How to determine manufacture date of Blue Streak?

[Habanero69er]

How can you tell the date of manufacture of a Blue Streak? Serial number?

[OleTomCat]

If it has a serial number it was built after '71, if it has a rocker safety it was built before '83(I think, not sure on this date).

Some of the older ones had the year coded in the serical number...

[Habanero69er]

Is there any positive way to know the year of either the Sheridans and Benjamins? I'm looking for a post '85 342.

[OleTomCat]

Is there any positive way to know the year of either the Sheridans and Benjamins? I'm looking for a post '85 342.

There is from the serial number, what is it?

[cwlongshot]

Is there any positive way to know the year of either the Sheridans and Benjamins? I'm looking for a post '85 342.

Yes absolutely. I need to find the link but IIRC it's from the Crosman site. It lists Benji's and sheridans. Hopefull someone will come along and post the link.

I just bought a very nice 1981 benji 342. From a guy who sells them in Montana. I have the numbers at home. I will try to remember to post them up when I get home late tomorrow.

CW

[Habanero69er]

Blue Streak, serial #443364

[Habanero69er]

Found that site. http://www.crosman.com/cs/dates-benjamin
Thanks for the heads up CW.

[cwlongshot]

Blue Streak, serial #443364

Found it!! 

http://www.crosman.com/cs/dates-benjamin

Looks like yours is made after 1985

[daveb50]

It would be somewhere between '85 and early '92, what type of safety does it have? Rocker - F and S button either side aft of breech, used until around '89-'90. Push pull aft of breech around '90-'92. The push pull was only used for a couple years before they went to the cross safety on the trigger guard sometime in '92. There are some "transitional" guns too, using up old style parts as they transitioned over to the newer models.

[BillK]

Not to hijack but I just got a Silver Streak w/ rocker safety and no ser.#.  A search turned up 1963 as the first yr. of rocker safety and one yr. before they started ser.#s. 
Sound right ?
Thanks, Bill

[daveb50]

Sounds right to me, if their are not 4 numbers and a letter on left side of breech at the pellet loading chamber. If their are, read backwards for the year and letter is month.

This site has good info on Sheridan's too.
http://www.airguns.net/reviews_sherdan.php

[BillK]

Interesting , Thanks Dave.

[DD789]

here is something I posted awhile back. hope it helps if you find another Sheridan you might want to buy.
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=43532.msg428291#msg428291

How can you tell the date of manufacture of a Blue Streak? Serial number?

[ezman604]

VERY old post, I know. But I'm trying to date my newly acquired Blue Streak, no serial number, and having issues locating info. The link to the manufacture dates no longer works.
Mine actually has no serial number but judging by the safety (actually missing) and the curved pear shaped bolt with a hole in it I'd say pre 1970. Still looking...and need parts to try and revive this one.

[RBQChicken]

If you have a pre-1970 Blue streak there will be a manufacture date on the left side of the receiver.  the year is printed backwards. It will also have a letter for the month, I forget if that's before or after the backwards year date.

[ezman604]

No serial number visible anywhere....

[Motorhead]

Generally left side right under the loading tray ... FWIW
Sometimes if the black paint is thick it kinda hides it ... look close with a Mag glass perhaps.

[mobilehomer]

Does this help?

https://www.crosman.com/discover/crosman/benjamin-product-dates

https://www.crosman.com/discover/crosman/crosman-product-dates

[Glasstomb]

If you have a pre-1970 Blue streak there will be a manufacture date on the left side of the receiver.  the year is printed backwards. It will also have a letter for the month, I forget if that's before or after the backwards year date.

Not sure if prior to 1970 was the cutoff for putting the date on the receiver.  Here's one with a date code of 0719A = Jan 1970. Letter is after backwards date code.

[DD789]

  My Silver Streak manufactured between 1956 1958 hope this helps.

Until 1956, the rear sight was soldered with the first year knurled windage adustments
1960 5 M/M Cal & Made in USA added to pump tube
1961 saw evolution of the bolt from straight to curved to pear shaped with hole (eventually removed 1975)
1963 with a switch from the hold down safety to the rocker safety
1964 changed the front sight to a forward ramp style.
1964 Inspection dates were stamped on left side of receiver (Backwards and alphabetically)
1968 removed grooves from the receiver
1972 Serial numbers instituted


Here are some known facts as they pertain to your rifle:

Straight bolt handle -  Earliest C models up to 1961 when bolt handles became curved : 1949 -1960
Rear Sight -  sight held by small allen-head screw opposing two dimples on opposite side : 1956 - 1971 (earlier models featured permanently soldered rear sights with knurled windage knobs)
Automatic Safety - Pre 1963 when rocker was introduced. 1949-1962
Narrow Trigger Guard  - 1959 and earlier  (can't see it in your pic but there should be philips screws holding the trigger guard instead of rivets)
Stock and Forearm -  If 4 screws were used in place of roll pins on the forearm, then it indicates one of first two years of that model - along with thin "almost crude" stock and thin cylindrical forearm 1949-1951. Roll pins indicate 3rd year production onward.- 1952 on
Partridge-style front sight with vertical rear face - Incorporated 2-3 years after introduction of the C model : 1951-1964
Simple Markings -  the words "5mm Cal" and "Made in USA" on opposite side introduced in 1960.  Absent those inscriptions 1949-1959
High Comb Stock - 1949-1958  Lowered in 1959

I'd say the best guess given the info on hand is it's between a 1956 - 1958 model (Based on rear sight and high comb).

Tim
VPilot

If I'm not mistaken it was like this;
CB was all the rockers, thumbers etc.
CB9 was early transitional packed in lead.
CB9PA was late transitional. Slip in valve. Both transitionals used the same trigger, bolt and hammer package with [push pull safty
CB9A is what they have now but that has ghone from Walnut to Sycamore?. Slip in valve and Safety on the gaurd.
Silver streaks drop the B fro model designation.
To confuse the actions were never marked with the B as that designated balck and whehn the markings were stamped the Guns could still be a black or chromed gun. Just like an E or H pistol is stamped before it was chromed or painted/blacked and only chrome guns are actually E/H's and all else is EB/HB cause it is painted or blacked somehow.
C/E/H means silver.
Now you know TOO MUCH!