This brief history is being written for eventual publication, probably in Dillon's
Blue Press catalog/magazine. Comments welcome - hope you enjoy it.
John
Early single-action Mauser pocket pistols were once widely used throughout the world and universally recognized as dependable, practical and concealable personal defense handguns. Their profiles were fashionable for similar kids’ toys in the 1940s and 1950s, and even plastic squirt guns were made in their distinctive shape. The final model of this series was eventually phased out in 1939. These classic compact handguns have now found a niche in the collectors’ market, and many are still entirely serviceable and useful for their original purpose of self-protection.
In the early 20th Century, Mauser-Werke in Oberndorf, Germany had been experimenting with developing a family of blowback semiautomatic pistols, chambered for various calibers and of different sizes. The first efforts at Mauser were spearheaded by Fidel Feederle, who with his brother had originated the C96 “broomhandle” pistol. Assisting him was a talented young engineer, Josef Nickl, who had joined the firm in 1904. In fact it was Nickl who bore most of the responsibility for these early pistols, and who designed the first of the breed, the 9mm Parabellum model 1909. Originally this pistol was designed with a locking breech, but in the interest of simplicity, a blowback design was experimented with. A blowback pistol has an unlocked breech, relying solely on the mass of the slide to secure the breech during firing. It proved unworkable in this caliber of pistol. The 9mm cartridge was way too powerful unless the arm was made much larger, with a massive slide. Accordingly, attention was devoted to a scaled-down pocket version that would accept smaller and less abusive cartridges such as the .32 and .25 ACP rounds.
Still, the model 1909 was a useful exercise. It had a number of innovative features, which Mauser was quick to patent. Many of these attributes would then be applied to a successor pocket pistol, the model of 1910. This weighed 21 ounces (including an unloaded magazine). Like the model 1909 before it, the barrel was secured by a long locking pin. It could be released with a swiveling latch at its front end, allowing easy disassembly. The pistol was striker-fired, having no internal hammer. When the pistol was cocked by slide retraction and release, an indicator pin protruded from the rear of the frame, signifying the cocked condition. The slide had a forward open-top section, with a semi-oval ejection port on the right side. A long extractor was fitted. Upon firing the last round, the slide locked to the rear. Removal and re-insertion of a loaded or unloaded magazine would automatically release the slide to go forward, chambering a round if the magazine was loaded. There was no manually-operated slide release. This particular feature was also utilized in the later Model HSc, and is often confusing when first encountered. A push-down manual safety lever was incorporated on the left side of the pistol to the rear of the trigger. An adjacent button had to be pressed to disengage the safety. There was a heel-mounted magazine release for the eight-shot magazine. A removable side plate on the left side allowed access to the pistol’s trigger mechanism, and the earliest pistols had a latch for this side plate. A raised section of retraction grooves was provided on each side of the slide near the rear. A magazine safety prevented firing if the magazine was removed. One-piece wood grips were initially offered, soon replaced by wrap-around hard rubber grips. The first offering was chambered for the 6.35 mm (.25 ACP) cartridge. Bluing was the norm, although a few pistols were factory nickel plated and/or engraved. The front sight had a half-moon profile. The rear sight could be drifted laterally slightly for windage adjustment. The magazine held 9 rounds.
The model 1910 proved to be an immediate hit on the marketplace. It was finely crafted and finished. It also had more heft and a longer barrel than its Browning and Colt pocket pistol competitors. Approximately 60,000 of these pistols were made and sold between 1910 and 1913. A .32 ACP caliber (7.65mm) version was introduced in January 1914, which collectors now call the model 1910/14. It was in production until 1917 and featured an eight-round magazine. Some went into military service and will have an acceptance stamp in front of the rear sight. Some of these will also bear the Prussian eagle stamp, usually on the front of the trigger guard. The earlier ones had a “humpback” slide. Following WWI, production was resumed and continued until the introduction of the Model 1934.
Various cosmetic and internal variations were gradually introduced in the pocket pistol line, giving modern-day collectors some vexing challenges to classify and collect. A couple of these have since been dubbed as the models 1910/34 and the transitional model 1914/34. Enough changes exist that few parts of the earliest pistols will interchange with those made after 1914. However, the final upgraded result was the
Neues Modell 1934, or more simply today, the model of 1934. Some Mauser advertising in that era referred to it as the Kal. 7.65mm (Achtlader), or eight-shot self-loader. There were two main visually distinguishing features on this pistol. The first was a more rounded rear grip shape, giving it a more ergonomic feel. Also, a machined-out section on the left of the slide served to better protect the serial number from removal or defacement. Grips could be either wood or plastic. A number of stamped components were introduced, including the magazine catch. The left side of the slide was marked with the serial number in its scooped-out forward section, and “MAUSER-WERKE A.G. OBERNDORF A.N.”. The Mauser oval trademark was stamped on the sideplate of the frame on the left. The right side of the slide was usually marked “Cal. 7,65 D.R.P.U.A.P.” Sometimes the comma in the millimeter designation was replaced with a period. The last three digits of the serial number were marked on the back of the frame and some other parts. A smaller number of 6.35mm (.25 ACP) pistols were produced, mostly for export beyond Germany’s borders.
The pistol illustrated is one of the .32 caliber model 1934s, and according to its serial number, it was manufactured in the first year of that model’s production as a commercial pistol. Mauser sales literature dating from 1939 shows the price of the .32 Model 1934 as 39 Reich marks, or approximately 10 U.S. dollars at the time.
Many of the first Model 1934s were issued to the German Kriegsmarine, or Navy. These will show the “Eagle over M” maritime markings. The Model 1934 was also common with police agencies, the military and paramilitary units. These will often show unit markings and sometimes NSDAP (National Socialist or Nazi party) stamps.
In 1930, Mauser had taken over production of the P.08 (Parabellum or Luger) pistol for military usage, so the company was on a good financial footing. However, sales of Mauser’s pocket pistols began to decline in the decade of the 1930s. Although these guns were highly regarded, the substantial sales of Walther’s popular PP and PPK double-action pistols were taking their toll. The Walther PP was first offered commercially in 1929, and the PPK in 1931. Seeing this emerging competitive threat, Mauser began feverishly to develop a pistol to address this development. Under the direction of Alex Seidel, the double-action Mauser HSc pistol was designed to meet the Walther challenge and to avoid the Walther patents. Although production could have been initiated in 1938, it was not until 1940 that approval was finally granted for full-scale HSc production. That sounded the death knell for the Model 1934 single-action pistols, and that phase of the Mauser story faded into history.
Today, the early Mauser pocket pistols are still regarded as masterpieces of design for their time, and examples of the many esoteric variations are eagerly sought by collectors. They are classics from a bygone time, and still reflect innovative design and engineering skill.
(c) 2013 JLM