What’s wrong with this picture?

[45flint]

3 Sheridan Supergrades sold recently for over $7,000 without any idea if they even worked.  These are not your do it yourself reseal.  Just resealed my same era Crosman T&C 108 that I got for $400 and with a $30 reseal kit on the bay.  There are only 3 plastic seals in the valve. It’s now an all brass beast again, with little at home effort.  Crosman simplistic engineering during their golden era was difficult to beat. 





For the home resealers this should be intimidating enough for those resealing a supergrade?

[SpringerGuy]

Steve

Please tell us what is wrong with the picture?
Thank you.

[threesuns]

A Crosman TC is on my bucket list. I keep hoping, looking, waiting and have snatched up a couple Jr’s in the process. I agree on the ease, AND LESSER COST, to reseal but wouldn’t hesitate to take on a challenge for the rite price.

I do like Sheridans, and finally have a Supergrade - https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=217770.0

[Mzq284]

Nice gun, it's really clean, I would love to own one like that.

[splitbeing]

7,000?!?

I found some .20 pellets I was sent by accident.  Don't own a .20.  Might be time to get a sheridan, just not a crazy expensive, hard to reseal one.  Sheesh. 7,000?!?

[MDriskill]

Lovely rifle! Your eye for finding minty classics never ceases to impress.

Showing my ignorance here, but I've never fully understood how the T&C differs from the standard Crosman pneumatics of its day. Besides the nifty front sight, do the powerplant, barrel, trigger, rear sight, stock design/finish, etc. have improvements?

[Blowpipe Sam]

Crosman's modular design versus Sheridan's monumental design.  I often wonder if Crosman's engineering is superior to Benji's and Dan's.   Fixed valves and soldered barrels make for durability and longevity.  Or do they?  I've seen plenty of 55 year old Crosman 140's that looked like the dog had chewed on them offered for sale.  I was confident that under the dents and rust was a repairable air rifle.  I rarely see a really used looking Benji or Dan offered.  Maybe that's because their owners took better care of them.  When I do see a beat up Benjamin (don't think I've ever seen an abused Sheridan) I wonder if the barrel is dented or separating or if there is corrosion in the valve.  IMO Crosman's modular design might be a little more complicated than Sheridan's design but in the long term it is more durable.

[45flint]

Lovely rifle! Your eye for finding minty classics never ceases to impress.

Showing my ignorance here, but I've never fully understood how the T&C differs from the standard Crosman pneumatics of its day. Besides the nifty front sight, do the powerplant, barrel, trigger, rear sight, stock design/finish, etc. have improvements?

The power plant is no different than any of their other pumpers of that time period.  It was the first power plant that they put in a tube, like the Benjamin.  But it is much simplier and much easier to reseal than a Benjamin - Sheridan.  I can do 550 FPS with 4-5 pumps.  The cheaper smaller T&C Junior has exactly the same power plant

What is unique is the build quality.  Everything is solid brass and over built. It was coated with a much better finish that ages better.  Even the spacer between the barrel and the tube is brass. It is a hunk, like holding a military rifle. The convertible sighting components solid brass.  It is not near the quality of a Super Grade but it’s as close as Crosman got.  From there they started to cheapen where they could.

[45flint]

To me Benjamin produced a quality rifle for a very long time.  Were not a great innovator.  Sheridan just copied the Benjamin valve part for part dressed up the rifle and built it with quality.  Again no real innovation.  Crosman was the innovator but tended to always cheapen as time went on to maximize profit. With Crosman you need to pick your spots.

[bantam5s]

To me Benjamin produced a quality rifle for a very long time.  Were not a great innovator.  Sheridan just copied the Benjamin valve part for part dressed up the rifle and built it with quality.  Again no real innovation.  Crosman was the innovator but tended to always cheapen as time went on to maximize profit. With Crosman you need to pick your spots.

And that is why people love Benjamin's and Sheridan's.
Before Crosman took over both manufactured top quality airguns from day 1.
Crosman offered top quality guns at first, shifted to guns that were solid and durable but slightly less refined , then they introduced the powermaster 760 in '66 and pretty much became all about clambshell guns and cheapening any and everything as much as their customers would accept.

Crosman was the king of CO2 guns and their all steel multi pumps were like you said capable of being rode hard & put up wet, but a lot of people remember coveting a Benji or Dan when everybody else had a 760 that Crosman had become known for.