I'm not a Semi-Auto guy...

[CajunBass]

I'm not a semi-auto guy, but I am a sucker for 22's.

I saw this one at the LGS for $199.00 a few weeks ago, thought it was pretty neat, but passed on it. It hung around for a while and I noticed it had been dropped to less than $100.00. Shoot, for that kind of money I'll take a chance.





It's a "Unique" Model 52. Made in France in the early 50's from what little information I've been able to find out, and my own observations, it seems to be a well made little gun. Barrel is about 3", with a 9 round magazine and almost worthless fixed sights. I've read they were imported by Sears and other department stores around that time. It has the somewhat "not quite right" look that I think a lot of European handguns have, and the safety and magazine release are in the usual awkward European positions, but I'm thinking it will be a fun plinker/range toy.

I haven't had it to the range yet, but did take it out back and fired a couple magazines of Federal Bulk pack ammo through it. I tossed an empty can on the ground and bounced it around the hillside for a few minutes.

Now I gotta figure out how to field strip it.

 

[DocRx]

My father gave me a Unique .32cal. years ago that he couldn't remember where he got it. Built like a tank, but really accurate and reliable. I think the manuf. is really big in Europe, making police service weapons. I wish I could remember more, but if you Google the manuf. name on the side, more info will come up.

 

[Shear_stress]

I had a JC Higgins Model 85, which was basically the same gun. It was a terrific little pistol. A great value for $100, far better than the zinc stuff being peddled nowadays. The only problem I remember was that the grips were made of a plastic whose integrity over time had degraded to that of peanut brittle.

It's been a while but, if memory serves, to remove the slide you rotate the takedown lever and pull the slide back and lift it up from the rear.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Nice looking little pistol! It would have made the trip home with me as well.

 

[CajunBass]

It's been a while but, if memory serves, to remove the slide you rotate the takedown lever and pull the slide back and lift it up from the rear

That did it. Not quite all the way to the rear, but that took care of it.

Thanks.