[Kurusu]

Don't you mean a 1910/14?

I did. Don't know what was thinking. I went back and fixed it. Thank you.

 

[dfariswheel]

The earlier Mauser pocket pistols were finely made pistols, but by the early 30's they were designs that were very much showing their age.
The Walther PP series and the Sauer 38H were outselling them and Mauser needed a new design to compete. Thus the excellent Mauser HSc, with it's futuristic Art Decco look.
This put Mauser back in the game.

The hammer dropping safety as used by the 30's German pistols were an arguably better safety system then that used by most automatic pistols.
With most, a cocked action depended on some sort of safety, usually a manually operated type that required a specific action by the user to make it safe.
The designers of these new German pistols thought that even a striker fired auto with an automatic grip safety simply wasn't as safe as a design that locked the firing pin and safely lowered the hammer.
No amount of mishandling could cause one of the new designs to fire since it was not cocked.
The designs were so good, almost all double action auto pistols since use versions of the hammer dropping or de-cocking designs pioneered by the 30's Germans.

It was very high quality, but inexpensive small autos that killed off a number of excellent American designs like the Remington Model 51.
Finely made, but inexpensive in American dollars, A number of German designed pistols were imported in the 20's and 30's and were almost impossible to compete against.
One of the more popular of these was the Ortgies.
These were as finely finished inside as most pistols were outside.
The only down check was the extremely difficult reassembly UNLESS you had the owner's documentation and knew the "secret" of how to get it back together.
Due to the large imports in the 20's the Ortgies is rather common in the US.

It was striker fired autos like the Ortgies, Browning-Colt, Remington, and a large number of German and European small autos that were made largely obsolete by the German 30's "Big Three" designs.
After WWII almost all of the pre-war striker fired autos disappeared.

 

[saintclair]

Mitch, I like your 1934 Mauser pistol. I just found a nice original holster for one at a local gun shop. I had to look in Eugene Bender's book to identify the holster. The have a strange cut-out for the grips.

 

[CWO4USCGRET]

I've always liked the looks of the Mauser Model 1914 and the HSc but never owned either gun. So now I do! One Model 1914 and two HSc pistols.


The Model 1914 is a commercial model; based on appearances it was made in the 1921-1928 time frame and surprise of all surprises the older HSc was built in December of 1941 (according to someone on the Mauser Forum). Both of these two guns are chambered in 7.65 MM aka .32 ACP. The second HSc is an Interarms import; chambered in .380. It is supposedly made from (primarily) parts made by Manurhin of France and assembled by Mauser. No pictures of this one yet but here are the other two:

Mauser Model 1914

Mauser HSc


Not knowing anything, just enough to show I don't know anything, about German WWII militaria, I go to websites like the "Unblinking Eye" for more information. What I learned was the HSc was made for the Army, Navy, and the Police. This one, with the German Acceptance Eagle and the letter L is one of approximately 28,000 made for the Police! It is missing a small piece of the left grip - the sharp point on the top front part of the grip is missing. On the right side of the trigger guard is the "Nitro" proof mark. Compared to what I paid and what this one is potentially worth...I did well!

I also have an Ortgies .380 Button Safety Pistol; an import to the US. The export models were marked with "Germany" on the front of the frame below the barrel. Not to start an argument but the Ortgies were not very popular nor used by the German Military. They are complicated and several parts are brittle. They were used to some degree by the German Finance Ministry and the Post Office. I've looked everywhere for the button safety parts but keep drawing a blank.

 

[Walter Rego]

I have one of the 1970 manufactured, Interarms marked HSc's in .380. It is 100% reliable with ball ammo and 90% unreliable with any HP ammo except those with noses that mimic hardball which eliminates most brands. I can tell you that it is not a pleasant gun to shoot. A couple of magazines full and the web of my hand is getting sore. It is not a light gun, I figure it's the grip shape as I have other .380's that are much more comfortable to shoot. It is quite accurate as the factory test target shows and I have demonstrated to myself a few times. That said, I would have no problem carrying it loaded with FMJ's as a CCW. It's just not a fun plinker. Here are a couple of earlier Mauser autos.

 

[Rick Bowles]

The Ortgies are well made, accurate and reliable. They don't command a high price because, like the Savage, there are bunch of them. In the hard times following WWI the German government tried to keep as many people gainfully employed as possible to mitigate public unrest. To this end Deutsche Werke produced over 400,000 pistols in approximately three years, far more than were needed. Deutsche Werke eventually dumped thousands of guns on the market below manufacturing cost: 48,000 guns were sold to an American company in 1922 for $0.66 each, and another 43,000 at a later date for $0.75 each. Now thats a bargain!

 

[ColtTom]

Walter Rego,

Good information about your post WWII HSc in .380acp. I have on occasion fired one of the WWII commercial HSc’s in my collection. It is of course .32 caliber and is pleasant and not painful to shoot. It’s also quite accurate even with its rather minuscule sights.

On a related note, years ago I purchased a Walther PPKs in .380acp caliber. I was excited to have a copy of “James Bond’s” pistol. I took it to the range and fired two magazines of ball ammo through it and thought my hand was gonna bleed. I sold the PPKs the very next weekend. I now own a commercial PPK in .32 caliber and it is delightful to shoot. I think the less powerful round, and the wrap around grip of the original PPK design are the reasons.

Take Care!
Tom

 

[El Bibliotecario]

dfariswheel: Its obvious you're more knowledgeable than I on this subject, so I apologize, but I think I'm confused by your statement regarding the safety operation of the Mauser HSc pistol. Why would one want to "drop the hammer" of a pistol, when the safety was applied? It would seem this would introduce a dangerous element into a rather simple procedure! What am I missing here?
nowinca

This brings to mind a favorite anecdote illustrating how over my lifetime society has moved from self reliance to demanding guarantees. In the 70s I read a piece on a double action pistol with a hammer dropper. The reviewer cautioned that any machine can malfunction, and users of the weapon should learn to manually lower the hammer. Three decades later I read a piece on a double action pistol which the reviewer complained did not have a hammer dropper, which forced users to perform an unsafe act--manually lowering the hammer.

 

[Kurusu]

This brings to mind a favorite anecdote illustrating how over my lifetime society has moved from self reliance to demanding guarantees. In the 70s I read a piece on a double action pistol with a hammer dropper. The reviewer cautioned that any machine can malfunction, and users of the weapon should learn to manually lower the hammer. Three decades later I read a piece on a double action pistol which the reviewer complained did not have a hammer dropper, which forced users to perform an unsafe act--manually lowering the hammer.

Well, I'm old enough to remember when bacon and eggs were good for your health.

 

[po18guy]

I Always thought that the HSc might have had some influence on the design of the Astra Constable. Couilda' shoulda' woulda'...

 

[CWO4USCGRET]

Well, I'm old enough to remember when bacon and eggs were good for your health.

What at do you mean, you remember when? They still are in my book!

 

[Walter Rego]

ColtTom, interesting observation about the PPK/S in .380 and not surprising. My Colt M1908, Remington PA51 and Savage 1917 in .380 are both more pleasant to shoot than the HSc. I have a Star Model S in .380 that is a real pussycat compared to the others. I attribute that to the fact that it is a true locked breech design with a tilt down barrel and swinging link just like a miniature 1911 and not a blowback design. The Savage and Remington are not straight blowbacks but are a delayed blowback action. Grip shape and action type seem to have the most effect upon ease of shooting. For comparison, the Remington weighs 21 oz, the HSc and Star both weigh 22 oz, the Savage 23 oz, and the Colt is 24 oz so none of them are particularly lightweight compared to some of the new polymer framed CCW guns on the market.

 

[Kurusu]

What at do you mean, you remember when? They still are in my book!

When was that book printed?

I have a 1905 edition of Jules Verne "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea"(belonged to my GrandDad and he bought it second hand 'cause he was born in 1903.)

 

[ColtTom]

Walter Rego,

Thanks for the reply. I completely agree with you. My favorite .380’s to shoot are a Colt Government Model .380 pistol, and a Glock Model 42. Both accurate, easy to shoot, and FUN.

Take Care!
Tom