Working the MAB Model D, Type II, 7.65mm pistol.

by Mark R. Hollensen

I had the opportunity to inspect and repair a MAB Model D, Type II semi-automatic pistol that was not functioning. The customer told me he had searched for a new mainspring as the one in his pistol was broken, without any luck in finding an original or newly-manufactured replacement. I told him that I had quite a number of parts companies I could check with, so he gave me the green light to try and repair this old specimen. It was in fairly decent shape, other than the sear spring – also known as the mechanism spring – was broken. I began by removing what was left of the sear/mechanism spring and taking photos of it, then checking with nearly 20 different parts companies to find if they had an original or replacement in stock. I was able to locate one for the Type I pistols, listed as “the wavy spring”, but not one spring (new or original) was located for this Type II model.

I did some research on MAB pistols and was not able to find detailed disassembly instructions for it, other than the routine disassembly instructions for cleaning and maintenance. No owner’s manual was found, either, though I found some historical information. It seems that a gentleman by the name of Leon Barthe, born in Saint-Vincent-de-Tyrosse, France, began making MAB pistols in…

Read more in the January 2020 issue.

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