Beretta 1934 light strike issue

[Jim NE]

Bought a 1941 Romanian issue Beretta model 1934 pistol in .380. Cool gun, cycles all ammo great, accurate, but has light strikes with some ammo. Ammo I've had issues with: Armscor, Magtech and Maxxtech. Didn't have probs with PMC, but only put 50 rounds of that stuff through it. And 25 rounds of Herter had no issues either, though it might if I put more through it.

Where would you guys start(aside from cleaning, which I've already done)? Numrich has parts, and may have hammer springs and firing pins. thanks

 

[Monac]

I really need to stop answering questions on subjects I know nothing about, but here goes: Is the firing pin moving freely, and does it seem able to protrude far enough for good ignition? I currently have a Webley automatic where the firing pin will barely budge when struck or pushed.

 

[GRIZ22]

I have two Beretta1934s. One an Italian WW2 war souvenir and the other a nickle plated commercial from the 50s. Both have the strongest recoil and main springs I have ever encountered. Maybe someone swapped out the mainspring for something lighter. Both of mine fire any 380 ammo they are fed.

Just a guess. Does the hammer cocktail easily?

 

[Jim NE]

Is the firing pin moving freely, and does it seem able to protrude far enough for good ignition? I currently have a Webley automatic where the firing pin will barely budge when struck or pushed.

The firing pin, compared most other semi-auto guns I own, is rather difficult to depress and to get to protrude, but it looks like it protrudes far enough. I will take the pin out and check the channel, but I'll wait to do that until I get the NOS firing pin I just ordered. Given the force needed to get the pin to protrude, there could be some corrosion in the channel, though there isn't much elsewhere on the gun (but the gun has seen a lot of use - lots of finish wear.) The other weird thing about the pin is something I noticed after the first couple of light strikes: It doesn't leave an indentation point on the primer, per se, but a tiny indentation circle about the size of most other guns' indentation point, if that makes any sense. This is the first 1934 I've owned, so I don't know if this is by design or typical. It's hard to tell from the online photo, but the replacement NOS pin I ordered doesn't seem to have a striking surface that will leave a circle indentation on the primer like the current pin.

BTW, do you get light strikes with your Webley?

I have two Beretta1934s. One an Italian WW2 war souvenir and the other a nickle plated commercial from the 50s. Both have the strongest recoil and main springs I have ever encountered. Maybe someone swapped out the mainspring for something lighter. Both of mine fire any 380 ammo they are fed.

Just a guess. Does the hammer cocktail easily

Do you mean can I cock the hammer easily? It cocks somewhat easy relatively speaking by thumb, but racking the slide takes a little effort. I've read elsewhere that people have removed hammer spring coils to facilitate ease of use on the 1934, so I guess it's possible someone did that on this gun. I wouldn't know how to tell if the spring has been clipped or not, because of my limited experience. I'll take the old pin out and compare it to the pin I just ordered, then start looking at hammer springs.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

 

[Monac]

I have not tried to fire the Webley. I found out that the firing pin delivered virtually no blow by using the pencil test. The pencil barely budged. Most working pistols will knock it right out of the gun. Then I tried pushing on the firing pin with a screwdriver, and found out it would barely move.