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By Tom Gaylord
A Half-Century of Streakin'
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Crosman bought Benjamin in 1992 and combined the names of the two companies into a separate product line that continues as an upscale division. To this day, Sheridan continues to be produced in .20 cal.
The rocker safety is manual, as all safeties should be, and is a lot easier to reach with the thumb of the shooting hand. It secured the Streak's position at the top of all American pneumatic guns.
How Much Power?
Sheridan’s proprietary pellet gave an edge in power that lasted into the 1970s, when “magnumitus” first infected the airgun world. At about 14.5 grains, it had considerably more penetration than any .22 diabolo, until the European pellet makers got serious. The result was superior performance. A Sheridan can be nearly as deadly as a .22 short at close range!
Streak velocity is often stated these days as 675 fps, which is close to the speed for Sheridan pellets and a trifle conservative for lighter weight pellets. Lightweight pellets have topped 700 fps.
Unfortunately, Gen. Julian Hatcher published a test of the Model A Supergrade in American Rifleman in 1947 and reported a maximum velocity of 770 fps with 12 pumps. That speed is impossible for a very good reason. Twelve pumps will cause valve lock, making it shoot slower, not faster! I respect the serious work Gen. Hatcher did when testing firearms, but perhaps his 1947-vintage chronograph was having a bad day when he tested the Sheridan.
My own 1949-vintage Supergrade shoots Sheridan Bantams at 656 fps with the recommended maximum of eight pumps. With one more pump, it only increases to 665 fps, so valve lock is right around the corner. Pump number 10 would probably produce the same velocity as pump number 7, but I’m not going to try it. My Supergrade is over a half-century old and a prime collectable airgun. I have, however, intentionally over-pumped Blue Streaks and confirmed the certainty of valve lock.
The thumb-safety Silver Streak shown at the beginning of this article was resealed this year and gets 671 fps with vintage Bantam pellets. While there is not enough historical information to pin down its age exactly, it was made between 1951 and 1960.
My 1978-vintage Blue Streak gets about 640 fps on eight pumps. It has never been abused or modified, nor has it ever been repaired. It could probably benefit from a pump-rod adjustment, but it shoots so well I’m going to leave it alone.
In 1996 I purchased a new Silver Streak. The exterior design had changed somewhat from the rocker-safety style, but the new gun is the same where it counts. Velocity of that one was 670 fps with eight pumps.
The rocker safety is gone and the stock has been revised from its earlier style, but Gaylord opines that the new Silver Streak is still a beautiful air rifle. It's also available in blue. (Crosman photo)
Accuracy and Upgrades
A careful shot can hit a quarter at 25 yards with a good Streak. Add a Williams peep sight, and you might do a little better. A scope can also be mounted, but it makes pumping very difficult.
Older Sheridans can benefit from resealing and pump rod adjustment. The new models don’t have adjustments, but Mac-1 can fix that for you.
Do you have an old Streak in your closet? Maybe, it’s time to take it out and appreciate America’s finest pneumatic rifle!
Where to Get Them Fixed
Here are three good repair stations to fix your Streaks.
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