Pumpers

[Teach]

Hello Everyone,

I'm wanting to once again buy a pump up airgun to be used occasionally for pest and vermin control on the property. I had a Benjamin Sheridan Silver Streak in .22 and quite liked it.

Of all of the multi pump pneumatics out there now a days, is there a general consensus as to what company is making the best now in .177 and or .22 calibers?

[GP2004]

I would say to get a used Sheridan. The new pumpers that I looked at don't compare to an old Sheridan that is still in good shape. However a new 397 or 392 will cost less than a nice condition Sheridan.

[bantam5s]

I think that the general consensus is that the the Daisy 880 is a little better as is than the crosman 2100, but overall the crosman 13xx as a base platform is the best of all current production pumpers.
The best thing you could ever do is get a vintage non crosman Sheridan streak, it may not necessarily be the best but every pumper fan should have one.

Next time you have a little spare cash you should get a a 2100 and an 880 and just find out for yourself whch one is better.
( I prefer the looks and feel of the 2100+ my 880 and model 35 didn't last long at all )

[Teach]

I guess it was more than 20 years ago that I got my Benjamin Sheridan Silver Streak. I still have it be it is in Canada and I'm in Mexico needing some shooting irons. At some point I'll be able to bring them down here with me but thats in the future and right now I have nothing to shoot.

I had a 1377 and 1322 and honestly I hated both of them. They were really cheap stuff that I owned for less than a week before returning them to the retailer. They might be ok as an entry level pistol but nah......not for me. Not enough power and the effort to even get them up to max velocity was to great a trade off for mediocrity. I'm not big into air pistols tho I have had some nice ones but the 13XX were not among them.

The Silverstreak was a nice little rifle with acceptable for performance for back yard plinking and vermin control albeit a little loud. Still it would be just what I need now living here in Mexico. I have read a lot of negative posts on the new 397 and 392 Crosman Sheridans that I kind of expect bad things before even actually ordering one. Hence my post here. I don't remember Winchester even being in the airgun game 20 years ago. But they do have a multi pump unit now. Ruger also (pump unknown) and then there are the Chinese entries. I'm at a bit of a loss as to where to turn my attentions.

Bantam, you mentioned the 2100 and 880......are they Crosman? Never mind I found them. Can a person really expect anything other than disappointment in a rifle under 65 bucks, with the Daisy being 39 bucks? I have never considered them more than a first rifle for a young girl or boy much less anything I would buy for myself. Have I been wrong in this assumption? They could be fun.........but I'm thinking the money spent on them would be better spent on rifles of higher quality and reputation. Yes/No?

[jward681]

Personally I own 2 bluestreaks, an 880, a few 760s, a benji 347&397pa(both need seals) and a crosman era "SilverStreak"....out of them all, the blues are my favs and while they need seals, the benjis are next on the list. The overall build quality of pre-Crosman guns is something you feel eminating from the rifle.

If my memory serves, '96/'97 were the last years of the benji/sheridans before crosman took over. I hope someone corrects me if I'm wrong.  Searching local classifieds(or areas u have friends that could go look at them) and hunting the 'Net for one of these would be the route I'd go. 

As far as the 2100 or 880 or 760 they are great guns and have potential to be even better however I personally would pass on them in efforts to find a classic. There's just something about those plastic stocks that looses some appeal to me and like you makes me think of them as a beginning gun for young shooters. Matter of fact my 880 was my first airgun received as a Christmas present when I was 10.....still have it and she still shoots but rarely sees daylight as I've got the Blues to satisfy my pumper needs....

[Methuselah]

Try you a Daisy 901 

[Onebaddj]

Cant go wrong with a 1377 or old school 880. 1377 can be modded to what ever you want but an ol steel reviever 880 will last forever with no mods.

[bantam5s]

Benjamin bought Sheridan in '77, then crosman bought Benjamin in around '90.


As far as the 2100 ( you can get wood furniture for the 2100 ) and 880 are concerned, they're both pretty accurate guns that are easy to shoot.
You really have to learn to appreciate them for what they are and the fun you can have with them.

You may think of them as being for little kids, but they have full length stocks and are relatively rugged for the price.

[JerryinWI]

I find myself shooting pumpers more and more just because the ease of using them. Don't have to worry about how you are holding them and with variable power can shoot short or longer ranges. My Daisy 901 that I have had for 5 or 6 years or maybe longer I can't remember , is a tack driver at 25 yards with 8 pumps and with 10 pumps and 1 mil-dot I can hit soup cans all day at 50 yards. I have a Benjamin 392, a super modded 1322 and 1377 and a old 760 that I bought over 25 years ago with a rifled barrel and all of them guns have been trouble free and very accurate. The 2100 that I had only lasted about a year and got bored of tearing it down and fixing the transfer port because it had a habit of blowing out.

[Teach]

I came across this that looks like it has no rear sight. Can anyone tell me what it is?http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-609308586-rifle-benjamin-franklin-cal-55mm-_JM

Bantam, I appreciated your comment about appreciating these guns for what they are. Good point. They may not be the finest things out there but they still have entertainment value. I've never owned a BB gun, I never thought they had enough power for pest control so I always overlooked them. But I have scenarios here where critters are eating the plants that I want for garden seeds and they can be within 5 yards. The power level being adjustable for closer ranges seems ideal for the task and minimise the chance of the pellet leaving my yard.

How do the new rifles from Daisy pumpers compare to those of Crosman pumpers?

[Teach]

Onebaddj and JeryinWI, you guys have mentioned the 13xx models as being good yet the factory models I had really struck me as cheap toys more than airguns. Yet you say they can be modded up into good shooters. I'm curious what can be done to them to make them into "non toys" so to speak?

Are these mods user doable? Parts replacements needed?

[JerryinWI]

I wish I could figure out how to post pics from my I Pad so I could show you. On my 1322 I put a 12 inch barrel on it, a flat top piston and valve, extended bolt probe and the transfer port mod and a stronger hammer spring and of course a metal breech. I put a stock on it and a scope with mil-dots so I can shoot out to 50 yards. It also wears a TKO. With  RWS Superdomes it is my favorite pumper for pest control and small game hunting. Very light to carry in the woods. On 10 pumps it gets 530 fps and that puts it at 9.05 ft/lbs of energy and according to Dr. Beeman it only takes 2.81 ft/lbs of energy to takeout a squirrel.

[grimeszee]

Have you checked out the Webley Rebel yet? AOA  has them for $116.95

[Rob112o]

There is a post on the AA classifieds with several Streaks and couple Crosman. I'd give the dude a call up and get one of them bad boys. I can't vouch for the seller myself haven't done any transactions with him. Have you looked on our classifieds?
   Im also selling a Blue Streak and a 397p. Haven't listed the 397p yet. I know "Sheri57dan" usually has a streak for sale. He posts up on the CL every now and then.

[Teach]

Have you checked out the Webley Rebel yet? AOA  has them for $116.95

Looks like good value but like most dealers in the USA, AOA won't ship to Mexico. Arrrg

[longhunter]

Have you checked out the Webley Rebel yet? AOA  has them for $116.95

Looks like good value but like most dealers in the USA, AOA won't ship to Mexico. Arrrg

I recall hearing that parts are a no go,  as well.

[JerryinWI]

I emailed AOA last week and they said they no longer had the rebel in sock.

[Teach]

The best thing you could ever do is get a vintage non crosman Sheridan streak, it may not necessarily be the best but every pumper fan should have one.
quote]

If my memory serves me, the Streaks were all .20 caliber which here in Mexico is hard to find. I'm looking for an older Sheridan as you suggested and have found a couple but whether or not the owner will ship to Mexico is yet to be determined.

I ordered a Red Rider just for fun lol as I've never owned a bb gun and along with that a new 880. Figured I'd save the rifling in the 880 for pellets only this way. I'll have some fun with them and maybe sell them later after I've had my fun with them.......or not. I came across a nice Benjamin Franklin in .22 so we'll see how the owner feels about shipping to Mexico. Fingers X'd.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Onebaddj and JeryinWI, you guys have mentioned the 13xx models as being good yet the factory models I had really struck me as cheap toys more than airguns. Yet you say they can be modded up into good shooters. I'm curious what can be done to them to make them into "non toys" so to speak?

Are these mods user doable? Parts replacements needed?

Ian, I went with the 13XX platform for just that reason. There are so many here on GTA if you do a search... and more Youtube videos than you can shake a stick at!

[fritzalee]

Here is my 2 cents worth, a used Crosman 140/1400 sells for around $100.00, the AA classified has a few listed. I have two 1400's one with and one with out the bolt, they are self cocking like the Sheridan, much lighter and you can tune the trigger to a lighter pull, Mine shoot over 600 fps on 6 pumps with CPH pellets, and with my 76 year  old eyes i can spin a 1" target at 20 yds, or keep a tight group at 25M. Plenty of power for a pumper and they are all steel.