any pics of Blue Streak solder repairs?

[DanD]

Hi all,
I'd love to see pictures of your resoldered/repaired blue streaks, be they pro or diy.
I have a '74 Streak that has separation from the breach to the rear sight, and I'm trying to decide what way to go with it.
I've researched for days and found a lot of discussions, but no pictures of repaired blue streaks.
Thank you!

[fivestar45]

Well, I haven't soldered one. But I have had success fixing partial barrel/breech separations  by thoroughly cleaning/degreasing and then applying Loctite 380 Black Max under the breaks and clamping down for 24hrs. None of them have re separated.
However none of them have scopes mounted, and all have had the rear open sights removed and Williams peep's installed.

[bantam5s]

Tim Macmurray resoldered my blue streak for me back in December of 2016 apparently ( had to do a bit of digging because I couldn't remember the exact year )
He did an excellent job, you can really see the solder joint in the white spot where the black paint came off.
The paint he used is pretty durable for a paint, but it is still a paint and of course nothing is as good as the factory finish.
I'm not complaining though as it's probably about the best finish they could afford to be applying for free, as far as I know it was not factored into my bill.
Just the resolder ( cut some cost by disassembling and thoroughly cleaning/degreasing everything myself) and the $10 for the drill and tap.

[eeler1]

Soldering isn’t for the faint of heart.  And even though I’m not religious, I prayed hard every time I’ve done it.  The Sheridans usually separate near the rear site, people can disagree about why.  But it’s close enough to the compression chamber, which is itself soldered in place, and the valve parts, that overheating is a concern.  Best to pull everything out first, maybe use some kind of heat sink.  All of this to say send it to someone who’s done it.  That’s what I do now.  Mcmurray is probably the most experienced, but Bill Dunn in Nevada also does it, and others.

I don’t have a sheridan pic, but I’ll see if I have a Benji,.  They usually break at the front site.

[DanD]

Fivestar, I've been seriously considering trying the Loctite 380 on mine as it would keep the factory finish. Is it difficult to get a nice bead under the barrel? Does the 380 seal the transfer port well? When I lift my breach  I can see a short transfer tube that goes between the breach and air tube,  I assume I would paint the 380 liberally around that port but not so much as to run into the valve.
I test fired my gun with the tube and breach zip tied tight and still felt blow by coming out from somewhere and was only getting 560 fps on 8 pumps.

Thanks for the pic, David. The paint looks sort of like the 392P type finish - flatter than the Racine Sheridan finish, and not as glossy and as the late model guns. I like the idea of having Mac1 solder and steroid it even though I would almost never shoot it on more than 8 pumps except to be impressed by the chrony readout.  And that's another thing - lots of numbers for 392 steroids out there but almost none for C Series guns.

Jon, I wouldn't use this gun for my 1st try soldering.  My biggest concern is how the finish comes out. I talked to Mac1 and Bill Dunn. Tim didn't mention that he paints it.  Bill said he paints it similar to the late model painted guns. I wanted to see pics of how these guns come out.

I really liked the look of 57Sheridan's Caswell finished gun he posted yesterday.  Perhaps I should see if I can get a pro resolder, then send it to the Caswell master....or maybe I should just bite the bullet, order a bottle of Loctite 380 and pray it holds!

[Nvreloader]

Eeler1

Jon
By any chance do you have Bill Dunn's address, shop name for NV.
I found a OLD Sheridan (60's) that needs a reseal of the bbl at the chamber housing,
he wants $25.00 for it, just for parts etc.........
I would like to check his prices etc.

Thank you,
Don

[eeler1]

1st, buy it.  Any Sheridan is worth $25. You know you’ve spent more in worse ways.

Let me find Bills contact info and I’ll pm you.

[Nvreloader]

Thanks
Jon

Ya that is what I figured, just for the extra parts to have on hand..............
It may be close to my Old 60's model Dan etc.....
Don

[19Sheridan57]

   I would definitely buy it for that price & have it repaired, or restored.
  I have seen a couple of " home repairs " for the soldering , that did not look bad at all. You had to really look to see it.

[JoninMA]

I've had quite a few resoldered by Tim Schmidt, he did a beautiful job and the paint he used was very close to factory. In fact I sold them all with full disclosure of the repair, the buyers had to really look to notice. As far as I know he no longer does airgun repair, which is a shame since he's right over the border in Connecticut.

[fivestar45]

Fivestar, I've been seriously considering trying the Loctite 380 on mine as it would keep the factory finish. Is it difficult to get a nice bead under the barrel? Does the 380 seal the transfer port well? When I lift my breach  I can see a short transfer tube that goes between the breach and air tube,  I assume I would paint the 380 liberally around that port but not so much as to run into the valve.
I test fired my gun with the tube and breach zip tied tight and still felt blow by coming out from somewhere and was only getting 560 fps on 8 pumps.

Thanks for the pic, David. The paint looks sort of like the 392P type finish - flatter than the Racine Sheridan finish, and not as glossy and as the late model guns. I like the idea of having Mac1 solder and steroid it even though I would almost never shoot it on more than 8 pumps except to be impressed by the chrony readout.  And that's another thing - lots of numbers for 392 steroids out there but almost none for C Series guns.

Jon, I wouldn't use this gun for my 1st try soldering.  My biggest concern is how the finish comes out. I talked to Mac1 and Bill Dunn. Tim didn't mention that he paints it.  Bill said he paints it similar to the late model painted guns. I wanted to see pics of how these guns come out.

I really liked the look of 57Sheridan's Caswell finished gun he posted yesterday.  Perhaps I should see if I can get a pro resolder, then send it to the Caswell master....or maybe I should just bite the bullet, order a bottle of Loctite 380 and pray it holds!

Dan, I have little doubt that the 380 will seal the t/p...as long as you can get it All Around the port. The 380 is a special toughened CA glue, so you don't get much work time before it starts to set.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Glad to hear others recommending the Loctite 380!
I had excellent luck with it. It is a black CA glue that is impregnated with rubber so even though it dries hard, it isn't as brittle as regular "super glue".
It's thin but not "water thin" and a little goes a long way.
 Here is my repair on one of the 'streaks I have had...

[Hoosier Daddy]

I want to add, I built a few R/C models and have quite a bit of experience with CA glues.
 I even used the 380 Black Max to mount the Williams 5D-SH peep because that 'Streak wasn't drilled for one.
Held up fine for me, I sold it to another Member here and was honest on what I had done.
 I have not heard of it failing on him either.

[eeler1]

I’ve never used the 380 method, so no personal experience.  If people are happy with it, that’s great.  And maybe it will hold up over the decades.  Even if not, it looks like it would be easy enough to re-do.  Seems like a very user-friendly home remedy.

My only hesitation is that if a person ever wanted to go back to solder the joint like original, seems like the solder would be compromised by the 380 or residue thereof.  Three rules of soldering are ‘clean, clean, and clean’.   Is there a way to remove this stuff?  Acetone maybe, or something similar?

[RBQChicken]

You make a good point about whether you can clean it properly if you ever decide to re-solder it later.  Mac1 says if you glued the thing, do NOT send it to him for re-soldering later.  Something to think about.

[Hoosier Daddy]

True that... Contamination.from the glue would be very bad.

[TerryM]

Well, I haven't soldered one. But I have had success fixing partial barrel/breech separations  by thoroughly cleaning/degreasing and then applying Loctite 380 Black Max under the breaks and clamping down for 24hrs. None of them have re separated.
However none of them have scopes mounted, and all have had the rear open sights removed and Williams peep's installed.

I have a Crosman 114 that blows through the breech/tube joint when fired.  No separation, it just leaks there.  I'm going to try the Loctite 380 on it, have some coming.

[OTmachine]

I have a Crosman 114 that blows through the breech/tube joint when fired.  No separation, it just leaks there.  I'm going to try the Loctite 380 on it, have some coming.
[/quote]
Needs a close fit between surfaces.  Usually a maximum of about .003”.  Otherwise, some sort of filler material to bridge the gap.

[bantam5s]

Fivestar, I've been seriously considering trying the Loctite 380 on mine as it would keep the factory finish. Is it difficult to get a nice bead under the barrel? Does the 380 seal the transfer port well? When I lift my breach  I can see a short transfer tube that goes between the breach and air tube,  I assume I would paint the 380 liberally around that port but not so much as to run into the valve.
I test fired my gun with the tube and breach zip tied tight and still felt blow by coming out from somewhere and was only getting 560 fps on 8 pumps.

Thanks for the pic, David. The paint looks sort of like the 392P type finish - flatter than the Racine Sheridan finish, and not as glossy and as the late model guns. I like the idea of having Mac1 solder and steroid it even though I would almost never shoot it on more than 8 pumps except to be impressed by the chrony readout.  And that's another thing - lots of numbers for 392 steroids out there but almost none for C Series guns.

Jon, I wouldn't use this gun for my 1st try soldering.  My biggest concern is how the finish comes out. I talked to Mac1 and Bill Dunn. Tim didn't mention that he paints it.  Bill said he paints it similar to the late model painted guns. I wanted to see pics of how these guns come out.

I really liked the look of 57Sheridan's Caswell finished gun he posted yesterday.  Perhaps I should see if I can get a pro resolder, then send it to the Caswell master....or maybe I should just bite the bullet, order a bottle of Loctite 380 and pray it holds!

Being a '79 gun he was originally pretty matte , don't know when the switch occured from that nice gloss they used before but I do know it was still a plated finish.
Did Crosman ever use a plated black finish on the brass guns they made ?

[north country gal]

One option if you have a beater and aren't too worried about the looks is JB Weld. I used on a Sheridan that parted at the receiver and it's held up just fine for three years, now. Pretty it is not, but it works.