For some reason people handed me Firearms all weekend long (I don't mind, really).
First up an AG Galeski .25 caliber pocket pistol. This one still had the service tag on it from my friends Grandfather's gunsmith service. The tag was dated 1988. The terse prose says: "Safety and function, $10, Clip, $18". The customer never came back it seems. So now, it gets the usual treatment, a bath and oil.
Then here comes the Smith and Wesson Model 64-3. A range rental that is not feeling well. It needs pretty much the same treatment.
So just when I thought it was going to be pedestrian work on admittedly pedestrian stuff, a former CCH student presents me with this:
This is a Arisaka Type 38, Nagoya Arsenal (1923-1945), Series 26. Serial # 8XXX, ca.1933-ca.1940 for 0-99,999 #'s if my Google-Fu works.
Uh, wow. They want me to inspect and clean to determine if it is safe to fire. I'm in over my head a bit. Hey Murph, I know you are busy with the plane and all but can you help me out with the Arisaka?
Oh, oh. I'm very interested in what you find on that Arisaka. I have one in the safe, believe it or not. Mine was sent back piece by piece from my grandfather's brother to him during the war. It looks like it was put together with a pipe wrench. The Arisaka has a variety of ammo it might be chambered in. I'm afraid the stuff that came with mine is not correct. Frighteningly, it has a half a box fired through it and all of the empty casings it came with are fire-formed to a very scary shape. I put it in the back of the safe with a little history note attached, but haven't spent any money on it.
ReplyDelete45er, I will let you know what I find out and I will give it a post all its own later.
DeleteWe overlap again, Keads! I have a Galesi .25 that was handed down from my father. I think it was from '66 or so, before the GCA of '68. It has the white plastic grips, but is dark - blued, I guess - instead of the chrome. I know he worked the night shift in downtown Miami until about 1971, and it wasn't a nice place to be at 3AM.
ReplyDeleteI hardly ever use it, but keep it for the link to dad.
Graybeard, weird huh? It does seem to be well made and simple. Glad you have that link to your Dad.
DeleteGoogle up the history of "Galesi". Apparently an old, very successful Italian gun maker, until the GCA of '68 almost put them under. I seem to recall reading they make rifles now and no handguns.
DeleteGlad the classes went well, and you are getting some 'interesting' pieces to play with!
ReplyDeleteThanks NFO!
DeleteWHOA! Arisaka?!? I wold love to see that up close!
ReplyDeleteBrooke, It will get a post all its own soon!
DeleteMurphy's Law got my Arisaka up and firing chop chop. One of these days I'll learn to make ammo for it - $80 for 20 rounds to buy isn't a good incentive to shoot it.
ReplyDeletePH, ouch! Pretty expensive ammo.
DeleteWow, neat things to keep you busy. Had to goggle and learn more about the Arisaka...
ReplyDeleteAGirl, it has some history to it to be sure.
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