Old Year, New Year (Guns XXXIII)

Well, we added to our collection this year unlike most.

in June we added a Heritage Arms .22 convertible (you've seen this posted before):

in September, we added this CZ52 to the family. Well, I guess I added this one.

I bought it without the Wife's permission, but she wasn't too upset when we saw one in a gun shop the next weekend for almost double what I paid. I wasn't really in the market for one, but I couldn't pass up a good deal:

at the beginning of November, we added this Bulgarian Makarov pistol to the collection.

It is one of the most comfortable pistols we own according to the wife who has claimed ownership of this one (so I guess I'll have to get one for me as well!):


last, but not least, our xmas presents! A pair of CZ82s. "His and Hers", if you will:

one by itself, with all the accessories it came with:

one of the great things about these pistols is the importer's mark, hidden away as it should be:

And what's in store for the new year?

-probably refininshing and restocking the CZ82s

-a .22 pistol with a sound suppressor

-perhaps a "his and hers" pair of 10/22s for the wife and I to customize our own rifles

-stocking up on ammo to feed the whole family of guns

-perhaps a few Mosin Nagant rifles since they are just soooo cheap

-constant deal watching

-oh, and getting my .45 out of layaway where it's been since the first week of November.

Break-Top Break-Down V (Guns XXV)

Time to remove some pins:



Above, you can see the piece of brass I used to tap them out. I was afraid of marring them with a standard steel punch.

These pins hold in the trigger guts, for lack of the proper term.

Break-Top Break-Down IV (Guns XXIV)

Remove hammer:

Hammer removed:

Remove cylinder (it unscrews if you pull gently while turninig):

M1895 Nagant (Guns XXIII)

The first two cylinders through the Nagant:



1.



2.

Pretty good groups for an 80-year old gun with what some call sub-standard ammo from a guy who's never shot one before, I guess.

I liked it. A LOT.

M1895 Nagant III (Guns XXII)

More shots of the varied markings:

Any assistance in identifying meaning is welcome!

Break-Top Break-Down III (Guns XXI)

Remove the mainspring screw:



Gently remove spring: The spring, removed:

M1895 Nagant II (gunsXX)

Sorry about the flash. This is what the import markings look like, though. You really only see the white of the steel from just the right anlge.

A couple of markings just above the frame screw. Perhaps an "L" in a circle and a "2" ?

M1895 Nagant revolver (Guns XIX)

This one arrived today on my doorstep:





It's my first C&R purchase with my 03FFL (for the layman, that means I recently got a license as a collector of old stuff).



Under $100 and the import marks are discreet and on the bottom of the barrel. From IOinc.

Break-Top Break-Down II (Guns XVIII)

step 5: remove the standoff which holds the sideplate on.
step 6: remove said sideplate.
closeup of the mechanism

break-top break-down (Guns XVII)

So... I thought maybe there could be someone out there who wonders how to take a break-top S&W down. Maybe they'd like to see how I did it. Even if I didn't do it right. I did document each step so that I'd be able to put it back together when done.

step1. grip removal. They are cracked and missing chunks and will need to be replaced, but not until I decide on the final finish. It has to match, after all!

step2. the screw which holds the barrel/cylinder ass'y to the frame is removed.

step3. the standoff which the above mentioned screw threads into is removed. picture of the next step's parts in place, so that they may end up back there someday:

step4. removal of that round thing the name of which I don't rightly know at the moment.


more to come....

anyone know why I can only post 5 pictures at a time?

Guns XIII

A "teaser". A preview, so to speak, of things to come.

Remember the before?

How about the in-between? Below. Not really after, because it's only bead blasted and not yet finished.
I know that refinishing it is tantamount to sacrilege for some, but it was the hope of the man who gave it to me that I could make a nice gun out of it after all.

Guns VIII

Below, the break-top bore after cleaning. If you look at the before, you'll be much more impressed than if you just look at the after.

Below, a selection of our household's ammunition.

left to right: .22lr, .22wmr, .25acp, .32acp Winchester Silvertip, .380acp flatnose, .380acp ball, 9mm Speer HP, 9mm Winchester Silvertip, 9mm ball, .38special full wadcutter, .357magnum personal protection, .38+P HP, .357magnum HP, 7.62x39mm Norinco (the surplus and the Wolf are sealed up right now), 20 ga shot, 12ga mystery (reload?), 12ga 00buck, 12ga super magnum 3 1/2".

Guns VII

Last night I got into the break-top S&W from earlier. I want to bring her back to life, you see.

below, inside.

below, outside.

and, finally...

It amazes me what they were capable of doing with steel over 110 years ago, without all of that equipment that makes my own work so much easier.

Guns III

A continuance of Guns II.

As you can see below, it is no longer rusted shut. It is also not yet in any sort of shape to be fired, but I hope to remedy that and take it out to Bob's ranch for a test firing session.


There's also this next photo. I almost forgot about it. Bob found this at the flea market and said the very first thing he thougt was "Arn".

Guns II

I'll be meeting tomorrow to look at making that trade. I'm sure I'll miss the Winchester if it goes through, but maybe I'll add a semi-auto to replace her later.

Anyway, all this gun-think has led me to post another picture and probably another and another and another... ad absurdum...

I'll start with my oldest: a gift from Bob. About a year ago and for about 3 years, I ran the night shift at the shop where I work. He was my press brake operator. Quite a guy. Before I show the gun, I'll show some Bob related pics:

This is a part Bob bent up. Good work, Bob!

This is Bob's car (one of them). It's a Zimmer. He likes to call it "Big Shiny Red".

This is Bob's lawn mower for the new ranch.

While he was packing up and moving out to the ranch, Bob came across this revolver. It was rusted shut and well pitted, but he knew I'd see the beauty in it. He was right. I do like my Smiths! This gun was one of the only things Bob got from his dad's estate before his uncle came in and swiped it all.

to be continued...