Sterling Model 400

[gaowlpoop]

A friend of mine has a Sterling Mark II Model 400 .380.






He told me that about 20 years ago, he lost the extractor and associated springs and followers. He wants me to try and make an extractor and other assorted parts.

I have been unsuccessful on finding the information I need on this weapon.

1. How do you field strip it? I found the disassembly screw on the right side. Do you push it in or do you remove it. It is spring loaded. After you do whatever to the screw, then what. I have pushed it in and could not remove the slide. I have removed it and could not remove the slide. There must be a trick?

2. Could someone please post a picture of the extractor. I have found a couple of diagrams on line but they are not detailed enough to build another extractor.

Thanks

[Alpo]

http://www.e-gunparts.com/products.a...#37;20MKII&MC=

They have parts. Maybe the parts you need.

[Hammerslagger]

From my numerous observations, Sterling pistols were of rather low quality, usually unreliable, and in at least one case, unsafe. They have been out of business for about 15 to 30 years. Normally, I will not work on them for potential liability considerations.

Unless one of the non manufacturer gun parts suppliers {such as Gun Parts Corp. (aka Numrich), Bob's Gun Parts in Royal, AK, or Jack First out in a high plains state} has the extractor and associated missing parts; you will spend more time (at fair market wages) trying to make them than the repaired pistol will be worth.

Unless your metalworking knowledge and skill level is that of a bonafide journeyman toolmaker, die maker, or similar metalworking skilled tradesman, the extractor, that you will likely fabricate, will not likely last very long. From your photo, it appears that the original extractor broke and fell out along with its associated parts. Sterling was not known for good design or QC.

[noCTurnal]

Hello, I recently purchased a Sterling .380 D/A model 400 pistol at an estate sale. I noticed that the slide would not lock back when I racked it with an empty clip. I took the slide off and noticed that I was missing a metal plate and a spring that sits under the slide. I watched this video on you tube of a tear down of this pistol, (mark II version), it shows the plate and spring that I'm missing, here's the link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sflXBHZYctk
I need to know what the name of those pieces are and are the mark II version and mine interchangeable. Please help me, I dont wanna just chalk this piece up as a loss and would like to fix it. If you know anything about this gun or know where I can find these pieces it would be very much appreciated.
Thanks again

[noCTurnal]

I THINK THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE SAME THING!!!!

[noCTurnal]

Ok I called jackfirstguns.com and I believe the plate I'm missing is a "hold open ejector" I just need to know what the name of the spring that sits on top of that is called...It looks like an elongated question mark. You can see exactly what I'm talking about in the youtube video link that I posted in my earlier blog...
SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[Helix_FR]

Its called the hold open spring. Numrich is out of them.

[noCTurnal]

thanks so much...yeah I called them too...no dice. well at least I know what I'm looking for now!!!

[water]

push in and rotate the screw in front of the trigger guard, 90 degrees to lower the slide buffer block and be ae to pull the slide back and off,

some of the original transfer bars and extractors had bad heat treat and failed early and frequently,

when the transfer bar shaft breaks the pistol goes on full rock and roll

by another pistol like it for 200 and get all the measurements you need, makea few spare parts and dont forget to heat treat.

IT is really a 2000 round pistol or so before it needs parts, slide springs weaken extremely quickly also, changing the timing of the pistol. (comes back forward to battery to quick and jamming,

also mag spring pressure needs to be stout, or slide slowed slightly to get that next round up fast enough to keep from jamming on the way in.

But it is a very accurate little pistol, just a little tender

[MSGT-R]

Hi, new-join here. This thread got my attention during an internet search.

I bought mine used a number of years ago, the PO never broke it down for cleaning! It's in fairly good condition and I like it for it's carry-size and the similarity to my old 45 when I was in the Corps.

I've read and heard nothing but bad stuff about it, but mine seems to be working fairly fine.

It does seem to have the occasional "feed" issue, and some lock tite will keep the trigger pin from walking it's way out of the hole in the future. I've fired Marine Corps weapons that were worse off than that. I just chalked it up to being a used weapon that wasn't taken care of properly.

I want to thank the person who came up with the fix for the underside of the slide.

[Jim Hauff]

MSGT-R,
Welcome to the forum and thank you for your service to our country. Welcome home, brother!

[MSGT-R]

Umm.. sister.

Thank you, but it's been a few years since I retired

[Jim Hauff]

Ulp - sister it is. Doesn't matter when you retired - Welcome Home is a standard greeting for all Vets - WW2, Korea, Viet Nam, Gulf, Iraq, Afganistan, moon landings - at least here in PA. You can hear it very often at gunshows - when the Vets are out wearing their hats, or the younger guys have some item of issue stuff on. Not enough recognition and thanks coming our way, in my stilted opinion.

[Paul56]

I also just came across this thread during a search, and thought that one of you here might be able to lend your expertise to help me with my Sterling Arms Model 400.

I bought the gun new 30 years ago, haven't put more than 500 rounds through it in all that time, but now the firing pin is sticking. I'd like to remove the firing pin to clean it. I still have the owner's manual (and original box), but the manual only describes the disassembly mentioned above by water.

So...does anyone know how to remove the firing pin on the Sterling Arms Model 400?

I've been trying to gently remove it for days, and searching the web for weeks, so any help will be appreciated very much!

[MSGT-R]

I've always cleaned it in-place using aerosol brake cleaner while working the pin back and forth. All sorts of crap flushes out of there! Follow it up with some oil and it shouldn't stick anymore.

[Paul56]

Originally Posted by MSGT-R

I've always cleaned it in-place using aerosol brake cleaner while working the pin back and forth. All sorts of crap flushes out of there! Follow it up with some oil and it shouldn't stick anymore.

I've been using a small syringe to place drops of Hopps Powder Solvent on the hammer end of the firing pin, and hoping it will drip through and clean out any crap...but I like your idea much better. Thanks! I'll give it a try.

[busykngt]

I'm in agreement; I like mine just fine. Agreed, it's not the same quality
as a $600-$900 gun but then again I paid $170 for it new, in October of
1981. Bought mine at a Gibson's (kind of a Walmart type store) in Austin,
TX and while I haven't put very many rounds through it over the years, I
think it's always offered the kind of home protection I expected for the
price. I've never had it jam; .380 D/A Model 400 Mark II and it's fun to
shoot.

[busykngt]

What's the opposite of "lemon"? Maybe I got one of those.

[MSGT-R]

A Peach.

[busykngt]

Peach it is!

Thanks MSGT.

And Jim, I would've made the same mistake - thanks for keeping us straight MSGT, from an exArty officer (long ago). And Jim I recognized the 9th - I came down on orders to Ft. Lewis - spent two or three weeks up there and was recalled to Ft. Sill (sure didn't miss all that dxxn rain!).

[aj982]

I have one also. It works very well as long as it's maintained. I had a problem getting flat nose or hollow point rounds to load into the chamber but a little smoothing and polishing did the trick.

Forgive me for not reading the entire post if someone answered this already but to remove the slide, you have to push in the screw and turn it clockwise 90 deg then pull the slide back, lift up and return forward. If you removed the screw, it's going to be hard to screw it back into the locking mechanism and you should hear some moving parts clanking around in there (that's the locking mechanism). If you hear that, you just have to shake and wiggle the pistol while pulling back the slide, lifting up. By shaking and wiggling you are trying to get the locking mechanism to lay flat (unlock position) as if you turned the screw the right way.

As for the firing pin, read my reply in: http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/show...t=sterling+400

As for the extractor... It's a pain to re-install but I will try to get you some pics/dimensions soon.

[WGAMatt]

Hello I'm new here mostly joined because of this thread about the sterling 400 worked on a few and custom rebuilt one for my mother to have fixed a lot of thing on some of those mostly safety lever breaking had the take down screw break on one, one or two lost slide latch spring had to make new ones but thats an ez one you can make one out of a bobby pin yes like the one your wife would were in her hair just thin it down and bend to fit it its all ready a spring so no metal tempering needed, slide lock wont work, feeding problems trigger jobs are hard cause its cheep metal and wont last. the biggest problem is you just cant find parts for the gun the one for my mother made alot of parts for that one just to make it better so it wont break down later on. Any questions I'll be happy to help the best I can, I know how it can be not knowing about one of your guns and cant find anything about it.
Matt

[izman62]

The screw on the right side of the gun under the slider needs to be pushed inward and turn a bit. It should lock in. You then make sure your hammer is slid back, then this way you can take the slider off. I have one blue steel color. Had it for 28 years. First gun I brought when I had my first son. I can't ever see gettting rid of it. Only problem I have now with it, is that the slider screw on the side broke, and something inside where that screw onto broke, now I can't take it apart. I am looking for a parts kit to redo the gun repairs.... I think I will one day, take the firepin out and mount it on a plaque for being the first firearm in my life... LOL

[izman62]

I never had problems with it not fireing. I had a lot of problems with the safety lever dropping into safe mode (due to it is loose). I think I am gonna have to take to gun smith, for they have the correct tools to fix. Only thing that bother me is that the parts are hard to find. So, for all the rest of firearms I have now, I have brough spare parts and bag, marked, and put it away in box somewhere in Garage. Learned that if you have a firearm, should have spare kit for it... :-)

[izman62]

Believe it or not, I took my out after 27 years just a few weeks ago. I got the info from the internet.