# Echasa Modelo Fast 7.65



## Sc827 (Nov 27, 2016)

Was just given an Echasa Modelo Fast and can't find much information about it. I know it's not worth much ($100-$200 if that). I'm new to handguns and would like to check out the condition but not sure on how to dissemble. Obviously, it needs new grips. Was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. The only other gun I'm familiar with is a 1911. Help would be much appreciated! Thanks!


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

This is a cheap Spanish-made pistol, probably in .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning Short).
It does need new grips, in part because its left grip covers the mechanism which fires it.
In its present condition, I believe that it's unsafe, due to the mechanism's exposure.

I suggest that the key to disassembly begins with the small rectangular sliding button at the rear of its left grip.
Perhaps sliding it down, and then pulling the pistol's slide as far to the rear as possible, will allow the rear of the slide to be lifted off of its frame rails.
It can then be allowed to slowly run forward and off of the gun's barrel, exposing the recoil spring (which surrounds the barrel).
If my conjecture is correct, that is all of the disassembly that you should do.

Of course, removing the grips is OK, and pretty easy. Just be sure that no small parts held behind the grips fall off and get lost.
Small springs are a particular nuisance in this regard.
(I do disassembly of unknown guns within a large plastic freezer bag. No parts get lost.)

Lay each separate grip on a piece of paper, and trace around it. Mark the screw holes. Sketch-in the missing portion as accurately as you can.
Measure the thickest part of the grip, too, and write it down on the paper.
Any decent gunsmith can quote the price of making new grips, using your tracing.
Once you have a satisfactory quote, let the gunsmith have the pistol, on which to do the actual work.


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## CW (Mar 20, 2015)

Good advice Steve.

I hope the take down was uneventful. 

If it doesn't work, I'm thinking the back button is a slide lock that you push up, as the top of the slide looks a bit like my Melior .25.

On the Melior, you lift up a lever connected to the rear sight and slide that assembly sideways and off. The slide now moves back and unhooks then move slide forward and off.
I'm curious if the silver looking part at the back is like that or is it actually a hammer?


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## AZdave (Oct 23, 2015)

I did find an exploded view with google.
MAB Arms Company Gun Parts; Bob's Gun Shop


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## Sc827 (Nov 27, 2016)

Thank you all for the advice. Haven't attempted anything yet, been working like crazy the past few days but sometime this week I plan to get to it and will let you know. Hope it goes well!


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## Sc827 (Nov 27, 2016)

So finally got around to it. Here's what it looks like so far...

Also, got some new grips from eBay.

























Any cleaning recommendations?


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Get some really good, liquid (not spray) bore solvent, a pistol cleaning rod, a couple of proper-diameter brass bore brushes, and a brass-bristled "toothbrush." Make sure that your rod comes with a slotted or a pusher tip, and get some proper-size cleaning patches. A regular used toothbrush will also help.
You will also need some sort of simple lubricant. Ballistol is good, as are many other brands.

Congratulations upon finding those replacement grips!
Also, you did a nice job of figuring out how to take it apart.

So, is it a .32, or is it a .380?

Anyway...
Put a brass brush onto the cleaning rod. Dip it into the bore solvent, and run it back and forth through the barrel. Don't reverse it until it's all the way out of the bore, or you'll ruin the brush!
Run it back and forth, dip it in solvent again and run it back and forth, and do it again. And again.
Now exchange the brush for a slotted rod tip (or a solid pusher-tip), and push a patch through the barrel. Clean? (Probably not.)
Go back to the brush and solvent.
When a patch comes out clean enough to satisfy you, put some solvent on the next patch and run it back and forth a few times. Now try another clean patch.
Clean enough? (It'll never be perfectly clean.)
Push a couple more clean patches through, just to make sure. Finish with a patch that's been oiled, and then wipe the excess oil off of the outside of the barrel.
Use either or both "toothbrushes" and a little oil to clean the crud off of the rest of the gun. If there's crud that won't come off, use the wire brush and solvent.
(You can take the magazine apart to clean it, but it's a pain in the butt, so I advise against it.)
Wipe the gun down with a lightly-oiled rag. Put a drop (and no more) of oil anywhere bright metal indicates rubbing.
Put the pistol back together, 'cause you're done.


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

Two questions: What's wrong with spray bore solvent? Like Birchwood Casey? Won't repeatedly dipping a dirty brush in solvent contaminate the solvent?


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## Sc827 (Nov 27, 2016)

It's a .32. The barrel actually was in much better condition than what i expected. I was able to clean what I could and came out decent. I put the new grips on (used the previous screws since it did not come with new ones). Only problem is I had to leave the bottom grip screws a little looser or else the magazine would not feed into it.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I'm not familiar with this style gun and have tried researching with no luck so if it wasn't for this site I'd probably be still trying to figure out disassembly!


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Rather than leaving the lower grip-screws loose, put a thin washer in between the grip and the frame to take up the extra screw length. (Don't shorten the screws, in case the gun ends up having some amount of collectors' value.)
Even better than washers would be a complete sheet of thin plastic shim stock, so that the new grip panels won't rock, and won't become unduly stressed when you actually fire the gun. A good hardware store will carry shim stock...or buy it on-line from Brownells.



Tangof said:


> Two questions: What's wrong with spray bore solvent? Like Birchwood Casey? Won't repeatedly dipping a dirty brush in solvent contaminate the solvent?


Since the pistol's bore wasn't too badly fouled, and cleaned-up easily, it didn't need liquid bore cleaner.
My advice was based upon knowledge that most cheap pistols were abused, and thus that its bore might be heavily fouled.
And, no, repeated dipping into solvent won't ruin the solvent. The crud just becomes precipitate in the bottom of the bottle.


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Get some really good, liquid (not spray) bore solvent, Quote: I thought you were saying that spray bore cleaner was no good, my mistake.


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