# Beretta 1934 too hard to rack



## SandhillsJ (Jun 23, 2013)

Recently inherited a military 1934 chambered 9M corte that was a " WW2 bring back" and hasn't been fired since it was dropped in Italy in 1943. Gave it a cleaning and appears not to have excessive wear. Biggest issue is extremely hard to rack. With hammer back, slide cycles dummy rounds reliably with normal force. Family heirloom that needs re-blueing. What advice to get it back in shooting condition before spending more money? Would a set of springs help?


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## SteamboatWillie (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm interested in the responses too.

I would think that re-blueing a family heirloom firearm produced in 1934 will reduce the value substantially. And although I admit I'd want to shoot a round or two out of it, I would never bring a gun that age back into service. Still, that's just my uneducated opinion. Curious what others think.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

I don't know these guns and how they're supposed to feel,but if it racks nice with the hammer taken out of the equasion,I'd look for dirt and sludge buildup in the hammer/hammer spring system.

You mean Corto (not corte) right?It also goes by 9mm Kurtz,Short,or the present day 380ACP or Automatic.

The Beretta gurus would know better,but I wouldn't refinish it and only pop a few rounds through it for function testing.Then I'd clean it up and preserve it for cash on a rainy day.


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## coastie (May 19, 2012)

Folks,
Watch the antique road show on PBS.
Little old lady brings a spindly end table that she cleaned and refinished.
The twins go gaga over it, call it..maybe ...$5 grand.
THEN explain to her that IF she had not refinished it....25 to 30 grand!
Do not reblue.
Think "patina".
I agree with steamboat, ensure it is safe. Test at range, maybe with your friends,
the clean and stow away.
Good luck, Paul


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## SandhillsJ (Jun 23, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback. I will try to re-clean the hammer spring. I understand the " don't re-blue" discussion. That is exactly what I have done with a very nice Walther PPK 1935 100% original with only minor holster wear on the bluing. Put one magazine through it. Cleaned and into the safe for good. Current collector value is about $2K. The Berretta 1934 appears to have been rushed through production in 1941. These production dates were not known for quality. Although stored with the PPK that came through with a great original bluing the Beretta finish broke down badly. With the current "patina" of corrosion and the racking issue there is very little value here beyond family history. Sales on Gunbroker seem to be in the 250-300 range for functional units with heavily worn , but not corroded finishes. I will concentrate on restoring functionality and keep the current finish from further deterioration. Thanks for the advice.


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## dogngun (May 29, 2006)

I have the 1935 model, same gun but in 7.65 / .32 ACP rather than .380. The recoil spring is very stiff, and they are pretty hard to rack the slide especially with the hammer down. 

I would NOT refinish it - it is a war bring back, and IMO, it deserves a little respect for that, but it's yours, so it's up to you...Mine was stripped and chromed by someone back probably in the 1950's, but I didn't have any say in that. 

Take it down, spray it thoroughly with CLP or a similar solvent/lube and let is set on paper towels to drain. Wipe it down, clean out the grease. Give it a little grease on the rails and a little oil on the moving parts. It would be a great idea to replace the recoil spring with a new one from Wolff Springs - online. Install it correctly with the smaller end toward the chamber. The 1934 and 1935 Berettas were VERY popular guns in their day. They are VERY strong, well made and solid and good shooters once you get the feel for them. They point well and are small enough to carry pretty easily it you don't mind a steel gun.

They generally sell for $300 and up, sometimes much higher because of condition, unit markings, etc.

Be careful of the grips - they are impossible to find...there are new made replacements, but they are not made the same and lower whatever value the gun has.

Also, if you do decide to refinish it, remember you are lowering the resale value by at least 50-60%...it is no longer collectable.

They are very good pistols. I often carry mine in a pocket holster. Parts, mags, etc available from Numrich.

There is a lot of info on them on Youtube and elsewhere and I suggest you learn aboug them before making any big decisions.

mark


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

SteamboatWillie said:


> ...I would never bring a gun that age back into service...


OMG!
I wonder what you'll think of my own EDC, now that I've given up my .45 ACP mini-pistol: It's a Colt's "Pocket Hammerless" in .380 ACP, that was made way back in...wait for it...1912!
(I've been telling everybody "1920," but further research proves my original statements wrong.)

All of its parts are original, including the springs. But I'm using new-made magazines because the one it came with has been terminally abused.

Of course, my pistol is a Colt's, not an Italian mid-war crudity. But it's well past its 100th birthday, and it just keeps on chugging. Accurately, too.


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## dogngun (May 29, 2006)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> OMG!
> I wonder what you'll think of my own EDC, now that I've given up my .45 ACP mini-pistol: It's a Colt's "Pocket Hammerless" in .380 ACP, that was made way back in...wait for it...1912!
> (I've been telling everybody "1920," but further research proves my original statements wrong.)
> 
> ...


The mid war Berettas are not well finished, but the QUALITY and workmanship of the working parts is as good as any other, which is first rate. I shoot and carry mine regularly, and have never given its age a second thought. I did replace the recoil and firing pin springs and clean everything well and check it for function. It functions just fine.

Another of my older "regular carries" is a Browning Model 1922, made just after WWII. Again, cleaned and with new springs. VERY accurate, well made and a great shooting pistol that I believe was one of JMB's best designs, reworked for European military and police use. It served many countries in those capacities for well over 50 years.

FWIW, I also own and have fired several S&W revolvers from the 1870's and one from the 1860's with NO problems, explosions or fireworks.

In fact I occasionally carry one of my 2 .38 S&W Safety Hammerless top break revolvers, both made in 1903...and one of my 2 S&W Safety Hammerless .32 S&W top break revolvers made in the late 1920's.

I doubt we will ever see a 130 year old Glock, and I would not want to shoot it.

mark


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## SteamboatWillie (Jan 24, 2013)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> OMG!
> I wonder what you'll think of my own EDC, now that I've given up my .45 ACP mini-pistol: It's a Colt's "Pocket Hammerless" in .380 ACP, that was made way back in...wait for it...1912!
> (I've been telling everybody "1920," but further research proves my original statements wrong.)
> 
> ...


Well, I'll tell ya. :mrgreen: If you want to carry a firearm for self defense that was made in 1912, that's just fine with me, travel in peace and stay safe. My preference is a Sig Sauer pistol made in about 2005 for my carry gun or occasionally a... wait for it... a GLOCK! . And I do a spring change and detail strip on it every year, even though many folks may feel it's not required. Sounds like we're about as opposite as two people can get regarding carry guns, I guess.

Now back to the OP, I wouldn't bring a gun back into service as a daily carry gun that has been described as a "family heirloom" because I would be afraid of breaking a part that was very difficult to find, which would turn a working firearm into one that wasn't. That might not work out so well on a carry gun, when it might be sorely needed to work.

And even if it broke during practice, I wouldn't want to take a pistol that was perhaps completely original and turn it into one that had new replacement parts in it. I just wouldn't do that to a pistol that was handed down to me and had sentimental value.

But hey, that's just me.


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