Nambu Type 14 Pistol

[Zorba]

First clean it and OIL it!

Replace the springs - they're WAY easier to deal with than Luger springs.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

First clean it and OIL it!

Replace the springs - they're WAY easier to deal with than Luger springs.

It IS cleaned & oiled!!! I put in my order for springs from Wolff tonight.

It's curious that none of the articles has mentioned the strange rear sight aperture...Exactly the opposite of a Luger...And the rectangular opening on the bottom rear of the frame, under the lanyard loop...I can see the back of the locking block, but why???

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

It IS cleaned & oiled!!!

Ah! You had said it was as dry as a bone - so my brain became confused. Not hard to do these days. Glad she's oiled up - now ya just gotta wait on those new springs!

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

Ah! You had said it was as dry as a bone...

...And dirty...I cleaned it up and oiled it [3in1] before taking pics...

Also have to wait for dies...60 to 90 days...

[Zorba]

Seems like "everyone's" ordering Nambu dies this week - maybe they'll start to stock them!

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

Replace the springs - they're WAY easier to deal with than Luger springs.

My Wolff spring kit came today...First pic...

I trial fitted the recoil springs, mag release spring, and the firing pin spring. But first I compared them to my old springs...Second pic...(New springs are above old ones)...

After racking the bolt 20+ times, i took the Wolff recoil springs out and inspected them...They had 'bent' just like the old springs...

I counted the coils...The new springs have 38 coils; the old ones had 42...The new springs measure .026" wire dia; the old ones are .028"...

This is the kit with the 'standard' weight recoil springs...

So the old ones are thicker wire and have more coils...

I'm disappointed...

[Zorba]

In Wolff's defense - the material the springs are made of also is a factor. Whether or not its "enough" of a factor, I dunno! I should mic/count my old springs to see if they're the same as your old springs - Goddess only knows where either of them came from...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

In Wolff's defense - the material the springs are made of also is a factor.

Yes indeed. There is also no way to know if I don't already have a Wolff 5% stronger spring set...And ordered a 'softer' set to replace them...

You can also see that one coil of one of my recoil springs has been clipped off...

I plan on ordering the '2 extra power recoil springs' when I place my next spring order...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Shadowsix

At one of the gun stores I shop at they have on consignment a Nambu type 14 that some GI brought back and had nickel plated. I've been considering it because it's only $300 (I'm sure because of the nickel plating).

Did you buy it???

[sheepherder]

I am very skeptical of these Wolff 'standard' weight recoil springs...So I thought up a test...

I stripped the Nambu down and stripped the bolt of all but body & recoil springs...Old & new...

I attached my spring tension gauge to a loop of wire around the bolt knob...Clamped the pistol in my vise...And checked initial weight to get bolt moving, and weight when fully retracted (or just before)...

Here's what I got...

Old springs - 4# initial, 19# fully retracted
New springs - 6# initial, 19# fully retracted

Here's why I'm skeptical - 73year old springs have the same draw weight as brand new springs??? I don't buy it...

I don't want to test-load up a number of cartridges with 3.5gr of powder while using an underpowered recoil spring...In fact, I noticed that when dry cocking, the new springs would not always force the bolt closed...The bolt stopped about a quarter inch from closed...

I'm going to order the Wolff 'Recoil Spring Pak (Stock No. 16960) contains 2 extra power recoil springs' and check those the same way to see if they are actually 'extra power'...

[Zorba]

Let us know what you find.

I've noticed the same thing about the springs (Both my new Wolff and the old ones that came with the gun) not closing the bolt completely - but AS I RECALL - it was without a mag in the gun. I seem to remember it being a different story with magazine inserted. As my mags are with G.T. right now, I can't confirm this at this time.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

I've noticed the same thing about the springs (Both my new Wolff and the old ones that came with the gun) not closing the bolt completely - but AS I RECALL - it was without a mag in the gun. I seem to remember it being a different story with magazine inserted. As my mags are with G.T. right now, I can't confirm this at this time.

... ??? ...A full mag??? The magazine holds the bolt open on the last shot...

A WAG would be that the new springs are binding from twisting in the recesses they ride in. Like you, I've given everything a light coat of oil, so it isn't the friction of dry surfaces. They're not oversize for the spring recesses in the bolt.

Pic attached. This is just from drawing the bolt back and 'riding' it forward...You could say that the Luger does the same thing (not go completely forward) but that's apples & orangutans...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by zormpas

As my mags are with G.T. right now, I can't confirm this at this time.

What's Gerry doin' to your mags???

Did you get the 5% extra power magazine springs???

[sheepherder]

Just got a new/repro firing pin from Don Schlickman in today's mail...Don doesn't have a web site but he can send you his price list...

New pin looks right, fits & works great!

I've read posts/articles over the years about the Type 14 firing pin breaking...(Don also repairs original firing pins)...Mine is still intact so I'll store it away where it's safe...

[Olle]

The last T14 I bought had a broken firing pin, so I retipped it myself. It was fairly straightforward, I faced it, drilled it and silver soldered a slightly oversized tip in the hole, then I turned it to the correct diameter and trimmed to the correct length. It's an easy procedure, the only thing you need to watch is the depth of the hole. You don't want to go all the way through, you only need to drill deep enough to hold the tip straight while you're soldering (maybe 1/2-3/4 of the way trough).

[rhuff]

You guys do great work!! One has to be inventive if we are to keep shooting these old warhorses. I wish that I had the machining skills of you folks, I don't, but I do appreciate it, and the end product!!

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

What's Gerry doin' to your mags???

Did you get the 5% extra power magazine springs???

He's installing the new (5% extra power) magazine springs and doing a general check out for me. He's also re-springing a new Luger mag I acquired at the same time. He had to drill out one of the rivets on one of the Nambu mags.

[Zorba]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

... ??? ...A full mag??? The magazine holds the bolt open on the last shot...

A WAG would be that the new springs are binding from twisting in the recesses they ride in. Like you, I've given everything a light coat of oil, so it isn't the friction of dry surfaces. They're not oversize for the spring recesses in the bolt.

Pic attached. This is just from drawing the bolt back and 'riding' it forward...You could say that the Luger does the same thing (not go completely forward) but that's apples & orangutans...

Yea, mine does exactly that - but I'll have to wait until I get the mags back to figure out the rest of it - as you point out, what I originally said doesn't quite make sense now...

[sheepherder]

Just got in an eBay magazine, the May 1981 issue of Guns & Ammo with an article by Howard E. French on 'Shooting the 8mm Nambu'...I thought I'd add it to my Nambu cartridge thread, since I was anticipating a comparison of bullets/powder/loads, but it has only one bullet, one powder, and one load...

But it does have a couple interesting points about the magazine and that makes it a worthwhile read...

[sheepherder]

That last article [above] had a couple of interesting points in it; specifically about the magazine having it's own 'hold open' so that rounds could be loaded more easily. I tried depressing my mag button down to the bottom of its travel, and one of my magazines does have this feature [pic attached]. The magazine friction spring [on the frontstrap] is supposed to release the follower when it's inserted in the pistol, but mine only half-released. I didn't have any rounds in it, maybe it needs a full load to function correctly.

My matching magazine does not appear to have the 'hold open' feature, but it's pretty gummed up with old grease & crud...

Cool idea, though.