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Thread: Walther LP53

  1. #1
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    Walther LP53 with worn finish on barrel

    I have bought an early LP53 air pistol that came in a Nike box but less the bits.
    These come up on occasion down here and usually are beyond my purse so it has been some time in the waiting.
    This example has the brown grips and worn barrel coating. I am not sure what has caused this as the 'wear' is over almost the entire barrel; maybe a large handed German owned it ?
    The serial number was not obvious and I first suspected the number had been removed, until I moistened some sort of grime that was disguising it.
    The serial number is 008767... early 50s?
    I have emailed Walther with an enquiry about manufacturing and despatch dates. That may take a while so in the meantime can anyone shine some light on the above?
    I will post some images once I get my head around getting them onto flickr.
    Damn, I find that site difficult to operate but that may be a reflection on me

    OK, got it now.... https://www.flickr.com/gp/62976863@N07/dz76G2
    Last edited by slow_runner; 13-05-2018 at 01:38 AM.

  2. #2
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    Your pistol was made in 1955

    Have a look at http://cinedux.com/walther-air-pistols.php for list serial no’s v dates.

    Cheers

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Discocom View Post
    Your pistol was made in 1955
    Have a look at http://cinedux.com/walther-air-pistols.php for list serial no’s v dates. Cheers
    Thanks Disco, and thank you Trevor (it has been a while).
    I was told that it was 1953 but he may have his information incorrect as it was originally his Uncles air pistol; bought in Germany then brought here to NZ at some late point.

  4. #4
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    Glad to help.

    Just been looking at your pictures, almost looks like something corrosive got spilt over the barrel? The finish is somewhat delicate, I have a later pistol that has lost a lot of the finish too.
    For your LP53 the original finish should be an almost gloss black. The barrel surround is actually an alloy, so can't be blued, I think some folks on here have successully resprayed/refinished them so have a search through the postings.

  5. #5
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    Yes the barrel is painted aluminium? Alloy anyway.
    Strip it and get correct paint.

    I had one that was bad and I stripped and polished the whole barrel section giving me a two tone pistol.
    I was going to paint it but didn't bother as I liked the look and it won't rust.

    I also sold it like that for a good price..

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by gingernut View Post
    Yes the barrel is painted aluminium? Alloy anyway.
    Strip it and get correct paint.

    I had one that was bad and I stripped and polished the whole barrel section giving me a two tone pistol.
    I was going to paint it but didn't bother as I liked the look and it won't rust.

    I also sold it like that for a good price..
    What paint did you use?

  7. #7
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    I just degrease the surface with cellulose thinners and spray with satin black. Just done the barrel on this Schimel to show you how it looks, I used Plastikote which gives quite a hard finish.

    Baz

    [IMG][/IMG]
    BE AN INDEPENDENT THINKER, DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWD

  8. #8
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    Thanks for all the advice on remediation of the barrel surface.
    Today we put it over the chronograph, the initial result was 304fps then climbing to 330 during which time we changed out the breech seal; that gave improved readings.
    Last edited by slow_runner; 15-05-2018 at 04:38 PM.

  9. #9
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    update

    As mentioned, the readings were on the low side at 300-330 and as is usual with a second hand air pistol, it was pulled down.
    The cap/spring guide was almost impossible to budge, it was so unbelievably tight.
    Perhaps Loctite ? No, that wasn't the reason.
    Unfortunately the cap had suffered some damage to the spline before we resorted to a 12 inch pipe wrench and a leather strip. Even that took a large effort to get movement.
    In hindsight the pipe wrench should have been the first option but that goes against usual practice. A rough outcome and there is no going back once the damage has been done; right?
    The inner spring was in two pieces, the break about 3 coils in. We measured the mainspring at nigh full compression and the reading was 35kg, not bad.
    The buffer was stuffed and the piston seal was well used/stuffed. Both have been replaced with a home made parachute seal. Old leather seal material was about the piston and there was some very fine 'gritty' material about the cap body thread.

    No, in our opinion, this pistol had not been apart until now. Could be wrong though.....
    The previous owner had told me that the pistol had been factory serviced 10 years ago. But I seriously doubt it; no sweat though because its accepted that unless we know who we are dealing with, we take such claims with a pinch of salt, right?

    With some judicious rework and a bit of luck the cap spline should be able to be recovered and made acceptable then the cap blued.
    BBS member Clarky mentions that the cap is oil blackened.. good news.

    Here is a question : is it known of a specific plain knurl that will replicate the original knurl pattern - just a straight knurl wheel?.
    I only have one straight knurl tool and that does not mesh correctly.
    If I can find a suitable one then recovering the damaged splines ( more than a few) may/will be more successful than filing the damage and removing material.

    The other option is to try and source a NOS original. What are the chances and do I have enough time left ???.

    P.S Also, to mention that with the synthetic piston seal and a replacement inner spring, the LP53 is now producing 395-403fps. A very nice result.
    Reading Clarkys' thread that figure can be improved with a smoother action as a bonus...

    - information that may help - the nigh full compression reading with both assembled OE springs is 50kg -
    Last edited by slow_runner; 19-05-2018 at 11:25 AM.

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