Sheridan C9 Peep Sight and General Questions (pic heavy)

[Captain Bravo]

Hi guys. 
I recently acquired this Sheridan C9 from a co worker.  He knew I was into airguns and he asked me if I was interested.  I asked him how much he wanted, and he said “Lunch?”.  So I bought him lunch. 

I am not super familiar with these, but it looks like it is in good shape to me.  I have not had a chance to shoot it yet, between other obligations, the weather, and the scope.  But it pumps OK, and sounds about right shooting it ‘dry’. 
The details are that it is missing the rear sight.  It has an unusable Weaver scope on it.  It has to be mounted quite far forward to clear the bolt handle, but the eye relief is so short I cannot get a full field of view through it.  All I can see is just a small circle around the reticle, and even that is quite dark.  There are a few paint marks on the pump handle.  They look like reflected light in the pics, but it looks like white paint in person. 

My tentative plan is to take the scope off, and try a peep sight on it.  I also have a wood stock 392 that I HAD to scope.  I could not get my head low enough to see the open sights on that gun.  I have to consciously get my head as low as I can on this gun, but I think I can get low enough to see where I think the sight would sit.  It appears to me that this one has a serial number that puts it at 1975, at least according to the sources I could find online.  It also appears that the 1975 year should not have the side drilled and tapped for the peep sight, again according to the sources I could find online. 

I would love to hear from anyone that knows more about these that I do.  Is the Williams 5D-SH the correct sight for this gun?  Does it look like 1975 to you guys?  Is it true that 1975 models generally didn't have the side drilled and tapped?  Is there anything to be cautious of on a gun like this that has been sitting for a long time?  Any other suggestions before I start putting it through it's paces? 

The pics aren’t great.  I was in a hurry to take pics and get it put away before taking my better half out for our weekly date. 

Thanks guys. 

[Frank in Fairfield]

The SD-SH sight is absolutely the correct sight for your rifle.
I know nothing about the older C9 rifles.
I have a C9a.
There are others who have many of the C9a and Bluestreaks.
They will chime in soon..

[Captain Bravo]

Thanks Frank.  If that is your rifle, it looks like you have the Williams sight on it?  If so, how do you like it? 

[avator]

100% agree with Frank.

[tennx]

I traded for a  plain C9 came with a Williams sight on it..I liked it so much I put one each on my older 392 and 397…good luck

[Captain Bravo]

You guys convinced me.  I just ordered the sight. 

If anyone has any input into how old this thing actually is, I would still like to hear it.  But thanks for the input. 

[avator]

If I'm not mistaken the C9A was made after the Benjamin take over of Sheridan in the early 70's. Crosman bought out Benjamin in the early 90's but let Benjamin continue business as usual until '94.
That may not be a perfect accessment but it's pretty close.

[Captain Bravo]

Thanks for the info Avator.  The history of the gun doesn't really matter, I just want a good shooter.  But I am curious. 

[Ronfiveo]

If it were me, I would just put a pellet in it and shoot it, even if it's into the ground.
If it's broke you won't hurt it and if it's ok you'll know it.

I'm impatient like that.

Ron

[tennx]

[eeler1]

Interesting the tang safety.  I couldn't make out all the engraving, but suspect this is an early benjamin/sheridan. 

I know lunch's can be expensive these days, but still I think you got a pretty good deal.  Put that scope and mount up for sale and probably pay for lunch, maybe help with the new peep site.

[avator]

That tang safety is definitely a Benjamin contribution. Same design on my '68 "tootsie roll" 347.

[Captain Bravo]

The engraving as I read it is: 
Left side, serial number 101609 (the 6 might be an , -C9- SERIES -(20 CAL.) PELLETRS ONLY. 
Right side, SHERIDAN PRODUCTS RACINE, WI 53403 U.S.A. 

EDIT:  I didn't mean to make the emoji, I meant to say the 6 could be an 8. 

[avator]

Your gun was made in 1975.

SHERIDAN RIFLES AND PISTOLS

Year   Starting Serial Number   Ending Serial Number
1972   000000   25650
1973   025651   060550
1974   060551   100780
1975   100780   141460
1976   141461   175840
1977   175841   211020
1978   211021   257460
1979   257461   308340
1980   308341   346820
1981   346821   381450
1982   381451   401050
1983   401051   417410
1984   417411   437800
1985   437801   
 

[Captain Bravo]

Thanks Avator.

I watched the video TennX posted.  That guy said the tang safety started in 1991.  But I had found the same thing online you posted. 

[bantam5s]

Thanks Avator.

I watched the video TennX posted.  That guy said the tang safety started in 1991.  But I had found the same thing online you posted.

Benjamin bought Sheridan in 1977, Crosman bought both out in 1991 and not long after this the serial numbers had changed in some way that I'm unsure of.
What I do know is that your gun is 10000% an early 90's gun, made in '91 or very early '92 before Crosman moved production of the Benjamin & Sheridan lines from the Sheridan Racine Wisconsin factory into their factory in Bloomfield New York.
Before 1991 the Sheridan pneumatic rifles were just modeled as -C series -, there was no C9, and this safety which was introduced in 1968 was only found on the Benjamin 340 347 and 342 rifles even after they bought Sheridan and eventually moved everything into the Sheridan factory in the late 80's.

I believe the Sheridan C with rocker safety was last made in 1990, next came the C9 with pull out Benjamin designed safety in 1991, production moves to NY in 1992, then I believe the C9A was introduced in 1995.


Btw every era of Sheridan C could have the breech drilled & tapped for the William's 5dsh peep sight, it was a factory option going back to the late 50's, and starting in I believe 1984 ( or '86 ) all C's came factory drilled for the William's 5dsh.
This includes the C9, C9A, and every variant of Benjamin 392 & 397 right up until the last guns made within the past year or so.

[avator]

LOL.... I guess I'm only as smart as the internet lets me be...   

[Captain Bravo]

Wow bantam5s, that is a very detailed answer.  Thank you. 

[Captain Bravo]

OK, I have another question.  What is that rubber looking thing over the barrel in the video? 

[avator]

Hand guard... typically where I place my hand when pumping.