Rekraps

Interesting as most bolt handles were replaced in the field. Good catch!

As always I thank you for the details. I'm always "almost" right!

It just seems odd that a speed loader was not made....

Really? We all know that people had little eyes back then. Some kind of genetic thing-a-mal-bob going on. Red Dye #4 eliminated that....

I have never seen one for sale or otherwise, however it seems logical that Russia would have done so given the number of PPS's manufactured. Have you tried the PPSH loader?

That's gonna be a tricky job. If my memory serves me correctly, the Lend Lease guns were painted black, not parked. So you can restore to black, but the gun will look brand new and I do not believe they reconditioned them after the war in black, OR recondition and parkerize which will not be correct for the gun but it will make it look handsome.

That is one good looking gal!

Excellent observations my friend. Look at the evolution of the PPSH (from the PPD) and you'll see that Americans were not the only ones looking to make more for less. And... those cheap PPSH's killed lots and lots of Germans.

I would. It's not too expensive and who knows when John will retire.

did you tell him I sent you? (I do not get discounts from him, just use him quite often.)

That was my approach when I called him. I can only imagine what he has laying around, however i got the distinct impression that he really stopped work some time ago and was emptying his shop of old stock. I guess I was lucky in getting the Andrey extractors (they are proprietary to his bolts). He said he sent me his last two. I also asked about recoil spring guides (none), bolts (none) and barrels (none). Most internals I was able to get from BWI before they collapsed. I also had a very reputable gunsmith make me two billet recoil guides (perfect, solid billet!) that will NEVER deform. Recoil springs are available. The big issue is the trigger bar deforming (the guns were really made for limited use), about which John Andrewski is the absolute master of remaking. He re-welds using hardened steel and forms them perfect. Good for 10K rounds (I'll be dead by then). Most people don't shoot the guns much, so the examples out there are usually almost new condition.

How about take them out and clean them every now and then? Seems to work fine for me.

Don't.

Quite talented. America needs more skilled machinists like you... or should I say artists!

I find it interesting that of all the guns I own, my MP40 seems to chug along with nothing ever wearing out.