Need help with a Remington Model 51 spoon...

[azasadny]

I need a gunsmith to assist me with this Remington Model 51. I can't assemble it with the firing pin spring installed and it needs to be reblued. I really want to find someone who is familiar with these little pistols. anyone here know a gunsmith who knows these particular spoons? Thanks!

[on2wheels52]

I've had one (in .380) for years; if I ever took it apart it was long ago. It's at the shop, I'll mess with it monday if you haven't come up with an answer by then.
Jim

[Walter_Middie]

Art,

See if these help at all. None of my books cover the Remington Model 51.

http://stevespages.com/ipb-remington-51.html

http://stevespages.com/pdf/remington_51.pdf

[azasadny]

Jim,
Thanks! I read the instructions for disassembly/reassembly and watched a YouTube video, but I cannot get the moveable breech block to fit into the locked position in the slide when the firing pin spring is in place. Very, very frustrating gun to take apart and put back together. I'm thinking that something may be damaged because it can't be normal for this pistol to be so difficult to work with. It shoots great, but I find myself not wanting to take it to the range because cleaning it almost causes me to lose my faith!

[azasadny]

Rex,
Thanks! If I'm reading that schematic correctly, the firing pin spring goes over the shorter end of the firing pin, not the longer end... Maybe that's the problem?

[azasadny]

Rex,
Yep! That was it. The firing pin spring belongs on the thin, short portion of the firing pin, not the thicker end. Now the gun goes together properly, but there are still several issues that require the talents of a gunsmith before I'll be able to shoot it at the range. Thanks again for your help! I didn't have the document that detailed the tear-down and reassembly and that really helped. Thanks again!!

[enzo1]

great gunsmiths seem to be hard to find, might have to send it off

[azasadny]

Yes, I'm sure there aren't too many smiths left who have knowledge of this particular pistol as it's about 85 years old. Remington only made about 65k of these over the course of time they mfg'd them in the late 'teens and early 'twenties. This is a great pistol, it just needs some TLC and rebluing to get it back to shootable condition.

[targa911S]

PM me your questions. I can handle the reblue for you also. I can send you a copy of our ffl to send it.

[tabs]

I do not buy reblued spoons if I can help it. When I do get one I usually resell it quickly. There are several exceptions to the rule namely British spoons.

Since your litle Remington is not very high on the collectors food chain and is mainly a shooter a QUALITY refiish using the original type of bluing might be in order. I would want it to look just like the day it came from the factory.

[azasadny]

tabs,
Exactly! Thanks!

[azasadny]

The pistol was sent to David (targa911s) and he received it today, I'm really looking forward to seeing it after it's been reblued!

[targa911S]

guess i have my rep on the line here....

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by targa911S

guess i have my rep on the line here....

How about a photo essay on the reblue process. Inquiring minds want to know....

[targa911S]

I'll send them to Art. He can decide. But that sounds like fun.

[azasadny]

Yep, that's a great idea!!

[aigel]

Great thread! Please do post!

G

[targa911S]

It seems very similar to the 1903 hammerless pistols in design and components.
Taking them apart is the easy stuff, putting the little bastards back together can be trying. I'll start on it tomorrow.

[azasadny]

The key is "patience" of which I have very little....

[azasadny]

David sent this to me today...

as she was...


all apart...

I found out that she bites!

Into the acid tub to remove all the old blue.....

Scrubbed with bronze wool, rinsed, and blown dry.....

really bad pitting on the slide. I have seen this a lot in what I
call suicide guns. Usually blood pitting badly on only one
side.....This will be next to impossible to get flat without altering
the slide dimensions.

More pitting in the rear.... I think I'm gonna look for a good slide
for you....


Quick polish with a bronze wheel and into a plastic bag with some oil
spray. At this point it will rust in a matter of hours without oil.

More to come tomorrow.....

David


Needless to say, David found a replacement slide to replace the badly pitted one I had, so he ordered it for me. What a guy!! I can't wait to see what the old gun (mfg'd in 1924, I believe) will look like once David has finished his metallurgy magic!