clean-repair

Question
how do i take a ja 380 apart to completely clean .i am very weak in my arms can not put bullet in and arm it any way to fix it i am 65 years old. gun has had 5 bullets fire in it

Answer
Hi Jimmy.

First you need to make sure it is unloaded. Remove the magazine and cycle the slide to empty the chamber. If cycling the slide is difficult for you then try this:

Hold the pistol grip in your strong hand (the right hand for most people) with your fingers outside of the trigger guard. Hold your strong hand with the pistol flat across your heart or center chest area like you would do when saying the pledge of allegiance. Then take your empty weak hand (the left hand for most people) and place it on top of the pistol from the weak side. With your weak hand, pinch the serrated portion of the slide between your thumb on one side and four fingers on the other side. Now keep the pistol flat across your chest over your heart, with the muzzle pointing in a safe direction, and push both hand in towards each other. This will use your strong arm to push on the pistol grip and the weak arm to push on the slide. Each arm only has to do half of the work and it is easier since your arms are stronger when you hold your hands close to your chest.

Once you are absolutely sure that the gun is unloaded, magazine removed, and chamber empty, then point the muzzle in a safe direction and pull the trigger. Now look at the back of the slide where the hammer would normally be on a revolver. There should be a small takedown button which fits inside of the end of the slide. Push in on this button with a wooden pencil or similar object. While holding the button in, pull back on the slide gently and lift the back of the slide up off the back of the frame. As soon as the back of the slide comes off the frame then slide it forward to remove the front of the slide from the barrel. Be careful to catch the recoil spring which sits inside the slide underneath the barrel. When you have it disassembled it should look something like the following photo:

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Ja9_003.jpg

If these instructions dosn't work or if you have more questions then try visiting the following sites which have some good support info:

http://www.bryco-jennings-jimenezarms.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4

http://concealed-carry.5u.com/index2.html

Another option is to have a relative, neighbor, or friend try it and then they might be able to help you do it. Or take it to a local gunsmith and they can probably show you how to do it for free.

I hope this helps!

Bob