Deputy Bruce,
I know it will make some of the collectors wince, but if you are not a collector and just want an old 1950s or 60s leather sealed Daisy to go "pfft" and chunk a BB at a can, I have has some luck with oiling them up through the oil hole with Ballistol.
Ballistoil was made in pre WWI Germany for military use on metal AND leather. Not sure what it does inside the old Daisy to dried up old leather seals but sometimes it seems to beef them up. How ever I have mine stored after they have started working, I reverse them on occasion. I mean like if they are stored leaning against the shop table for a week or two muzzle up, I turn them muzzle down for a week or so. In a horizontal rack lever down for a few weeks then lever up for a few weeks.
In the late 50's and early 60s I must admit to having mine swimming in Mom's Singer sewing machine oil or Dad's 3 in 1 oil constantly. Got to wonder how much long term damage to the seals I did for then daily functioning. Every kid on our end of town was convinced that a squirt down the barrel meant the guns "shot harder" and you know we needed every erg of energy to kill those deadly cans that were laying about the neighbor hood.
One must wonder what distant future archeologist will make of the bands of small copper washed steel balls ringing three sides of our old back yard.
-kBob
