New old guns

[bearcatter]

All this gun talking is costing me money. I've been looking for a Zastava pistol for quite a while. It's an excellent range gun for running some of my .32 ACP. I decided to check again tonight. Everybody has been out of stock, but I found it. $225, unissued surplus with a spare mag to boot! After shipping and FFL, it'll be right at $260 OTD. If they have my FFL on file, it should be on its way later today.   

[Bigbird48]

when you gonna brake down and buy a real gun  a mini come on Bear get with the program dag nabbit

[bearcatter]

when you gonna brake down and buy a real gun  a mini come on Bear get with the program dag nabbit

I have my Guardians as my "membership" card. I have Bearcats that are small enough. This new gun is PPK size, real enough. Really real is if I run .357s through my SP101   

[Uncle_Lee]

Here are a few of the .32 acp's'.


https://www.gunbroker.com/Guns-Firearms/search?Keywords=Zastava%2032%20acp&Sort=13&PageSize=96&View=2

[bearcatter]

That's what I'm ordering, the M70.

I've seen those in my most recent search, but I don't like Gunbroker. I had one bad experience that took too long to straighten out.
Here's a decent photo, same size as a PPK:

[bearcatter]

I'm beginning to doubt I'll do anything. I emailed info to both ends about the FFL late last night. Now it's 4 PM and no replies. Some places don't understand the importance of a little communication.

[MR_22]

I LOVE my Zastava M88 in 9mm. It's a little bigger than the M70. It's a small all-steel gun and shoots great. I have quite a number of Zastavas and I'm very impressed with them.

Zastavas may be on the lower-priced end of guns, but the Zastava factory has been cranking out quality firearms since the communist days of Yugoslavia. I have 3 M57's (a Tokarev model), two in 9mm and one in 7.62x25 (a very cool round!), and 3 AK-47's, one rifle in 7.62x39, a pistol in 7.62x39, and another pistol in 5.56x45 (.223). I also have a couple of old Yugoslavian 24/47 Mausers, which I restored from junk condition, as well as a nice condition Yugo Mauser M48.

I don't have an M70, but it's only because it's a smaller caliber and I don't have many .32's. (Kel-Tec and NAA, that's it.)

M88:


M70:

[bearcatter]

Your 88 has the oddball grip attachment with the swiveling steel strips. That concerns me, what could you do if it got loose? I mean, the strip is up against plastic, held with a rivet. I guess just carefully re-peen the rivet. I think it must be okay, they made 'em that way for a long time.

Parts are scarce, and mags are rare except for Triple K, $42.
I haven't ordered yet, debating getting two

There's a guy in Hungary that makes wood Zastava grips. I think there's two styles for the 88. Seven woods, six finishes, checkered or smooth. $70 and a long wait. I like his attaching the metal strips with an allen screw, but the factory grips are too thin for that.
https://www.marschalgrips.com/grip-models/zastava.html

Zastava's history goes back to making cannons in the 1850s. Best I can tell they didn't make small arms until the 1920s, and that was Mauser rifles under license (?). There isn't much info on them.

[MR_22]

I don't know if the M88 does--I'll have to check--but the M57 does. It's kind of a cool mechanism, because it doesn't have screws on the grips, but yeah, kind of weird. I actually like 'em, tho. Cool design. Takes a bit of figuring to remove the grips, tho, but it's simple once you realize what's going on.

I bought some white aftermarket grips on eBay for my stainless M57. They needed a slight modification, because they're Tokarev grips and not M57 grips, and the M57 has a weird safety installed so they could import it. But they're cool. Parts aren't common, but they're available.

The internal locking lever is pretty simple, so if you're a bit handy, you could make one yourself. Whomever made my aftermarket grips did. They lock pretty tight, too, so I don't think there's much of an issue of the grips falling off.

Anyway, I'm a Zastava/Yugo fan, so if you get me talking about them, I won't stop.

[Wumbey Goomba]

I got.

[bearcatter]

The HSc is a classic. Nice ones are pretty pricey

I finally have my FFL's number into Gun Broker, I've read every word, and seen every YouTube on the Zastava.
I keep telling myself how much they'd be brand new. These are claimed unissued, and include a pound of cosmoline.

I'm guessing mineral spirits to clean. One article I found says spray Goo Gone works well. ? ? ?

EDIT I did the order, finally. They weren't happy with just an FFL number. They have to have a copy of the whole license. Emailed FFL and he sent it an hour ago. Order page still shows they don't have it. This is my second experience with Gun Broker. First one sucked, too. No more.

[Uncle_Lee]

In boot camp, I worked a week in the armory cleaning up old Springfield 1903 (I think that is what they were).
We just dropped all the metal parts in a big vat of boiling water and let all the goo melt off.
Took off the wood and dropped the rest in the vat.

[bearcatter]

I'd be afraid of the metal rusting, or damage to the bluing.

[tinhorn]

I'd be afraid of the metal rusting, or damage to the bluing.

Funny thing about that. I've cleaned blued cylinders (after polishing the ratchets) with hot water until the metal gets too hot to hold onto. The heated metal evaporates the water right away. Then the outside gets waxed and the chambers get oiled. Haven't seen any rust on them.

[LHB]

Live dangerous, gasoline works on the gunk.

I have bought enough off GunBroker, that my local dealer gives me a copy of his current FFL, I scan it, and when i buy something, I email a copy of the FFL to the seller, thus speeding up the process.

[bearcatter]

No thanks on the gas. I haven't had two dry days in a row for a month. I gotta work inside.

Your LGS can put his license in GB's system. Then if you make it your default FFL, it pops up automatic when you check out.
My problem was my LGS had it in the system under his store name. When the seller punched in the number for the invoice he got the actual business name. I think that was GB's screw-up. The seller (a large store and wholesaler) wasn't bright enough to see the address, phone, and license was the same. The email addy contained the store name. The FFL paper shows both.

[Uncle_Lee]

I'd be afraid of the metal rusting, or damage to the bluing.

These were issued to boots in boot camp.
They were WELL USED.

[bearcatter]

Well, the cosmoline Zastavas shipped yesterday, but I got a bad tracking number. UPS says invalid. I see it only has 17 digits, should be 18. I contacted them yesterday and today, with no change or reply. Another reason to swear off Gun Broker.

I've decided on spray Goo Gone to clean them. Enough online posts swear it works well, and I have to work indoors. Other stuff is bad news without good ventilation. WD-40 also dissolves cosmoline, It posts good for tight spots, and to spray the frame internally when done cleaning.

[bearcatter]

I LOVE my Zastava M88 in 9mm. It's a little bigger than the M70. It's a small all-steel gun and shoots great. I have quite a number of  Zastavas and I'm very impressed with them.

I found the actual factory website last night, thankfully it has an English button. I was able to download a manual for my gun, but there was no link for other manuals. There is a page for the M88, but no manual. Best I can tell from all I've read, they still make your M88 and my M70. The M70 for 52 years! I wish we could get new guns and parts.

https://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/home/

The Zastava USA site gives Zastava's size in the 1930's as 10,000 employees. I think beats any USA gun maker.

Would you guess they manufactured the Yugo car? It was a good car at first, then the political mess hurt their "supply chain" of materials. Then Malcomb Bricklin cut corners on the ones he imported here. That's why they fell apart and rusted out.

[KEN AR]

BearCatter,
I too have a Ruger SP101 but mine is in your favorite bore size, 32 caliber.  MIne is a 3" model with Crimson Trace Laser grips on it.
Now your 357 has 5 rounds and my 327 Federal has 6 rounds it carries.

I love the 327 Federal.  The ability to shoot 32 H&R, 32 Long and shorts and even 32ACP, as reported by a few owners, but I have not tired the ACP yet. I'd say this thing eats just about any 32 ammo made!

Picked it up CHEAP many years ago.  A Guy came into the LGS while I was there to trade it in.  He could not find any 327 ammo and wanted to trade for a 38/357.  Well shop gave him a low ball trade as they also did not have 327 ammo...
He made the deal and the shop let me buy it for what they gave him.  I was moving the next week and had been a long time customer so it was my going away present from them.  It had the Laser grips on it and I did not give much more than what the grips cost!  I thankfully knew a shop that had a large stack of 327 and made a bee line over there to stock up on it.

Yep count me in as a 32 caliber fan.

[MR_22]

There is a page for the M88, but no manual. Best I can tell from all I've read, they still make your M88 and my M70. The M70 for 52 years! I wish we could get new guns and parts.

Oh, yeah, I believe they do. Mine was new in the box. I forget if it had a manual. I bought a Kydex holster for it on eBay that I really like, which protects the safety from switching off--a must for me, a double-action-only auto kind of guy.

[bearcatter]

BearCatter,
I too have a Ruger SP101 but mine is in your favorite bore size, 32 caliber. 

I love the 327 Federal.  The ability to shoot 32 H&R, 32 Long and shorts and even 32ACP, as reported by a few owners, but I have not tired the ACP yet. I'd say this thing eats just about any 32 ammo made!

Yep count me in as a 32 caliber fan.

Mine was a disappointment. I had thought it would be a good carry, but too bulky and heavy. In that department, S&W beats Ruger. The SP is good for the nightstand.
The SP did help me decide to go to the extreme in size, hence my Guardians.
I know .32 ACP runs in a .327 Ruger, but the machining has to be right. 32 ACP is semi-rimmed, so you only have half the rim of other calibers

[bearcatter]

There is a page for the M88, but no manual. Best I can tell from all I've read, they still make your M88 and my M70. The M70 for 52 years! I wish we could get new guns and parts.

Oh, yeah, I believe they do. Mine was new in the box. I forget if it had a manual. I bought a Kydex holster for it on eBay that I really like, which protects the safety from switching off--a must for me, a double-action-only auto kind of guy.

At least Zastava USA site has a M88 parts section, but you have to look for it.

Your 88 came out in '88, duh. I know my M70 is an older model, but the Tokarev clones are even older and they are all over the USA and factory sites. The 70 is still in production, but the company ignores it being in the US. I've reminded both USA and Serbia of them being sold here by the truckload. Zastava USA wrote back that there were additions planned in the future, but she couldn't say when or what. Big help. Serbia never answered. I also asked them if they could date my serials. I've read most of the imports are mid Eighties.

[theysayimnotme]

I don't know if the M88 does--I'll have to check--but the M57 does. It's kind of a cool mechanism, because it doesn't have screws on the grips, but yeah, kind of weird. I actually like 'em, tho. Cool design. Takes a bit of figuring to remove the grips, tho, but it's simple once you realize what's going on.

I bought some white aftermarket grips on eBay for my stainless M57. They needed a slight modification, because they're Tokarev grips and not M57 grips, and the M57 has a weird safety installed so they could import it. But they're cool. Parts aren't common, but they're available.

The internal locking lever is pretty simple, so if you're a bit handy, you could make one yourself. Whomever made my aftermarket grips did. They lock pretty tight, too, so I don't think there's much of an issue of the grips falling off.

Anyway, I'm a Zastava/Yugo fan, so if you get me talking about them, I won't stop.

The Tokarev Has a weird way of attaching the grips. I had to play with it for quite a while to get them back on. it helps to have a copy of Ezell's "Small Arms of the World". Came in even handier with the Broomhandle Mauser I had. I used to worry about mixing up the ammo as the 7,62 X 25 is too hot for the 7,63 X 25 Mauser. Since I have sold off so many guns that is not a problem anymore.

[bearcatter]

Zastavas have the same attachment, swiveling arms on the backsides of the grips. MR_22's M88 does too. I worry if the rivet got loose or an arm bent, but they've been made that way for like 60 years. I'd still rather have screws. These photos are from a listing for aftermarkets I bought. Not quite as good as originals, which I haven't found yet. The metal is a little thinner, and the rivet is peened a little sloppy. The plastic is good, he made molds from originals.

[pietro]

I've seen those in my most recent search, but I don't like Gunbroker.

I had one bad experience that took too long to straighten out.

IME, on GB, one deals directly with a seller/buyer, and not GB - who is a facilitator.

One bad deal doesn't necessarily mean that other deals will also be "bad".

However, in any dispute, GB will usually side with the seller - who (of course) is the source for their commission income.

.

[bearcatter]

I did trust GB to buy these "new" guns, and sure enough had a glitch. In the list of FFLs we can see, and GB's list of holders who are on file.  The GB list showed mine was not on file, but he was in public list. It took two days to straighten out.
Later I bought two sets of grip. That went okay.
My one bad deal and only deal until now was several years ago. Invoice showed higher $ shipping than listed, and he wouldn't take my credit card, though it was listed okay. He changed the shipping and I used a different card, That took a couple of days. High Standard revolver; wasn't as good as described. I sold it a few months later and almost broke even.

[Uncle_Lee]

I have made 81 purchases from GunBroker without any kind of hic-cup or bobble.

[bearcatter]

You've been fortunate. I know GB is entitled to a glitch or two. From what I read, I'd say 85% of the sellers are straight up, 10 percent exaggerate, and 5 percent outright lie. They dump a few guns, disappear, and sometimes come back under a new name.

[OV-1D]

I have made 81 purchases from GunBroker without any kind of hic-cup or bobble.

   Same here not a glitch with GunBroker . Asking questions helps with any disappointments FOR SURE ..

[heyjoe]

I have made 81 purchases from GunBroker without any kind of hic-cup or bobble.

   Same here not a glitch with GunBroker . Asking questions helps with any disappointments FOR SURE ..

i have bought about ten from gunbroker....no problems here either

[LHB]

I have bought several through GunBroker, and have had no problems, but I also use the system that some of the sellers use, I won't buy from a newby, just like they won't sell to a newby, I want to see their record.