Author Topic: 392P for "Project" (Read 3474 times))

Hoosier Daddy · « **on:** August 24, 2016, 10:01:35 PM »

Member BobHumphrey and I have been PM'ing for a while on his old Benjamin Pumper. It was a hand-me-down old gun of his dads and we have been going back and forth for a while.
From his description I thought it was a 342 like the one from my youth I have been searching for. He was quite honest, broken stock, missing trigger guard and would not pump up. Too far out of his comfort zone to repair. But yet was torn on parting with it... until now.
Seems Bob has his eye on a newer gun and needed to thin the herd to pick up his new toy. Today I happened to be going to the "City" so he and I set a time. Bob had to leave before I got there but his Uncle Chris was my contact.
GREAT guy Chris is! We talked a bit, I made an offer, he countered and we met in the middle. DONE! well not quite. Chris invited me in to see some of their collection. They have a nice 40yd range where the can be inside and shoot out to the end of their property. Lined up was a collection of airguns, all newer but I don't think a single one was not modified in some way... These guts love to tinker!Pure function is what they are after but some were down right awesome with what they have dove for accuracy and stealthiness in the mid city.

OK , now the project. It a 392P... yep, total surprise. Serial number reads V106562. Has a picatinny rail mounted on the breech. Was said to be for a red-dot once upon a time. She's rough and I got my work cut out for me but she's all mine now! Hey, winter is coming up so I got plenty of time.
Once home, I gave it a dose of alcohol flush and then a bit of MMO down the tube and she is pumping and dumping almost all of 6 pumps so far. She is setting soaking for the night with 3 pumps in her and some fresh Pellgun oil.
Now the search for parts begins. Did I say THANKS Bob?!

bantam5s · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2016, 10:20:16 PM »

Quote from: Hoosier Daddy on August 24, 2016, 10:01:35 PM

Member BobHumphrey and I have been PM'ing for a while on his old Benjamin Pumper. It was a hand-me-down old gun of his dads and we have been going back and forth for a while.
From his description I thought it was a 342 like the one from my youth I have been searching for. He was quite honest, broken stock, missing trigger guard and would not pump up. Too far out of his comfort zone to repair. But yet was torn on parting with it... until now.
Seems Bob has his eye on a newer gun and needed to thin the herd to pick up his new toy. Today I happened to be going to the "City" so he and I set a time. Bob had to leave before I got there but his Uncle Chris was my contact.
GREAT guy Chris is! We talked a bit, I made an offer, he countered and we met in the middle. DONE! well not quite. Chris invited me in to see some of their collection. They have a nice 40yd range where the can be inside and shoot out to the end of their property. Lined up was a collection of airguns, all newer but I don't think a single one was not modified in some way... These guts love to tinker!Pure function is what they are after but some were down right awesome with what they have dove for accuracy and stealthiness in the mid city.

OK , now the project. It a 392P... yep, total surprise. Serial number reads V106562. Has a picatinny rail mounted on the breech. Was said to be for a red-dot once upon a time. She's rough and I got my work cut out for me but she's all mine now! Hey, winter is coming up so I got plenty of time.
Once home, I gave it a dose of alcohol flush and then a bit of MMO down the tube and she is pumping and dumping almost all of 6 pumps so far. She is setting soaking for the night with 3 pumps in her and some fresh Pellgun oil.
Now the search for parts begins. Did I say THANKS Bob?!

not as bad as I expected, but still a project gun none the less. Looks manageable though, I hope it all works out 👍

bbv13 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2016, 12:13:03 AM »

Ya know it looks rough but the forearm looks good and original so if the linkage is tight and it holds air it's not going to be all that bad. It may take awhile to find a stock if you want to replace it and the trigger guard probably isn't going to easy to find. The 392 isn't that old and there's not that many parts guns because most of them are still functional. You can try all the usual folks that sell parts and see what happens? I've seen a lot of airguns being parted out on ebay so you may find what you need there and Gunbroker may also be worth a look.

Bryan

Rob112o · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2016, 01:41:23 AM »

Owwww, a "P" model! I'm so jealous. She will have a soldered valve. Trigger very easy to improve. Replace the spring behind the trigger that's sleeved inside the silver cap. That area where the trigger and silver cap contact. Sand and polish that area up a bit as well. You can also do the same where the trigger holds the hammer back when cocked.

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2016, 07:59:29 PM »

Forearm is in nice condition, and the stock has very nice grain. too bad its broke. But the Owner did do a good job on the repair with screws and filler to make it a shooter again.
This one is now shooting strong. I removed the picatinny rail in order to test it's accuracy with open sights... dead-on at 25 yards with 6 pumps...wow!
Starting to wonder what I have as far as date wise. Have done a bit of searching and all hits take me to the Crosman Benji date code page. No "P" models or serial numbers starting with "V***" listed. Seems they track the 392 back to may of 95 and that's a PA.

Rob112o · « **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2016, 08:21:54 PM »

It's probably early 95. My 397P was dated May 95 had the P style trigger, soldered valve, and no trigger housing. My 96 397PA has p style trigger cartridge valve. My 99 397PA is a newer style gun with cartridge valve and trigger housing. Now, my older 397P marked Racine WI serial starts with an I I'm guessing is pre 95 maybe 93-94?

BobbyHumphrey · « **Reply #6 on:** August 25, 2016, 10:09:05 PM »

Hey guys, Chris here. I really had a good time talking with HoosierDaddy yesterday. Would love to have kept that gun for myself but I know it is in good hands. I have a feeling it will be a good shooter. That was the first time I met up with a member and it was cool. I could have talked for hours. I was told I should get an account of my own so I can share with everyone my modest input in case it might help someone else. Don't know what I could add to all the great info I see on here but it would be fun.

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2016, 06:51:14 AM »

Hey Chis, Thanks for chiming in!
Was great meeting you as well, If you do register, send me a PM so I know it's you!
Thanks again for this project gun, make sure you tell Bob I am enjoying it.

Airhunter177 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2016, 04:46:43 PM »

I'm also jealous! I'd love to have a 392p but they're just not available. Great find on a great gun.

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2016, 06:18:14 PM »

I am now wondering what I bought back in the late '70's talking '77-'79.... after I found this place 40 years later, I am wondering if it was a 342 or one of these... It really looks/feels like what I had.... "dang" weak brain cells.
But if the "P" model was in fact left over parts from the acquisition it all make sense. The unbuilt 342 parts became 392P and PA's once the dust settled.

bbv13 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2016, 06:35:02 PM »

If it was the 70's it had to be a 342. The big difference between 70's model 342 and 392 is the small seal on the bolt. The 342's are metal to metal except for possibly the last variant made in the 80's and early 90's just before the 392.

Bryan

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2016, 09:29:21 PM »

Never did remember the o-ring seal... so that may sum it up

Flint · « **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2016, 12:03:15 PM »

In regards to your date question:

All 392/7P (or C9,H9,E9, 392/7G) guns with a racine address were built between feb. 1991 and Nov. 1993. zero exceptions. starting jan 1994, manufacturing resumed in NY and they all received crosmans 9 digit serial numbers

A gun with your serial number would definitely have a racine address on the right side. I am curious though whether the name stamp on the right receiver of your gun says Benjamin Air Rifle Co. OR Benjamin Sheridan Corp. please let me know if you don't mind. somewhere around serial number 100000 (+/- a few thousand), they made the switch to Benjamin Sheridan Corp.

Since I know that serial number 063xxx dates to mid/late 1992, and I know that the final serial numbers for late 1993 were in the 164xxx range - your gun being between those, would likely date to early 1993

Your gun likely would have received the heavier trigger spring, which makes the trigger pull pretty stiff. My 1992 gun has a very light trigger spring. My 1993 gun HAD a very stiff trigger spring. I replaced it with a shortened click pen spring and now its great.

Best of luck with your project!

Flint · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2016, 12:07:35 PM »

oops, sorry. hadn't seen your response to my request thread yet. got to this one first. Thanks!!

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2016, 03:27:35 PM »

Thanks for the info Billy. And as you saw over on your thread it reads...
BENJAMIN AIR RIFLE CO
RACINE WI 53403 USA

Knowing early '93 is close enough for me. That means I now own a 312 from before '57, this 392 from '93, and my newest from 2015. If I ever do find a 342 from the mid '70s, that means I'd have one from every 20 year span. Kinda cool.
Going to back and edit my previous post, I see now the date chart I was looking at with beer goggles specifically say's "Rifle Models 340-342-347"

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #15 on:** August 30, 2016, 12:50:54 PM »

Update from last night.
When I started searching for a replacement stock I PM'ed the usual hero's here and in a nutshell they all pretty much said "Good Luck".

Well, apparently that is just what I had. An ebay search yielded nothing at first but when I broadened my search I found a listing for a 397P without a stock, but the rest of the gun looked in great shape.
On a stretch I sent him a message asking if he also had the stock, knowing some guys part out stuff getting more for the sum of the parts.
He actually replied YES! He said ebay won't let him sell complete airguns so he removes the stock. Couple of messages later and he sent pics and an asking price of $25 that I accepted. He sent a request for funds through paypal and I paid this morning before leaving for work.

Rob112o · « **Reply #16 on:** August 30, 2016, 02:43:56 PM »

Nice, good ole eBay sometimes. Looks a little dark, but looks in great condition. Now, it looks like your stock will be darker than the forearm. Getting wood darker is a bit less work than trying to get it lighter.

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2016, 03:02:02 PM »

yes, it does look darker. Once it gets here I can compare side by side. My pump handle still has a nice finish, but yes, easier to made it darker. Matching might be tough unless I strip and stain both.
But then my pic was taken out in the direct sunlight, his looks like it was indoors.
My cell phone camera stinks as do my photography skills... I bet both of his are better!

Hoosier Daddy · « **Reply #18 on:** September 06, 2016, 01:46:04 PM »

Got the stock in and mounted. Color match to the forearm is actually better than the original!
This one is in much better shape than I expected. Gloss level is higher but I can live with that for now.

Also this one has some beautiful grain as well. While it may not be the original, all in all its a vast improvement.
Please excuse my crappy cell phone pics. Not too bad of a 392P now for $70 all in (so far).

tennx · « **Reply #19 on:** September 06, 2016, 01:54:15 PM »

Looks great...when I see guns like yours ...I'm really torn between leaving my(bought new) 94 nickel 397P with mismatching wood alone or refinish it..... good luck

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392P for "Project"

Author Topic: 392P for "Project" (Read 3474 times))