...and will try to get it to the range later today to make sure I fixed it properly. It had been misfiring in as much as when the trigger was pulled - sometimes the hammer would drop and the pistol go bang but at other times I'd pull the trigger and it would not activate the hammer. I figured it likely that a part was broken or worn but it seems I was wrong.
As it turned out, once I took off the left grip panel, and fiddled around with some parts, I realized that what turned out to be the Sear Plate Screw was loose. So, when I pulled the trigger, the Trigger Bar would sometimes slide under the Sear Plate instead of pushing the sear plate straight back as it should have done. Tightening the screw seems to have solved that issue but the proof will be in a range trip. (Got those parts names using the nomenclature from an exploded parts diagram at Numrich Gun Parts Corp, see link below.)
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| This diagram will give a good idea of what I think was the problem. I hope so, I'd like to keep this one. |
I hate to use it up but I have pulled 100 rounds out of my meager stock of 380 and am planning to hit the range later today. If there are no misfires in the first 50 rounds, I may just put everything away and call it a good shoot and an excellent but simple repair. As you probably know, 380 ammo is as rare as turtle's teeth and yes they actually each have a single egg tooth when hatchlings, they use it to break the egg shell when coming out into the world (source).
While working on the Model 1934, I came across a couple of helpful web sites/pages. One page, from Numrich Gun Parts Corp. (a site with which I am quite familiar), was specific to the Model 1934. See the page at this link: https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/beretta/auto-pistols-ber/1934.
The site at the following link is called the Beretta Web. It has a lot of info on Beretta firearms including exploded parts diagrams and indexed parts lists for many models of their guns. See: http://www.berettaweb.com/sezionati/sezionati.htm. They do not list every Beretta firearm but do show many. Fortunately, they have the exploded parts diagrams and parts lists for a few of my Beretta pistols; although, while they may show a specific gun's parts diagram, they do not always have the parts list for that gun. Still though, a very good source of information, lots of other info therein. This is the link to their home page: http://www.berettaweb.com/.
While searching the Internet for info on the 1934 I also learned that my pistol's serial number indicates it was produced between 1934 & 1942. My guess is, that because of its high serial number of 884XXX, it was probably produced between 1940 and 1942 but I have no way to be certain of that. Being produced within that time frame would indicate to me this was a military weapon being that WWII was in full swing by then; I doubt many if any were being produced for civilian use. I had looked over the pistol before and was uncertain if any of its stampings were military.
Glenn B
5 comments:
I'm in a little better shape than you are with the .380 ammo. I started loading it many years ago when I bought an FEG SMC380 at a gun shop for $139. Anyone who shot .380 ACP back then just left their brass lying around at the range, so I ended up with a large supply. Nowadays the only brass lying around is .22 LR. I have 1450 rounds loaded at the moment and 1000 cases cleaned and ready to be processed. Luckily, I have thousands of bullets already in stock and plenty of powder and primers. I've also picked up a few more pistols in that caliber over the past 6 or 8 months. A Bersa 97, a Bersa Thunder, an FEG APK9S, and two Beretta 85BB which I really love. The only one that I had a problem with was the Bersa 97. You had to repeatedly push on the magazine release until the mag would drop. Like your pistol it had to do with a loose screw. This one held a metal tab that fit in a slot to hold the magazine in the well. Took all of a minute and a half to fix.......
Well, I actually fixed it. The cause of the issue was a loose screw and also that the hammer pin was protruding a bit from the left side of the frame. That pin prevented the left grip from sitting flush against the frame and apparently holding things in place & prevented a depression in the grip from fitting properly over the sear plate screw also preventing a flush fit and prevented things being properly held in place. Once the pin was made flush with the left side of the frame and the screw was tight, everything went into place nicely and the problem was solved. When the trigger was then pulled, the hammer fell reliably every time. Regardless of that fix, I sold it today. That was a bit tough to do because I liked it a lot but I admit I did not like it as much as my Beretta 84B. The determining factors were: I could use the cash and that I decided to keep only one pistol in 380, my Beretta 84B. I only have 450 to 500 rounds of 380 ammo and I doubt, the way things are going, that I'll be getting any additional at close to a reasonable price for at least two or three years, maybe four. My local gun store has it, ammo they make in shop with new brass. It is only $19.99 per box of 50 but they will only sell you one box per day and insist you shoot it at their range. Watch, now that I sold it, Academy Sports will have oodles of 380 in stock this week at a fairly reasonable price.
All the best,
GB
Must be very nice to have all those hand loading supplies!
Well, I would buy things over the years when a good deal would present itself whether I needed the stuff or not. Quite a while back I thought about selling off a bunch of stuff, but never got around to it. Now I'm glad that I didn't.
I bought ammo over the years. Had 50K plus before leaving NY but sold an awful lot of it before my departure. Then started buying again once here in TX. Made an excellent recovery even though not up to my top level quite yet. I still keep buying even at higher prices. Picked up three 200 rd boxes of Monarch steel cased 9mm at Academy today (any 9mm better than none and their price is reasonable considering almost all others).
What I wish I had bought, even in early 2020 when the first warning bells went off, was reloading supplies. I have a kit, a Hornady press with most everything I need and have several dies too. I have had the kit for maybe 7 or more years and have only opened the box to look. Always figured I'd get to it but I m THE Great Procrastinator and have not as of yet. Shame on me for that.
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