[ribbonstone2]

The older Benjamins were marked Benjamin Franklin, not too sure when they stopped that marking, but it was there in the 1960's. When they combined with Sheridan, know the Franklin part wasn't stamped. The 317 was made for a good long time.

There are two main rear sights (and a little peep rear that could be oredered seperatly). One was about 1/2 down the barrel and mounted to the side of the barrel. The newer ones have a step-ladder type sight mounted near the breech of the barrel. Now that they are combined with Sheridan, they have adiffernt version of a rear sight (and ate tapped for a Willimans Reciever sight).

There are people who still work on rebuilding the older Benjamins...they are a pain to re-build, but with the right tools, lead seals, and valve parts it isn't a terribly expensive job.

 

[ribbonstone2]

Are people who collect the old ones...have been making them a long time. Saw two at a gun show last weekend that were in good shape....one was a 312 (the .22 version of the 317) and the other one's number escapes me...but it was a 22 magazine repeater...had a 3rd tube over the barrel that carried .22 lead balls. From the stocks, both were made in the 1960's or early 1970's. Guess i noticed them becasue as a youngster, i used some much like them. Probably should have tried to dicker-down and bought them both as I expect they won't be losing value.

 

[ribbonstone2]

They were priced at $110 for the single shot and $125 for the mag. tube repeater...both were .22's (so the amg. tubed repeater used lead balls...they still make them). Should have seen if I could pick up the pair for less than $100 each. were in good shape, the stocks were a bit dull and scratched, but the metal color was still there (not "blue" as they are made of bronze...so has to be some kind of phosphate-gray).

I have an excuse...althongh after the fact, I wish I had stopped to dicker...I had just picked up a new O/U 12ga. and was heading out of the door.

Besides the .22 and .177 single shots, there were also .177 and .22 mag. tubed repeaters...and a smooth-bore (BB) .177 single shot. Go back farther and the pump system worked differently, pumping the same way, but rtunning a rod that when in and out of the front of the bottom tube.

Go back to the first ones, and there is not pump...just a t-ended rod that came out of the bottom tube...most people stood on the rod's handle and pumped the rifle up and down.

Those early ones had a different trigger system as well. For once the old joke was true: the harder (and faster) you pulled the trigger, the harder the gun shot. A slow squeeze would let the compressed air out slowly...so vow vel....a fast hard squeeze let it all out at once...so high vel.