Permalink

The Guns of James Bond

Knesek Guns
1 Comment
The Guns of James Bond

In this treatise, I am going to discuss the various armaments’ of Comander James Bond CMG, RNVR MI-6 00 branch 007 as per the writings of Ian Fleming, both the well known novels and the lesser known. For the uninitiated, the Cubby Broccoli film franchise has very little to do with the original novels. Through the films, we are never given any background as pertains to Bond’s early years spent at Eaton & Cambridge where he took a first in Asian languages. As for the infamous Aston-Martin DB-5, never happened. Bond’s cherished car was a 1931 Supercharged Bentley Type II with custom  Mulliner  coachwork to reduce the size of the rather large boot. The Bentley was maintained by a retired mechanic from the Crewe works. The Bentley is wreaked in the final chapter of “One Her Majesty’s Secret Service” while Bond & his new bride, Countess Teresa di Vicenzo (Tracy) are being pursued by the red Maserati on the way to the Gasthaus in Kufstein when Tracy takes a suppressed bullet meant for  James. ”…Bond’s head sank down against her’s and he whispered into her hair–”you see, we’ve got all the time in the world…”

Between 1953 (Casino Royale) & 1957 (From Russia With Love), bond carries his trusty Beretta 418 chambered for the .25 acp cartridge. This weapon was carried in a compact, light chamois Berns-Martin shoulder rig similar to what Fleming used during his time with H.M. Naval Intelligence.  Of course his casual wear was primarily Seabreeze Tropic. I will presume that it was a bespoke holster. Bond’s Seville Row tailor had been making his shirts for years, adjusted his suits for full concealment. His suits… high-quality, off-the-rack, knowing the abuse they would see . . In 1954’s “Live and Let Die”, Bond takes to keeping a long barreled Colt “Army Special” in the glove box of the Bentley. One may surmise that this was a Mod. 1917 in .45. Due to the lack of Fleming’s precise descriptions, even when he began taking weapons advice from Major Boothroyd, the model for “Q”, little exact information is available.

After almost losing his life from superior firepower against what “M” referred to as a “ladies gun” in “Diamonds are Forever”, Bond is forced to relinquish the Beretta for “Q”s recommended Walther PPK chambered in 7.62 (.32 acp). The PPK was carried…again, in a custom Berns-Martin Triple-Draw fitted chamois shoulder rig supported by a spring clip

In 1958’s “Dr. No”, Bond scrounges a .38 spl S&W Centennial Airweight which he uses to dispatch 3 of the good Dr’s henchmen.

In 1960’s”From a View to a Kill”, Bond is issued a “Long Barreled Colt .45” in his hunt for the Russian spy he is sent to assassinate. Again, the specifics are never revealed. From here to 1966, the PPK is Bond’s constant companion except for two occasions; 1965’s “The Man With the Golden Gun” where he uses Scaramangas’ gold plated .45 Long Colt SAA

 

to shoot a pineapple off young lady’s head and “The Living Daylights” Winchester .308 “Target Rifle” modified by Q-branch into a  “repeater” for an assassination assignment.

The remainder of the novels neither mention nor does Bond utilize any weapons except for the occasions where he uses his SAS commando training or his Rolex Day-Date as a “knuckle-Duster. From then on after Ian Fleming’s death, Kingsley Amis & John Gardner attempt to resurrect the character and the whole series dies along with Fleming and Cubby Broccoli’s cinematic butchering.We never really hear anything more relevant about the important people who constituted Bond’s “family”. May, his beloved Scottish housekeeper, and CIA operative Felix Leiter is reduced to nothing more than a cartoonish page filler.
Adrian J. Canton

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

Permalink

SIG Tactical Failure Recovery Procedure

Knesek Guns
1 Comment
SIG handguns utilize a conventional transfer bar mechanism which connects the trigger to the single & double action functions. Even though rare, the ”C” type compression spring which exerts upward pressure upon the transfer bar in order to catch the notch that interfaces with the trigger & sear mechanisms can fail or be misplaced.
In the event that the spring breaks or you neglect to replace it after a detail cleaning, the trigger will be pulled with no effect, no tension, no ignition.
Should this occur:
  1. Invert the handgun.
  2. Shake twice.
  3. Fire from the inverted position.

During your next trip to the range, you may want to remove the trigger bar spring and practice these steps so you know what to expect should the spring fail…and they do. Not very often, but age and use will contribute to a failure eventually. In speaking with SIG service some time ago, I was advised that the spring does not fail. However, they sent me 25 spares none-the-less. Better safe than sorry.

Adrian J. Canton

Technorati Tags: , ,

Permalink

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know Anout The M1 Carbine

Knesek Guns
1 Comment
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know Anout The M1 Carbine
It was 1930 when the U.S. military put the call out for a light, robust, mid-range, high capacity shoulder weapon to issue to troops other than front line infantry. Support personnel, administration, R.E.M.F.s’, crew served weapons, etc. Even though the initial request was ignored, it came to light once again in 1940.

The general specifications went out to 25 manufacturers for their input and test units. It seems, if you examine the history, that Winchester had the lock all along together with their .30 rimless cartridge.

ICBM ballistics, yet a very effective mid-range round. By crunch time in 1941, 11 manufacturers had submitted blueprints and evaluation weapons. As expected, it was Winchester who’s small, .30 carbine walked away with the contract as they were developing the .30 cartridge. Many of the designs were rejected on the spot, others were given time to modify & improve their initial submissions. Especially promising was a Garand inspired design submitted by Springfield Armory. Still when the dust settled, Winchester’s simple, easy to maintain, light carbine was accepted.

As the 1st recruits can attest, the original issued weapons were known officially as the M1942 .30  semi-automatic, gas operated carbine (This is my weapon, this is my gun).  The gas operated short piston, rotating bolt design (similar to Ruger’s Mini series) was simple & easy to maintain. Stoppages were few & far between. The M1 soon became a favorite of troops, especially at 5.5 lbs & 30 rnd box magazine rather than the 9.5 lb, 8 rnd capacity of the Garand. A 10 mile hump can easily prove this out. Even through the diminished stopping power of the 110gr .30 cartridge traveling at 1.950 fps vs. the Garand’s .30 round traveling at 2,800 fps, troops enjoyed the ease of handling, light weight, & fast reload.

The little carbine was a primary weapon from WWII through the early years of Vietnam. Perhaps one of the most prolific shoulder arms next to the Kalashnikov family of weapons. To this day it is still popular in it’s original form as well as the shortened, pistol grip Iver Johnson “Enforcer” model. It is still made in many countries and continues to be issued to military & police around the world as an auxiliary long-arm.

During the heyday of the M1, it was manufactured by such diverse companies such as:

  • National Postal Meter
  • IBM
  • General Signal (General Motors)
  • Saginaw Steering Gear (GM)
  • Inland Manufacturing (GM)
  • Singer
  • Rock-Ola Juke Box
  • Quality HardwareRochester Defense
  • Underwood
  • Winchester
  • Rochester Defense
  • Standard Products

By the time the M1 was phased out from U.S. service in the late 60’s, there were several variants:

  • M1 .30 Carbine, semi-auto.
  • M1A1 .30 Carbine: semi-auto, folding skeleton stock for airborne troops.
  • M2  .30 Carbine, select fire by means of a selector, modified sear, hammer & fire control group housing.
  • M3/T3  .30 Carbine. Essentially an M2 but fitted with optical attachment points for both standard optics as well As the new light-gathering starlight scope.

Only some 2,100 M3/T3 carbines were produced compared to about 5,123,000 M1s’ & M2s’

Of interesting note is that when Brit troops began seeing the little M1, they demanded a more compact and light primary weapon. The result was the Lee Enfield Mod. 5 with it’s 10 rnd magazine & 18.7” barrel & rubber ecoil pad compared to the Model 4’s 25” barrel along with a weight reduction of 3 lbs.

For those of you from the land of the obscure reference, you might wish to compare the M1 to the German Gewehr 43 pictured below. I’ll leave it to you to come up with your own assumptions.

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Email me directly or through KGI, I’ll be happy to address any inquires.

Meanwhile, if you suddenly Have an attack of the “gotta haves”, contact or go over to KGI…tell ‘em I sent you…!

Adrian J. Canton

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

Permalink

Cautionary Tip For Shotgun Newbies

How To
Reply

As more freshman defensive shooters are discovering the extraordinary value and intimidation factor of the shotgun, I have noticed once again the proliferation of the “unstoppable pistolaro” complex. That infers that with little or no training, simply because you are carrying your concealed weapon or keep a firearm in the house, you will…when required become the Hollywood epitome of a virtual ballistic machine.

I cannot even recall how many times I’ve passed a weapon over to the new owner who had no understanding of it’s mechanical function, and / or because he or she fired a box at a stationary bullseye target once or twice a year, they were confident that they were prepared for any situation. I clearly recall the 30 something woman who purchased 2 SP-101s’. I, of course offered to spend range time for familiarization has she had never held nor fired a handgun before. Her answer was “when the time comes, I’ll know what to do”! Forget the fact that she could not even figure out how to open the cylinder. I & my fellow shop partners refused to allow her out of the shop without at least basic safety and form instruction. Your best hint is “gee, this is heavy”.

None-the-less, while at the range over the weekend, a newbie shotgun owner with his Mossberg 500 12ga pistol grip cruiser, sighted down the bead and touched-off a rnd of 3” 00 buck. Needless to say, we stabilized him until the EMTs’ arrived. His ignorance  and complete lack of even basic utilization resulted in a fractured orbital, detached retina and probable 50% vision in that eye for the rest of his life. ALWAYS work with a qualified instructor if you’re not 100% certain of every safety & operational aspect of a new firearm.

The experienced, qualified staff at KGI will always be happy to work with you.

Live & Learn,

Adrian J. Canton

 

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Permalink

Removing Anodizing & Easy Alloy Finishes

How To
Reply

Just like a kid with his first Jeep, I can’t seem to leave my firearms alone. Cepek tires & wheels, lift kit, winch, light guards…you get the picture. They all seem to need the “special touch”. This goes for customers also. One could call it “pimping” or perhaps “personalization”. Case in point; I get a NIB pre-lock S&W 442 air weight with the black anodized finish. After a couple of weeks living on my ankle, I get the itch to make a duo-tone mirror finish showpiece. Don’t try this at home, kids. Let a pro take over or you’ll be making a $525.00 goof.

Step #1 is to fully strip the gun to the raw frame & remove the barrel. For the next step, you’ll need the following:

  1. a. Bottle of “Naval Jelly”.
  2. b. Pyrex pan.
  3. c. Bottle of distilled water.
  4. d. Buffing wheel, #200 – #400 buffing compound.
  5. e. Rotary tool or selection of fine files and SKILL.
  6. f. If the barrel, cylinder, extractor components, are good, fine. If they are worn, Master blue or hard chrome matte or polished, whichever appeals to you. Step #2 is to make-up a mixture of 75% jelly & 25% water. Mix thoroughly. Once the barrel is off and you are left with the anodized frame, lay in the Pyrex dish For 5 -7 hours or until lite finger pressure smears the anodizing. Leave in another hour, remove and rinse completely.

Dry and rub vigorously with a rough cloth shop towel. Most of the anodizing will come off. You can always lay in the mixture again if the finish is being stubborn. Any which remains can be buffed off with the #200 wheel. Now the final finish is up to you. Leave #200?, progress to #400?, or satin finish by gently whisping in one direction with #400 Alox.

Now is a good time to polish the hammer, trigger,  & to bevel & polish the rebound friction points. You may want to respring, stone the boss bases and get your Monogrips ready. Also, this is a good time to clean and/or refresh the forcing cone. check & repair any muzzle dings, measure barrel clearance which ideally should be .005 +/- .001, stone the recoil plate flat, & true the yoke. Inspect for friction marks on the hammer & trigger & repair. Reinstall the barrel as per factory instructions, reassemble the cylinder components, check everything twice, lubricate, and reassemble the works. Check function, test fire and enjoy your new gun.

On the subject of forcing cones, note that most manufacturers use a cut of approx 18 de. for general use. If you shoot wadcutters, you may increase accuracy & lead buildup by recutting to 11 deg then lapping to a fine luster.

I’d like to add that there is a plethora of finish options. Think this out well ahead of time. What do you want your gun to look like in it’s completed form? If you have any questions, just give me a holler and I’ll walk you through any problems you may experience. Otherwise, it’s a rather straightforward process.

Good luck, & happy shooting.

Adrian J. Canton

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Permalink

1911 Reliability Primer

Knesek Guns
Reply

It’s the small things that count…add enhanced reliability to your 1911.

When tuning either a client’s or one of my 1911′s for street reliability, I always add these minor, yet often overlooked aspects:

  1. If you’ve never noticed, full length recoil spring guides are always finely satin finished.   I always make it a point to polish-out  to #1000. This goes for the inside of the reverse plug. The smooth contact surfaces assure no binding and increased cycle speed.
  2. Same goes for the bbl. & inside of the bushing. Smooth is nice…smooth is good.
  3. On fresh bbl’s or close tolerance bbl/bushing fits, I always bevel the top side of the bushing. You can cut and polish a generous 45 deg relief, blending it gently to the inside top end. Even just breaking the sharp top edge will keep a heated-up bbl from snagging on the sharp 90 deg cut. I also polish-out any rough surfaces from the frame & slide rails, polish the  mainspring plunger sides, and interior of the mainspring housing, follower, follower paddle (lesser followers have a casting sprue), rear of follower that contacts the sear spring, top & bottom of the trigger, and stirrup.
  4. Many shooters pay no attention to their magazines, which are magnets for dust & dirt.Regularly disassemble your mags’ and clean thoroughly. If you experience mag related malfunctions, play it safe…throw it away and get a new high-quality mag. I prefer those made by Kimber, & Wilson.
  5. Many believe that they can adjust the sear spring without thought or knowledge of it’s function – WRONG- The sear spring controls 3 functions:
    1. Trigger pull & return
    2. Beavertail tension
    3. Disconnector tension & reset. This is a vital safety issue. LEAVE THE SEAR SPRING ALONE. If you have an uncontrollable urge to mess with it, take a nap, then order a new Wolf or Wilson performance replacement. Play with the disconnector leaf and you’ll end-up with “hammer fall” and beside shooting yourself in the foot, your 1911 will go full uncontrollable auto. This is a bad thing.
  6. If you find yourself failing to chamber HP rounds, carefully polish the factory machine marks from the feed ramp, gently relieve & polish the sides of the chamber, the chamber itself with a properly sized rotary tool bob, and install the next pressure recoil spring & add a Shok-Buff. Factory recoil springs are 16-18 lbs for full size and 23 lbs for the Officers. This is based upon 230 gr. NATO ammo. Step it up to the next compression weight.
    *Note that if you are not absolutely competent to do any of this work, or have any hesitation, have a pro do the work. Send or walk your precious 1911 to KGI. We’ll make sure the work is 100% and tested.
  7. During your detail cleaning, don’t forget to clean & lube the plunger tube and if needed, gently polish the plunger tips..just a touch to the wheel. Also check to make certain the tube is staked tightly and the tunnel ends are not distorted in any way.
  8. Yeah…S/S is pretty and corrosion resistant, but due to the decreased carbon content, it is also malleable. Switch to tool steel extractors and firing pins. Regarding extractors, you may need to adjust the tension. After all, it’s just a spring with a claw end. Leave that to a pro who can tune it to your firearm and load.
  9. A complete full function test is imperative. 100 rnds with no stoppages, no dented brass,  reliable slide-stop & thumb safety function, free falling empty mags, & check for hammer push-off on an EMPTY chamber. Note that 1911 push off is almost always due to broken or butchered fire control components or hacking away at the hammer hooks in an effort to reduce or crisp up the trigger pull. Stock hammer hook height is .018 This  is a modification that should NEVER be attemkpted except by an experienced ‘smith or armorer. I’ve only seen it on one horribly chopped 1911. But then again, I’ve had a S&W 29 revolver with a nightmare, amateur stoning job go full auto.

Happy shooting, stay safe, and stay reliable,

Adrian J. Canton

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Permalink

How to remove a shotgun bbl /mag dent quickly, easily, & cheaply

Knesek Guns
Reply

Since I’m faced with so many dented shotgun & mag tube kinks, my goal is a precision repair in the least amount of time. Therefore I don’t use a hydraulic dent raiser. The tech’s goal is a perfect repair, and a happy customer I came up with the following easy to make tool.

  1. Begin with a 3” long piece of solid cylindrical CRS turned .200 smaller than the bore.
  2. Drill & tap both centers to accept a length of sturdy drill rod.. You will need to thread approx .5” of the tip of each rod. You will also need to anneal the rod to soften it making  it easy to thread. Make certain that the rod lengths have sufficient excess in order to accommodate the various bbl /mag tube lengths.
  3. Once the cylinder is fitted with the rods, cut the cylinder on it’s diagonal. This will leave two sliding, threaded pieces. Polish fully. The flats need to freely slide against each other. For convenience round the outside edges.
  4. Fabricate a thumbscrew secured collar for the muzzle rod end. This will be used to set the tool where you want to begin the repair.
  5. Install the rods in their associated threaded holes & LocTite. Your dent raising tool is now complete & ready to use.

To use the dent raising tool, remove the barrel and insert the thumbscrew rod into the muzzle and set the collar to your chosen position. Insert the lubricated 2nd tool head and vise TIGHTLY  to the horizontal or comfortable position. You will now have two mating, sliding ½ cylinders. Carefully begin tapping with a 16oz, 18oz hammer or BFH.

As you strike the muzzle end rod, you will see the kink begin to rise. Adjust your depth setting as needed.

As the kink reforms to it’s proper place, check the barrel true. You can always revolve the cylinders to true any “oopsies”. Tap until your eye or straight edge tells you that the bbl or mag tube is flush & viola!!! no more dent. Polish out the work and all is well. I suppose Prof. Blish should get some credit…

Permalink

Buying a Used 1911 .45

How To
5 Comments

Through my years of buying used gun show and dealer used 1911 platform handguns, I have come across remarkable deals as well as utter junk concocted by a neighborhood garage “gunsmith” whose work was a Frankensteinian attempt at “improving” a 100 yr old proven design or pseudo “customizing”.

1911 Handgun
1911 Handgun

The best deals may be found by the ballistic equivalent of “driven by a little old lady on Sunday”. These guns come from people who realize that the .45 acp is too much for them or they simply find it difficult to carry & conceal a 7” brick.

Lets’ look at contemporary 1911s’. Every major & minor manufacturer makes a 1911 clone. From thde low end like the Korean Rock Island Armory to 1st rate Wilson, Reeder, or (ahem) Canton Custom StreetFighters. Your best investigative tool is your powers of observation. Ask the vendor or dealer to remove the slide. Using a magnifying glass, look at the finish, original with expected wear, or perfect? Remove the barrel and look for any marks besides factory machine marks. Carefully examine the male & female  .locking lugs. They should not show any sign of peening, indicating soft, cheap metal especially on the barrel. If all is well there, the land & groves should be clean & sharp. Examine the barrel exterior for unusual wear marks which indicate poor fitting as well as any bulges. Has the feed ramp been polished, and if so has the top portion been rounded?. Not good. There should only be minor factory machine marks.  Check the plunger tube for a tight fit and free travel of the slide lock & safety detents.

Now, most of the imperfections you may spot are an easy fix. Point them out to the vendor and get the price down. The major sticking points & things to avoid are:

  1. On alloy frames, check for a minute crack at the slide lock.
  2. Poorly stoned or polished bed.
  3. Loose or distorted disconnector. Travel must be firm ut held solid.
  4. Hammer fall or follow when the slide is racked. This is usually due to a worn or defective sear spring which controls the pressure in the disconnector, beavertail, & trigger.
  5. You’ll want to refresh all the springs, install a carbon steel F/P fresh disconnector & sear anyway, no matter the condition unless NIB.
  6. Sights tight and fall on target when drawn from low carry?
  7. Many Colts have come with plastic mainspring housings. Call Brownell’s & change-over to metal.
  8. Ask for 2 factory or high-quality mags that fall free.and check function of the mag release button & slide lock/follower.
  9. Forget S/S extractors even if the frame/slide are S/S. Remember that the extractor is a spring and therefore must be made of spring steel.
  10. Carfully examine the bbl bushing for firm, but not impossible to remove fit. Also look over the wear marks on the bbl where it contacts the bushing during retraction.
  11. Watch for any bbl buldging which indicates an overload or doubling.
  12. Check F/P protrusion, then pull the pin & check for peening. While the extractor is out, look for wear and broken corners. As mentioned, if the F/P or extractor is S/S, you’ll want and need to replace with carbon steel.

You will want to install a fresh 18 lb recoil spring. Go with Wolf or Springco progressive springs. I strongly suggest a quality full length recoil spring guide, reverse plug, and “Shok-Buff”.

Most importantly, make certain the shop or vendor is available to you and that you have a 30 day return warranty. Get to the range and run a couple of hundred rounds of various ammo through your new gun. Any problems encountered besides the normal easy fix kink &, have a competent ‘smith give it the once-over. If a serious problem pops’ up ether have repairs made, or return it and try again. Your most important tool is keen observation and the knowledge of when something is simply not right. If you’re not intimately familiar with Browning’s SA design, get a revolver or dbl action auto…and train with a pro if you are a newbie. Get to the range at least once-a-month and burn a couple of hundred rounds at situation targets. Memorize my mantra…”Carrying a firearm does not make you an “unstoppable pistolaro”. Handguns are relatively feeble weapons in most hands and are meant to allow you to get to your shotgun. No one argues with a .73 rifle.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , ,

Permalink

Refreshing Grandpa’s Hand-Me-Down – Part 2

How To
Reply

Ok, allow me to lay this out for you. There are 4 levels of restoration/care:

  1. You wipe-off the dust bunnies every 10 years or so.
  2. You oil it & play with it whilst you watch “The Rifleman”.
  3. Shot on occasion, you run a rag through it and squirt in some oil.
  4. Reblued, new furniture, perfect mechanically & cosmetically.

Lets’ try something new. A museum grade restoration. Leave the metal alone except for full bore detail cleaning & lubricating. We are going to concentrate on the furniture…the wood. You should have the butt-stock & forward grip off. Remove the action bar and sleeve from the grip. Using a high-quality wood soap. & a soft brush…look in your shoeshine kit, scrub both woods. You don’t want to scrub the stories & memories away, just the years of accumulated filth.

Once everything is set straight, you have a choice. Do I leve the original finish?, do I give them a thin protective layer of shellac or (eek!) polyurethane. The answer is either the original finish is mostly there, or It’s a mess and needs a coating of some sort. Shellac is the coating of choice as it matches the original. If you can find it or a colony of Shellac beetles. I use 80 yr old shellac. You have to waterboard me to find out from where.

Brush it on thick, then wipe off with a lint free shop towel. If you want a glossy finish, carefully brush on and set aside for a couple of days. Keep in mind, that if you alter or refinish the action or use any wood finish beside shellac, you’ve just destroyed any collector value.

Technorati Tags: ,

Permalink

Refreshing Grandpa’s Hand-Me-Down – Part 1

How To
Reply

Part #1 Mechanics

Many of use are fortunate to be the recipient of an family heirloom firearm. Whether it be a 1925 Remington 30-A or a 1932 Winchester ‘97 scattergun. They always seem to come to us put away wet, unused for 50 years, frozen fire control group, and aged springs.

Winchester '97
Winchester ’97

This is a project which requires the ability to detail strip and the use of nothing but the proper high-quality tools. Let’s use the ‘97 Win as an example. Both the solid frame & take-down versions. You will need:

  1. Proper basic tools such as a Forster screwdriver starter set.
  2. Plastic, S/S, or fiberglass tank that will accommodate the action.
  3. 1 gallon + of pure mineral spirits.
  4. Several natural bristle paint brushes
  5. Parallel jaw priers.
  6. Complete cleaning kit with Break-Free lubricant
  7. New silicon progressive 12ga. mag spring.
  8. New firing pin & firing pin spring.
  9. 0000 steel wool & light petroleum oil.
  10. Compressor with blower, or a gas station tire filler with water filter.
  11. Schematic.
Winchester 97 Schematic
Winchester 97 Schematic

Prior to beginning, assess your abilities with both detail striping and your ability to utilize the proper tools. Use only fine hollow-ground screwdrivers that fit the slots perfectly. Learn to soak any seemingly stubborn screws overnight, and practice the technique of light, constant pressure. Remember, you’re not installing a switch plate. If you bugger a screw head, STOP and pass the project on to a pro. Also keep in mind that due to it’s unique disconnector design, the ‘97 will fire as long as the trigger is back and you chamber a fresh shot shell. Continue Reading

Technorati Tags: