Benjamin Franklin model 130

[Jevaughn]

One of the things sitting in my safe that I inherited when my grandfather passed in the 90s was this old air pistol he bought in the 60s I believe. Doing a serial number search, it looks like it was manufactured in 1963. Doesn't hold pressure and the safety moves back and forth freely so is likely missing whatever makes it positively click in place. My question is whether it's worth restoring. Is there a market for these things and if so what's it worth? It cocks and fires when you pull the trigger but my best guess is that the seals in the air pump are long shot out.
Who does restorations on these and is it worth it? The pistol doesn't have any sentimental value really, not like the 22s I shot blackbirds and squirrels that were terrorizing his garden with. I never even knew he had this until he passed away and it's never held air since I've had it and just sits in the safe because it's unusable.

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[Rebel_Rider1969]

Fix it!!

Benjamin 130,132,137 pistol seal kit | eBay

Benjamin pistol 130,132,137 seal kit.

www.ebay.com

 

[Tige]

It is a classic. I still have mine from the same era. I agree- fix it.

 

[Bullet Splatter]

Recently went through one of these for a friend, it did build pressure afterwards but could still use new seal. Cool little air gun. There is some useful info on rebuilding them out there, I cannot remember specifically which forum though.

 

[Snake-Eyes]

Fix it. Write down all of the history you know about it, plus everything you do to it.
Would make a nice bit of backstory to whomever gets it after you.

 

[Jevaughn]

Fix it. Write down all of the history you know about it, plus everything you do to it.
Would make a nice bit of backstory to whomever gets it after you.

I truly know nothing about it other than we found it amongst my grandfather's things and it's never worked since we found it. Probably something he bought and put away thinking he'd use it in his garden, but the whole time I knew him he kept an old Ruger standard or whatever the pre mk series was on his hip while trending his gardens. We sold that one for my grandmother though to a collector of such guns. I got basically what the collectors didn't want, an old 1917 revolver that was cut to 4"and nickel plated, an old Stevens side by side, a JP Sauer und Sohn .25acp and this pellet pistol.

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[Snake-Eyes]

I truly know nothing about it other than we found it amongst my grandfather's things and it's never worked since we found it. Probably something he bought and put away thinking he'd use it in his garden, but the whole time I knew him he kept an old Ruger standard or whatever the pre mk series was on his hip while trending his gardens. We sold that one for my grandmother though to a collector of such guns. I got basically what the collectors didn't want, an old 1917 revolver that was cut to 4"and nickel plated, an old Stevens side by side, a JP Sauer und Sohn .25acp and this pellet pistol.

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That right there is interesting stuff. Add to it, with whatever you do to fix it, or add a holster, and some targets, etc...
Who knows, you might like the pistol, and the story will get longer.

 

[seandizzie]

I dont know your specific model but this is one I got in a similar way, and yes the can be repaired.

Check out Pyrimd Air amd others who have parts.

Parts kit should look something like the pic above. Make sure you get special tool to remove the valve assembly.

I literally learned how to shoot with this air rifle.