I finally scored a Sheridan E co2 pistol

[bantam5s]

I got an email on this one with 30 minutes left and threw in a max bid of $175 expecting it to shoot way up , but I had to at least try.

Somehow I had actually won which I did not expect, and I even  for less than my max bid too which was even more surprising.
$155 plus tax and shipping for a grand total of $187,I'd love to have spent less but that $155 sale price is the lowest I've seen for any Sheridan E or H , Benjamin 23x, or Crosman  Benjamin Sheridan EB or H pistol in a couple years.
I only mention prices because I think that's important to encourage other not to give up in today's world of " what are they smoking " Ebay prices.

Here's the sellers pictures.




The pawn shop selling it listed it according to the late production Crosman box they received it in,  but it's clearly a Racine Sheridan E which is awesome.

[eeler1]

Cool gun at a reasonable price, I'd say you did good.

[bantam5s]

Cool gun at a reasonable price, I'd say you did good.

I am too happy to contain myself really.
I've wanted one for so long, but with the astronomical prices I've been seeing the past couple years I was ready to accept the fact that I'd likely never get one or would have to settle for a complete basket case.
There was one with the rear sigh missing and front sight chopped off that was selling for about this price.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Lucky Dawg... you done good!
Congrats!

[bantam5s]

Lucky Dawg... you done good!
Congrats!

I almost didn't bid because I was thinking if they put Sheridan grips on a Crosman EB22 what else might be replaced/ refinished...etc, not that I even expected to win it. Thankfully I took another look realizing it was actually an original Sheridan E in the wrong box and in in excellent original condition to boot.

I really can't believe it went this cheap, but it looks like we were all just trying to score it as cheap as possible.
It started at $.01 and took 14 bids to get up to just $124, in the last 30 minutes there were only 5 more where it ended at $155 with 19 total bids ( and 1 retracted bid, didn't know you could do that )
I expected a little bit of a bidding war in the last minute like the H pistol I missed out on last week, but that didn't happen.

[threesuns]

The auction site can be funny like that. Glad you won and that fine pistol will be well taken care of.

[brewbear]

Congratulations on a beautiful pistol. I bought one a while back on the bay, it said missing part. I got it for less than $100, it was missing the side plate. A short trip to our Mike Baker and it came back in fine shooting shape (he also rebuilt it while he had it). I also lucked out on a wire stock so now it is complete

[bantam5s]

Congratulations on a beautiful pistol. I bought one a while back on the bay, it said missing part. I got it for less than $100, it was missing the side plate. A short trip to our Mike Baker and it came back in fine shooting shape (he also rebuilt it while he had it). I also lucked out on a wire stock so now it is complete

Sounds like you wound up with a good deal all said and done.
I've always thought those stocks were cool, but in the end I like the Sheridan and the Benjamin pistols as pistols, and it's only the Crosman 13xx that I find myself wanting to put a stock on.

[bantam5s]

Well it wasted no time getting here all the way from Georgia,  and the condition is every bit as good as expected.

It's a little dirty, but that's about it.
I didn't expect it to function,  and as expected it needs seals which I promptly ordered from JGAIRGUNS.
I put a cartridge in it and it acted like there aren't any seals in it at all.

The serial number seems to suggest 1980, but I'm not sure if they were making these that early were they ?

I thought they came out mid 80's but I could be wrong.

[bantam5s]

I think somebody had this pistol apart and put it back together wrong.

The front frame screw was loose when I got it which isn't exactly a good sign,  but also I think it may be missing a washer in the co2 cap.
I don't see one on the parts diagram ,but Eeler1 / northwest airguns has a video on an E which has a washer.
It sure seems like a washer is missing because the cap screws all the way down with a cartridge still loose, that would definately explain why it doesn't even try to seal.

Now I need to figure out if my pistol is missing a washer and of course how thick that washer is supposed to be.

[oldair]

The E pistols started in 1991.  The diagram (link below) actually seems to show a 'lock washer' between cartridge-pushing block and the cap itself, but this is likely pretty thin.  If you're missing the face seal that may explain the "cap screws down with a cartridge still loose" that you describe.  Take it apart and see what's up.
https://support.crosman.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/201668294/E9-EVP___PL.pdf

Don R.

[bantam5s]

The E pistols started in 1991.  The diagram (link below) actually seems to show a 'lock washer' between cartridge-pushing block and the cap itself, but this is likely pretty thin.  If you're missing the face seal that may explain the "cap screws down with a cartridge still loose" that you describe.  Take it apart and see what's up.
https://support.crosman.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/201668294/E9-EVP___PL.pdf

Don R.

The original E series Sheridan pistols started in 1977 if the info I found is correct.
I know my " E SERIES " pistol has a 1980 serial number and JGAIRGUNS has a 1981 parts diagram available.
The E9 series pistols would be the ones that were introduced in 1991, I don't think there were E or H series Benjamin pistols ( 177 & 22 ) before that.

Btw the seal is there on my pistol, it may be hard but I don't think that's enough to allow the cap to screw all the way down on a cartridge that can still move back and forth.
Also in the Northwest airguns video I watched, the pistol he worked on had a washer that looked to be about as thick as a penny if not a little thicker.
That pistol was a Pre '91 E series like mine, not the E9 series.


I don't know where that post went, but I found this other parts diagram which depicts the washer.
This seems to be a diagram for the transitional guns or something though because it's for the E20, E17, and E22.
If I'm not mistaken there were just the Sheridan E / EB pistols before that.

[KWK]

Lucky Dawg... you done good!
Congrats!

I almost didn't bid because I was thinking if they put Sheridan grips on a Crosman EB22 what else might be replaced/ refinished...etc, not that I even expected to win it. Thankfully I took another look realizing it was actually an original Sheridan E in the wrong box and in in excellent original condition to boot.

I really can't believe it went this cheap, but it looks like we were all just trying to score it as cheap as possible.
It started at $.01 and took 14 bids to get up to just $124, in the last 30 minutes there were only 5 more where it ended at $155 with 19 total bids ( and 1 retracted bid, didn't know you could do that )
I expected a little bit of a bidding war in the last minute like the H pistol I missed out on last week, but that didn't happen.

"( and 1 retracted bid, didn't know you could do that )"     Certain people will place a very high max bid to reveal the previous HIGHEST MAX BID and then retract their bid. If the max bid was too high you can move on and forget about it. I don't do it but evidently it's allowed.

[bantam5s]

Apparently a previous owner had been able to get into the gun without damaging any of the screw heads in any way, but then fall on their face when it came to the internals.

Somebody had definitely been inside this gun before.
I found this lead seal in the valve , in the condition you see here.

There was a black rubber seal that wasn't really in there right.

And the chamber sleeve was chewed up inside.



I still don't know if it's supposed to have a washer in the cap, but when I get the seals delivered and install them I'll figure out if it seems to need one then go from there.

[bantam5s]

The E now has some clothes to wear.

[eeler1]

Wow, gotta wonder how the sleeve got chewed up like that?  Anyway, I have an E similar to yours, Ser# 298482, so within 15000 of your Ser#, similar era, probably 1979.  Mine also does not have the little washer in the front plug (see pic).  And, based on sound when shaken, the powerlet is a little loose.  This one doesn't hold gas, and I also have a kit coming.  I recall in class at Lassen College that some people had a hard time getting these things sealed, as they would puncture before the front plug was fully screwed in, so the gas leaked out the front.  I don't remember if they had the washer, or what the solution was, and I haven't run into that problem myself.

An airgun bud from Stockton has a some F's and E's that he wants to reseal (similar internals), sometime right after the Christmas holiday.  He's coming to the shop and we are going to reseal all that we can.  I've got tools to work on these Sheridan gas guns, so PM me if you have any interest in coming by and I'll keep you posted on exactly when.

Nice holster, btw.  Looks like a good fit.

[bantam5s]

Wow, gotta wonder how the sleeve got chewed up like that?  Anyway, I have an E similar to yours, Ser# 298482, so within 15000 of your Ser#, similar era, probably 1979.  Mine also does not have the little washer in the front plug (see pic).  And, based on sound when shaken, the powerlet is a little loose.  This one doesn't hold gas, and I also have a kit coming.  I recall in class at Lassen College that some people had a hard time getting these things sealed, as they would puncture before the front plug was fully screwed in, so the gas leaked out the front.  I don't remember if they had the washer, or what the solution was, and I haven't run into that problem myself.

An airgun bud from Stockton has a some F's and E's that he wants to reseal (similar internals), sometime right after the Christmas holiday.  He's coming to the shop and we are going to reseal all that we can.  I've got tools to work on these Sheridan gas guns, so PM me if you have any interest in coming by and I'll keep you posted on exactly when.

Nice holster, btw.  Looks like a good fit.

Thanks, I'm relatively happy with how the holster came out but will love it even more after it breaks in well.

I don't have time to go visit in person or anything, but I appreciate the offer and I'll look forward to hearing any findings.

[bantam5s]

Well I got the pistol sealed up and shooting great in no time, it was extremely clean inside by the way.
I didn't try it without one, but with the cap tight the cartridge could rattle a little bit so I went ahead and added the washer.
I can see what John was talking about though,  I tested to see if the washer would eliminate the rattle which it did and when I took the cartridge back out to add a drop of oil then start shooting I could see that it was dented a bit.
If this were the proper washer the cartridge might have been pierced.



I'm starting to think maybe this was supposed to have a washer which was left out from the factory and the gun never worked.
I'm thinking this because the gun doesn't really look like it was ever used, it was extremely clean inside ( could have been cleaned out ), the sleeve was chewed up as was the lead seal suggesting somebody had messed with it, and the seals were all hard dry and brittle.

My theory is somebody got a defensive gun that they tried to fix themselves instead of returning,  and gave up on it when they couldn't fix it.

[bantam5s]

Well I had to make a rear sight elevation screw for the E.
I don't know why but the original ( it looked original, the threads were good, and it wasn't rusted) screw was way too tight and when I went to adjust the elevation the head / slot broke.
The screw I found to make one out of threads in much easier, but in order to avoid putting too much stress on it I pull up on the rear sight then turn the screw.

[sicumj]

Congradulations David.  I know you have been looking for a long time.  I sold a nickle one last year with the rifle that matched.  Having second thoughts now.

Jim