Bryco/Jimenez

[The_Armed_Therapist]

My first gun purchase was a Jennings (Bryco) 9mm for $100. It was junk. I was only 18 at the time and didn't know better. Later on, I came to find out the major problems with Jennings firearms.

Right about the time I purchased this from a friend, I didn't know it, but Bryco was filing for bankruptcy. I am well-aware of the issues with Bryco's firearms. However...

I read recently that Paul Jimenez bought their company and now the old Bryco designs are called Jimenez. Are they the same flawed design and dangerous guns that Bryco produced? Or, was Jimenez's goal to purchase them and improve upon them?

No, I'm not thinking about buying one. I would just like anybody with FACTS and DETAILS about the Jimenez company to help me learn about them. Are they the same old Bryco junk or have "improvements" been made?

 

[Tdodge7]

They're still the same as they've always been, the 9mm version has always been the worst one in the lineup (even the guys on the bryco forum avoid them) the smaller ones (.22lr, 25acp, 32acp, 380acp) are more reliable but they're still cheap. For $120 a pop what do you expect though , I own pellet guns that cost more than that.

 

[Ghost Tracker]

There ARE some economy-priced handguns that offer a good value. But they are NOT Bryco/Jimenez. I'd rather defend myself with a good...shovel

 

[forindooruseonly]

There's a Bryco forum? I never knew, and now my morbid sense of curiosity compels me to visit....

 

[mgmorden]

They're all still junk. If you're that hard-up for cash, a Hi Point (as much as I dislike them too), is a much better choice. They mostly work. Jennings/Bryco/Jimenez mostly don't.

 

[gennro]

I ran across one of their 22LR pistols and every time you went to rack a round it had a 80% chance it would fire a round without ever hitting the trigger. So I took the firing pin out and now it makes a nice conversational piece. Glad I didn't pay any money for it.

Friend of mine has one of the 9mm guns that holds 10 rounds. The magazines metal is so flimsy that it will bend after a while and cause the gun to jam so you have to bend them back in to get it to feed properly.

 

[W.E.G.]

I put a hole in the basement wall when my Jennings .22 slam-fired while I was loading a round from the chamber into the magazine.

I "worked on it" some, and messed it up to the point of really ruining it.

The DC police dept. did a gun "buy-back," and paid me $100 for my $49 used gun.

Everybody should have a few POS guns that are real cheap, or give-away pieces.

That way you can take advantage of the next time a local goobermint wants to hand out taxpayer or corporation money in exchange for junk.

 

[gennro]

Yeah I have a nice hole in my floor from that gun.

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

There's a Bryco forum? I never knew, and now my morbid sense of curiosity compels me to visit....

Went and looked myself

 

[Blacklabel82]

I know there has been a lot of bad press about Jimenez, etc..but I own both the JA9 and the 22, and have yet to have an issue. I've got around 500+ rounds thru the 9, not one FTF, FTE, etc....out of either one. I know that QC isn't great, and granted a little "cleaning" and "fluff and buff" may be required, but for around $100...I wouldn't complain..lol. I've owned bad S&W, Taurus, and Keltec semi autos.....I've also had a bad Lorcin (really bad Lorcin lol) and a bad Davis...you can find a lemon from any manufacturer.

I would not use either Jimenez as a range pistol due to the lack of high quality materials, but for affordable personal protection...I'd say they will do the job - IF THEY ARE PROVEN RELIABLE! I trust no gun, $100 or $1,000 before I run at least a hundred rounds or more thru them. Kimber or Jennings - the gun has to prove reliable under use. I would have to say my Hi Point seems to be alot better in regards to build, but the Jimenez isn't as bad as I originally would have thought. Not wanting to start any fights lol, just speaking about my experience. Also, both the Jimenez pistols that I own are new guns, recently pushed out of the factory...so there may be some significant differences in QC since their move from Cali.

One thing I have noticed is the mag springs on both are crazy..lol...before I ever fired either gun, I loaded up all the mags and let them sit for 2 days...this may have helped the feeding issues that some people commonly have. I also took and polished the feed ramps on both, and used gun butter...

 

[JSpear]

I have owned a jennings 9, it was crap, it went into burst mode one day, not safe, but i do also own a jemeniz .22, has worked fine, 1200 rounds so far, just have to use good ammo, cci minimags and it's fine, same molds as the older bryco/Jennings guns but made a little bit better and a little bit safer. Just my experience tho, but jemeniz isnt bad for it's price, fun plinker for the smaller cals, if you plan on a nine, get a hi-point, just my .02 cents tho

 

[makarovnik]

All my Bryco/Jennings/Jimenez pistols have been great. The only problem was that my small .380 bit my hand regularly. They have all been better than my Hi-Points. Sorry Hi-Point.

 

[MedWheeler]

I have an early J-22, the one with the sliding safety and wood grips. It's been a great shooter, though I admit I haven't played with it in maybe two decades (I originally bought it in 1987.) I don't remember any misfires or feed/eject failures, but I did have it come apart once during a rapid-fire session. That was before I learned that they don't like CCI Stingers as steady fodder.

 

[jrdolall]

My Jennings 9 has been great for a $50 gun. It is definitely a pig and too big to carry but I have never seen a problem with misfires, slam fires, jams, etc. Would I want it as my primary gun? Hell no! Is it the piece of crap that so many forums claim? Not this one. Hi-Point is a better option for a cheap, dependable gun