is the Beeman FTS...

Bob

Bob and JJ - who needs to lift weights when you pump that much 'air' LOL. I wonder how accurate my R9 would be w/peep given design - barrel cocking, though they seem to lock up tight.

I don't see why accuracy should suffer much....

Here is a nice Dan for sale....

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=234956876


Bob

Picked up a couple of Dans over the last year that had not been shot or chronoed so while out doing some extensive tests on a new AirForce Condor SS took the new BSs along.







Someone shortened the butt slightly on this one...



In looking at the plate again it is incorrect...there are only three holes above the one hole group. so 4-5-6-7-8 all went in that one hole...distance was 10 yards.





Sighted both guns in after doing the chrono work with 6 pumps. The extreme spreads for the 4-5 shots it took to sight each gun in was less than 7 fps. Velocities were always right around their initial reported velocity. Both guns were shot with the standard 14.3 grain Benjamin Cylindrical pellet.

Bob