Just bought a PA-63

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Dr. Fresh

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So I just bought one of these Hungarian 9x18 beasts, and I have a few questions.

Does anyone make holsters for this pistol? More specifically, I'm looking for an IWB and/or ankle holster.

Are there instructions for disassembly/cleaning online?

Assuming it's in working order, is the pistol safe to carry chambered? It has a really heavy trigger, but I'm not sure if it has any passive safeties.

Is it safe to dry fire?

And lastly, I hear a lot about people replacing the springs to reduce recoil. Will it still function reliably with the stock springs, or am I better off getting new ones?

Thanks.
 
Congrats on your acquisition. I have had mine for a while and really enjoy it. The 9x18 round can be a little abrupt but that is the way it seems to be in most 9x18 pistols. I had to go with a generic IWB to fit it but I know there are some out there making custom holsters for it that are fabulous. There is some nice information available on this forum http://p64resource.com/ both about the pistol and holsters. I have manuals for it in PDF if you would like I could send one to you. There is a generic on available here http://www.centuryarms.com/Century/pages/Manuals.htm

I shoot mine just the way it came, no issues so no need to mess with it, others have reported some good results from spring changes.

I have the 32acp version and it is no where near as reliable as the 9x18, have heard the same from several others. I am still trying to work out the problems with the 32 version.
 
Thanks a bunch.

Haha wow, this thing is ridiculously easy to disassemble. Dang! I like how there aren't any pins to fiddle with.
 
Note of caution, the sear pivot pins are held on by the grips. Take the grips off, move the frame around and the small pins will fall out, never to be seen again.
 
Thanks for the warning. Now I know never to remove the grips, haha. Sounds almost as scary as disassembling my Winchester 1866.
 
Hint; if you cock the hammer (No magazine or round in the chamber please); it will put tension on the sear and the pins won't fall out when you remove the grips. I love these guns. I also have the AP-MBP which is exactly the same gun except in 32auto; also known as 7.65. But anyway; cock the hammer PRIOR to removing the grips.
 
if you take off the slide and pull the trigger, you will see a little pin lift out of the frame. this is the firing pin lifter, and it is the passive safety. unless you pull the trigger, the hammer cannot strike the firing pin.
 
Aw.. Legume beat me cuz I had a power outtage. :)

You can test the firing pin safety with a pencil. Put it in the unloaded gun, eraser end, first. Pull back the hammer 80% and let go. The pencil shouldn't move. Make sure the gun is pointed upside down (handle pointing up), though. If it's right side up, then gravity might hold the firing pin in the safe position, regardless if the firing pin safety plunger/spring are missing or broken.

That said, I'm not liking the design of the firing pin safety. It causes extra friction on the firing pin. The spring loaded plunger drags along with the firing pin the entire length of travel

I have done the Wolff springs change (and already discarded the originial spring) and I am getting light strikes using hungarian military surplus ammo. And I chose the heaviest Wolf replacement springs, main and recoil.

I'm probably going to remove the firing pin safety before my next trip to the range to see if that cures things.
 
Good luck with that. I'm gonna try mine with stock springs and everything else. One thing I noticed, the magazine feels squishy and cheap, and the rounds tend not to point in the correct direction when I put them in until I slap it against my hand. They're also hard to remove from the mag. Is this normal? My S&W has much more confidence-inspiring mags.

And doesn't the PPK have a much shorter barrel? I'm surprised they can use the same holsters.
 
this is closer to the PP than the PPK. the magazines are kinda hit and miss,of the 4 i have, two are great, one is just ok, and the other needed alot of work to get to work correctly, and even then its not that great.
 
Looks like mine he!he! great little gun for the money
I like it better than the Bersa I had. Not knocking the 380 Bersa great shooter but.
-Stronger frame, 1% titanium.
-Hotter than a 380
-Easy to fix the heavy DA & Recoil
 
I can see by your name that you're a fan of these little things. :D

I had a Bersa Model 85 for a while. Nice little gun until it broke on me at the range.
 
LOL seems that way, I happen to just buy the PA-63 when I found this forum when looking for info about it.

I guess if I bought a Bersa my user name would have been different. Wish I would have used something else actually.

My 85 never broke but I had bought mine in 2000 and shoot a lot of ammo in it. I think when they started getting popular production suffered.
 
Correction
Mine was the "Thunder 380" is that the same gun?
and I think I got it in 1999 instead of 2000
 
I have a PA-63 and installed a heavier spring to help stop it stove piping with cheap ammo. It worked. It is a pleasure to shoot. I love the little turd! Surprisingly accurate too.
 
Can't wait to take it out to the range for the first time. :D

FEG63ISFINE, the 85 was an older model, I think from the late 80s. It had a double-stack mag and wood grips.

It looked exactly like this one I just found on the internet:
bersa.jpg
 
Hope it shoots well for you Dr. Fresh.

Thanks, mine was the alum. frame and I saw were the guy supposedly sold it for $285, pricey but it is in great shape.

If I had my druthers I would go with the CZ82, I think that would be a good one for the forum CZ82 or Bersa 85?
 
Please consider replacement hammer and recoil springs. I did mine and the gun is now one I won't go without. It's light, accurate, dependable and affordable. Its DA trigger pull is now right at perfectly acceptable and the stiffer recoil spring lessens the slam to the hand quite a bit. It's my carry gun in jacket weather.
 
I'm gonna take it out and shoot it soon. If I have trouble with the recoil or trigger pull I'll replace the springs.
 
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