Got the Helwan...Couldn't resist...

sean46953 · 05-09-2008, 03:44 PM

Well, even though it's had some bad reviews, and I have heard a bunch of crap about it, I just couldn't resist it's charm. I love the way it feels in the hands. I know that this could be the dumbest thing I've done, but I'm extremely bull headed! Now, the not so bad news...looks like this one has been around for a while. It's lost a lot of blueing in the most prone areas, like the front strap. There is defenite signs of wear from usage, but very little wear on the action and the track area of the slide and frame. One of the dirtiest guns I've purchused, but amist all the fouling, there wasn't any metal flakes or particles that I couuld see. Even with it being filthy, the action was rather smooth. After a few HOURS of cleaning and a good light oiling, it became impressively smooth. I have spent all day tinkering with it, and haven't found anything other then general wear on the blueing. I was looking for a way to pull the firing pin, but I'm completely lost on these efforts! lol I bought a couple hundred rounds of Winchester ( the cheapest available here) and I plan on givin it hell tomorrow (weather permitting) at the local range. I'll be sure to post a range report and where full protective equipment, including crash helmet! lol Oh yeah, if anyone knows how to pull the firing pin on these things, please let me know. Thanks!

M14man · 05-09-2008, 08:57 PM

I have one, that I decided I would parkerize since the original blue was so spotty. It is a fine pistol that shoots point of aim. It has a strange push button safety in the grip.
The drawback in mine is that the plastic grips are separating where they meet near the heel of the hand. I like mine.

Big Dog · 05-10-2008, 04:15 PM

I have the same problem with the grips - a very poor grade of plastic, I reckon.
I've found the quality of blueing is poor - very thin, easily rusted in some areas. I have considered deblueing, polishing and reblueing properly.
Need to find some new grips and spare magazines too.
I find the accuracy quite good though - it's worth a little work to improve the rough spots.

sean46953 · 05-10-2008, 11:18 PM

Yeah, the blueing does seem thin. I was going to go to the range today like I said, but it wasn't the weather that stopped me, but my WATER HEATER!?! lol I'll get out there with in the week though. As for more mags Big Dog, I haven't checked them yet, but there's a company called Triple K that makes mags for about everything. You can just Google it. I'll check them soon and post my findings soon, possibly a link too. Their prices range from good to high though.

Ok, I stil haven't got to shoot it yet, but I can't keep from breaking it down and nit-picking it clean, lookin for any bad signs, and trying to picture the action working so I can learn how it works....I finally got it! It was a bit confussing first cause for some reason I was thinking the barrel was lock with the frame (WTF???) but then I realised how dumb I was and figured out how it loced with the slide. Pretty neat how that works. I love a pistol that doesn't tilt the barrel during operation. (unlike Browning's) I suppose that would have been my CZ-52 that caused me to have that prefference. lol Now, my only question, is there any reason to be concerner if the outter "ears" on the locking toggle don't line up perfectly with the rails on the frame? If anyone is haveing a hard time understanding my question, I'll post a picture showing the issue. Thanks again guys!

Rex in OTZ · 05-12-2008, 11:29 AM

I had discoverd that getting it clean was important!
especially any built up crud behind the extractor
The mags are definately something to keep an eye on!
We used to have a 1/2gal ultrasonic cleaner at work
on slow day's we'd bring in our pistols and dump in a couple large jars of
Hoppe's #9 and let it buzz for a hour, those hand guns would come out really clean!
Yes we took off the wood gripn panels.

Big Dog · 05-12-2008, 07:16 PM

One weak point my pistol has is the funky slide lock spring - it often slips loose and the slide locks back while shooting. Danged annoying!

The pistol is basically a licensed copy of the Beretta M1951 Brigadier - so mags should be available, grips too. I just need to get busy and look!

I like it's size and feel - a good design for CCW - IF I can fix the reliability problems.

sean46953 · 05-12-2008, 07:32 PM

Yep, had the same issue till I seen that bellow the little relief cut that you're probably putting the spring on, just bellow that and on the very back of the slide stop/release is a small hole that the end of the spring is suppose to slide into. Hope that helps Big Dog. I'll put up a picture of the of the hole tonight probably. Good luck.

sean46953 · 05-15-2008, 12:19 AM

Here's the pictures showing where the little spring goes. Sorry it took so long to get them up. I've been on the forums the last few days from my mobile, but I can't post pictures from it so i had to get a chance to take a moment on the PC. Sorry again. Hope this helps!

Big Dog · 05-15-2008, 06:40 PM

Good pics - it answered my problem! I had not noticed the front end of the spring goes into a wee hole behind the slide stop - I have it riding in the slot on the top back corner, and it slips. My bad!

sean46953 · 05-15-2008, 10:51 PM

lol like I said, had my spring riding in the same spot. Kept slipping off mine too. I figure that on mine the grove wasn't quite deep enough so I was going to take a small jewlers file to it and deepin it up. Glad I noticed that little hole before I went and did that! lol

Once again, I gotta ask...Anyone know how to pull the firing pin?

05-09-2008, 03:44 PM	#1
sean46953 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Marion, Indiana Posts: 357	Got the Helwan...Couldn't resist... Well, even though it's had some bad reviews, and I have heard a bunch of crap about it, I just couldn't resist it's charm. I love the way it feels in the hands. I know that this could be the dumbest thing I've done, but I'm extremely bull headed! Now, the not so bad news...looks like this one has been around for a while. It's lost a lot of blueing in the most prone areas, like the front strap. There is defenite signs of wear from usage, but very little wear on the action and the track area of the slide and frame. One of the dirtiest guns I've purchused, but amist all the fouling, there wasn't any metal flakes or particles that I couuld see. Even with it being filthy, the action was rather smooth. After a few HOURS of cleaning and a good light oiling, it became impressively smooth. I have spent all day tinkering with it, and haven't found anything other then general wear on the blueing. I was looking for a way to pull the firing pin, but I'm completely lost on these efforts! lol I bought a couple hundred rounds of Winchester ( the cheapest available here) and I plan on givin it hell tomorrow (weather permitting) at the local range. I'll be sure to post a range report and where full protective equipment, including crash helmet! lol Oh yeah, if anyone knows how to pull the firing pin on these things, please let me know. Thanks! __________________ http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...00_0535100.jpgSean M. Hartman

05-10-2008, 04:15 PM	#3
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,208	I have the same problem with the grips - a very poor grade of plastic, I reckon. I've found the quality of blueing is poor - very thin, easily rusted in some areas. I have considered deblueing, polishing and reblueing properly. Need to find some new grips and spare magazines too. I find the accuracy quite good though - it's worth a little work to improve the rough spots. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

05-10-2008, 11:18 PM	#4
sean46953 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Marion, Indiana Posts: 357	Yeah, the blueing does seem thin. I was going to go to the range today like I said, but it wasn't the weather that stopped me, but my WATER HEATER!?! lol I'll get out there with in the week though. As for more mags Big Dog, I haven't checked them yet, but there's a company called Triple K that makes mags for about everything. You can just Google it. I'll check them soon and post my findings soon, possibly a link too. Their prices range from good to high though. Ok, I stil haven't got to shoot it yet, but I can't keep from breaking it down and nit-picking it clean, lookin for any bad signs, and trying to picture the action working so I can learn how it works....I finally got it! It was a bit confussing first cause for some reason I was thinking the barrel was lock with the frame (WTF???) but then I realised how dumb I was and figured out how it loced with the slide. Pretty neat how that works. I love a pistol that doesn't tilt the barrel during operation. (unlike Browning's) I suppose that would have been my CZ-52 that caused me to have that prefference. lol Now, my only question, is there any reason to be concerner if the outter "ears" on the locking toggle don't line up perfectly with the rails on the frame? If anyone is haveing a hard time understanding my question, I'll post a picture showing the issue. Thanks again guys! __________________ http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...00_0535100.jpgSean M. Hartman Last edited by sean46953; 05-11-2008 at 06:04 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

05-12-2008, 11:29 AM	#5
Rex in OTZ Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kotzebue, Alaska Posts: 439	Helwan from Barrow AK I had discoverd that getting it clean was important! especially any built up crud behind the extractor The mags are definately something to keep an eye on! We used to have a 1/2gal ultrasonic cleaner at work on slow day's we'd bring in our pistols and dump in a couple large jars of Hoppe's #9 and let it buzz for a hour, those hand guns would come out really clean! Yes we took off the wood gripn panels.

05-12-2008, 07:16 PM	#6
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,208	One weak point my pistol has is the funky slide lock spring - it often slips loose and the slide locks back while shooting. Danged annoying! The pistol is basically a licensed copy of the Beretta M1951 Brigadier - so mags should be available, grips too. I just need to get busy and look! I like it's size and feel - a good design for CCW - IF I can fix the reliability problems. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

05-09-2008, 08:57 PM	#2
M14man Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: FLA Posts: 430 Images: 10	I have one, that I decided I would parkerize since the original blue was so spotty. It is a fine pistol that shoots point of aim. It has a strange push button safety in the grip. The drawback in mine is that the plastic grips are separating where they meet near the heel of the hand. I like mine.

05-12-2008, 07:32 PM	#7
sean46953 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Marion, Indiana Posts: 357	Yep, had the same issue till I seen that bellow the little relief cut that you're probably putting the spring on, just bellow that and on the very back of the slide stop/release is a small hole that the end of the spring is suppose to slide into. Hope that helps Big Dog. I'll put up a picture of the of the hole tonight probably. Good luck. __________________ http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...00_0535100.jpgSean M. Hartman

05-15-2008, 06:40 PM	#9
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,208	Good pics - it answered my problem! I had not noticed the front end of the spring goes into a wee hole behind the slide stop - I have it riding in the slot on the top back corner, and it slips. My bad! __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

05-15-2008, 10:51 PM	#10
sean46953 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Marion, Indiana Posts: 357	lol like I said, had my spring riding in the same spot. Kept slipping off mine too. I figure that on mine the grove wasn't quite deep enough so I was going to take a small jewlers file to it and deepin it up. Glad I noticed that little hole before I went and did that! lol Once again, I gotta ask...Anyone know how to pull the firing pin? __________________ http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...00_0535100.jpgSean M. Hartman Last edited by sean46953; 05-16-2008 at 12:44 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost