New Acquisition: (1953?) Benjamin Franklin Model 342 in .22 caliber [Help me ID]

[HCAirgunner]

Bought it at a gun show for $87.50. The dealer said it was from his personal collection, and that he bought it for his grandson in the early 1970's, but that it is a 1953 model. I have no way to confirm this, because the date is nowhere on the gun.

The serial number is (D?)  6 X X X 3 (Not posting the full number, for obvious reasons.)

Can someone help me ID the year for certain?

Also, if I want to have this gun restored and steroided, who should I send it to?

Is that little missing plate hard to replace? What is the function of the missing plate?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Bullit]

The Crosman site will tell you what year it is.  It's probly late 60s or later.
Here's a quicky you can look at, and go from there:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_age_of_a_Benjamin_Franklin_Model_342_air_rifle

[bbv13]

That's a nice find and I think you did okay on it. I have found that it's a lot of fun to buy these old guns and bring them back to life. The plate is for access to remove the bolt. There are folks out there that repair these old guns and you should be able to find one to replace it.

What is the obvious reason for not posting the serial number?

Bryan

[HCAirgunner]

I have heard of scams where people find a serial number, report it stolen, and then tell the police that they found it on the internet.

Not sure if that is urban myth or not. But why take a chance?

(By the way, I trust you guys---but you don't have to be a registered member to just lurk and read.)

[bbv13]

They would have to want a 342 really bad to go through all that.

Google benjamin dates of manufacture.

It looks like it was manufactured sometime around 1969 or 70.

Bryan

[MDriskill]

The 340-series guns came out in 1967 or 68 I believe (340 = BB, 342 = 22, 347 = .177), replacing the earlier 310-312-317 that had been the main models since WW2.  The "tootsie roll" pump handle is evidence yours is an early 342, the 340-series went to the clunky-looking squared-up one, with Monte Carlo butt and stamped checkering, after a couple years.

Santa brought me a tootsie-roll 347 in 1968.  I still have it, and it still works great!

[HCAirgunner]

Well, according to the Crosman website, 342s began production in 1968, so it is definitely not from the 50s.

I think the letter on the serial number looks like a D, but if I am wrong, and it is actually a T, then yes, the serial number would place its date of manufacture as 1970.

And you know what? The age doesn't concern me nearly as much as the fact that this baby was made in the USA. And it's made with all metal and wood parts, no plastic.

Being made in 1970 means that it's one year younger than me; which definitely makes it a vintage piece, since (at least in the airgunning internet community) a vintage airgun is generally defined as being manufactured "Pre-1980."

So I am still very happy to have this gun.

Now: I have recently discovered from talking to a few people here and there that the only Benjamins that can be steroided are the ones with Sheridan internals, i.e., circa 1977 and forward. Thus, mine cannot be so.

So, the next thing I want to do is restore the gun to "like-new" condition; I want to have the seals checked, the metal cleaned and polished, the internals cleaned and lubed, and the stock possibly refinished.

Who should I talk to about this? What kind of money does a restoration like that cost?

[geewhiz380]

HCAirgunner ,i also have a 342.22 with tootsie roll arm and they are very accurate ags out to 25yds.....never tried anything futher  from 1969 my numbers start with a letter (T) five numbers 4xxx4and from what i see it was 1969 .....I was told by a professional tuner the earlier model like yours and mine could not be steriod and if im not mistaken the steriod ones are and could be done from the 1978 and above but not actually sure ..however pm me so i could give u some info ... jorge

[Habanero69er]

I got an email today from Mac1 saying '77 & later CAN be Steroided.

[HCAirgunner]

I got an email today from Mac1 saying '77 & later CAN be Steroided.

You must have mis-read my post; I said exactly that.

The reason mine cannot be steroided is because it is circa 1970, i.e., 7 years EARLIER than the models which can be modified.