Tallbald
Member
My wonderful wife Miss Penny and I attended a "moving to Florida" auction recently and the gentleman had several airguns up for sale. Some were Chinese copies of German models. There was though a true HW 30 that sold for I believe $110, and a Beeman R10 which went for $150, both of which were above what I can pay on a fixed modest income. However! Among the guns was a rather plain looking pneumatic Benjamin 347, .177 caliber rifle. Not wanting to draw attention to the little gun, I casually picked it up while remarking to other browsers "what kind of gun is this thing?" (camo for my true interest) and pumped it twice noting that it held air and appeared to only have a few worn spots at metal corners allowing the beautiful brass underneath to peek through. Having seen a beat up Sheridan Blue Streak which wouldn't hold air last summer go at a sale for over a hundred dollars, I thought maybe the same buyer would be there and drive the price skyward. Just before the Benji was held up for sale, a Crosman 1377 air pistol (a later model with the plastic breech) sold in a cheap leather holster for ......$110. New they are $57 from Pyramid Air and I thought "I'm sunk when the Benji sells". Anyway, to my great surprise, there was little interest in the Benjamin I wanted. I was tickled when the auctioneer's gavel came down at $50 and it was mine!
I've wanted one of these rifles starting in high school but back then, during the other Great Recession, I couldn't afford one. My folks had lost their jobs, and what little cash I made doing odd jobs for others in the neighborhood, and working part time as a stocker at Service Merchandise after school went (by my choice and insistence) to help buy groceries and such. Anyway, 39 years later I finally have one, and it was made according to it's serial number, in 1976. The year I graduated! Its real American walnut stock was undamaged except for a few dings, but was dull from handling and time. As a handgun grip maker and furniture builder, I saw its potential and that the rifle longed for several hand rubbed coats of my favorite finish, Minwax Antique Oil. I removed the hardware and over several days, drying 24 hours between coats, rubbed in 4 coats of the finish. As a last touch, I crumpled a thin paper bag and used it to buff the wood to remove dust particles that had found the oil when it was still tacky feeling.
I'm really pleased with the results on the wood. I doubt I will ever luck up again either on a rifle in such good condition and of such age. Too many of these guns were bought for kids and used or abused until they ended up in the trash barrel too. Miss Penny insisted that the little gun be paid for from "family" funds, and as I proudly took it from the auctioneer's helper, Penny said "Happy Father's Day honey". Below are a few photos of my new-to-me treasure after its new additional stock finish. The walnut feathering really pops out as I expected it would, and I'm sure the rifle will see many more years of careful use. Thanks for looking. Don
Before Minwax Antique Oil rubbing.
I've wanted one of these rifles starting in high school but back then, during the other Great Recession, I couldn't afford one. My folks had lost their jobs, and what little cash I made doing odd jobs for others in the neighborhood, and working part time as a stocker at Service Merchandise after school went (by my choice and insistence) to help buy groceries and such. Anyway, 39 years later I finally have one, and it was made according to it's serial number, in 1976. The year I graduated! Its real American walnut stock was undamaged except for a few dings, but was dull from handling and time. As a handgun grip maker and furniture builder, I saw its potential and that the rifle longed for several hand rubbed coats of my favorite finish, Minwax Antique Oil. I removed the hardware and over several days, drying 24 hours between coats, rubbed in 4 coats of the finish. As a last touch, I crumpled a thin paper bag and used it to buff the wood to remove dust particles that had found the oil when it was still tacky feeling.
I'm really pleased with the results on the wood. I doubt I will ever luck up again either on a rifle in such good condition and of such age. Too many of these guns were bought for kids and used or abused until they ended up in the trash barrel too. Miss Penny insisted that the little gun be paid for from "family" funds, and as I proudly took it from the auctioneer's helper, Penny said "Happy Father's Day honey". Below are a few photos of my new-to-me treasure after its new additional stock finish. The walnut feathering really pops out as I expected it would, and I'm sure the rifle will see many more years of careful use. Thanks for looking. Don
Before Minwax Antique Oil rubbing.
