Sheridan Silver Streak * 1950's variant

Today We will examine and shoot a Early Sheridan Silver Streak .20 multi pump pneumatic air rifle, six pumps at 25 yards off hand. The gun averaged 652fps with eight pumps. This rifle does not have the undercut front sight, and the rear windage adjustment has slotted screw and not a knurled thumb screw, and roll pins instead of screws in the fore stock I was told this is about 1952-1956 production. 

Sheridan Products Inc.
Was formed to produce Pneumatic Air Pellet Rifles with production beginning in March 1947. In the early 1940s Co-founder Ed Wackerhagen, dissatisfied with a pellet gun used by his son, set out to build one of the finest airguns in history. The design was to incorporate the philosophy: "Performance is the sum total of many small functions whose combined result must spell 'Bulls-eye'". It was to be called the Model A, also known as the "Super Grade". This air gun was to fill the gap between the "BB" gun and the .22 caliber. A successful prototype was produced mid-1944 and in 1945, in partnership with I.R. "Bob" Kraus, Sheridan Products Inc. was born in Racine, Wisconsin.[1] The name Sheridan was reputedly in honor of the Civil War's General Philip Sheridan.

The Sheridan Model A "Super Grade" was introduced in 1947 and is considered one of the finest air rifles ever produced. Unfortunately its high cost (MSRP $56.50), translated to very slow sales. Within a year, it was decided that a cheaper model was needed, and in 1948 the Model B "Sporter" was born. Designed to be less expensive than the Model A, it had a MSRP of $35 when introduced. Apparently the price point of the Model B was still too high, and sales continue to be slow on both rifles, which was of great concern to the newly formed Sheridan Company. It was quickly realized that for the company to survive, a much cheaper to produce model must be designed. This philosophy gave rise to the last Sheridan model, the Model C "Streak" introduced in 1949. Its MSRP at introduction was $19.95 and was selling for $23.95 by 1950. This is the model that ushered Sheridan Products Inc. into profitability. The Model C Silver and Blue Streaks are the pellet rifles that Sheridan is primarily known for, since the Model A's and B's are relatively scarce. Sheridan manufactured the Model C Streaks for 27 years before being bought out by the Benjamin Air Rifle company and ending the original run of Sheridan produce Streaks. Many small changes were made to the Streaks during its 27-year run, providing collectors many different varieties.

* source Wikipedia