Is this gun junk?

S

Smoke Eater

Inactive
My Brother just brought over a Bryco Arms Jennings Nine. I know that Bryco doesnt have a very good reputation for quality guns. He's had it for several months (traded a Ruger .22 revolver for it) and says it shoots good, hasn't jamed on him yet. I kinda like the idea that it has a 12 round clip. Anyway, I was just wondering what yall think of this model. It looks nice if nothing else! :D
 
I think the general consensus is that Jennings = Junk ... but I'm reminded of an old saying my grandfather used to say "Even a broken clock is right twice a day." so I guess it's possible to get the occasional Jennings that's not junk :)
 
Sorry, they're ALL junk. Sooner or later the pot-metal parts are going to fail or suffer wear sufficient to render the gun inoperable or unsafe.
 
Heehee, thanks. That's pretty much what I told him, but he likes it. To each his own. I personaly liked the .22, he had a real nice cowboy type belt/holster for it. Traded the whole rig just because he wanted a semi. Oh well, maybe he'll learn and get something else. I'm just glad he doesnt use it as a carry gun!
 
From a manufacturing and quality assurance perspective, the immediate answer is a resounding yes! The main reason that this is such an inexpensive firearm is that the R&D was not comparatively as exhaustive.

Let me add another answer to the question with a diffrerent caveat.

If that is the only firearm that you have to defend yourself or your loved ones, would you consider it junk? I believe that most would answer no. Years ago when the proliferation of the "Saturday Night Special" became inevitable, I confiscated one. Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to have a reputable gunsmith work his "magic" on it to determine if it can become a reliable tool - one that will go bang when needed. Much to my chagrin, it did. The 'smith, however, strongly told me that the metallurgical properties of the material it is made with will not allow it to remain in that condition after 50 rounds. But that is besides the point. I surmise that fifty rounds is certainly adequate to protect one's life in many circumstances short of a protracted firefight.

Although I have seen the "Jennings Nine" on several occassions, I've not had the opportunity to handle it. My guess is that it can be used to defend oneself when needed; junk or otherwise.
 
Nor any three, johnwill!


I kinda like the idea that it has a 12 round clip.
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I'm no expert on the Jenniings (who would want to be?) but of one thing I am sure. It does NOT have a 12 round clip.


It MIGHT have a 12 round magazine, but it does NOT have a 12 round clip.

Semi auto weapons have magazines.
 
A Jennings in hand beats a Wilson in the safe.
But not by much.

As noted above, some of them can be made to perform well. At the expendature of more than the worth of the gun....afterwards. And they don't seem to stay in tune very long.

Your friend has been had.....sad.

Sam
 
I have one of those and it shoots just fine so far. That is, after I oiled it it didnt jam and it functioned properly. So kogatana; are you saying it is unsafe to shoot after 50 rounds? Ive put about 50 through it thus far, and if it is going to blow up in my hand next time I fire it, then I suppose I need to sell it. ???
Well in any case, in my opinion it is a fair gun for ppl like me who are first time gun buyers and didn't know that much about firearms to begin with, but in hindsight I would have bought something else. And yes those 12 round magazines are nice.
 
Hi, guys,

A shop I worked at sold a lot of those. The boss had a policy of not returning guns that didn't work because of the time, and would not replace a gun. Instead, a fellow who shall be nameless was given the task of fixing those guns when they failed, which they did all too often. I was usually successful in getting them to work, for a while at least, but I sure cannot recommend them to anyone.

Jim
 
I bought one for yuks once.

Usually couldn't go a mag without a jam. A couple of more memorable range sessions consisted of it making it two, sometimes even three, mags between stoppages.
 
Captain Hoek...

Semi auto weapons have magazines.
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Well yes, most do...but to play the devil's advocate, some do have clips. Take the SKS that takes a stripper clip and a Mauser Broomhandle that takes a stripper clip and a M1 Garand that takes an 8 round clip. That is three...I am sure there are more. I know what you mean...I am just stirring the pot.:) ;) :D
 
:D Okay, Sundance, now you've done it. Now I gotta explain.

A stripper clip is device that is used to hold some amount (varies by weapon) of ammo. The cartridges are held by the base, and how the clip is loaded into the weapon varies. With Garands, the clip ejects with the last round, which is one way to spot them being used in movies, disguised as M-14s, which use a magazine.

They are also used to hold M-16 rounds before they are loaded into the magazine. Speeds up loading of the mag.
 
Interestingly, my first semi-auto was a Jennings Bryco Model 59 with a 13 round magazine (still have the extra magazine, sold the Jennings for $50).

I got it because I had been wronged by the city (found a Ruger P89 in the street, turned it in at the police station (could have been used in a murder, one never knew), got a receipt when it ran clean with instructions to return in 6 weeks and it would be mine if no one showed up. After 9 weeks, 6 of patient waiting and 3 of crawfishing by the city, they told me I could not have it, but that they would auction it off and I could buy it. I discussed it with the powers that be and was told it was my own, tough luck. Now, I'm a respected Forestry Consultant, a Silviculturalist to boot, with an office diagonal to the police station, have short, well-groomed hair, am an Eagle Scout, member of the Lions Club, have a nice dog and no criminal record. In other words, they had no excuse to deny me ownership of the pistol. Later, the Ruger, which had a chipped rear sight and no magazine, sold for $400 at police auction. I thought it would be nice if they cut some off my property tax, since they stole the pistol from me, but I digress).

Back to my point...I bought the Jennings out of spite and ignorance. I already owned a nice Colt Trooper Mk III, but wanted to get a semi-auto. Paid $130 for the Jennings, bought some ammo, and took it out to the gravel pit. Recoil was unpleasant and pistol was only marginally reliable and terribly inaccurate. Realized what a dolt I had been and got rid of it at a gunshow. I bought a hi-cap Llama IX (.45) and kept it for a long time. My grandfather had always carried a Llama in the northwoods of Florida, not being able to afford the real 1911 he used in WWII and had good luck with it. Mine was very reliable, but not real accurate, but at least had 11 rounds to play with. I sold it several years later and now I have a real nice Witness .45 and a Systema Colt as well as a Turkish CZ-75...

I had a point in here somewhere, oh yeah, I bought that Jennings out of pure ignorance and bad advice from the pawn shop I ordered it from. I had no internet access and the amount of published info about Llamas was pretty small, and not very negative, so I feel pretty good about it. However, if anything, I learned a valuable lesson about semi-autos with that Jennings. It made me wiser with only a little money in the hole.

It's a crying shame that "Made in the USA" doesn't necesisarily mean a good thing in the firearms world!
 
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