Benjamin 397P Phase 1

[jirushi]

Thanks Louis I'm very happy with it, it feels like a new gun. I'm hoping for a new shoot through chronograph in May for my birthday. I won't be putting a silencer on this so I can't use my trusty Combro. The 397 had very little deviation in FPS, so I hope this is the same.

I have a feeling your 347 might be pre 1977 before they bought out Sheridan and started using their valves. The wood is very pretty and they got plainer as time went on also you said the Sheridan inlet carrier didn't work in yours.

You are right!
Just looked it up.
Made in St Louis.
SN 210254.
According to the John Groenewoldt's info, my 347 was made in 1974.
https://www.jgairguns.biz/benjamin-dates-ezp-57.html

[jirushi]

Wow. Very nice. Great collection of US pumpers there. They look very clean and well looked after.
Also nice aftermarket parts. It is always nice to have spares - it soothes the mind. I guess we want to make sure that our guns will outlive us?

I also like your wooden gun maintenance / tool box. Is it a tool box?

Now that I have satisfied most of my airgun desires (this does sound a bit wrong lol), I have a wishlist of associated items.
Mostly nice old leather gun slips, leather scope caps, leather scope cases (the cylindrical ones) - a nice wooden tool box would fit in this list!

[AllanM]

As Louis says, a really nice trio of classic American rifles -- open or peep sights are the only way to go on pumpers!

[ratbuster2240]

Over years I've gone through lots of cheap tools, so now I have been building up good quality punches, drivers and Allen keys. I still have a lot of tools on my list to get but some were my grandfather's who was a tank engineer in WW2.

I keep them in my Gerstner & Sons Journeyman chest, which I love as much as my guns. It's handmade in Ohio since 1906, I found this one in excellent condition here in the UK.

Hunting for elusive accessories, pellet tins, literature etc. keeps you enjoying the hobby.

Wow. Very nice. Great collection of US pumpers there. They look very clean and well looked after.
Also nice aftermarket parts. It is always nice to have spares - it soothes the mind. I guess we want to make sure that our guns will outlive us?

I also like your wooden gun maintenance / tool box. Is it a tool box?

Now that I have satisfied most of my airgun desires (this does sound a bit wrong lol), I have a wishlist of associated items.
Mostly nice old leather gun slips, leather scope caps, leather scope cases (the cylindrical ones) - a nice wooden tool box would fit in this list!

[ratbuster2240]

Thanks Allan, you are right they just don't feel right with a scope on and why bother when you can hit anything you aim at with open sights.

I saw your 317 reading through some posts. That is another beautiful stock, imagine back in the day leaving the gun shop with it and opening the box when you got home, you would be very happy.

As Louis says, a really nice trio of classic American rifles -- open or peep sights are the only way to go on pumpers!

[jirushi]

Thanks Allan, you are right they just don't feel right with a scope on and why bother when you can hit anything you aim at with open sights.

I saw your 317 reading through some posts. That is another beautiful stock, imagine back in the day leaving the gun shop with it and opening the box when you got home, you would be very happy.

Good heavens, that is just amazingly beautiful.
I believe my airgun wishlist ain't empty no mo, to stay in American spheres.

[AllanM]

With the distinctive "tootsie roll" pump arm this is one of my favourite rifles -- short, sweet, easy to pump and a hard hitter.
It's actually a 312 from 1960 -- these days I much prefer the larger .22 pellets, the .177 pellets are a bit too fiddly for my ageing eyesight!

[ratbuster2240]

With the distinctive "tootsie roll" pump arm this is one of my favourite rifles -- short, sweet, easy to pump and a hard hitter.
It's actually a 312 from 1960 -- these days I much prefer the larger .22 pellets, the .177 pellets are a bit too fiddly for my ageing eyesight!

The tootsie roll is classic, I heard it gets it's name from some type of American sweet. It always reminds me of the iconic Ithaca 37 'corn cob' handle.

[ratbuster2240]

I've had to improvise with all sorts of cleaning rods on the soldered in valves, but his time I have some imperial sized oak dowels to experiment cleaning and polishing. All four of my multi pumps now hold air indefinitely and I think cleanliness plays a big role. Any remnants of lead gaskets, grime or damaged valve seats need to be dealt with, then regular lubrication will help blow any foreign matter through the system. I will also use the harder stainless steel valve nut to clean up the threads in the bronze cylinder. This might help reduce the risk of cross threading when I re-install the internals. Tim McMurray once said something like, if you don't clean up these areas then you have no right being inside of one.

[ratbuster2240]

This was one of the first airguns that gave me the disease. I got it in the mid 2000s and I have enjoyed bolting on bits over the years.


14” inch Mellon air Barrel re-crowned
Bugbuster scope
PH silencer
Crosman steel breech
2289 handle & velcro buffer
Shimmed 1399 stock
Magnum Air Power trigger cover
Alloy barrel band & added set screw
Mellon Air pivot pin
Hollow bolt probe
Widened trigger sear
Adjustable trigger spring
Alloy safety
Polished hammer
Hammer spring guide
Flat top piston and valve
Re-bolt kit

[jirushi]

Woops I totally missed your reply with the photos of your stunning Gerstner & Sons Journeyman chest and tools.
Very nice indeed.
I have a few good tools (mostly PB), and a lot of cheap ones lol.
Upgrading hobby related items is a never ending joy!

[ratbuster2240]

I am guilty of abusing tools and using them for tasks they weren't designed for. Paying a bit more does make you respect them.

I look out for some old union or Moore & Wright chests to clean up, re-felt etc. but they seem to be fetching a lot of money.

[Gamocfx]

This is a fascinating thread and I felt compelled to read all of it even though I didn't understand most of it! It is a bit of a revelation that valves etc can be opened and repaired and even improved, I always thought they were a sealed unit and utterly dead once they leaked. Without doubt the Sheridan is one of the nicest looking rifles (to me) out there.
I will re read this thread again and try to absorb more of the detail. Are there any books/sites dedicated to pump guns that start on a more basic level?
Thanks for sharing Chaps this has been very enjoyable.

[ratbuster2240]

I'm glad you enjoyed this thread Gamocfx, it's amazing how much info you can get reading through old forum posts. A schematic diagram is always good to have and easily found online.
Books are still nice to own I like Smith's standard encyclopedia by W.H.B Smith and there's Know your Sheridans by Ronald E. Elbe and Sheridan American Classic Air Rifles by U.J Backus




You find all sorts of bad historic repairs inside these guns. Someone once said opening up a Benjamin/Sheridan valve is like visiting the local escort, you never know who's been inside.

The airgunbbs has some airgun gurus which is reassuring because if you ever mess anything up you can always send it to them.

This is a fascinating thread and I felt compelled to read all of it even though I didn't understand most of it! It is a bit of a revelation that valves etc can be opened and repaired and even improved, I always thought they were a sealed unit and utterly dead once they leaked. Without doubt the Sheridan is one of the nicest looking rifles (to me) out there.
I will re read this thread again and try to absorb more of the detail. Are there any books/sites dedicated to pump guns that start on a more basic level?
Thanks for sharing Chaps this has been very enjoyable.

[jirushi]

This was one of the first airguns that gave me the disease. I got it in the mid 2000s and I have enjoyed bolting on bits over the years.

14” inch Mellon air Barrel re-crowned
Bugbuster scope
PH silencer
Crosman steel breech
2289 handle & velcro buffer
Shimmed 1399 stock
Magnum Air Power trigger cover
Alloy barrel band & added set screw
Mellon Air pivot pin
Hollow bolt probe
Widened trigger sear
Adjustable trigger spring
Alloy safety
Polished hammer
Hammer spring guide
Flat top piston and valve
Re-bolt kit

That looks very nice. Impressive list of mods too.
@Gamocfx, I agree, this thread is great.
I had never thought about doing one thread and updating it regularly, like a blog.
If you want to understand the basics of pumpers, then this American gentleman does a great job (imo) at explaining how they work.
Grab a beer (ok, a bit too early for that perhaps lol) and enjoy.
https://youtu.be/zvTDiz5IE7o