Air Gun Home :: View topic - Question on refinishing wood on Sheridan, and its value

atea · Member

Picked up a Sheridan 0.20 caliber today. Serial number 502xxx. No other markings on the barrel other than Sheridan, the serial number, 0.20 caliber and Racine, Wisconsin. Seems to be in pretty good shape. Finish (varnish) on stock seems missing in a few places. Not too bad. How difficult is it to separate the wood stock from the barrel? Looks like a screw head on bottom of the stock. I wasn't quite sure if this would separate the barrel from the stock and then I would be able to refinish the stock. Does this sound correct? If not, please advise best way to isolate the stock in order to refinish it.

Any way I could determine its date of manufacture based on the serial number and also estimate its value?

Thanks

fritz · Silver Status Member

Value is usually soley dictated by condition, and overall rarity. What condition is yours in? Is it a thumb safety, or rocker safety?

I know there is a table with approximate dates of manufacture somewhere on the Crosman site. I judged how old mine was to about 1977...

BTW, I would edit out your serial number. There is some jackass out there who would love to steal it. You only need the first three numbers.

sniper · Silver Status Member

yes take out the ss number! post a pic. if it's like the newer ones
you need to carefully knock out the 2 pins on the pump
handle to remove that piece of wood. there should only be
one screw holding the stock to the gun.

then carefully put 'em back in without hitting the wood.
you can see the 2 pins on the pump handle.

fritz · Silver Status Member

I can't get the pins out of mine.. I really want to refinish the stock. I think they are rusted in, but can't find anything that won't hurt the wood and break down the rust.

Any super high tech suggestions, Sniper?

sniper · Silver Status Member

i had tim knock out the pins. Embarassed

he used a small punch.
then plyers. they should be brass. be careful

i put 'em back in with a small ball peen hammer.

they'll never come out again.

atea · Member

Solved the refinishing issue. Looks like I had several streaks (likely water stains--grayish white in color) on the stock from the previous owner. The forearm was OK so no work was necessary. I burnished the areas on the stock with fine bronze wool and then used some oil finish (Minwax Antique Oil Finish) that I had from previous woodworking projects. The water stains have completely disappeared and the oil finish I used has blended in perfectly which leads me to believe that Sheridan had used an oil finish on the stock and forearm on my gun. Years ago, many gun makers used Linspeed (a quick drying linseed oil based finish) or equivalent. My Sheridan 0.20 caliber now looks like it was just taken out of a factory box. I would rate the wood and metal at 98-99%. Mine has the rocker type safety. The previous owner said he bought it about 15 years ago. I thought Benjamin and Sheridan manufacture was taken over by Crosman in about 1992. I was able to do the finishing work on the stock without having to remove it. I would definitely have removed the stock if I had to chemically strip/sand/finish it.

sniper · Silver Status Member

so where's the pic? Rolling Eyes

we like pics. Smile

atea · Member

atea · Member

atea · Member

Was trying to remove a duplicate picture Embarassed

Slavia · Moderator

Very nice. I like the figuring in the pump handle (fore arm).

fritz · Silver Status Member

Sexy.