Benjamin Franklin Model 710 BB Rifle 25 Shot Repeater VINTAGE 1940's NEED REPAIR

Description

***ATTENTION***
This listing complies with eBay’s air gun guidelines and I will only sell and ship air guns to buyers in jurisdictions where permitted by applicable laws -
http://pages.ebay.com/co/es-co/help/policies/firearms-weapons-knives.html
.
***NOTICE***
Per eBay policy and state regulations, I cannot ship airguns to: Aurora, IL, Chicago, IL, Morton Grove, IL, Buffalo, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Bronx, NY, Brooklyn, NY, Long Island City, NY, Manhattan, NY, Queens, NY, New York City, NY, Staten Island, NY, Washington DC and New Jersey.
Please know the laws in your city and state and DO NOT attempt to bid or buy this pistol if you are not at least 18 years old and/or need it shipped to any of the above noted prohibited locations.
By bidding, you acknowledge and declare you are of legal age to make the purchase and the air gun is legal to be shipped to, and be possessed within, your city/state.
Note, understand if you bid on and purchase the pistol your purchase MUST and WILL BE cancelled.
Please take the time to read through my entire item description and view all the photographs.  I consistently prepare accurate and detailed descriptions and provide clear close up photographs for all my listings.  The aforementioned notwithstanding, note the photos are still the biggest and most important part of this or any description.  As the old saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words".  If you would like additional photos or have specific questions just message me and I will respond ASAP.
Given the age of this pistol it is being offered in “as is” condition with no warranty implied
.
For your consideration is this authentic
VINTAGE 1940-1947
,
BENJAMIN MODEL 710 PNEUMATIC PUMP STYLE SINGLE SHOT BB PUSH-PULL REPEATER RIFLE
.
This model rifle has a smoothbore barrel and was
made in the U.S.A.
in
Saint Louis, Missouri
.
I recently came across this rifle, and many other vintage “BB” and “pellet” air guns while going through my attic.
I fully anticipate listing all of them as well since I am now too old to fully enjoy them as much as I once did.
To that end, it is time to pass these classics on to the next generation for them to treasure and enjoy as much as I did back in the day.
I can still recall the day I purchased this “old-timer” air rifle at a yard sale when I was just a young boy and thought I was the cat’s meow because, at the time, I was the first amongst my friends to have a BB gun.
Despite its obvious age, even back then, the ole rifle shot well and provided years of great memories for me.
Note, the rifle needs a little attention as it no longer holds air in the chamber when it is pumped.
The noted loss of air compression is a common condition found on most original vintage pneumatic pump air rifles that haven't been restored.
The aforementioned notwithstanding, these old air rifles are easily refurbished as the needed replacement washer and seal kits are readily available.
To that end, I am offering the vintage rifle in “
AS IS
” condition with the explicit understanding that, due to its age, the internal seals will need replacing and perhaps other minor work will need to be performed before the old rifle will be ready to shoot again.
The rifle weighs approximately 4.0 pounds 5.0 ounces and measures approximately 34.75” long as measured from the bottom of muzzle to the toe of the stock.
Please refer to description photo # 12 to confirm the length and for more details about what I have described.
The rifle barrel, air tube and breech/receiver are made out of brass (non-magnetic).
The barrel and the tube look to have been originally nickel plated but a lot of the plating has since been worn away.
The
RIGHT
side of the rifles breech/receiver is clearly stamped with the following line that read as follows.
Refer to description photo # 8 for a close up image and more details about what I have described.
“COCK HAMMER TO RELEASE SAFETY”
The
LEFT
side of the rifles breech/receiver is also clearly stamped with one line that read as follows.
Refer to description photo # 9 for a close up image and more details about what I have described.
“BENJAMIN FRANKLIN” ”
At the back of the rifle breech/receiver on the end of the air chamber, located immediately below the bolt handle, there is the model number designation clearly stamped into the metal.
The number appears as follows.
Refer to description photo # 4 for a close up image and more details about what I have described.
“710”
There are no other markings or stamps, to include a serial number, anywhere on the rifle that I can find.
The rifle remains in good condition for being between 75 and 82 years old and having an active adventurous history rough and ready recreational use over the past eight decades.
As previously stated, the rifle does not hold air when pumped.
The seals will need to be replaced.
As you would expect to find on a preowned and used vintage air rifle like this, much of the nickel plating shows wear and has revealed a lot of the brass metal underneath.
The muzzle end of the barrel was re-soldered once in the distant past (prior to my ownership) but has become detached again and will need to be re-soldered back.
This is the way the barrel was when I bought the rifle at the yard sale when I was a young boy and it never bother me in the least as it continued to shoot straight enough for me as is.
Refer to description photo # 5 for a close up image and more details about what I have described.
The rifle’s magazine tube holds (25) twenty five shots of BB’s.
The loading handle or "follower" internal spring remains strong and functional and pulls back and recoils properly.
This is where you would load the BB’s into the magazine tube and the tension would continuously feed the BB’s into the rifle receiver with each draw of the bolt.
Refer to the description photos for more details about what I have described.
Additionally, the rifle has a straight bolt handle like no other handle I have seen on a Benjamin model 710 leading me to believe at one time in the distant past the original bolt handle was replaced with the existing handle.
Once again, this is exactly how the rifle was configured over 50 years ago when I bought it in the mid-1960’s.
It performs fine and was good enough for a young boy who shot thousands of BB’s with the rifle back in the day.
Refer to description photos # 4, # 8 and # 11 for close up images and more details about what I have described.
The rifle has a genuine solid walnut wood stock and grooved forearm that remain in good condition.
There are no cracks and/or repairs on either piece of wood.
As you would expect to find on a vintage air rifle like this, the wood surfaces do show blemishes, scratches, minor dings and dents from age and honest use.
Being the wood is solid walnut; the noted blemishes can easily be mitigated with little effort if the new owner desired to refinish the wood.
Please refer to the description photos to confirm the condition of the wood and for more details about what I have described.
I found the following specifications about the Benjamin 710 rifle on the internet interesting and informative so I decided to include it below for your further review and consideration.
The model 710 was produced between 1940 and 1946.
The overall length of the rifle is approximately 34.75” and it has a smoothbore barrel that is approximately 18.25” long. The trigger guard pull is approximately 13.0” from the end of the stock.
The rifle weighs approximately 4.0 pounds 4.0 ounces.
The stock is made out of solid walnut wood, which was common in those days. Walnut is a fast-growing hardwood and Missouri is loaded with abundant American walnut trees.
The large metal parts on the rifle are made out of brass and plated with nickel that was also very common in those days.
The 710 takes down and was sold in that configuration.
Takedown rifles were very popular at that time and are still popular, but it’s much more difficult to take a broken-down rifle on a train or a bus today than it was back in the 1940’s.
The 710 has a single captive stock screw that holds the barreled action securely in the stock. The stock in-letting is milled perfectly and fits very tight, so the one screw is all that’s required.
Benjamin claimed an accuracy of 2-inches at 15 to 20 yards.
Overall, this vintage air rifle is a genuine survivor from a bygone era in time.
It is a very nice example of an early Benjamin air rifle.
I am confident, that with very little effort and attention, this rifle can easily return to full function and will be certain to provide its new owner with many more years of shooting pleasure, outdoor adventures and lasting memories.
Please look at the photos closely as they accurately depict the vintage Benjamin BB air rifle I describe and show exactly what you will receive if you purchase this piece.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding this rifle please email me and I will respond ASAP.
NOTE FOR SHIPPING PURPOSES; THE RIFLE WILL BE TAKEN DOWN AND SHIPPED IN TWO PIECES AS PICTURED IN DESCRIPTION PHOTOS # 6 AND # 7.
THIS WILL PERMIT THE USE OF A SMALLER MORE COMPACT BOX AND WHICH WILL LESSEN THE SHIPPING CHARGE.
The rifle will ship from Texas zip code 77362 via USPS Priority Mail
safely secured inside a 26.0" x 6.0" x 6.0" cardboard box weighing between approximately 5.0 and 6.0 pounds after packaging.  Buyer pays true shipping cost, if you would like to estimate shipping to your home zip code you can enter the aforementioned shipping information into either the USPS or eBay postal calculator program.
PLEASE LOOK AT THE OTHER ITEMS I CURRENTLY HAVE LISTED, AND CONTINUE TO LIST, ON EBAY.  THANKS!
This listing complies with eBay’s air gun guidelines found here and I will only sell and ship air guns to buyers in jurisdictions where permitted by applicable laws
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/firearms-weapons-knives.html