Help me identify this German made 32 auto

[DC Plumber]

Hey folks,

I was at a customer's house today and he was showing me some of his gun collection. He had a few for sale. One that caught my eye was a little German made 32 auto, (it had the metric size listed, i.e. 7.65mm or what ever the metric equivalent is to the 32 auto).

It was blue steel, with a small single stack magazine and very fine lettering. The gun seemed to be a high quality, most likely 40 to 50 years old. It certainly didn't feel or look like todays cheap autos, though it may have been thought of one when it was made. It was smaller than a LCP.

I didn't have time to get a photo or write down any info other than made in Germany and the caliber.

Thanks ahead of time. Oh ya, I got to hold a Barrett 50 BMG. He also had a large ammo can with approximately 200 rounds of ammo. Saw a bunch of other neat stuff. He even has his own indoor shooting range. Hmmm, I may have to get to know him a little better.

 

[rcmodel]

A 7.65mm Auto smaller then a LCP??

You sure about that??

6.35mm (.25 ACP) maybe. There were lots of them.

But I sure can't think of any old .32 ACP that small.

rc

 

[Rembrandt]

Pics would be helpful......perhaps an Ortegies? They were offered in 25 and 32 caliber.

 

[usp9]

Maybe a J.P. Sauer, perhaps an old Mauser, maybe a Walther. Need more info to make anything other than a wild guess.

 

[TennJed]

see if it is on this list. Preety comprehesive list (with pics)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_firearms_of_Germany

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Try the "psychic network" till you can pass along some facts or photos. There were a lot of manufacturing concerns between the wars and many thought to not make pocket pistols had short "concept" runs later bought by and exploited by firms in the consolidations leading up to WWII.
On top of that there were cross-border collaborations going on often thought of as a method of gaining insight into neighboring nations productions.

 

[rcmodel]

Still, I don't know of anyone making a .32 ACP smaller then an LCP back then.

rc

 

[AJAX22]

I'd bet you're looking at a FN 1905 'vest pocket'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Model_1908_Vest_Pocket

 

[VA27]

The Bayard 1908 @ 4.96", the Frommer Baby @ 4.84" or the Mann VP @ 4.64" OAL all fit the size requirement. All three of those were made in .32 and .380. There are several other small 32/380 pistols from the early 20th century. Small pistols are not a new invention. I'd like to see pix.

 

[DC Plumber]

Hey guys, I know, no photo..........hard to help me. I knew that was coming.

After all of the ideas, it may be a 25acp, not a 32 auto. But it is about the size of an LCP. I'm going to call the guy and see if he can read the name and then I'll post back to see what you guys think. It's not going to be for concealed carry, just a nice little German artifact, maybe.

Plus you know, it's like being at the scene of a crime and the police ask you what the perp was wearing. Ten different answers from five different people. It's hard to remember details.

I"ll get back to you guys when I get a name.

 

[Bobo]

Could be a Baby Browning...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Browning

 

[rcmodel]

A Baby Browning is a .25 ACP / 6.35mm.

Thats why I ruled out all those .25's smaller then a LCP in the first place.

Anyway, it seems the OP isn't too interested.
Or up to his waste in plumbing problems. (No pun intended)

Anyway, he never posted a follow-up with any further details.

rc

 

[DC Plumber]

Ya I did, here I am, and at post #10, one hour before your last post.

I called the guy last night. He is going to call me later today with more info from the gun, then I'll post to you guys to see if it is a quality gun and if anyone has anything else to report regarding this particular brand/model.

Hang in there guys. I'll post later today hopefully.

 

[DC Plumber]

Rembrandt hit the nail on the head. It is a Deutsche Werke 25 auto. The picture he posted makes it look a little longer than the one I saw.

Rembrandt, any comments on quality? I really don't plan on using it for anything other than a little piece of German history, unless it is utter junk. I'd like to hear what you have to say about it.

Everyone else, thank you for your ideas and time.

 

[dfariswheel]

The Ortgies were very high quality automatics. The company that made them was DW, but the gun is called an Ortgies.
They're about was well finished inside as modern guns are outside.
No screws are used in the design.

They were imported in the the US until competition from other German and Colt autos put them out of business.

Some pointers:
First, learn the correct procedure for disassembly and reassembly.
The Ortgies is one of the most difficult pistols to reassemble ever made UNLESS you know the trick of turning the firing pin into a tiny cut in the slide during assembly.
Even then, the firing pin assembly tends to shoot out of the slide and across the room.

Second, be very careful when removing the grips. These are retained by a lever inside the frame. The lever is pressed with a screwdriver or other tool and the grips slip off to the rear.
Note that the grips are VERY easy to damage and original replacements are not available.

Unless you absolutely have to, don't remove the barrel from the frame.
It's twisted to the side to unlock, but it can be difficult to get it properly aligned during reassembly. If it's slightly out of line it can wear the slide.

 

[Rembrandt]

dfariswheel gave an excellent description of the Ortegies......I would liken it to the gun version of the Rubics cube, all pieces interlock in a sequence to disassemble. Fit and finish are something you rarely see these days.

 

[wlewisiii]

That sounds almost as amusing as the first time I tried to put my C96 back together. Major steel jigsaw puzzle

 

[DC Plumber]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Now I have to see how much he has to have for it. Sounds like a gun you really don't want to be shooting and taking apart to clean. It will probably end up being an expensive paper weight on my desk. We'll see.

 

[mhorrell]

See my Ortgies pics...