Baby Browning .25 Refinish or not??

ScottsGT · Apr 27, 2007

First off, can anyone direct me to a site that will show me how to disassemble this little pocket rocket?
I just got this in a package deal from a close friend. What I got total was his fathers 1911A1 he carried in and after WWII as an MP, this baby Browning and a Stevens single shot .22 rifle he bought new in 1957. This little jem, Was taken off a hooker in Germany after the war. Let me aplogize now for the crappy cell phone photos, I left the camera at work

Right now it has what would probably be a 10 lb trigger pull. Probably full of crap and corrosion. As you can barely see from the photos, the finish is 100% gone, but all the FN roll marks are still there along with any other factory markings. Is this a good candidate for a park job or a bluing? Or does it have any "Historical Value" other than what I mentioned above? It is really bad...
How about the top of that slide? is that wear, or cut out for the barrel to tilt up when fired?
Any help would be appreciated.

BigG · Apr 27, 2007

Take the magazine out, retract the slide and move the safety up into the takedown cut. The bbl will rotate a quarter turn and you can release the safety and the slide will come off the front of the frame.

I would recommend blowing it out with gunscrubber or similar rather than trying to take it down further. Then, off course relube with Breakfree CLP.

HTH

creekwalker · Apr 27, 2007

Go by your Public Library and see if they have a copy of “Small Arms of the World” available for you to check out, it has the information on disassembly you’re interested in. That said if it was my pistol I’d field strip it and soak it in a good gun solvent like Hoppe’s for a few hours. An even better option if you can manage it would be to put the components in an ultrasonic cleaner. After either cleaning option use an air compressor to blast out solvent and debris than re-inspect for cleanliness and repeat if required. A good general application of lubrication should do the trick. Now insofar as the gun finish goes, no, I would not reblue or refinish the pistol, instead I would use a very fine grade of steel wool where necessary along with some oil to very gently remove any surface rust.

creekwalker

ScottsGT · Apr 27, 2007

Ultrasonic cleaner! Ohh, Ohh, I've got one here at work I can take home today. Thanks for the suggestion!!

Jim K · Apr 27, 2007

Remove the grips before soaking the gun or dumping it in the ultrasonic bath!

BTW, that is not really a Baby Browning, which was an even smaller pistol that came out in the 1930's and was imported here from 1954 to 1968. That gun is the Model 1905 Vest Pocket pistol, made from 1906 to about 1950. IMHO, it is a better gun, and better made, than the Baby Browning.

Jim

1 old 0311 · Apr 28, 2007

In that condition it is a shooter. If you really like it spend the bucks and have it refinished. It will NOT increase the collector value, but if it is reliable it would be a attractive shooter. I did this with a Colt Vest pocket .25 and carried it for a BUG for a long time.

ScottsGT · Apr 28, 2007

BTW, that is not really a Baby Browning, which was an even smaller pistol that came out in the 1930's and was imported here from 1954 to 1968. That gun is the Model 1905 Vest Pocket pistol, made from 1906 to about 1950. IMHO, it is a better gun, and better made, than the Baby Browning.

Thanks for the education Jim! I cannot imagine trying to hold a gun smaller than this one though.

Jim K · Apr 28, 2007

Here are a Colt M1908 Vest Pocket pistol (nearly identical to the Browning Model 1905) and a Baby Browning. There is not a lot of difference, but the Baby is distinctly smaller.

Jim

ScottsGT · May 1, 2007

Jim,
How much pressure should be applied to the grip safety to move it? Mine takes about 10 lbs or more to move it, and I'm thinking I need to look into the springs. Trigger pull seems to be about the same too.

Dale Taylor · May 1, 2007

Jim, seeing this thread reminds me of the help you gave me with my mother's Colt 25. Again thanks much. Its now at Don Williams to be refinished. It has a lot of sentimental value to my brother and me. Dale

Baby Browning .25 Refinish or not??

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