Top 5 Vintage Pumpers

[GumpIsrael]

Supergrade A
Bluestreak (hold down safety)
Crosman 102
Benjamin 312
Daisy 822

[45flint]

I think you have to place the Sheridan Super Grade A as the number 1 ever made.  The later Sporter B was a cheaper version to try to increase sales. That didn't work making it rarer but not better.  Both are so expensive as to take them out of a list of shooters to acquire, they are for a serious collector.  I had a chance several months ago to acquire a B but couldn't justify the expense.  Also a issue raised above, the reality of buying a vintage gun is brought home by the above example.  It needed a lot of work to bring it back to firing condition, then is the end product, the shooter that it was originally.  Most collectors are happy just to have them shoot.

[Yng@hrt]

Thanks Austin.

Point well take Steve. My decision to go with the Sporter as #1 was based solely on rarity but you bring up a good point. This is totally up to you folks. If this is the consensus we'll go with the Super Grade as #1 but I think more folks need to chime in.

As for the next in line after the Sheridan's, a lot of Crosman's are showing up to take that spot. So far we have the 101, 102, 110, & 140. Any thoughts guys on which one to go with?

[Yng@hrt]

I would also like to add that the Sheridan rating will be its own group on top. In other words we will have something like this;

1. Sheridan (Model A Super-Grade #1, Model B Sporter #2, & Pre-1990 #3) 

[Yng@hrt]

One more thing; I keep harping on the Kessler. I think we need to take a serious look at it. #2?

http://airgunenthusiast.weebly.com/kessler-air-rifle---buffalo-ny---msp--22-cal.html

http://cinedux.com/kessler-air-rifle.php

[45flint]

One more thing; I keep harping on the Kessler. I think we need to take a serious look at it. #2?

http://airgunenthusiast.weebly.com/kessler-air-rifle---buffalo-ny---msp--22-cal.html

http://cinedux.com/kessler-air-rifle.php

Reality is they are so rare few have ever held one in their hands.  One of the reasons the Blue Streak is so loved, it's a fine gun that everyone has held in their hands.  I could add the Crosman Town and Country but made for one year, it is rare enough few can even comment including me, though I want one.

There are really not that many people that have really experienced all these rare beasts.  Trevor Adams, DT Flecther?  It took them a lifetime. This actually makes the hobby so fascinating.

[TerryM]

  What Steve said.

  I have a Town & Country model 108 and it's a fine gun.  Shoots well but I don't consider it a favorite shooter.  I tend to treat it with kid gloves because of it's relative rarity.  I resealed it myself and do take it out and shoot it now and then.  Like most all my others, had to hang a scope on it...

[Yng@hrt]

I would have liked to of covered all the bases from the beginning but it’s a learn as we go sort of approach to this ranking of sorts. I shouldn’t have limited all these fine rifles to a top 5 list. I think we’ll increase that number to say the top 25; after all, the initial point in all of this was to give folks insight as to what to be on the lookout for. Having said that, I’ll have to respectfully disagree with rarity not playing a factor here. Rarity is a good thing & should be considered when ranking the top rifles if they are worthy of the top spots.
 
We can add as many to the list to make it fair, including the Crosman T&C. It’s a beautiful example of a vintage gun that should be on this list somewhere.

[WECSOG]

I guess I'll throw my dos centavos in.
Two on my list use pre-Y2K as the definition for vintage. That's because this is my list, and if I stuck to pre-'85 I would have to list only three.
Descending order:

No. 5: Crosman 120. This is the only one on my list that I don't own or have never owned. But I have owned a C180 (my first airgun in fact) and liked it. I would like to have a pumper from the same era, but I'm leery of the dump valve in the 140. Hence my choice of the 120.

No. 4: Racine ('78-up) Benji 342. The 342 with the 'Dan valve. The best is '84 which is the year I have, because it is drilled and tapped for the Williams peep while also having the slot for the 273 peep. Choices, choices.

No. 3: Rocker safety Sheridan Streaks. Later ones are drilled and tapped, but they also have the factory sight that is prone to barrel separation. That's ok though. Just get one that's not separated, then add the peep and lose the factory sight.

No. 2: Benji 392P, Racine production. The safety is different, but this is otherwise a .22 caliber Sheridan Streak. I like .20s, but I like .22s more. Plinking pellets are half the price of .20s, and the heaviest .22 pellets are more than double the weight of the heaviest .20 pellets. There are also many, many more pellet options in .22 caliber. This would be a super choice for an only MSP, and my top choice only edged it out for one reason.

No. 1: Very early cartridge valve Benji 392PA. The cartridge valve is the reason this one is my top choice. If not for that, the Racine 392P would be my top choice. With this one, it is easy to mod the valve for more performance. Spare valves are also cheap from Crosman, and are currently produced. These early 392PAs still have a nice walnut stock, adult proportioned like a Streak, and the actions are drilled and tapped. If you have one of these (and I do) you can add the Williams peep, do the valve mods, add Steroid pump components and nose cap, set back a rebuild kit and a spare valve, and stockpile many thousands of pellets and you will be set for life.

Of course you could do the same with a 392P or late 342, minus the spare valve. But to me, that removable/replaceable valve is worth consideration. 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Thanks WECSOG for mentioning the Benji 342.
Maybe I am a little bias but I was surprised it had not been mentioned yet, while the 312 was several times.
In the mid '70s when I bought mine. The Sporting Goods stores had two top of the line airguns on the shelf.
The Sheridan 'Steaks and the Benji 342. You could get Daisy and Crosmans almost anywhere here but a Gun Store carried the top two in my list.
I still want a nice 1400 some day.

Oh and Marty, a "Tootsie" is a description of the pump arm. Shaped with segments like a "Tootsie Roll".
While I do not know of a 312 that wasn't.... The early 342 had them as well then went to the slab side and then checkering.

[Yng@hrt]

I guess I'll throw my dos centavos in.
Two on my list use pre-Y2K as the definition for vintage. That's because this is my list, and if I stuck to pre-'85 I would have to list only three.
Descending order:

No. 5: Crosman 120. This is the only one on my list that I don't own or have never owned. But I have owned a C180 (my first airgun in fact) and liked it. I would like to have a pumper from the same era, but I'm leery of the dump valve in the 140. Hence my choice of the 120.

No. 4: Racine ('78-up) Benji 342. The 342 with the 'Dan valve. The best is '84 which is the year I have, because it is drilled and tapped for the Williams peep while also having the slot for the 273 peep. Choices, choices.

No. 3: Rocker safety Sheridan Streaks. Later ones are drilled and tapped, but they also have the factory sight that is prone to barrel separation. That's ok though. Just get one that's not separated, then add the peep and lose the factory sight.

No. 2: Benji 392P, Racine production. The safety is different, but this is otherwise a .22 caliber Sheridan Streak. I like .20s, but I like .22s more. Plinking pellets are half the price of .20s, and the heaviest .22 pellets are more than double the weight of the heaviest .20 pellets. There are also many, many more pellet options in .22 caliber. This would be a super choice for an only MSP, and my top choice only edged it out for one reason.

No. 1: Very early cartridge valve Benji 392PA. The cartridge valve is the reason this one is my top choice. If not for that, the Racine 392P would be my top choice. With this one, it is easy to mod the valve for more performance. Spare valves are also cheap from Crosman, and are currently produced. These early 392PAs still have a nice walnut stock, adult proportioned like a Streak, and the actions are drilled and tapped. If you have one of these (and I do) you can add the Williams peep, do the valve mods, add Steroid pump components and nose cap, set back a rebuild kit and a spare valve, and stockpile many thousands of pellets and you will be set for life.

Of course you could do the same with a 392P or late 342, minus the spare valve. But to me, that removable/replaceable valve is worth consideration.

That's the best dos centavos I've seen in a long time.

Can you please post pix of your #4, 2, & 1?

Thanks

[Yng@hrt]

Oh and Marty, a "Tootsie" is a description of the pump arm. Shaped with segments like a "Tootsie Roll".
While I do not know of a 312 that wasn't.... The early 342 had them as well then went to the slab side and then checkering.

I gathered as much on the TR but didn't know about the earlier models.

Are there other completely different models with this same pump arm that use this same term?

[WECSOG]

I guess I'll throw my dos centavos in.
Two on my list use pre-Y2K as the definition for vintage. That's because this is my list, and if I stuck to pre-'85 I would have to list only three.
Descending order:

No. 5: Crosman 120. This is the only one on my list that I don't own or have never owned. But I have owned a C180 (my first airgun in fact) and liked it. I would like to have a pumper from the same era, but I'm leery of the dump valve in the 140. Hence my choice of the 120.

No. 4: Racine ('78-up) Benji 342. The 342 with the 'Dan valve. The best is '84 which is the year I have, because it is drilled and tapped for the Williams peep while also having the slot for the 273 peep. Choices, choices.

No. 3: Rocker safety Sheridan Streaks. Later ones are drilled and tapped, but they also have the factory sight that is prone to barrel separation. That's ok though. Just get one that's not separated, then add the peep and lose the factory sight.

No. 2: Benji 392P, Racine production. The safety is different, but this is otherwise a .22 caliber Sheridan Streak. I like .20s, but I like .22s more. Plinking pellets are half the price of .20s, and the heaviest .22 pellets are more than double the weight of the heaviest .20 pellets. There are also many, many more pellet options in .22 caliber. This would be a super choice for an only MSP, and my top choice only edged it out for one reason.

No. 1: Very early cartridge valve Benji 392PA. The cartridge valve is the reason this one is my top choice. If not for that, the Racine 392P would be my top choice. With this one, it is easy to mod the valve for more performance. Spare valves are also cheap from Crosman, and are currently produced. These early 392PAs still have a nice walnut stock, adult proportioned like a Streak, and the actions are drilled and tapped. If you have one of these (and I do) you can add the Williams peep, do the valve mods, add Steroid pump components and nose cap, set back a rebuild kit and a spare valve, and stockpile many thousands of pellets and you will be set for life.

Of course you could do the same with a 392P or late 342, minus the spare valve. But to me, that removable/replaceable valve is worth consideration.

That's the best dos centavos I've seen in a long time.

Can you please post pix of your #4, 2, & 1?

Thanks

Sure! Give me a bit. I'll edit this post.

[WECSOG]

I changed my mind about editing the previous post. Might have something to do with the fact that the edit link didn't load.

So here they are. Top to bottom: 2000 Benji 392PA, '92 392P, '77 Blue Streak (got it from Scott Decker), late ('87?) Blue Streak, '84 342, and not mentioned in my post but included anyway, '68 342 with Tootsie Roll pump handle.



Here's a closer view of the two 392s and the '77 Blue:



You will hear lots of negative comments about the Crosman-made 392PAs. Mostly from people who have never even owned one. But look at that 392PA on top. It has the nicest stock of any of the airguns pictured. It also shoots as well as any of them, and better than a couple of them. That's not to say that you will have the same good luck if you find one and buy it. You might get a piece of junk. But you might get a piece of junk if you buy an older Benjamin or Sheridan, too. Both of my 342s, for example, have been challenging to get to shoot properly.

Speaking of the 342s, you might not be able to see them well in the photo but both wear No. 273 peep sights.

[45flint]

Very cool!

[39M]

The Streaks, Sharp Ace, and Modded 13xx's.

[Yng@hrt]

Bare with me guys. I'll try to get them all posted up like these so we (or I) can reference them later. If anyone has pix of those mentioned w/o pix please post, like the Sharp Ace etc... thanks 39M.

Talk about eye candy. I'm foaming at the mouth.

Steve's beautiful Crosman 102 is up top.

[45flint]

Been posting on my new 101 1949 Crosman, this one is ready to take on those streakers! Lol

[Yng@hrt]

By the way, none of these pix (above or below) are in any particular order.

[Yng@hrt]

I changed my mind about editing the previous post. Might have something to do with the fact that the edit link didn't load.

So here they are. Top to bottom: 2000 Benji 392PA, '92 392P, '77 Blue Streak (got it from Scott Decker), late ('87?) Blue Streak, '84 342, and not mentioned in my post but included anyway, '68 342 with Tootsie Roll pump handle.



Here's a closer view of the two 392s and the '77 Blue:



You will hear lots of negative comments about the Crosman-made 392PAs. Mostly from people who have never even owned one. But look at that 392PA on top. It has the nicest stock of any of the airguns pictured. It also shoots as well as any of them, and better than a couple of them. That's not to say that you will have the same good luck if you find one and buy it. You might get a piece of junk. But you might get a piece of junk if you buy an older Benjamin or Sheridan, too. Both of my 342s, for example, have been challenging to get to shoot properly.

Speaking of the 342s, you might not be able to see them well in the photo but both wear No. 273 peep sights.

Your collection is over the top Tracy. Thanks for sharing!