Attachments area
Caliber 7.65mm (.32ACP) The World War One production Imperial German Army Mauser M. Imperial German Military acceptance stamp is located on the top of slide in front of rear sight, 'Crown over Gothic D'. 'Double Crown over U' proof is stamped behind the rear sight. This is a Fourth Variant Mauser Model 1914 -Standard Post-war. Serial number ranges for this variant ran from 290100 – 467700 approximately. This variant was manufactured from approximately 1923 to 1929, with approximately 178,000 made. The fourth variant Model 1914 is defined by its two-line slide address in all capital sans-serif characters.
Mauser Pocket Pistol 25ACP 6.35mm Scarce With Unit Markings – Texas Gun Blog
Mauser Pocket Pistols – an Introduction (Revised 14 Feb 2005)
By A. Winthrop
Photographs by Ed Buffaloe
unless otherwise noted |
Identifying your Mauser pocket pistol can be a little tricky. It could fall into one of four categories: a Mauser Pocket Pistol 1910; a Mauser Pocket Pistol 1914 (or its slightly modified 1934 version), a Mauser Vest Pocket Pistol or the Mauser HSc. The Mauser Pocket Pistol 1910, somewhat larger and with a longer barrel than competing pocket pistols and therefore considered more reliable and accurate, was chambered only for 6.35mm (.25 ACP). There were two basic versions of this pistol: one made between early 1911 and July 1913, and another, updated version introduced in January 1914. Those made before 1914 have serial numbers between 1 and 61,000 and those made during or after 1914 have serial numbers between 61,000 and 152,000 (1914-1917) and between 200,000 and 403,000 (1919-1934). The latter figures include 1914 models in both 6.35mm and the larger 7 .65mm (.32 ACP), added to Mauser’s pocket pistol offerings in July 1914. No numbers are known to exist between 152,000 and 200,000 for the 6.35mm*. The pre-1914 versions have come to be known as the “Side Latch” or “First” models. The side plate on these pistols incorporates a latch that allows the plate, triggersear assembly and trigger bar and spring to be removed, without having to remove the slide. The pistol had a very good finish and was from the beginning a commercial success in Europe, North America and elsewhere. Mauser reported the following total sales figures: 1911, 11,012 sold; 1912, 30 ,291; 1913, 18,856. These early 1910s are scarce and it is very difficult to find parts for them. Even the largest North American parts dealers failed to identify my early 1910 and none had parts for it. In July 1914, Mauser came out with the second of its pocket pistol line, a scaled-up version of the 1910 chambered for 7 .65mm. This version was revised slightly in 1934, allowing the use of stamped rather than more costly machined internal parts and sporting a curved, more comfortable grip. Otherwise, the 1934 models were nearly identical in construction to the 1914s. Numbering of the 6.35mm 1934s started around 403,000 and about 25,000 were produced. Production of the 1934s in both calibers continued until 1939. At about the same time the scaled-up 1914 came out, Mauser modified its smaller 1910s to conform in design (but not in size) to the new 1914s, incorporating improvements in both models that were originally realized during testing of a Mauser 9mm 19121914 automatic military model. The 1910s produced in 1914 and later, sometimes called the “Second” or “Neues Modell” (“New Model”) 1910, do not have the side latch of the earlier 1910s and the barrel retaining (or takedown) rod is secured by a spring catch on the underside of the front of the frame. The early 1910’s barrel retaining rod was held in place by a slot cut into the underside of the barrel, just behind the muzzle. Because of the changes in the way the barrel is retained, pre- and post-1914 6.35mm barrels are not interchangeable. In fact, few if any parts of the 6.35mm 1910s made during or after 1914 are interchangeable with those of the early 1910s because of a number of other design modifications (different sized striker, different trigger bar pivot design, different trigger sear design, etc.) Exceptions may be some springs (recoil, et al), and grip screws. The 19141934 models in 7.65mm as well as in 6.35mm are often incorrectly referred to as simply 1910s, without distinguishing them from the earlier 6.35mm 1910s. For example, the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) Pistols and Revolvers Assembly manual uses a picture of a scaled-up 1914 model to illustrate its section on the 1910 and discusses the two models as if they were the same. However, since the 19141934 model design is derived directly from that of the 1910, all models are similar in external appearance, the size differences notwithstanding. The 7.65mm 19141934s are 6 .1″ in length and 4.5″ high, while the 6.35mm 1910s (both the 1914 and pre-1914 versions) are 5.4″ in length and 4″ high. A line drawing of the early “Side Latch” 1910 can be found on the web site of a Canadian gun parts dealer, Marstar, under its catalog heading, Mauser Pocket Pistol 19091910. The exploded view of the gun’s parts linked to the drawing, however, is of a post-1914 version of the 6.35mm 1910. So if you have a 1910 and it matches the drawing in EVERY detail, including the latch shown on the side plate (left side) above the trigger, then the parts depicted in the exploded view won’t do you much good. However, if your gun does not have the side latch, then the parts in the exploded view will match yours and Marstar can provide you with a full range of parts. Properly matched profiles of Mauser’s pocket pistol offerings and exploded parts views can be found in the archive section of Gerhard Schoenbauer’s excellent website: http://www.vestpockets.bauli.at/. Production information in German (D) and English (E) on all Mauser’s pocket pistols accompany the model profiles. Mauser’s Vest Pocket Pistol was patented in 1918 and introduced for sale in 1921 to take advantage of a rapidly growing market for VERY small pistols for personal defence. The WTP (Westen Taschen Pistole) fitted into the palm of the hand and was chambered only for 6.35mm. It came out in two models: the WTP I and the WTP II, the latter coming into production in 1938 and featuring smaller, improved grips, a relocated safety and a “signal pin”, like those on Mauser’s larger models, that protruded through the rear of the slide to indicate by sight or feel that the striker was in firing position. The earlier model’s black, hard rubber grips were replaced after 1938 with brown plastic grips. There were about 50, 000 WTP I’s produced (on sale in 1926 for 36 Reichsmarks) and far fewer WTP II’s made, as production ceased in 1940 to make way for military manufacture.If your gun is a WTP I, its grips stop well below the slide and it is marked “W.T.P. – 6.35 – D.R.G.”. If the grips go nearly all the way up to the slide and the gun is marked “T. – 6.35” you have a WTP II. Before moving on to the last of the Mauser pockets it should be noted that in 1922 Mauser changed its name to Mauserwerke A-G from Waffenfabrik Mauser A-G and this change is reflected in the identifying slide markings. During this transition, the Mauser banner, which appears on the side plate, was also changed but only slightly. Some Mauser pockets made during the transition have no Mauser banner, perhaps reflecting some indecision on what the new design was to be. The Mauser HSc came out in 1939 and was produced by Mauser at least until 1946. The HSc was not derived from Mauser’s earlier pocket pistols. It was a totally new design, being more streamlined in appearance. Its quality is considered to be inferior to the 1910s and 1914s but still good. It was chambered for 7.65mm (.32). HSc serial numbers started at 700,000 and ran to around 952,000. After the war, during the French occupation, about 17,000 more were produced from leftover parts and numbered sequentially up to about 970,000.Those HSc Mausers in the 745,338-781,415 serial number range that were marked with the Eagle/135, about 4,000 in all, had the high-polish blue finish of earlier commercial models and are among the most prized by collectors. Later military models, marked with the Eagle/135 Waffenamt (801,145 – 885,126 serial number range; about 31,000 made), were left unpolished before blueing and show machining marks. The Eagle/N proof mark indicates commercial production. There were only about 30,000 of these made for the civilian market as most firearms manufacture during the war years was dedicated to the military or police. This was especially true of HSc-production and even most commercially produced HScs found their way into the military as they were purchased privately by higher-ranking officers who by 1944 were required to wear pistols instead of the traditional sword or dagger. As for Mauser pocket pistol value, I have read on the Web that the range for the post-1914 6.35mm 1910s runs between about US$150 for one in average condition to US$450 for one in excellent condition. This is probably true for the scaled-up 19141934s and for the HSc. Special military or other markings can boost these values greatly. The early 1910s are very scarce so my guess is that a Mauser collector might pay somewhat more for these. The early 1910s originally sold in North America for US$13.50 each, according to a Mauser rifle and pistol brochure published in 1912. While the monetary value of most Mauser pistols is not very high, every source I have come across in two months of on- and off-line research says that Mauser 1910s and 1914s are among the best made and finished pistols ever produced. This is why any of the Mauser pocket pistols are worth the effort to restore. With only a little work, I got my early 1910 looking and working great. After carefully sliding its wrap-around walnut grip off to the rear of the frame, I cleaned it gently with white car polish, wiped it dry and applied a few coats of high quality car paste wax to it, making it look nearly new. The metal parts just needed cleaning with a little Hoppes No.9 and then I gave everything a light coat of oil before reassembly. My task was made easy because the pistol had been well maintained (and little used, judging by the internalexternal condition) by my father and its two previous owners, a father and son, both German officers who carried the pistol in WWI and WWII. The gun was surrendered to my father by the son, an army captain, shortly after his US Army 155mm gun battalion moved into a German village during the early days of occupation following the war. By far the best single Internet source of images (side views, field stripped and complete parts layouts) and historicaltech information on Mauser’s 1910s14s34s and WTPs is the Web site of Gerhard Schoenbauer, an Austrian collector (http://www.vestpockets.bauli.at/). Mr. Schoenbauer’s downloadable .JPG images are scans of pistols from his own collection. Some of Mr. Schoenbauer’s historicaltech information has been incorporated here. Mr. Schoenbauer’s Web site also offers images and information (in English as well as in German) on many other handguns in his collection. Marstar’s exploded view can also be of help to you in disassembling and reassembling your gun if it is a 1914 or 1934 model and they also have images of and parts for the HSc. And the NRA’s Pistols and Revolvers Assemblymanual will be even more helpful as it also includes images, parts lists and other information on the HSc and the Vest Pocket, as well on the 1910s and 19141934s. It costs about US$14. Other references on Mauser pistols include Roy Pender’s Mauser Pocket Pistols: 1910-1946; Walther H.B. Smith’s Mauser Rifles and Pistols, and Pistols of the World by Ian V. Hogg and John Weeks. Pender’s book is out of print but suddenly in GREAT demand, perhaps an indication of collectors’ growing interest in Mauser pocket pistols. Pender’s son told me that his mother and uncle are trying to reprint the book, which was selling at gun shows last fall for $100. Rutgers Book Center, Highland Park, NJ, is offering copies at $200 each! Rutgers, a gun book dealer, has most good publications on Mauser pistols and rifles at reasonable prices. Aside from Marstar (http://www.marstar.ca/index.html), you might find parts for your gun at SARCO, a New Jersey parts dealer; World Wide Gun Parts, San Diego, CA; Milarm, a Canadian gun parts dealer, and Gun Parts Corp., Hurley, New York. Jack First of Rapid City, SD (contact information below), the only person able to identify my early Mauser 1910 correctly, is also a good parts source but he is not on the Web. Thomas Heller (contact information below) specializes in parts for Mauser and other European handguns. Like Jack, Tom is not on the Web. I offer this information because a lot of people on the Web helped me in my search for information on my Mauser pistol and how to find parts for it and I would similarly like to help others. These people were mostly gun dealers and collectors so they know what they’re talking about. Still, it is always a good idea to keep an open and critical mind because even the experts are sometimes wrong. And since I’m no expert, view my information with an especially critical eye. I’ve checked and double-checked my information but there still may be errors. If you find any, please let me know. Below are spec sheets for two of the pocket pistols mentioned above as Mauser presented them in a 1912 sales brochure (the early 6.35mm 1910) and a 1914 owner’s manual (for both the 6.35mm and 7.65mm 1914 Mauser Pocket Pistol models). I have also included specs for both WTP models as they appear on Mr. Schoenbauer’s Web site. Should you run across similar information for the other Mausers discussed here, I would appreciate receiving it. Also below, is a guide to on- and off-line reference materials and parts dealers. |
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MAUSER POCKET PISTOL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS MAUSER POCKET PISTOL 1910 – 6.35mm (.25 ACP) 1. “First” or “Side Latch” model (early 1911-July 1913); about 61,000 made.
“Second” or “New” model (1914-39)
2. Manufacture date: From early 1911 (Revised in 1914, 1934)
3. Action: Blowbackstriker
4. Length: 5 12″ (Barrel: 3 18″)
5. Height: 4″
6. Pistol weight, magazine empty: 15 oz
7. Pistol weight, magazine full : 17 oz
8. Empty magazine weight: 1.23 oz
9. Thickness: .85″
10. Length of line of site: 4.6″
11. Cartridge: 6.35mm (.25 ACP)
12. Weight bullet: 49 grains
13. Charge of nitro powder: 1.23 grains
14. Muzzle velocity: 750 feetsec.
15. Muzzle energy : 61 footlbs.
16. Penetration:
in pine at 10 yds., 2 12″
in pine at 25 yds., 2 14″
17. “Guaranteed” shot pattern:
at 10 yds., 2″ circle
at 25 yds., 6″ circle
18. Nine-round magazine (ten-shot if one in chamber).
19. Wrap-around walnut grips.
20. Markings (These can vary):
a. Manufacturer: Waffenfabrik Mauser A-G.Oberndorf A.N.Mauser’s Patent
b. Serial number: Stamped on back end of frame, front left
side of slide. Last three numbers only on takedown rod catch
and internal parts.
c. Mauser logo stamped on side plate, left side of gun, above grip.
d. One small crown, over another small crown, over a U on front
right side of slide. |
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MAUSER POCKET PISTOL 191434 – 7.65mm (.32 ACP) 1. First introduced in 1914 (Revised in 1934)
2. Manufacture date: July 1914 to 1939
3. Action: Blowbackstriker
4. Length: 6.1″
5. Height: 4.5″
6. Pistol weight, magazine empty: 21 oz
7. Pistol weight, magazine full : 23 oz
8. Empty magazine weight: 1.75 oz
9. Thickness: 1.1″
10. Length of line of site: 5″
11. Cartridge: 7.65mm (.32 ACP)
12. Weight bullet: 74 grains
13. Charge of nitro powder: 3.08 grains
14. Muzzle velocity: 1142 feetsec.
15. Muzzle energy: 148 footlbs.
16. Penetration:
in pine at 10 yds., 4.5″
in pine at 25 yds., 4.4″
in pine at 50 yds., 4.25″
17. Shot pattern:
at 10 yds., 1.4″ circle
at 25 yds., 3.4″ circle
at 50 yds., 5.75″ circle
18. Eight-round magazine (nine-shot if one in chamber).
19. Wrap-around walnut grips.
20. Markings (These can vary):
a. Manufacturer: Waffenfabrik Mauser A-G.Oberndorf A.N.Mauser’s Patent
b. Serial number: Stamped on back end of frame, front left
side of slide. Last three numbers only on takedown rod catch
and internal parts.
c. Mauser logo stamped on side plate, left side of gun, above grip.
d. One small crown, over another small crown, over a U on front
right side of slide. |
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MAUSER VEST POCKET PISTOL 1918 (WTP I) – 6.35mm (.25 ACP) System……… Self-cocking pistol with mass system and firing pin
Cartridges….. 6
Caliber…….. .25 ACP
Barrel Length.. 60.7mm, 6 grooves right hand twisted
Weight Empty… 340g
Total Length… 115mm
Total Height… 79.5mm
Total Width…. 20.6mm
Trigger…….. Single action
Sight………. Fixed, groove with notch
Safety……… Lever
Finish……… Blued
Grips………. Hard rubber |
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MAUSER VEST POCKET PISTOL 1938 (WTP II) – 6.35mm (.25 ACP) System……… Self-cocking pistol with mass system and firing pin
Cartridges….. 6
Caliber…….. .25 ACP
Barrel Length.. 51.5mm, 6 grooves right hand turning
Weight Empty… 285g
Total Length… 102.4mm
Total Height… 71mm
Total Width…. 21mm
Trigger…….. Single action
Sight………. Fixed, groove with notch
Safety……… Lever and magazine-safety
Finish……… Blued
Grips………. Plastic |
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MAUSER HSc – 7.65mm (.32 ACP) Calibre: .32 ACP (7.65 mm)
Action: Hammer – Double or Single Action
Overall Length: 162 mm
Height: 110 mm
Width over grips: 28 mm
Length of barrel: 85 mm
Distance between front and rear sights: 128 mm
Weight of pistol with magazine: 585 grams approx.
Weight of magazine: 50 grams approx.
Magazine capacity: 8 rounds
Weight of cartridge: 4.7 grams
Weight of powder charge: 0.16 grams
Muzzle velocity: 290 m/sec
Number of parts completely stripped: 40 |
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MAUSER INFORMATIONREFERENCE MATERIALS AND PARTS BULLETIN BOARDS – INFORMATION EXCHANGE: - Gerhard Schoenbauer’s Mauser, et al, imageinformation archive: http://www.vestpockets.bauli.at/
- Reme Technology Museum (Firearms section), England: http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/arms/armindex.htm
MAUSER BOOKS: - Roy Pender , Mauser Pocket Pistols: 1910-1946
- Belford & Dunlop (1980), The Mauser Self-Loading Pistol
- Walter H.B. Smith, Mauser Rifles and Pistols
- Breathed & Schroeder, System Mauser
- R.J.Berger, Know your Broomhandle
- Korn, Mauser Gewehre und Patente
- Ian V. Hogg & John Weeks, Pistols of the World
- Joseph J. Schroeder, Gun Collector’s Digest
- Jan Still, AXIS Pistols
- Compiled by John Olson, The Famous Automatic Pistols of Europe – Vol. I, Published by JOLEX
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Introduction: One Pistol to Rule Them All
You don’t have to be involved in the shooting sports for long before you will hear the name “Mauser”, often in conjunction with discovering Paul Mauser’s definitive bolt action rifle design, the Mauser ’98. German firearms designer Paul Mauser’s M98 was by no means his only design however, it just happens to have been his most successful.
Almost as well known as the M98, which formed the basis for the German Military Gewehr 98 of World War I fame and Karabiner 98k of World War II, was Mauser’s C96 semi-automatic pistol which is most often referred to as the “Broomhandle” Mauser because of the shape of its grip. This pistol’s fame came to it in part because it was Winston Churchill’s favorite (although legend has it that he changed his mind when he discovered the Colt M1911). The “Broomhandle” was also used in China, where lots of Chinese copies were made, and during the Russian Revolution where it became known as the “Bolo” Mauser: the “Bolo” being short for Bolshevik.
A rare long barrel Mauser “humpback” automatic pistol. (Picture courtesy Rock Island Auction).
But there was another Mauser pistol, one that was not Winston Churchill’s favorite, one that was not associated with great political upheavals, but one that was a quiet achiever that sold around half a million copies across its model variants, and that pistol was a design that was originally conceived around 1908-1909 and which became best known as the production models of 1910 and 1914.
Paul Mauser’s vision for his new semi-automatic pistol was to create a design that could be essentially scaled up or down to suit the cartridge it was to be used for. These designs were most probably created by an engineer named Josef Nickl whom Mauser had employed in 1904. Nickl produced designs for pistols in 9mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, 7.65 Automatic (.32ACP) and 6.35mm (.25ACP). His designs for the .45ACP and 9mm Parabellum used a delayed blowback system and his designs for the smaller cartridges were of a straight blowback design.
The 45 ACP and 9mm Parabellum Mauser Pistols
Mauser’s design for a full size military pistol used a quite unusual delayed blowback system that featured a pair of arms in the frame ahead of the trigger guard that engaged into machined angled surfaces in the slide. When the pistol was fired the slide and barrel recoiled together with the friction between the angled surfaces on the arms and slide delaying the unlocking of the action until the breech pressure had dropped to a safe level. When the arms were forced down the slide and barrel unlocked allowing the slide to recoil to battery. In Mauser’s early design there was an unusual recoil buffer spring (Rückstoßpufferfeder) at the rear of the frame to absorb the impact of the slide hitting the frame at battery.
The .45ACP prototype was the subject of a Forgotten Weapons video a few years ago and Ian of Forgotten Weapons provides a clear demonstration of this pistol and is mechanism.
The delayed blowback Mauser pistols in 9mm and .45ACP did not prove to be successful as military designs: the German Military adopted the P08 Luger while the US Military adopted John M. Browning’s Colt M1911. Even the stodgy British, who tended to regard an automatic pistol as “dashed unsporting”, created their own in the form of the William Whiting designed Webley Mk I pistols adopted by the Royal Horse Artillery in 1913 and Royal Navy in 1914. So Paul Mauser’s original idea of creating one basic pistol design to suit all customers did not eventuate. Not to be defeated however Mauser had from the outset also been working on smaller caliber pocket pistols for civilian and police customers.
The Mauser “Model 1910”
Despite the fact that Mauser’s company did not actually refer to their designs by model, but rather by caliber, so the two smaller Mauser pistols that were produced in large quantities have tended to be referred to by collectors by model year. The M1910 is the nomenclature applied to the smallest of these handguns that was chambered for the 6.35mm cartridge (.25ACP) and the M1914 model name for the 7.65mm (.32ACP) pistol.
Mauser Model 1910 in 6.35mm with a Walther PPK. (Picture courtesy icollector.com).
The 6.35mm Browning (.25ACP) chambered Mauser Model 1910 was actually introduced in Europe in 1906 and into the USA two years later. This pistol was a straight blowback design, not having the complexity of the delayed recoil locking system used for the 9mm Parabellum and .45ACP versions. The pistol was made to be simple, reliable, and easy to maintain.
Mauser 1914 Serial Number Lookup Yellow Pages
Mauser 6.35mm Browning “Model 1910” field stripped. The pistol was kept to a minimum of parts and was made to be easy to field strip.
As can be seen from the picture above the fixed barrel was made to be easily removable: it was held in place by the long pin at the bottom of the picture which was also the recoil spring guide rod.
The first variant of the Model 1910 was the “Side Latch”, which featured a rotating side-latch just above the trigger which enabled the cover over the side of the lockwork to be removed for cleaning. The second variant was the “New Model” typically referred to as the “Model 1910/14” because it first appeared in 1914. The original side-latch model created some potential problems when field stripped as the trigger could be removed, but would be difficult to replace because of the spring pressure on it. The New Model eliminated this issue and provided some other changes to the lockwork including improvements to the interrupter mechanism, and the magazine and slide stop mechanisms. The New Model’s change to the striker mechanism also made it easier to determine if the pistol was cocked.
The pistol was single action, and striker fired, with the trigger connected to a bell crank lever which rotated around its center to disengage from the striker sear, allowing it to fly forward under spring pressure and discharge the cartridge.
The mechanism for the Model 1910 6.35mm and Model 1914 7.65mm pistols is the same and can be visually appreciated in the video below from C&Rsenal
To operate the pistol it must first be opened, but the slide cannot be opened unless a magazine is inserted. If an empty magazine is inserted then the slide can be pulled back and will lock in place. If the empty magazine is removed the slide will remain locked open: however, if an empty magazine is inserted and pushed home the slide will close.
If the magazine is loaded with cartridges then when it is inserted into the pistol and pushed all the way home the slide will fly forward chambering a cartridge. This was a very convenient feature ensuring the speediest reload as there was no need to operate the slide to get the pistol into action, as soon as the loaded magazine was inserted the slide would automatically close and the pistol was good to go. So the design was very well thought out.
Mauser 6.35mm Model 1910 here seen with safety catch disengaged and ready to fire. The safety catch is the small lever behind the trigger. It is pressed down to engage the safety. When engaged the safety catch is locked in place. To release it the button below the safety lever is depressed, this causes the safety catch to fly up under spring pressure. (Picture courtesy icollector.com).
The safety catch of the 6.35mm Model 1910 is a lever to the rear of the trigger which is pressed down to engage. Once the safety lever is pressed down it locks in place and cannot just be pushed back up: instead the locking button located just below it is pressed, this causes the safety to fly up under spring pressure and disengage so the pistol can then be fired.
There were a number of variants of the 6.35mm “New Model” pistols including the post World War I commercial models, 1934 Transitional Model, and the “Model 1934” which is distinguished by its more rounded ergonomic grip.
At top is a “Model 1910” New Model, note the absence of a side latch. At bottom is the “Model 1934” version of the Model 1910 New Model with the more ergonomic rounded grip. (Picture courtesy Rock Island Auction).
For a full and detailed description of the history and model variants of the Mauser 6.35mm “Model 1910” see Ed Buffaloe and Burgess Mason III’s article on unblinkingeye.com
The Mauser “Model 1914”
The development of Paul Mauser’s small pistols was well underway by around 1908: around this time he told the Deutsche Versuchs-Anstalt für Handfeuerwaffen (the German Experimental Laboratory for Handguns) that his company would be producing a small 7.65mm pistol “…not larger in weight and size than the well-known Browning 7,65 pistol…,” (Note: See “Paul Mauser: His Life, Company, and Handgun Development 1838-1914” by Mauro Baudino & Gerben van Vlimmeren).
The Mauser 7.65mm “Model 1914” pistol seen here with a Walther PPK so its size can be appreciated. (Picture courtesy Rock Island Auction).
The pistol we nowadays refer to as the Mauser “Model 1914” was the 7.65mm (.32ACP) version and development work on it began after the “Model 1910” was in production. The design of the pistol was almost identical to that of the 6.35mm “Model 1910” but scaled for the larger and more powerful .32ACP cartridge.
Diagram of the 7.65mm (.32ACP) “Model 1914” Mauser pistol.
The 7.65mm Mauser pistol was aimed at the police market, and the 7.65mm cartridge had already become the caliber of choice for many police departments in Europe. The first version of the 7.65mm Mauser pistol featured a “humpback” shape of the slide in which the thickness of the metal around the ejection port and forward from there was of smaller dimensions than the rear. The logic behind making the ejection port area less thick makes sense in terms of ensuring easier ejection of fired cases, while the thicker metal at the rear of the slide provides additional mass to absorb the recoil power of the 7.65mm cartridge.
Standard “humpback” Mauser “Model 1914” first variant pistol. (Picture courtesy Rock Island Auction).
The action of the “Model 1914” was largely the same as that of the “New Model” 6.35mm pistols and featured the same improvements to the trigger and interrupter mechanisms, and the magazine mechanisms that blocked the slide open when the magazine was empty, and prevented the pistol from being fired if the magazine was removed.
Operation of the Mauser automatic pistol explained with field stripping by Larry Potterfield of Midway USA
With the Model 1914 “humpback” pistol in production Mauser decided that the additional machining to produce the humpback shape was not actually necessary and so a new design was introduced which eliminated it.
Two examples of the Model 1914 7.65mm (.32ACP) Mauser pistols. These are both export models but note there are differences in the markings: there are many variants of these Mauser pistols. (Picture courtesy icollector.com).
There were many variations of the 7.65mm Mauser pistols including those purchased by the German Reichsmarine, Kriegsmarine, Weimer Navy, Weimer Police, and the Norwegian Police are examples.
The last major revision to the design of the Model 1914 came with the Model 1934, which, like the 6.35mm version, was given a more rounded pistol grip.
You can find a full and detailed description of the many model variants of the Model 1914 7.65mm (.32ACP) pistols by Ed Buffaloe and Burgess Mason III’s on unblinkingeye.com in the second part of their article.
Mauser 1914 Serial Number Lookup White Pages
Mauser “Model 1914/1934” at top by comparison with its successor, the Mauser HSC. (Picture courtesy Rock Island Auction).
Conclusion
Mauser 1914 Serial Number Lookup Engine
The Mauser automatic pistols were intelligently designed and proved popular with a great many having been produced, and many exported to the United States. They were made to Mauser’s very high quality standards, are known to be a reliable pistol, capable of decent accuracy, and providing a good level of safety for examples that are in good condition. There are many variants of these pistols and some are worth more money on the collector market than others. But if you have one of these in your “I’ve got this old gun” drawer somewhere it might be worth dusting it off and taking it to the range for some shooting fun. Just make sure you give it a good clean up before you do that, and preferably check its function with some snap caps to make sure its working OK. Better still have a gunsmith give it the once over before you put live ammo in it, bearing in mind that it will be an old gun and we need to be cautious when shooting old guns in case something is worn out: just as we normally do some maintenance on an old car before we try to start the engine or drive it.
Ammo for these pistols is common, which makes them a great shootable collectible.
Mauser 1914 Serial Number Lookup Reverse
Long barrel Model 1914 7.65mm (.32ACP) “humpback”. (Picture courtesy Rock Island Auction).
Jon Branch is the founder and senior editor of Revivaler and has written a significant number of articles for various publications including official Buying Guides for eBay, classic car articles for Hagerty, magazine articles for both the Australian Shooters Journal and the Australian Shooter, and he’s a long time contributor to Silodrome.
Jon has done radio, television, magazine and newspaper interviews on various issues, and has traveled extensively, having lived in Britain, Australia, China and Hong Kong. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. He has studied the Japanese sword arts and has a long history of involvement in the shooting sports, which has included authoring submissions to government on various firearms related issues and assisting in the design and establishment of shooting ranges.
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