[DocBernard]

So today is my birthday. Yesterday my wife said I could buy a gun at the pawnshop😁. So I bought three. A pawnshop about 50 miles from me does evidence/confiscation buys from local LE agencies and they have the “bargain section”. And I am needing to have some other pieces to showcase my work. A lot of these guns are absolute junk: missing parts, JB weld repairs, solid blocks of rust. Some, the only thing that classifies them as a firearm is there is a readable serial number. But there’s a few gems in there.

So I walked away with a Smith&Wesson 4013 .40 cal, an old Smith&Wesson .32 long pistol, and a Stevens 12 gauge pump shotgun with choked barrel. All for 600.00

They are in rough but very restorable shape. I think I found my new favorite place.

 

[DocBernard]

Still working on my gunsmith license/FFL, so right now the plan is to keep them. But I want to use them as “examples” of my work to show my abilities. Maybe down the road they will be sold.

On another note, does anybody have the Smith&Wesson book for dating? That .32 Long has a serial number of 42332 (all matching numbers). Looking to at least find the shipping date on it.

 

[DocBernard]

I agree, Northtidesix. Last night, as soon as I got it home, I stripped the handles off and soaked it in CLP. The cylinder release was frozen but after soaking and some gentle but repeated tapping with a brass drift punch I got it to break loose and was able to remove the cylinder assembly. Internals look pretty decent, bore has some wear but looks serviceable.

 

[DocBernard]

I’ll have to try that on the next one.

 

[DocBernard]

Yeah, good eye. I noticed that the rust was a different color too. I was thinking it was the type of metal or coloration of the slide that caused that “brighter” color of rust. And the pattern was odd, only on the top of the slide and nowhere else. Haven’t touched it yet to figure it out. But it is fully functional and so I put it off until I get the .32 done

 

[DocBernard]

…….I look forward to seeing that revolver once finished.

Here ya go. BTW, got my answer on the model and ship date for the revolver. It is a 1903 Smith & Wesson (shipped in 1906) .32 cal Long Hand Ejector, 6 screw 1st Change.
(Over 116-118 years old). Now fully functional and shootable. Still need to get the letter from S&W to get the original recipient and establish some provenance on it.

 

[DocBernard]

So, on to the next fun project: A 1923 Walther PP Model 4, 3rd Variant. This one is gonna be a challenge:

1st it's all in pieces.

Second: Oops. The hammer is broken in two spots.

So, since I can’t find a hammer anywhere for this pistol, I am gonna fabricate one. Client said “ if you can fix it that would be great, if not give it a good cleaning”

Challenge accepted, good sir. I have been waiting to put my hand scraping, metal hardening, and machining skills to the test.

 

[DocBernard]

Northtidesix, I will definitely look in to that.

My concern is that this is the hammer, and I am not sure brazing will hold up to the forces generated on that part and that bottom pin enclosure is so fine and those little pieces are nonexistent with the pile I received.

And, I’ll admit it, I am looking forward to the challenge of the process. I haven’t done this level of precision in a while and I get to break out my machinists box. Already sourcing the steel, going to use a 1095 because I can heat treat it and forge the rough shape first ( buying enough for at least 10 of them for the oops factor)

 

[DocBernard]

I don't think this is the same but worth a look.
Walther PP PPK Hammer

Yeah, this has a different hammer style than that one, but I appreciate the heads up.

 

[DocBernard]

I actually found one! After starting the blueprinting process, sigh.