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Thread: Gun Show Duo.............

  1. #1
    Site Supporter Trooper224's Avatar
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    Gun Show Duo.............

    A couple of weeks ago I attended a local gun show. I haven't been to one in a while, since they're typically nothing but a goonfest these days. However, my semi-retired indentured fed status has given me a few spare shekels in my pouch, so I decided to risk it.

    On the very last table at the show, I found something I've wanted for quite some time. A gun so awesome it had a record album named after it.




    I've always thought Beretta's Model 70 was an awfully cool little gun. It's somewhat art deco design reminds me of a ray gun from a 1930's Flash Gordon serial. It really epitomizes the Ferrariesque aesthetic Beretta maintained until the advent their plastic fantastic offerings. Specifically, this is a 70S in .380acp, manufactured in 1985.



    I caught it out of the corner of my eye as I was passing the table, nestled there among the Glocks, Caniks and Taurii. I opened with a slightly lower than marked price and was informed the gun belonged to the dealers father and a call needed to be made. A call was quickly made, to the retirement home for cool guys who own Beretta 70's and my offer was deemed acceptable. Being manufactured in 1985, it had a few scuffs and dings from nearly thirty five years of service, but all in all it was in pretty good shape. Except that is, for the thumb rest grips that were required for the guns legal importation, due to the GCA of 1968. Apparently, some politician decided that flat grips were the mark of an assassin, yet a thumb rest meant you were a sporting man. An ebay search located a set of original factory grips, sans thumb rest, and the offenders were consigned to the box-o-grips.



    An initial range trip showed everything to be in good working order and the 70 is a surprisingly good shooter for a small gun, although I found it surprisingly snappy. Hardly detrimental, but the web of my strong hand really felt it afterward. Original factory mags come with a nose bleed inducing price, so I'm glad I don't need any. Overall though a pleasing find I was happy to check off the list of my growing vintage Beretta collection.



    But wait, there's more.................

    Before I discovered the Beretta I found something else that peaked my interest: a Manurhin produced Walther PP, in .32acp. "7.65mm, with a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window." Post WWII, Germany was allowed to rearm the Bundeswehr, but they weren't allowed to produced arms in Germany itself. As a result, Walther set up a plant in Haut-Rihn, Greater Est France known as Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin, or Manurhin in abbreviated form. Not only were PP series pistols manufactured under the Manurhin banner, unfinished parts were shipped to Walther in Germany for finishing. Consequently, this is a case of "same but different". Manufactured in 1961, the pistol features the quality of an old Walther, but lacks the collector value due to the lack of the Walther banner on the slide. The upside is the substantially lower price. I'm not a Walther collector and don't plan on becoming one, so this cheaper sample of one is fine with me.



    I've never cared for the PP series of pistols as carry guns. Being too small for my hands they abuse the web of my shooting hand terribly and too many of the US produced examples I've seen suffered from QC issues. Still, I've had a hankering for one lately. Ever since I encountered a stainless Interarms era PPK in a local pawnshop. After all, every self respecting collection needs a James Bond gun.



    The same dealer had a World War Two PPK for sale. This would have been my preferred choice but, unfortunately it had been refinished at some point. The shite had been polished out of it enough to remove all the markings, thereby destroying any value. It was shiny and blue though. I then found this one. I was immediately taken by the quality of the machining and finishing. Both of which were far better than any US produced PP series pistol I've ever encountered. The trigger was also superior to the domestically produced guns, both in single and double action.



    Due to the pattern of finish wear and the addition of a lanyard loop, this was obviously a European governmental sidearm of some kind. In spite of the finish wear, the quality of manufacturing caught my eye and the piece had a very solid, well made feel to it. However, I found this one early in my show coverage so I decided to hold off. I did negotiate a lower than marked price beforehand. The dealer was from the western part of the state and it helped that he knew a lot of my old coworkers. I told him if I didn't find anything of greater interest, I'd be back.



    At the eleventh hour I found the Beretta, so I let the PP lie. Still, I went home with it on my mind. So, after a strategic reconnoitering of Mrs. Awesome's good will, I returned to the show the next day and brought the PP home. It turned out to be a fine shooter as well. The slide tortures my hand as expected, but it will dump an eight round mag into a dime sized hole at ten yards. This experience has caused me to opine that the PP series pistols are better guns in .32acp than .380acp. I was impressed by how smoothly the gun operated in this smaller caliber. I won't be shooting through any plate glass windows any time soom, but it's a nice addition to the "Ain't it cool?" section of my safe.
    We may lose and we may win, but we will never be here again.......

  2. #2
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    Trooper
    Have to agree with you about gun shows in general, being a goonfest, However, your post proves that every once in a while it’s worthwhile to go, and snoop around. From the looks of things, you did very well, and have a couple excellent examples of some high quality little.pistols. The “hits like a brick through a plate glass window “ has to be the most laughable line used in a Bond movie..
    Last edited by ralph; 10-24-2019 at 07:09 PM.

  3. #3
    Site Supporter Trooper224's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ralph View Post
    Trooper
    Have to agree with you about gun shows in general, being a goonfest, However, your post proves that every once in a while it’s worthwhile to go, and snoop around. From the looks of things, you did very well, and have a couple excellent examples of some high quality little.pistols. The “hits like a brick through a plate glass window “ has to be the most laughable line used in a Bond movie..
    Maybe, but 007 can shoot down helicopters with his. I seen it.
    We may lose and we may win, but we will never be here again.......

  4. #4
    Beretta M70 .380 was my first backup gun. Mine came with the groovy thumbflair grips and it took a lot longer to find the flat grips before the interwebs. Nice find!
    -All views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect those of the author's employer-

  5. #5
    Banned
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    I’ve never been to a gun show for a few reasons which may best be encapsulated by your phrase goon fest, but thanks to posts like this with quality text and pix, I almost feel like I was looking over your shoulder while you shopped. Right on.
    Last edited by Medusa; 10-24-2019 at 07:35 PM.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Rapid Butterfly View Post
    I’ve never been to a gun show for a few reasons which may best be encapsulated by your phrase goon fest, but thanks to posts like this with quality text and pix, I almost feel like I was looking over your shoulder while you shopped. Right on.
    Gun shows in Portland tend to be worth it just for the vast array of people watching one can accomplish.

    It's also fun to spot the plain clothes cops.
    I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.

  7. #7
    Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lester Polfus View Post
    Gun shows in Portland tend to be worth it just for the vast array of people watching one can accomplish.

    It's also fun to spot the plain clothes cops.
    - the last one I seriously considered going to didn’t allow ccw (wasn’t in Portland, it was more Salem way ) and I’ve been led to believe, perhaps in error, that’s pretty common. Yeah no thanks, not checking my weapon, and also not gonna flout the policy. I also don’t want to spend the cover charge just to watch people, I’d go for gun stuff but I’ve never felt like I was missing out ammo or gear or weapon wise. So the odds of my attendance aren’t great, but who knows.
    Last edited by Medusa; 10-24-2019 at 08:20 PM. Reason: Word omissions

  8. #8
    Member KellyinAvon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lester Polfus View Post
    Gun shows in Portland tend to be worth it just for the vast array of people watching one can accomplish.

    It's also fun to spot the plain clothes cops.
    There are subtle differences between the cast of The Hills Have Eyes and extras from The Walking Dead. Spot the Cop and "who doesn't fit in at a gun show" are also fun to play.

  9. #9
    Hammertime
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    Wonderful report and photos. My dad had a Browning version of the Beretta 84 Cheetah in 380. It also shot well, but with surprisingly unpleasant amounts of snap.

  10. #10
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    Awesome! The Walther PP really hits home with me. My Dad bought my Mom a Walther PP .32 years ago, and to this day, it runs like a fine sewing machine. What a fun pistol to shoot, and accurate too! Those are beautiful!

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