The Beretta is an evolution of the P-38.

P-38 > Beretta M-1951 > Beretta 92 (M-9).

If there's a gun museum in 200 years, and they have any semi auto pistols,   I really think a  .45 ACP 1911 and a 9mm G-17 would cover the 20th century as a brief representation of semi autos,  and I'm saying this as someone that doesn't even feel the need to own a 1911 anymore, and hates full sized Glocks.

It's kind of late to be considered classic by some, but the only plastic on it is the grip panel...

To keep this going...

Classic?  No!  Useful?  No!  Cool?  Yes!

I'll be in my bunk.

No doubt , I had one for a short time and hated it.

I remember when those tangent sight models were advertised every week in SGN........wish I'd bought one

P1 Walther

Funny you should post that.  I have a Swedish pistol just like that, although mine was made by Husqvarna and has a matching holster.  I was thinking of selling it.  Do you know what they sell for these days?

I've only put about 100 rounds of ball through mine, and it was 100% reliable.  I know that this is unusual considering its reputation.  Apart from the issues expected from the unusual design, my big beef is the quality of the plastic molding.  I've never seen a worse example in a product that was not supposed to be 'cheap'.

I keep it only because it's at home in my collection of crazies.

I purchased a surplus Browning Hi-Power from AIM back in the late '90's. It was a good gun except the sights stunk and the trigger was worse. I decided to have Novak customize the pistol. Some pistol puritans will complain that I customized a Belgian made HP.

Not I.

The gun in its factory configuration is close to useless.  Having someone install usable sights and a trigger is no cause for regret.

Hey, Brother Kenny, how's it going?

This thread has been a great success.  And after some of these pictures, I have to have a Browning Hi Power.  And a Radom P-35.  And a Luger...


There's something about the classics that bring out pure unadulterated gunlust.  I don't want to start an argument over the modern pistols; however, none of the modern guns promote gunlust.

The Browning Hi Power is such a joy to behold....

Fluffy

Between 800 and 1000 bucks.  If you post pictures of your pistol, I can tell you  a bit more about it.  Does your gun bear any Swedish regimental markings?  For example I5No:21 would mean Infantry Regiment no5, pistol no 21.  But whatever you do, check your pistol for cracks.  The Swedes used a brutally powerful load that was very hard on pistols and many Swedish Lahtis crack near the bolt accelerator and near the rear mounting lugs.  

Going pretty well.

The BHP is a good looking gun, and they feel great in the hand.   I have an old Belgian that I have been contemplating sending out to Yost & Co. for a slight makeover.

HOLY SHIT!!!!!  And I thought having a P7 and 7 magazines was epic

That seems high for an M40 in this area, they are just not in enough demand, and collector interest is low.  I've got an early model that was refurb'd with a late barrel.  No cracks, but I only feed it standard ball.  I don't expect it to fail with that diet.  

For those who don't know, M40s fail because the steel that was used was intentionally weak.  The supply of chromium was limited in the war years, so the swedes only used it for the barrels in the M40.  The rest was made of a molybdenum alloy and is of substantially lower quality.  Fine for standard 9mm, but as mentioned, when SMG ammo was used, they failed (cracks not kabooms) at a very high rate.

You are partially right.  It was a lack of nickel in the alloy not the lack of chromium.  The Swedish 9mm load develops over 1350 fps in a pistol and if this is not enough, the load also has a very thick jacket.  This jacket punches through kevlar like swiss cheese and it also creates hellishly high pressures.

Does your Lahti have a serial number beginning with a letter prefix?  Mine does not.  Mine is 23XXX.  And does yours have black grips or brown grips?  And does the top of your upper receiver feature a ground off loaded cartridge indicator?  Pictures, please.

Fluffy.

I also own an Astra, though mine is a 600 (only diference is 9mm Largo caliber; I use 9mm Supercomp brass or 9x23 brass to load for it).

Both are interesting in that they are blow-back guns in a caliber as long or longer than 9x19mm.

Outstanding classic CZs!  I am impressed.  Favorably.

Fairly sure that 1st one, an M-30?, was patterned largely on the CZ-75.  Does it resemble the CZ internally?

in your dreams

there are certain elements that excite collector interest in guns and other collectibles

the glock has none of those things going for it

it will always be nothing more than a garden tractor for the masses, cheap, ugly and efficient

it does not have particularly nice fit and finish

it does not have any metalworking craftsmanship to it at all

it is not aesthetically pleasing

it is made from plastic

it is extremely common

it has no unusual properties or features

it is not associated with any colorful period of history or historical event.

it is not associated with a historically significant gun maker or designer

Fluffy - tried to IM though apppears your inbox is full. Here is what I wrote:

"Thank you!  I appreciate the information.

My Husqvarna has the black grips.  I will have to retrieve it from the safe tonight for more info & will send more information regarding markings later.

I have not heard of such hot Swedish ammo, but I have a small supply left of Danish 9mm ammo.  I believe it was for the Madsen SMG as it is loaded on odd stipper clips; there are 4 or 5 stippers connected side-by-side for use with some sort of SMG magazine speed-loader.  I think the bullet is a 107 grn copper washed, thick steel jacketed FMJ w/ berdan primer; the powder resembles a Vihta Vouri product. I NEVER use that in the Husqvarna.  Is that load similar to the Swedish load you describe?

I also have some German Hirtenberger L7A1 that does exceed new USPSA "major" - ie is over 1330 FPS for a 124 grn bullet & never use it in the Husqvarna.  Quite hot!   I also save that for my USPSA race guns (custom 75s and 1911s mostly).

Husqvarna has only received Winchester white box 9mm, which is quite mild.

Thanks again for the info.

Yours is indeed an early Lahti.  Black grips=early production.  The side by side stripper clips are an an ominous sign of Swedishness.  That's how Swedish submachinegun ammo is packed and the Swedes did use a 107 grain bullet.  What is the headstamp of that ammo?  I bet if it is not Swedish ammo it is still too hot for any handgun.

I will clear my in box.  And here is something on that Swedish load that I cut and pasted.  There is a Swedish website on Swedish military ammo.



"m/39B is the 9mm ammunition used today. It was delivered in the beginning of 1955. It has a extra ordinary thick jacket that prevents it from deforming easily, and that makes it better in penetrating hard targets. Some examples: It goes through 50 layers of kevlar or 20 cm of wood or 7 cm of brick. The jacket of the projectile also leads to a higher tear and wear on the weapon. Some figures point at up to 25% higher wear on the barrel when using m/39B ammunition compared against normal 9x19 ammunition e.g. m/39.
The V0 value mentiond abowe is for submachinegun m/45. For a pistol the value is some 40mps lower."

My mistake...  Nickel...

Mine has the reminants of the loaded chamber indicator, and has black grips.  However, it has a later hex'd barrel.  There are also two punch marks on the frame where the web of your hand hits.  I have read that this is the mark of a re-arsenaling, which makes sense because that would likely have been when the barrel was replaced.  Don't know the serial by heart, and I've currently got no hosted pics.

Don't know enough about CZs to tell you.  

However, I have my doubts simply because the safety arrangement is so wildly different than 'normal' pistols.  The safety is not connected whatsoever to the firing mechanism.  It only plunges the firing pin below the level of the slide, thus rendering it unreachable by the hammer.  

It is unfortunate that Star decided to put a bushing on the barrel, rather than going to the coning that they were fond of before they died.

beautiful

The winner is the guy who can post a 9*19 Dreyse Army (Model 1912)...

Your collection-foo would be strong...

It's a Sig P6, same as a P225

In that case, I'll play...

Here is another of my Swedish pistols.  This is another model 1907 pistol in 9mm Long caliber.  This gun bears serial number 4xxx which means it was made in 1917.

The gun is marked I5No:359 which means that it was the 359th pistol of the 5th Infantry Regiment. This regiment was known in Swedish as andra livgrenadjärregementets. (The Second Life Grenadier's Regiment).  This regiment was stationed at Malmen and Linkoping in southern Sweden.

This pistol wears a replacement barrel. The replacement barrel is original and Swedish.  I got it from a Canadian dealer who bought a clinton-load of parts from the Swedish government.  The original barrel is also depicted.  Notice that the Swedes blued replacement barrels and that's how you can tell at a glance that a m1907 has been rebarrelled.  Just take a peek through the ejection port.

On the original barrel, there are two stamped triangles.  This means that the barrel was considered slightly worn or rusted but still in acceptable condition.  Of course, I can re-install the original barrel any time that I like.

On the back of the slide are the letters HK and TT.  These are the initials of Helge Koltoff and Tor Thorsson, the two inpectors who inspected the piece.  There were only 20 inspectors ever for Swedish ordnance.  The last one was Sten Stenmo and his initials appear on the Lahti.





Now this has been a great thread and I hope that I've stirred up lots and lots of gunlust.  But there are many other various 9s that I would like to see.  What about 9mm short or .380 caliber guns?  What about pre war Walther PPs and PPKs?  There's lots of blowback goodness over there.  And what about the Sauer double action .380?  That's a classic.  And so is the Colt 1907 hammerless.  There are lots of great pistols yet to be shown.

So post those pictures; don't disappoint me and don't be a schmoe.


Fluffy

Some of my favorite handguns. Here are a few of mine:



Star Modelo Super, 9mm Largo; Indian Ord. Factory Inglis clone, 9mm Para; Astra 600/43 9mm Para; Walther P-1, 9mm Para



Inglis HP, 9mm Para; Fench MAB P-15, 9mm Para (bookending a 1918 vintage Colt Model of 1911)



Nazi-marked Polish Radom, 9mm Para (below a Hungarian RK59, 9mm Mak, and a 1944-dated Russian TT33, .30 Tok)



S/42 Luger, 9mm Para (with a Czech CZ52)



Nazi-marked Star Model B, 9mm Para (with Russian Nagant)

And a few "sub" calibers.



"Bolo" Mauser, .30 Mauser



Romanian Contract 1934 Berreta, 9mm Corto; Type 14 Nambu, 8mm Nambu; Serbian contract 1922 Browning, 9mm Short

Nice, I have the other version. (older shitty compiled photo)

Does the ~30 year old stainless Beretta I just bought, count?

Stainless steel does not provoke gunlust.  Sorry.

I like Hipowers.  

Pura Vida

I realize you California folks had it tough, but is that ALL they let you own these days?!?

I love my Star pistols.. I currently own a 30MI/30PK/M43/(2) Megastars one in .45 and one in 10mm. Built like tanks and great shooters.

I want a BHP Practical extremely badly.  One of those, a P38, or a P5, would be it for me.