Mauser HSC Slide Lock and Release

[Bedfordtec]

I recently acquired a pair of Interarms imported Mauser .380 HSCs from the 1970s. Both are new and in the box. When the slide is pulled to the rear on an empty magazine, it locks to the rear. When I insert an empty or loaded magazine into the piece, the slide automatically falls forward (chambering a round if the mag is loaded). This appears to be the standard functioning from what I have read and seen on u-tube. However, if I retract the slide and it locks back on an empty mag, I can then remove the mag and release the slide by retracting the slide a small distance (1/8 of an inch or so) and letting it fall forward under spring pressure. This is the case with both new pistols and it is similar to how my 1910 functions to let the slide go home Is this normal?

Also, I noticed that both the pair of factory mags were different in the placement of the viewing holes. They both hold 7 rounds but one set has the bottom two holes closer together and only 5 holes vs 7. I looked at factory mags on online pieces and both are shown on different Interarm Mauser HSCs. Has anyone noticed this difference. Thanks Jim

 

[Monac]

Yes, your HSc (that's how Mauser spelled it) works properly. At least, I used to have a post-war 32 HSc made for the French, and it worked the same way. The Europeans used to like slide locks without an external lever, although they all worked differently. The Walther PP and the Beretta 1935 are both examples. The Mauser one, with its automatic drop on a loaded magazine, always made me a little nervous.

BTW, I had the impression that the Interarms HSc's were made in Italy for sale under the Mauser name. Mauser seems to have been reduced to a very small factory, or just a name, at some point after WWII.

I don't know anything about the witness holes on the HSc mag - that's advanced collector stuff. The guys at Jan C. Still's gunboard are more into details like that.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Welcome to the forum!

Yep, thats normal for that gun, no worries as long as you remember rule #1: muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times, lol!

BTW, there is a rule here that new members have to post pics of their cool old guns.........

 

[bannockburn]

Monac

My brother had a Mauser HSc that was imported by Interarms and as best as I can recall it was made in Germany. I believe some later double stack version of the HSc were made in Italy by Renato Gamba.

 

[Monac]

Monac

My brother had a Mauser HSc that was imported by Interarms and as best as I can recall it was made in Germany. I believe some later double stack version of the HSc were made in Italy by Renato Gamba.

Ah, that's probably how I got things mixed up. I forgot there ever was a double stack version. Thanks!

 

[whatnickname]

Wait until you see how to field strip your pistol...one of the most unusual methods of field stripping I’ve ever encountered. The commercial version of the HSc had a big reputation for reliability issues as well as cracked frames, even with moderate use. Hope yours are better!

 

[Ignition Override]

If any of you have the WW2 Hsc, beware. Unlike the old wives' tales (about many centerfire guns) concerning "dry firing" any WW2 guns, the WW2 Hsc's firing pin actually has experienced breaking in quite a number of cases. Of course nobody knows how many trigger pulls result in it.
In stark contrast, with my WW2 >>Sauer 38H<<, I've not dry-fired a serious amount, but probably one hundred times total with no problems.

 

[Ironicaintit]

totally normal, the way you describe the slide lock.

It is the HSc80 (double stack) that was produced by Gamba under license from Mauser (though appealing, not nearly as well executed as the HSc)

I've shot mine quite a bit, even with pretty hot loads, and it's running fine. It prefers FMJ, but there are some JHPs that it'll run reliably (silvertips, to name one)
In my opinion, one of the prettiest pistols ever made!

 

[Patocazador]

I agree with the previous posters .. all seems normal. My 70's model HSc in nickel is the most accurate of all my .380s. The web of my hand just wishes there was more clearance between the hammer and the grip.

 

[dfariswheel]

The post-war Mauser HSc may well have been actually made in Italy.
In Europe, the country where the final proof is done is considered to be the country of manufacture.

Case in point are the Walther PP series pistols marked "Made In Germany" that were actually built in France, shipped across the border, proof fired and blued and marked "Made In Germany".

For years the gun writers wrote the usual yearly roundup articles on .380 pistols and the Walther's were always described as "Fine German manufacture" and "Typical top quality Teutonic workmanship".
Then when Walther began making them in the USA they casually informed us that the Walther's had actually been made in France since the end of WWII.

After the war at some point Mauser either sold or leased the HSc design to Gamba. They first made exact copies of the original single stack model, then later during the hi-capacity craze they ruined the design by converting it to a double stack with a ridiculously long-wide grip.

Sometime after WWII the HSc design was manufactured in small numbers in France and imported into the USA. It's thought that these were made on Mauser tooling looted by the French from the Mauser plant after WWII.
European American Armory (EAA) also imported an HSc, probably made by Gamba.

 

[Bedfordtec]

Thank you all. I compared my Interarm HSc with a WW-II military HSc. On this firearm, once the slide is locked to the rear, the ONLY way the slide can be released forward is by inserting a mag. There is no rearward slack on the slide.

The slides on the post war Interarms lock on the mag and release when the mag is inserted.

The slide can ALSO be sent forward by pulling back on the slide and releasing it slam style.

This is what concerns me. Thanks again

 

[clsimmon]

I too have a Mauser HSc Super that I got from my grandfather. It's been shooting great, then all of a sudden upon a mag reload my slide would not chamber upon the clip re-insertion.

After further investigation there is a magazine safety bar that seems to have several functions 1) magazine ejector 2) trigger safety if magazine is absent 3) when slide is pulled back gun will chamber when magazine is inserted.

What I don't understand is that for some reason my mag is no longer pushing this bar up (orange) enough to release the slide lock (red) to chamber. Nothing appears to be bent. In order to release the slide I have to remove the magazine and lift this tab manually through the ejector. Any ideas what the problem could be? It's as if my magazine has shortened an 1/8".