Need some expert advice on old .25 auto

[Mossy Bloke]

I have an OLD HY Hunter Firearms .25 cal. The model is a Maxim. I'm trying to figure out how to break it down to clean it and can't get it apart. I found a few pictures of it on gunbroker.com but I can't find anything on the internet to help me out.

Anyone out there that can lend me a hand?

 

[Johnny Guest]

MOVED - -

I've found that there is a better response rate in Harley Nolden's Institute For Firearms Research forum when the question concerns obscure and non-mainstream items.

Best,
Johnny

 

[SDC]

If it's like most pistols of the type, you'll strip it down in one of two ways; either there's a "key"-shaped plunger at the rear of the slide that you have to press in on (with an unloaded pistol, slide forward), and this lets you lift the back of the slide up and off the rails, then it runs forward off the front of the frame; OR press in a button at the rear of the frame while you're slowly pulling back on the slide as if you were loading it; at some point, you'll feel the rear of the slide start to come free, at which point you can lift the rear of the slide up off the rails and then let it run off the front of the frame again. For both of these, reassembly is in the reverse order. HTH.

 

[Jim K]

If SDC is correct about the takedown, be sure to keep a thumb behind the slide as you pull it up; if you don't, there may be a firing pin spring and guide that will take off for parts unknown.

FWIW, I can't find that brand name in any source I have (except of course in reference to the Maxim machinegun) but Hy Hunter was well known in the 1950's and 1960's for selling military surplus guns as well as cheap new guns of, at best, indifferent quality. Most were made overseas and are, to be honest, of little interest as either collector items or shooters.

Jim