Another 1944 "Duo" question.

[mountainroads]

Greetings. New member, here. Smalltime collector. Found this site while researching the .25 ACP that my father brought home with him after "The War". Hope to contribute as well as learn from others here.

Took this little guy to the range last week out of curiosity to find out if it even worked, Looked like it had never even been fired. And, to try out a new barrel for my 9mm. Performed like a champ, although as others have noted, accuracy is a bit of an issue at 12 yds, with the minimal sights and 2 in. barrel.

Being a responsible owner, I thought I'd clean and lube it afterwards, along with the 9mm. No owners manual for the Duo, so started fiddling to get it apart. Unfortunately, success came unexpectedly with spring-loaded parts flying. I don't claim to be very smart

Gathered all the parts and started the reassembly process, which brought me here, digging through the several excellent posts on topic. My question concerns the guide for the striker spring. Some pictures show a spring guide and some don't. Either mine doesn't have one, or I irretrievably lost it when parts went flying, because I looked as hard as I could. Gun went back together and seems to function fine without cartridges, but the real test will be next time at the range. And yes, I now know dry firing isn't a great idea either, as the firing pins can be brittle. Did I mention I'm not very smart??.

Does anyone know if some versions came with spring guides and others didn't? Mine is SN: 94883. Picture below in post. Obviously, operating the gun without a spring guide if it should have one isn't optimal, even if it seems to fire properly. Sincere thanks in advance for any guidance or ideas.

Regards,

- MR

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Nice Duo!
If I had to guess, Id say the guide may have been eliminated as a wartime production expediency- or perhaps they weren't added until CZ took over production post war?

In either event, Jack First gun parts has them for $12, so if it concerns you, Id say get one and see if it slides in place. If not, no big deal and question answered.
https://jackfirstinc.com/cz-duo-25-pistol/cz-duo-firing-pin-spring-guide-167-9

Oh, and welcome to THR!

 

[mountainroads]

Thanks NightLord40K for the response and the link to Jack First. I wondered the same: "until CZ took over production". I like your thinking of "if it fits".

I found the Jack First site too, yesterday. Saw the reasonable price, although shipping cost is more than the part. I thought I'd give them a call after the holiday weekend to get their opinion.

And, thanks for welcoming me.

Regards,

- MR

 

[CapnMac]

Excellent way to break the ice.
Welcome to THR.
We have an Introductions thread, if you are keen to visit that.

 

[mountainroads]

Thank you CapnMac. Intro posted. P495.

- MR

 

[mountainroads]

>> Does anyone know if some versions came with spring guides and others didn't? Mine is SN: 94883. Picture below in post. Obviously, operating the gun without a spring guide if it should have one isn't optimal, even if it seems to fire properly. Sincere thanks in advance for any guidance or ideas. <<

Update to above. Spoke with Nancy at Jack First. Unsolicited plug: She was patient, friendly, and very helpful. Her opinion was the gun probably came with the spring guide and the gun might function without it, but the spring could eventually kink and then not work properly. Hence, the need for the guide. She said the pictures I saw without the guide were probably because the guide was absent or lost. So, new spring guide on its way and I will refrain from trying the gun without it.

Thanks for the assist, gents.

- MR

 

[22250Rem]

Glad to hear you located a spring guide. Good luck with it and keep us posted. Welcome to THR.

 

[mountainroads]

@2250Rem: Thanks! Replacement spring arrived on Thursday. (Only 2 days after ordering. That's pretty darned good.) A little backed up on projects at the moment, but plan to reassemble and be ready to field test in the next week or so.

- MR

 

[Speedo66]

Sometimes it’s best to disassemble, at least the first time, in something like a large Baggie or a dry cleaning bag.

Welcome!

 

[mountainroads]

@Speedo: That's very good advice. Where were you when I needed it?

- MR

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Of course, for all we know the original guide has been buried in the mud in Dresden since 1945 when some clumsy Luftwaffe officer tried to clean it the last time.

 

[mountainroads]

To close this loop on my Duo: New firing pin spring guide installed and I went to the range today with a couple of other items I wanted to test or refamiliarize myself with. Duo functioned fine, although the trigger pull seemed a little stiffer. Will have to look into that when I clean her up. Accuracy is still an issue, so being relegated to "backup" use status. Plus, .25 is ridiculously expensive due to its relative scarcity.

New scope for my .177 BSA. Pretty impressed for the price. Thank you BSA Optics via Amazon. Spent some range time and sighted it in for 25 yds. Came home and dispatched with "extreme prejudice" the flying varmints (crows) that have been dive bombing me in my own yard for the last week. I'm calling that a successful day

Which brings me to the salient point: There's no substitute for range time. Practice, practice, practice. I was REALLY rusty a month ago. Feeling much more confident after today. That, and becoming familiar again with breakdown, cleaning, and reassembly. To paraphrase a renowned European car manufacturer: "Practice. There is no substitute."

 

[mountainroads]

Of course, for all we know the original guide has been buried in the mud in Dresden since 1945 when some clumsy Luftwaffe officer tried to clean it the last time.

Or, clumsy Czech policeman

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

FMJ or were you able to find some JHP?
Man, you wanna talk about ridiculously $$$ ammo, .25 JHP is up there!

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I remember the time I disassembled my first Ruger Security Six in the kitchen and a small coil spring escaped me. I was on my hands and knees scanning the floor with a Maglight until I saw the glint of the spring.

The first and last time I removed the sideplate on my AR-7 rifle at the rifle range, the magazine catch spring escaped into wilds of Bays Mountain and never came home.

Sometimes it’s best to disassemble, at least the first time, in something like a large Baggie or a dry cleaning bag. ....

When disassemblying a gun - especially for the first time - I have more room to move if I do it in something like an large appliance box.

 

[mountainroads]

FMJ or were you able to find some JHP?
Man, you wanna talk about ridiculously $$$ ammo, .25 JHP is up there!

Winchester Super-X 45 GR. XP (Expanding Point). Friend gave me a box of 50 several years ago because he had no use for them. Hard to find now.

- MR