I have one. I was offered a Beretta M1951, so that's what I researched and found that it was a solid military weapon. I met in a parking lot in the heat and didn't spend much time looking it over. Peolpe had vouched for the guy I got it from so I took him at his word that it operated flawlessly and was in perfect condition. It was the gun from the pics and I pulled the slide and let it go. Good. I pulled the trigger and eased the hammer down. Click. Good. Here's your $300. Bye.
It was dry for storage and I was gonna oil it before shooting, but things were hectic and I forgot to. I fired two rounds and it failed to eject. I stopped there for safety. When I got it home I looked up how to field strip it and discovered that it was a Helwan, which is a M1951 replica from Egypt, made for commercial sale. The reviews on them are bad and good so I didn't worry about it. Still looking on the bright side and wanting this gun to work.
It won't work. I did a little tinkering and now it does the old FTE every time. I gave it three rounds before giving up.
Does anybody here know anything about these guns. IS it somehow a M1951, made by Beretta even though it's marked "INTERARMS HELWAN"?
Is there anything I can try to make it work without spending more money? I don't like the idea that I've got $300 in a gun that won't work. The dude I got it from said in a short reply that it cycles every time with the +P he was using, but then he broke communication and deleted all his posts and pics regarding the gun. I get the vibe that he just wants me to **** off so I am. The benefit of the doubt thing is about done on this one. Good idea I emailed myself the PM where we set up the sale.
I just called a local gunsmith and they have a $35 bench fee and that'd just be putting more money into it, though they might find something simple. I get the feeling they'd find that I've got a $300 lesson on dumping junk on a sucker. I need ideas. I have a slue of guns and this is the only one that doesn't work and it's driving me outta my skin.
I won't sell this gun. If I can't make it work or get it fixed without sinking a ton of money into it I'll hang it on my wall and have a story to tell the kids and maybe they'll take it to heart and not get hosed.
Help? Any advice or info on these guns would be great. Stuff online is scattered and scarce.
Numbers are 1119447 on slide and frame, if that helps.
If the dude who sold it to me sees this and has any suggestions I'd appreciate it. Maybe I got the wrong idea about you. I'd like to think so.
I took it to a local gun shop to see what the owner could tell me about it. He said they go for $100 to $200 depending on condition. He sells a brand new model of this gun for $200. It ain't the Interarms, but it ain't the Beretta either.
Speaking of condition, the grips on mine ($40+shipping to replace) were cracked and that fact was hid with disguised with a Pachymar slip on grip. I discovered this when I needed to remove the grips to tinker and see if I could make it work. Despite careful removal, one crumbled. Real nice...
