Sheridan Steroid Pumpers - Sheridan Benjamin Crosman

[cvarcher]

I like my sheridans just the way they were made. I could say I never wounded anything either with them. I had a Daystate Sportsmen side cocking pumper in 22cal and a Sharp ace Hunter. When the smoke cleared the winner was the Sharp Ace Hunter in 22cal. 4 pumps does 600fps and it does 850 at 8 mpumps with a 14.3 gr pellet. Accuracy was match tight. The daystate I kept hitting my knuckles with that sidearm contraption. But build quality on it was superb too.

 

[RANGER94]

A lil off topic but- how long can you keep these pumped? For example hunting in the woods? Part Deux - what is the maximum they can be pumped?

 

[cvarcher]

Well you store the gun when not using it with 1-2 pumps to seal out dirt .Dont leave the bolt cocked, just pump it once or twice. While hunting you can charge the gun and leave it charged all day. again dont cock the bolt because you dont want to fatigue the mainspring .You can cock it and load the gun like this for at least an hour without harm but if more time than that ID not cock it and cock and load when game is sighted. Max charge on a Sheridan is 8 pumps according to factory manual but 10 ultra max will yeild a bit more power with some residual air staying in the compression chamber. For that you just recock the bolt and shoot out the residual air.

 

[3Crows]

A lil off topic but- how long can you keep these pumped? For example hunting in the woods? Part Deux - what is the maximum they can be pumped?

As stated, these rifles are typically stored with pressure just like a PCP. The answer is forever, essentially. I keep about 4 pumps on stock C140 and the B392 and 5 to 6 pumps on my 392 Steroid per instructions.

 

[beerthief]

My Steroid, a 1972 Model C.
I need to shoot it over the chrony. It's ben a while.
View attachment 548263
Tim had real trouble with this one getting it back for warranty work twice, and it still malfunctions.
I'm not sure what the fix will be, but the valve won't close for pumping. It is actually acting like it's not cocked. Then it will all of a sudden, it catches air.
I think a stronger valve spring may do it?
Lightly dopping the gun on it's butt stock will set the valve.

you sent that beautiful gun in ? wow i never would have , ( but i see no reason to do that to a gun YMMV )

 

[MightyMo]

Talking here on AGN is a good thing. A couple days ago a member here reminded me of something that I have totally overlooked and forgotten. Funny how this happens. He mentioned the scope grooves on my custom steroid. Asked if it had them. Wow. I totally forgot this. So yesterday I dug around in my extra scope department and came up with this 4x32 Simmons Shotgun scope. The parallax is set to 50 yards for a shotgun scope if memory serves. Which clearly it doesn’t. Anyway, this Simmons can be manually adjusted through the front objective lens with a tool I made. Moves freely back and forth. Also has extra eye relief. The scope fit the 392 perfectly. Easy to cock, pump and load. It’s a very light weight scope also. Shot it in this morning at 40 yards using CPHP‘s. Five pumps and it’s sending them around 625 fps with very good accuracy. Thank you rokonman.View attachment 548220View attachment 548221

That is one BEAUTIFUL GUN!!! Great job!

 

[.20calguy]

you sent that beautiful gun in ? wow i never would have , ( but i see no reason to do that to a gun YMMV )

I need to send it to someone again as Mac1's repair never was rectified. The exhaust valve seems to need a heavier spring to close it, or it's hanging up inside the valve. I made a video of the problem.

 

[beerthief]

I need to send it to someone again as Mac1's repair never was rectified. The exhaust valve seems to need a heavier spring to close it, or it's hanging up inside the valve. I made a video of the problem.

maybe just take the valve apart and smooth things out (Simichrome) ? or get another valve ? I really do not know what this valve consists of so .

 

[.20calguy]

maybe just take the valve apart and smooth things out (Simichrome) ? or get another valve ? I really do not know what this valve consists of so .

I’ve done one rebuild with sucsess but I don’t know what is going on in this valve. I sent it back to Tim twice under warranty, and it still isn’t fixed. So it’s likely over my head. He did a complete resolder of the action that may have affected it?
I was thinking of using the other Baker airgun tech for the repair?
Here’s a pic prior to Tim’s resolder.

It was soldered back in the eighties by Robert Beemans Sheridan guy. As you can see they did an awful job.

 

[beerthief]

I’ve done one rebuild with sucsess but I don’t know what is going on in this valve. I sent it back to Tim twice under warranty, and it still isn’t fixed. So it’s likely over my head. He did a complete resolder of the action that may have affected it?
I was thinking of using the other Baker airgun tech for the repair?
Here’s a pic prior to Tim’s resolder.View attachment 594653View attachment 594652
It was soldered back in the eighties by Robert Beemans Sheridan guy. As you can see they did an awful job.

looks like a cold solder joint , not nice silvery shiny when first done , dulls with time but smooth surface . The problem with doing this type of solder is getting the piece to be soldered hot enough without ruining it .
Solder should melt on the piece , not the iron .

 

[Revoman]

Coldish solder, maybe, but it also was not cleaned well enough, and the flux was burned out before solder was applied.
No matter what, it was a very poor attempt at soldering.

mike

 

[.20calguy]

Coldish solder, maybe, but it also was not cleaned well enough, and the flux was burned out before solder was applied.
No matter what, it was a very poor attempt at soldering.

mike

That was done back in the eighties by Beeman, and recently redone but Tim at Mac1. Tim did a nice job, but it did spring a leak and go back for a second repair.

 

[cvarcher]

Tims exhaust valve is a harder material (delrin or teflon than the standard hard rubber nitrile durometer 90 that sheridan used. The softer seal helps seal even low one pump charges. The harder seal has to mate perfectly to the valve body seat or it will leak. My guess I dont think its a spring problem. Maybe take the valve guide body out along with his exhaust valve and see closely how it mates to the seat? Maybe a light sanding with a light grit will even it up ?? and Clean the valve guide body seat inside too. I also do rememebr with a setriod you have to cock the gun first to charge it .If you didnt the hammer resting on the valve will hold it open. and so it wont hold a charge pumping. This could be due to either stronger hammer spring or a lighter exhaust valve spring. I like keeping my Sheridan's factory stock. They never lacked in power for me. 4 pumps 535fps plenty for target out to 25 yards or vermin and 6-7 pumps for 35 yard small game . These are short range arms .

 

[.20calguy]

Tims exhaust valve is a harder material (delrin or teflon than the standard hard rubber nitrile durometer 90 that sheridan used. The softer seal helps seal even low one pump charges. The harder seal has to mate perfectly to the valve body seat or it will leak. My guess I dont think its a spring problem. Maybe take the valve guide body out along with his exhaust valve and see closely how it mates to the seat? Maybe a light sanding with a light grit will even it up ?? and Clean the valve guide body seat inside too. I also do rememebr with a setriod you have to cock the gun first to charge it .If you didnt the hammer resting on the valve will hold it open. and so it wont hold a charge pumping. This could be due to either stronger hammer spring or a lighter exhaust valve spring. I like keeping my Sheridan's factory stock. They never lacked in power for me. 4 pumps 535fps plenty for target out to 25 yards or vermin and 6-7 pumps for 35 yard small game . These are short range arms .

Thanks,
If its not cocked the Steroids hammer would hold the calve open. My problem is getting the valve to close after it's cocked.
Did you see the video I posted of it?

 

[3Crows]

One thing that causes these guns to leak, Steroid or not, is corrosion in the valve. Which can cause nicks to the seat and poppet or prevent a clean seal of the exhaust valve or the pressure poppet.

My non-Steroid 392 was leaking and last evening I took it down. The valve is probably toast. I had done the Twin Spring Mod to it shortly before a bicycle crash resulting in a fractured femur and broken hip and a stroke erased my memory. I do not even recall ever doing the mod. Which, BTW, does anyone know the part numbers or a Ace or McMaster number for the springs? I ordered a new valve though I will try to repair this one. I see some nicks on the seat. I also ordered a rebuild kit. The TSM does not increase power but makes pumping so much easier.

I have no idea what Tim does to make a valve Steroid? So far my Steroid gun is shooting fine and pumping up without leaks.

 

[3Crows]

Thanks,
If its not cocked the Steroids hammer would hold the calve open. My problem is getting the valve to close after it's cocked.
Did you see the video I posted of it?

Either you or Tim needs to go inside and see what is going on. He does use a lighter spring is my understanding. I think he does this as one of the mods that allows the valve to do a full dump at up to 14 or 15 pumps. If you use a heavier spring it might assist closing the valve until air pressure takes over, perhaps, but you may not get a full dump beyond 8 to 10 pumps. Many stock rifles will not do a full dump and retain air even at 8 to 10 pumps. I suspect corrosion or an imperfect seat or exhaust valve. Do you leave the rifle pumped up to 5 or 6 pumps which Tim says helps to mate the parts for exactly this purpose?

 

[cvarcher]

YEs thats what I said too the mating may not be a good one with harder valve material. It has to be perfect. A lighter exhaust valve sprign can also not help seal the valve when starting to pump. Maybe try one washer to give it a bit more push???