Slide extension on Browning 1922

[Sid]

I just picked up one of these pistols in really nice condition. I field stripped it, cleaned and lubricated everything and then started to reassemble it. Here is the problem I encountered.

I have advanced arthritis in my fingers and have lost much of my strength in them. Because of this I did not have enough strength to put on the slide extension against the pressure of the spring. A friend had to do it for me. Is there any kind of gadget that I can easily put together that would help with this? I would appreciate any and all suggestions from guys who are familiar with this particular pistol.

 

[carguychris]

When you say "slide extension", I assume you mean the muzzle cap at the forward end of the slide.

Suggest using a board and simply drilling a hole large enough for the barrel to fit into. Line up the muzzle cap with the hole forward end down, and glue 3 small wood scraps against the sides of the muzzle cap in a triangular arrangement to hold it in alignment.

Once you're done, you can set the muzzle cap in place, set the recoil spring in it, and lower the rest of the pistol into place with the muzzle pointed downwards.

I haven't tried this and I just made it all up, but it seems like it would work.

FWIW I would recommend always handling the muzzle cap with the muzzle end pointed downwards anyway; the FN 1922 has several parts that are easily lost on field stripping, two of which are the tiny latch and latch spring in the muzzle cap, which can fall out of the cap if it's held muzzle-end-up and shaken too vigorously. These parts are VERY small and you don't want to have to search for them on your floor!

(The other easily-lost parts are the alignment pin at the rear of the striker spring, and the thumb safety lever and its spring; unless you intend to remove them, do NOT move the thumb safety with the slide off, because the lever and spring will fall out into your hand!)

 

[James K]

I also have not tried this, but a piece of large rubber/plastic tubing might do to hold the slide extension; it would be long enough to grasp with your whole hand. I am thinking of something like a piece of garden hose or plastic water pipe.

Jim