Gun Gurus

[Guess12]

Got these from my grandfather when he passed away and I'm trying to figure out what they are I know the first is a 1911, but that's bout all I know. Could anyone give me a little info on these firearms? I have no idea what to even search for the Japanese? Thanks for any help!

[swiss_]

You've come to the right place.. The C&R experts will be along shortly! Nice pieces.

[customiiguy]

The 1911 is a remington rand

[Franklincollector]

Second one is a Nambu. I need better pics of the 1911

[P5Ret]

Your right on the 1911a1. The second one is a Nambu type 14 I believe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nambu_pistol

[madjack956]

Nice! I'm a little bit jealous.

[Guess12]

Whoa, that was quick. Thanks for the link too!

[Bainter1212]

Dang.....you inherited a couple of gems. Your grandfather had good taste.
Did he serve in WWII in the Pacific theater by chance?

[Guess12]

He did serve in WWII
Hoping to find a mag for the nambu at a decent price so it's complete, I should have taken a pic of everything that with it, had 2 boxes of original Japanese bullets and a wierd holster that has a hard case that flips over top, it's pretty interesting. They're kept in my dads house in the safe because I don't have a safe of my own yet.
The slide doesn't want to pull back on the nambu. Should I try to lube it myself and see if it'll give? Or don't touch it and see if a gunsmith could look at it?

[MrOrange]

Kinda strange the way the safety's broken off on the Nambu, let alone the fact that there's no track in the finish from it being engaged/disengaged. It should look like this:




Also, there's usually there's a nice big furrow in the stock as well from the safety being over-traveled. If that's the original finish, that's amazing.

The stub of the safety that's left looks to be in the fire position, so yeah the cocking piece should be free to be retracted. No offense, but since it sounds like you're new to the platform, are you pulling back on the sides of the top half ("the slide") or are you pulling on the knurled/slotted cocking piece?

[Guess12]

I was pulling back on the knurled piece, but I didn't want to force it because it didn't seem like it wanted to move. And yeah the safety is strange, it almost looks like it was cut off because of how perfect the shear is. And I believe it might be the original finish, my grandfather wouldn't have had it restored. It sat for years untouched. I'm surprised how good the wood grips still look.

[MrOrange]

If it wuz me, I'd carefully try to take the stocks off to avoid soaking them, then sop the top end with some Kroil, which is hella betta than WD40 for loosening stuck/tight parts, let it set for a while & try again. If the stock screws are too tight, leave 'em be, maybe just dribble some light oil on the upper moving bits. Again I don't wish to be condescending, but assume there might be a round still chambered; it's not unheard of even after sitting for 50 years.

If you can post a pic of the starboard side symbols, I can tell you when & where it was made.

[wolfy]

Just read ruger got one from a soldier returning home and made 2 copies in his garage . No doubt he used some of designs with his own twist to come up with the standard and mark series pistols.

[Guess12]

[MrOrange]

Nagoya Kokubunji Arsenal, first run. DOM: Oct, 1941.

99771 is the serial number, if you get it taken down there should be 771 stamped on a lot of the parts. Heck they even stamped the extractor and the dang magazine disconnect safety.

Interesting that it has a 1941 B-day, I thought the horizontal grooves on the stocks starting getting fewer towards the end of the war, disappearing altogether on the last ditch models. (The stocks should have 771 on the inner side as well.)

This page has some good info:

http://candrsenal.com/pistol-nambu-type-14/

Also, if you get it loose don't be surprised if you can't lock it open, it has no bolt hold open device. It was set up so that after the last round was fired, the magazine follower would jam it open. Then after you used two hands to get the empty mag out, the action would slam shut, so you'd have to re-work it after you put in another mag. Not the best for IPSC shooting...