Also updating an older Open gun

[bmg2]

I hadn't shot my old 9x23 open gun for at least 13 years, until this spring. It was built by Nowlin back in late 1994. It's a Caspian frame and slide, and Nowlin barrel and 4 port "Excalibur" comp. Sight is an old PDP3 that was worked over by Ross Deane (Dr. Dot) and the mount looks somewhat similar to the old Red Buff, but I think it's Nowlin's version (3RHC if my old notes are correct). I'm in pretty good shape as far as mags go, 10 old 18 rounders that feed 9x23 great, and two 170mm mags built by Craig, one of which seems to have a cracked weld, but still works ok. I've tried one of the new 21 round Caspian mags and it seems to suck badly for 9x23, probably due to the case taper (it might be fine for 38SC but not 9x23). I ordered another 1500 Winchester brass to supplement my 2500 old CP 9x23 brass.

Switching to a C-More has 2 complications that I can see, but that's what I'd like to eventually do. First, the scope mount includes the plunger tube, so that part of the mount will need to be cut off and remain on the frame. Second, the front two screws on the mount seem to be spaced at .375" like the C-More mounts, but they're very low on the frame, too low to be used for standards mounts I think. The new mount (thinking of a Cheely) could be moved forward a bit and raised up so the C-More could clear the top of the slide, but all 5 screws would then be in the somewhat thin dust cover. It would be nice to have the rear mount screw in the thicker part of the frame right in front of the slide release, but that would involve plugging current screw holes and drilling new mount holes a bit higher up the frame. Any recommendations on who could do that?

added: Another sight possibility....a Deltapoint mounted on the slide maybe?

Edited May 23, 2011 by bmg2

[Joe4d]

you interested in a arrendondo single side mounted sts sight ? can you post pics of your slide or maybe an exact measurement from the screw holes to the top of the slide and I'll measure and see if it will fit.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=129324&st=0&p=1459247&fromsearch=1entry1459247

also adding a plunger tube isnt that hard and they are pretty cheap at brownells.

Edited May 24, 2011 by Joe4d

[bmg2]

The problem with adding the plunger tube is that the spot on the frame that it attaches to has been machined away to make room for the old mount. I think the usual fix is to just continue using the "plunger tube" part of the old mount.

Edited May 24, 2011 by bmg2

[Garrett]

I hadn't shot my old 9x23 open gun for at least 13 years, until this spring...

Sounds familiar. My Open gun had been around for a while when I bought it. Mine was reportedly a Dawson-built Para, with the old sideways-mounted Pro Point that had been off to the Dot Doctor as well.

I finally had to upgrade when the dustcover cracked and started flexing under the weight of the dot. When I sent it to Tripp to be un-chromed and welded, he found a couple more cracks - in the grips along where the frame is milled out for the trigger bow.

Probably not the answer you're looking for, but I updated by going to a new STI frame. My gun was old enough, it had been built from a kit and must have been machined for the ramped barrel. It had the same cut as STI uses, not the factory Para cut.

I did have to buy all new mags. But I'm happy with what I ended up with.