To follow up on the above chain from the experts, I was fortunate enough to meet up with Janne Fusil last weekend at the Finnish Historic Arms winter auction and fair when he allowed me to examine the pistol and we had an opportunity to discuss it!
I had done some prior reading of G&S on some of features of pistols in this unique B serial range - references in the text that follows are page and figure # as appropriate. What did we find (or think we found)...?
Grip safety - 162/172 - experimental # 5 type. See Fusil photo 154 735.jpg.
Breech block - length 51mm (not 50mm). The firing pin follower was jammed and I could not get it out to examine the pin or spring. Something Fusil will follow up with when he has time. The Finnish gas vent hole is diameter 2.8mm - this diameter varies considerably and, to date, no formal instruction to unit armourers has been found. More research is needed to see if any order was ever issued.
Sideplate - thicker type - 164/174.
Frame length confirmed Old Model (OM) - 131mm.
Receiver length 19mm - it has not been cut back and is therefore old model, short frame hence the mismatch. The receiver witness mark is original and shows no sign of being cut-back. The Tikkakoski 7.65 barrel shoulder has been cut back to almost zero. So the non-matching receiver and frame with different serial # have been amalgamated we surmise /speculate as a wartime measure to get a weapon back into service following battle damage? Old model frame Parabellum are, according to Janne who has many years experience, uncommon in Finland; I have yet to find an OM short frame anywhere in several years of looking!
Receiver ring - 169/179; Type 2 relief cut only; not converted to new model (NM) with old type narrow feed ramp.
Front take-down well - 'flaming bomb'; no other marks and #3 stamped including front of the well frame throughout. No evidence that the receiver lug has been worked on or cut back or rounded.
Safety lever - Type 3 - 161/171 - prototype P08?
Timing experiments - thinned frame ramp - 215/221; 268/261 with rounded edges aka # 10031B OM. This according to G&S ties in with 'GL' monogram pistols in this serial range - the stamped monogram in this pistol looks kosher - the pistol came from an elderly deceased person's estate since the 1970's. Police in FIN will not release further details, so any history before that is untraceable.
Frame serial # - number '5' seems to be same style as several but not all 'B' pistols - were stamps individual to individual armourers in the tool shop? Similarity to # 10051B - 267/260
Rear toggle stop - 268/261 - aka # 10070B (thinned ramp). OM sear spring length.
Rear sight - 'U' notch - perhaps close to pistols in the US trials batch. The U is not filed but original in my opinion.
Extractor - no markings of any kind.
Frame forging - 195/203 aka # 01 standard no-stock lug.
Note the recoil lever of the spring conversion in Janne's earlier photos - in my limited experience I have never seen anything like it so I look forward to hearing comments about that..!
That's all for now - I have to do more work on some other features and all the previous contributions from the wiser and knowledgeable contributors are confirmed, such as toggle style and chequering, etc., etc.
Some photos are attached and I am not qualified to discuss the unique toggle arrangement.
Janne is, in my opinion, a lucky guy to have found this quirky gem, rich in history and, it has been to war!
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