Hi guys.
My P-35/Hi Power is coming along nicely. Bought it a few months ago at the Calgary gun show and have been in love with it ever since. Wanted a 9mm really badly, but when a .40 came up for a mere $650 in good condition I jumped on it.
I thought it had weird mag problems at first but after some troubleshooting I've discovered it was the slide lever. I don't know if this was supposed to have been somebody's racegun or what, but it's been modified in small ways that just don't work for me. (or... work period).
It has the older style safety with the extended bit on the end for better purchase with your thumb, but the extendy bit has been filed down and looks awful. Also chews a bit of the meat on my palm when I operate the slide. I plan to replace it with a MKIII style safety. The safety is ambi as well, and the other side has a long flat shelf for the safety lever that I really quite like and plan to keep, especially since it hasn't been toyed with. If I'm ever needing to shoot off-hand it is a perfect oversized safety for me.
The Slide lever was also filed down on the catch, I don't know why somebody would do that because all it did was chew up the follower on the magazines and not lock the slide open. I bought some Mec Gar's as well and it would lock open, but would also jam against the SIDE of the follower rather than rest on the top, and jam the magazine in the gun. They wouldn't fall free, I'd have to wrench them out. Thanks to CGN Member 3CDO I got myself a brand new 9mm slide stop which is nearly identical to the .40 version. The only difference being the rounded part on the front of it is cut flat to accomodate the grove machine into the side of the wider slide. So I got out my dremel and went to work and the new slide lever functions flawlessly.
I have an EFK Fire Dragon conversion barrel on the way from Bits n Pieces, should have it in a couple of months, and I also picked up a 9mm recoil spring as well which fits a bit more snugly on the guide rod, but fits nonetheless. And I also have some 9mm Mags coming from Canadian Safety Source (non site-sponsor, so no link, sorry) because it was the only place I could find with them in stock.
Anyway, once I get the barrel and the mags and the safety, all I have left to do is buy some non-mangled grips (previous shooter was a lefty, I'm almost certain, see pics) and touch up the bluing that has worn off all over the heaviest wear spots. And hopefully the new slide lever will take some blue, since it's matte and looks odd on the gun.
What I really want, because I intend this to be an heirloom piece, and one that I'll enjoy myself for the next several decades, is a vanity case for it. Something in wood probably, with velvet on the inside. Spots for the gun itself plus the 2nd barrel (and 3rd, I intend to get a .357 sig barrel for it when I have the money), and spring. Magazines and maybe a little lube bottle or cleaning kit or something.
I realize lacquered wood isn't exactly the most secure type of case, but I want something I can look at and admire when it's all done. Don't even care if it's nearly the size of a briefcase. Does anybody know a good custom builder for things like this? Even better, I think I'd like to try my hand at making the case myself, but it's not something I've done before. Woodwork sure, but nothing detailed and with velvet and foam or whatever it is you use for the shapes.
Thoughts and comments?
My P-35/Hi Power is coming along nicely. Bought it a few months ago at the Calgary gun show and have been in love with it ever since. Wanted a 9mm really badly, but when a .40 came up for a mere $650 in good condition I jumped on it.
I thought it had weird mag problems at first but after some troubleshooting I've discovered it was the slide lever. I don't know if this was supposed to have been somebody's racegun or what, but it's been modified in small ways that just don't work for me. (or... work period).
It has the older style safety with the extended bit on the end for better purchase with your thumb, but the extendy bit has been filed down and looks awful. Also chews a bit of the meat on my palm when I operate the slide. I plan to replace it with a MKIII style safety. The safety is ambi as well, and the other side has a long flat shelf for the safety lever that I really quite like and plan to keep, especially since it hasn't been toyed with. If I'm ever needing to shoot off-hand it is a perfect oversized safety for me.
The Slide lever was also filed down on the catch, I don't know why somebody would do that because all it did was chew up the follower on the magazines and not lock the slide open. I bought some Mec Gar's as well and it would lock open, but would also jam against the SIDE of the follower rather than rest on the top, and jam the magazine in the gun. They wouldn't fall free, I'd have to wrench them out. Thanks to CGN Member 3CDO I got myself a brand new 9mm slide stop which is nearly identical to the .40 version. The only difference being the rounded part on the front of it is cut flat to accomodate the grove machine into the side of the wider slide. So I got out my dremel and went to work and the new slide lever functions flawlessly.
I have an EFK Fire Dragon conversion barrel on the way from Bits n Pieces, should have it in a couple of months, and I also picked up a 9mm recoil spring as well which fits a bit more snugly on the guide rod, but fits nonetheless. And I also have some 9mm Mags coming from Canadian Safety Source (non site-sponsor, so no link, sorry) because it was the only place I could find with them in stock.
Anyway, once I get the barrel and the mags and the safety, all I have left to do is buy some non-mangled grips (previous shooter was a lefty, I'm almost certain, see pics) and touch up the bluing that has worn off all over the heaviest wear spots. And hopefully the new slide lever will take some blue, since it's matte and looks odd on the gun.
What I really want, because I intend this to be an heirloom piece, and one that I'll enjoy myself for the next several decades, is a vanity case for it. Something in wood probably, with velvet on the inside. Spots for the gun itself plus the 2nd barrel (and 3rd, I intend to get a .357 sig barrel for it when I have the money), and spring. Magazines and maybe a little lube bottle or cleaning kit or something.
I realize lacquered wood isn't exactly the most secure type of case, but I want something I can look at and admire when it's all done. Don't even care if it's nearly the size of a briefcase. Does anybody know a good custom builder for things like this? Even better, I think I'd like to try my hand at making the case myself, but it's not something I've done before. Woodwork sure, but nothing detailed and with velvet and foam or whatever it is you use for the shapes.
Thoughts and comments?
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