Helwan brigadier (berreta 951) help

[tommag]

I have a Helwan brigadier that frequently won't allow the slide to lock up enough to fire with a round in the chamber.
I took it apart to see if a serious cleaning would help. While re-assembling it, I found that I could not get the slide-snaplock (the name in the Jack First catalogue) to go all the way in. It was being stopped by the circlip. I was unable to figure out how to compress the circlipclip while pushing in the slide-snaplock.

I tried removing the circlip and attempted to put it on the snaplock from the inside of the frame with no success. Eventually, I succeeded in sending the circlip sailing off to parts unkown. (I'm pretty good at that part)

After I get a new circlip, does anyone have any tricks on re-inserting the snaplock into the frame?

Also does anyone know of a common problem with this pistol that prevents full lock-up? It happens with factory ammo as well as reloads, and will occur once with a round and then lock up properly with the same round the next time,

Thanks in advance.
Tom

[KCSO]

So your slide hasn't bent yet, that is good news. When you get your circlip and get it installed run, don't walk to the nearest gun show and trade this to someone you will never ever see again. These guns are of limited lifespan at best, the parts are soft and the springs go out quickly. If you intend to do any extended shooting or ever intend to shoot plus P this is not the gun for you.

[tommag]

I kinda figured that from the peening that has occured wherever there is any impact. The guy who gave it to me paid something like $125 for it new. I just figured I'd play with it and see if I could get it shooting. The good news is that Jack First has no circlips for it or the 951 in stock, so I'll be waiting a while to "fix" it.
That pistol has the WORST trigger I have ever felt. If I still wore a badge, I doubt it would even make a decent drop gun.

[Swagerman]

Heh heh! Everyone seems to hate Helwan...and for good reasons I suspect.

Mine was a gift from my oldest son in Virginia, he brought it out to Wisconsin on a visit and left it here when I said it shoots really nice. :confused: Did I say the wrong thing???

Anyway it does shoot nice and no bad vices yet. Accurate too.

But I took it apart like I would any good auto pistol...old hand at Colt or clone model 1911's. That was a bad decision...taking it apart...like to never got the blasted barrel back onto frame and slide. What a nightmare, finally did manage to assemble it properly. But heck can freeze over before I ever take it apart again.

Anyone want to trade for a 9 mm Brigadier lookalike. Comes with two magazines, cleaning rod and Helwan booklet, plus a pig skin holster.

Jim

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/P4090021croppedandbrite719X.jpg

[Mk42gunner]

Do these have the same style of locking block/wedge that the 92 Berreta's have? And if so, have you checked that the block isn't cracked?

I have next to no experience with a Helwan, but I did replace a lot of Berreta locking blocks while in the Navy.

Robert

[tommag]

Heh heh! Everyone seems to hate Helwan...and for good reasons I suspect.

Mine was a gift from my oldest son in Virginia, he brought it out to Wisconsin on a visit and left it here when I said it shoots really nice. :confused: Did I say the wrong thing???

Anyway it does shoot nice and no bad vices yet. Accurate too.

But I took it apart like I would any good auto pistol...old hand at Colt or clone model 1911's. That was a bad decision...taking it apart...like to never got the blasted barrel back onto frame and slide. What a nightmare, finally did manage to assemble it properly. But heck can freeze over before I ever take it apart again.

Anyone want to trade for a 9 mm Brigadier lookalike. Comes with two magazines, cleaning rod and Helwan booklet, plus a pig skin holster.

Jim

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/P4090021croppedandbrite719X.jpg

Coming from Egypt, I don't think they would have issued Pig-Skin holters.

At any rate, I am thinking about trading the Brigadier for an Asperly-Aimless. I might have to throw in some precision long-range sights for a smoothbore model 12 to boot.

[SWIAFB]

Any loob grooves and or crimp grooves to add to the anny ? I have been looking for an Asperly- aimless in the primary bore cal of 2.80 for a long time. The last one I saw was a small bore of about 2.50 ' in an old fence row by a cornerpost in central Iowa. By the remaining casings ,laying close by, among'st a lot of decay and rust.I found the breech locking device and bolt assembly but the bolt asembly was beyond repair. [B]ut your offer of a spray and pray semi-auto ,<maybe>[ might be considered in the wereabouts of the 2.50 bore Asperly. How much more to boot are you asking ?

[tommag]

Any loob grooves and or crimp grooves to add to the anny ? I have been looking for an Asperly- aimless in the primary bore cal of 2.80 for a long time. The last one I saw was a small bore of about 2.50 ' in an old fence row by a cornerpost in central Iowa. By the remaining casings ,laying close by, among'st a lot of decay and rust.I found the breech locking device and bolt assembly but the bolt asembly was beyond repair. [B]ut your offer of a spray and pray semi-auto ,<maybe>[ might be considered in the wereabouts of the 2.50 bore Asperly. How much more to boot are you asking ?

but my wife says I don't need any more guns. As she points out, even though I don't have a genuine Asperly, all my rifles shoot roughly the same as the Aimless, at least in my hands.