When was the last “Sheridan” Streak made?

[45flint]

Sheridan holds an endearing place in the hearts of American airgun collectors, the Streak being its long running classic. I ask the question when was the last “Sheridan” Streak was made because the answer is not as straight forward as one would think.  Below are the serial numbers of all the Streaks made after Benjamin bought Sheridan after the owner died. Some would say the real “Sheridans” stopped at that point?  But does buying the company end the making of the genuine Sheridan rifle? 

“ In 1977, the Benjamin company, which also manufactured air rifles, acquired Sheridan after Ed Wackerhagen’s death. Benjamin management ran the Sheridan from afar until 1982, when Benjamin closed its plant in St. Louis and merged the two businesses in a new plant on Chicory Road in Racine.”

I would contend that genuine “Sheridans” were continuing to be made at the same plant by the same people until 1982 when Benjamin moved all production to a new plant in Racine.

After that they continued to make the Sheridan with few changes see serial number list.  Are these really Benjamin made Sheridans and not genuine “Sheridans” at this point?  That is a tuffer call.  Thoughts?

[xcalibur]

The Sheridan C9 series is still a fine rifle in my opinion, but the walnut stocks were replaced with beech ones in the middle of 2003, making them less attractive. The largest letdown, however, was the 2010 discontinuation of the nickel models. That's the "Magpie" in me talking. LOL
Sadly the last year for Sheridan production was 2012.

[JPSAXNC]

I would think that the real Sheridan's ended with the transition guns that had the machined trigger groups with the push/pull saftey.

[20cal]

These 1990 production rifles are the last of the evolution of the Sheridan Streaks as designed by SHERIDAN Products Inc.

[45flint]

These 1990 production rifles are the last of the evolution of the Sheridan Streaks as designed by SHERIDAN Products Inc.

Fasinating from one that would know.  Thanks for that.  “As designed by Sheridan” but would you consider them made by Sheridan.  My question is when do you consider that the rifles are no longer made by Sheridan?  My thought is that the purchase of an entity does not necessarily end that entity if they leave it alone and retain everything including the name? The sale was predicated by the death of the owner?  This happens all the time in business, they go forward but the profits go to the new owner.

[20cal]

They were made by SHERIDAN Products Inc. until being sold to Benjamin in 1977. Then they were made by Benjamin under the Benjamin/Sheridan name until discontinued in 1990. The C-Series Streaks (as they were designated by Benjamin) were then replaced with the C9-Series Streaks in 1991. The C9-Series is a Benjamin design with some features of the previous C-Series such as the sights and .20 cal. chambering.

[xcalibur]

These 1990 production rifles are the last of the evolution of the Sheridan Streaks as designed by SHERIDAN Products Inc.

Those are two fine examples UJ. You don't see many of the 1990 Sheridans.

Something to note, is that they stopped stamping "SilverStreak" or "BlueStreak" on the tubes when manufacturing moved to Bloomfield in '94. However, I'm not sure if there wasn't still some production going on in Racine even into early 1995. Mostly "Racine, WI" stamped F9, and 39XG CO2 models with '94 and '95 date codes.

[45flint]

These 1990 production rifles are the last of the evolution of the Sheridan Streaks as designed by SHERIDAN Products Inc.

Those are two fine examples UJ. You don't see many of the 1990 Sheridans.

Something to note, is that they stopped stamping "SilverStreak" or "BlueStreak" on the tubes when manufacturing moved to Bloomfield in '94. However, I'm not sure if there wasn't still some production going on in Racine even into early 1995. Mostly "Racine, WI" stamped F9, and 39XG CO2 models with '94 and '95 date codes.

Could they been using parts they shipped to Bloomfield?

[Back_Roads]

 I consider mine the last of a good thing

[SpringerGuy]

Steve

Similair situation - to Benjamin /Sheriden, the Daisy/ Crosman.  Do you think Daisy will leave Crosman alone as an entity or probably not.  We will see soon.

[xcalibur]

These 1990 production rifles are the last of the evolution of the Sheridan Streaks as designed by SHERIDAN Products Inc.

Those are two fine examples UJ. You don't see many of the 1990 Sheridans.

Something to note, is that they stopped stamping "SilverStreak" or "BlueStreak" on the tubes when manufacturing moved to Bloomfield in '94. However, I'm not sure if there wasn't still some production going on in Racine even into early 1995. Mostly "Racine, WI" stamped F9, and 39XG CO2 models with '94 and '95 date codes.

Could they been using parts they shipped to Bloomfield?

That would be the logical thought, in that the serials were added later to existing tubes already having an origin stamp. Attached are a couple F9 examples with Racine stamps and '95 serial numbers. At that time, the serials were "peen dot," so it's difficult to determine whether the metal was finished before or after. I should also mention that I have a Sheridan C handbook with the date code 7/92. You'll see that the warranty page has been removed. By then, the dedicated C9 handbooks were being printed as well.  Just things that make you go "huh."

[Habanero69er]

I consider mine the last of a good thing

James, my Blue Streak is real close to yours in manufacture date. #440098

[bantam5s]

These 1990 production rifles are the last of the evolution of the Sheridan Streaks as designed by SHERIDAN Products Inc.

Beautiful examples.
My stance is that all the Racine C series guns are true sheridans up until the end, I don't really think of anything after that as a true Sheridan.
I'm not saying they were bad guns or anything,  just not true Sheridans, and not Sheridan's at all after the cast trigger group was introduced.

[bantam5s]

I just noticed that there was a " AIR HOLE DO NOT OIL " stamp and a double sear trigger introduced in 1979, I didn't know those 2 things existed and my '79 blue streak does not have them.
I guess that would mean my gun is probably made on the earlier end of '79 ?

[Back_Roads]

I consider mine the last of a good thing

James, my Blue Streak is real close to yours in manufacture date. #440098

Wow, as far as I know mine has never left Wisconsin LOL if that matters

[Flint]

These 1990 production rifles are the last of the evolution of the Sheridan Streaks as designed by SHERIDAN Products Inc.

Those are two fine examples UJ. You don't see many of the 1990 Sheridans.

Something to note, is that they stopped stamping "SilverStreak" or "BlueStreak" on the tubes when manufacturing moved to Bloomfield in '94. However, I'm not sure if there wasn't still some production going on in Racine even into early 1995. Mostly "Racine, WI" stamped F9, and 39XG CO2 models with '94 and '95 date codes.

Production endedin Racine in November 1993.  I found a racine newspaper article on the closing of the factory in racine.  Somewhere I might have the exact day in november when production ended.  they packed up and shipped all of the equipment to bloomfield NY and produciton resumed in NY in Jan or Feb 1994.  So, no, I'm pretty sure that no production continued in Racine in 1994. 

The guns that have 1994 or 1995 serial numbers were Old stock tubes that were made in racine but not used up before the move, and so got shipped over to NY and assembled and serial numbered there.  They were usually the CO2 guns because they sold so much more slowly that the old stock tubes didn't get used up very fast.