Anna,
A very interesting gun you present here.
First off, it is a model 1900, both by serial number and the profile of the frame in front of the trigger guard. The serial number is present in an old, extensive database compiled quite a few years ago; I'm very glad to be able to fill in pistol details.
It looks like all the odd modifications may be related to the gun's conversion to 9mm. The extra power of the cartridge is beyond the gun's design parameters, and it looks like it has been pretty hard on the gun.
First, it is interesting that the frame and receiver length have been maintained, and the flange of the Steyer barrel has been turned down (and presumably the threads extended) to fit the longer receiver. This in itself is an interesting lesson on the size and dimensions of the long vs. short frame characteristics.
It looks like the rear of the breechblock has been both damaged and modified, necessitating the addition of the screw to keep the firing pin retainer in place. Look for evidence of battering at the back inside of the frame, and the stirrup which connects the rear toggle piece to the recoil spring.
The screw in the rear toggle is in position to retain the center toggle pin. This is normally kept in place by the toggle spring lock inset into the right toggle grip. Is it possible that the spring lock is missing in this gun?
Someone with a great deal of skill went to a lot of trouble to make this into a 9mm.
And the blue background makes a great deal of difference in the quality of the photographs.
--Dwight
Gerben beat me to the punch here, and I'm glad he noticed the crack in the breechblock. Obviously the gunsmith who altered the barrel to fit the long receiver didn't do quite a good enough job. --DG
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