Gunsnrovers
Member
When my wifes grandfather died in 2000, I went up North to Half Moon Bay to help clean out the house and move her grandmother to a home. We found two neat small caliber semi-autos in his safe. My wifes family is pretty anti gun and folks were a bit upset to find these pistols. My mother in law stuffed them in a crawl space beneath their house where I knew humidity and rust would have their way with them.
In 2002, my wifes grandmother died and we again went North. This time, I was able to convince my mother-in-law to at least let me clean the pistols and coat them with some oil.
Last weekend, my wife went to visit her mom and surprisingly was able to convince her mom that I could safely and securely store the pistols in a humidity free safe before they rusted away and/or were forgotten (except by me!).
The first was his service Colt 1908 Hammerless in .380 and we even have the letter from the Army allowing him to take it home when he mustered out. It's serial # 688XX. Anyone know the manufacture date on this? I was unable to find much on line.
The Colt had been visited by the rust monster. Tore it all the way down and gave it a CLP bath and played with some 000 steel wool. Lots of scratches and blue finish turning to brown, but the rust is gone and the pistol seems to function well. However, the thumb safety works, but is loose. It does not want to stay locked and will fall down from safe very easily. Grip safety is 100%. Is that a common problem? Going to try to hit the range this week with it.
The second pistol was a early Beretta Model 70 Puma in .32ACP. Evidently, he carried this one when he went to make his bank deposits (he owned a small business). This one has the box and a target dated 1959. I am pretty sure the Puma was introduced in 1958 so this one is pretty early in production. The Beretta is in great shape and I test fired it. Doesn't like Hydrashok, but with the ball ammo I had, it shots great. Neat little gun.
All in all, a neat inheritance for my wife. Getting the service pistol was awesome. He was in the Signal Corps and served in the Italian theatre.
In 2002, my wifes grandmother died and we again went North. This time, I was able to convince my mother-in-law to at least let me clean the pistols and coat them with some oil.
Last weekend, my wife went to visit her mom and surprisingly was able to convince her mom that I could safely and securely store the pistols in a humidity free safe before they rusted away and/or were forgotten (except by me!).
The first was his service Colt 1908 Hammerless in .380 and we even have the letter from the Army allowing him to take it home when he mustered out. It's serial # 688XX. Anyone know the manufacture date on this? I was unable to find much on line.
The Colt had been visited by the rust monster. Tore it all the way down and gave it a CLP bath and played with some 000 steel wool. Lots of scratches and blue finish turning to brown, but the rust is gone and the pistol seems to function well. However, the thumb safety works, but is loose. It does not want to stay locked and will fall down from safe very easily. Grip safety is 100%. Is that a common problem? Going to try to hit the range this week with it.
The second pistol was a early Beretta Model 70 Puma in .32ACP. Evidently, he carried this one when he went to make his bank deposits (he owned a small business). This one has the box and a target dated 1959. I am pretty sure the Puma was introduced in 1958 so this one is pretty early in production. The Beretta is in great shape and I test fired it. Doesn't like Hydrashok, but with the ball ammo I had, it shots great. Neat little gun.
All in all, a neat inheritance for my wife. Getting the service pistol was awesome. He was in the Signal Corps and served in the Italian theatre.