WAC .380

[Gordon]

I found a great little pistol to keep my Remington Original model 51 company : a new in box with papers MAB made Model C (compact and yeah I know it means civillian in Phrench) in .380. This thing is superbly built in late 1950s. notice mag release and the grip safety and sear lock safety. I would be OK carring it chamber loaded ! It is tiny for a .380 , except it has a usefull Walther PP length barrel to heat up the .380 ! I love it ! Decent sights too !


$199 + DEROS+Tax ! People don't understand French guns !

 

[Tommygunn]

That is one nice looking pistol.

 

[DT Guy]

So is the 'sear block safety' the lever visible just below the slide? I'd have guessed that was a slide lock.

If that's the safety, is there a slide lock similar to the PP, hidden in the slide?

Larry

 

[Gordon]

it is slide lock back, and slide lock when on safe and it removes trigger from sear in that position, the grip safety locks the sear. The internal parts are beautifully machined with some polishing and heat hardening evident. I have the original instruction booklet and a warranty card in the box with a tight little three round group target marked "10 M " . The edges are a little sharper than my period Model 1955 (1910) Browning .380 and the blueing not as polished, looks more black than the Browning. This gun is much smaller than my Browning .380. it only has a 6 round mag and a short grip but the grip feels better in the hand . The depth of slide/frame is shorter than my 1966 PPK .380 and slightly thinner (but slightly thicker than the Remington model 51) , the barrel is PP length but slimmer . It is the perfect sized pocket pistol IMHO, I read up on the history of the company. Their finances were sketchy and they were using pre war tooling on this one and could never make the jump to mas production tooling so it died in the 60s. They fooled around with simpler designs until late 70s. They sold model B in .32acp which has a longer grip to arm Gendarmes after the war until 70s. Interesting gun.

 

[If1HitU]

I'd like it to keep me company,very nice looking .380.

 

[chicharrones]

Phrench

That's a beautiful Phrench pistola, Gordon.

 

[commygun]

That is so cool. I've always loved the European small/medium sized .32's and .380's of the 20th Century. They have character to burn. Great find!

 

[commygun]

Gordon,
Is the Unblinking Eye your baby?

 

[Tallball]

Cool pistol! I have a 32acp version and really like it.

 

[Gordon]

I like to take pictures on a stump outside my man cave door, this one I found when researching what I bought cause I liked it does it justice, it is rainy season here. I do have box and papers which I will get photos of eventually. I had to resesearch this after I bought it, I really never heard of it and didn't know the story of Winfield Arms . I have currently one other very weird French pistol, a .25acp tilt barrel that is so weird and so well made it intriques me. It also shoots better than any .25 I have ever shot. "La Policeman" and yes I will post an Unblinkining eye (type) picture of it .

 

[commygun]

Cool. That is a great site for 20th Century pistols of this type.

 

[Monac]

So is the 'sear block safety' the lever visible just below the slide? I'd have guessed that was a slide lock.

If that's the safety, is there a slide lock similar to the PP, hidden in the slide?

Larry

No, the Model C does not have a last-shot hold-open like the PP. It is largely an FN 1910 copy, but the safety arrangements have been altered. I forget if it has a magazine safety.

 

[entropy]

Look sort of like an Ortgies and a Remington 51 had a Phrench bebe.