Walther Model 4 disassembly help

[plasticeagle]

I am helping a friend with a Walther model 4 32 acp that he brought back from WWII. His less than able grandson tried to take it apart with little success. He only managed to lose a grip screw and had the external trigger bar fall out of said grip panel. I need to disassemble in order to thoroughly clean and check function. I am able to get the barrel shroud on the front of the pistol and spring off, but cannot get the slide to move all of the way to the back to pull up and off. Any ideas???

Thanks

 

[Steven Mace]

plasticeagle, click on the link below for disassembly information on the Walther Model 4.

http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Wm4/wm4.html

Hope this helps!

Steve Mace

 

[plasticeagle]

Thanks for the site. I looked at their instructions prior to posting and cannot get the slide to move back far enough for the slide rails to disengage and come off. Could the hammer or some other part be blocking the last part of the slide and keeping it from coming back?

Thanks

 

[James K]

Did you remove the recoil spring bushing (some books call it the barrel sleeve)? It will normally come out with the spring, but if not it will prevent the slide from being retracted far enough to disengage from the frame.

The bushing/sleeve goes to the rear and the recoil spring goes between it and the barrel. If it is in wrong, or has been deformed, it can cause the problem you mention.

Jim

 

[plasticeagle]

Thanks Jim! You were right on the money. I had been thinking that the bushing was a part of the barrel. I did not see the bushing as seperate on the website previously mentioned. I just looked at the gun and saw where the bushing went on the barrel and it slid right off. Once the bushing was removed, the slide came right off. Let the cleaning begin. Any ideas for how to clean very old tape off of the rubber grips? Now to find a grip screw.

Thanks

 

[James K]

Those grips are likely gutta percha (hard rubber) and tape residue should clean off with gasoline (if you can afford an ounce or so!) without harming them. But try a bit on the back to make sure.

Gun Parts Corp (www.gunpartscorp.com) lists grip screws for that gun but shows them as "limited supply" which usually means they ain't got them. If they are out, I would try the metric screw section of the local hardware store or big box and see if you can find a thread match. If you can match the thread, a longer screw can be cut to length and the head reshaped as needed.

Jim