Recent acquisition--so cute that I couldn't resist. Apparently, these Mauser WTP Type IIs are quite scarce.
Tim
Tim
A Small German...
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Texas Star
US Veteran
Never seen one in person, but have been impressed with the apparent small size and that of the Walther Model 9.
I think the postwar Bernadelli baby .25 was based on the Walther.
You don't see these in movies, so the public is largely unaware of them. In fact, the only smaller Mauser I've seen in just one film was a .32 M-1914 or 1934 in, "The Guns of Navarone."
Thanks for this most interesting post!
I think the postwar Bernadelli baby .25 was based on the Walther.
You don't see these in movies, so the public is largely unaware of them. In fact, the only smaller Mauser I've seen in just one film was a .32 M-1914 or 1934 in, "The Guns of Navarone."
Thanks for this most interesting post!
LVSteve
Member
It seems that many German officers in WWII carried .25ACP (6.35mm) vestpocket pistols in holsters but I have never been able to find out why. Were they short of P-38s or did they simply not like carrying the larger and heavier gun?
They used a wide variety of these mouse guns from nice Mausers as shown above though old FN Baby Browning clones through to Spanish copies of the French Unique. Colour me baffled.
They used a wide variety of these mouse guns from nice Mausers as shown above though old FN Baby Browning clones through to Spanish copies of the French Unique. Colour me baffled.
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Eugene Bender, author of a great book on Luger holsters always maintained that the little .25's were carried to commit suicide with.
Regards,
turnerriver
Regards,
turnerriver
Sorry-meant to say that is a great looking little pistol-thanks for posting it.
Regards,
turnerriver
Regards,
turnerriver
OP
I actually bought it for protection against bears.
So far, so good.
So far, so good.
CW Spook
US Veteran
Very nice mouse gun. My first handgun was a little .25acp and I've always had a kind of nostalgic fondness for them.
Awwwwwwwwwwww.
mjr
Member
In Germany and in Spain (and probably other countries), carrying a small pistol was a status symbol. I once read of a Spanish officer who had acquired a .32 pistol but yearned to replace it with a .25. I suppose carrying an inadequate pistol indicated that the officer was so important that he wasn't going to be sent into combat and didn't need a real fighting pistol.
The .25 ACP isn't even adequate for that. There are many accounts of individuals who shot themselves through the temple with a .25, only to wake up the next day with a headache and a little hole in their head.
Texas Star
US Veteran
I think this is correct: it was a matter of elitism to carry a small gun, also a convenience on the part of many officers who weren't really into guns, anyway. Of course, some were carried concealed, as a last ditch defense.
I suspect that most officers who expected to fight wore 9mm's and often carried a SMG. There was a really nice Beretta M-318 with a WW II holster recently on another board. I think it was captured by the late father of the lady who now owns it. One guy rushed to buy the holster, if she wouldn't sell the gun. I'm glad that she kept both.
Rudel, the famous Stuka pilot with the fanciest version of the Knight's Cross, wore a .25. Maybe he thought it was just handy and out of the way. Maybe he thought he could place his shots so well that he needed no more. Or maybe he just planned to shoot himself if the Russians were about to get him if he crashed. He didn't mention the brand or model in the book i read. Just said it was a 6.35mm.
If you look at many WW II photos, these smaller .25 and .32 guns are quite often apparent on staff officers and pilots. They were frequently worn quite far back as crossdraw rigs. Sometimes, the gun is so far back on the hip that all you see is the belt sagging in that direction. The .32's seem most common, and were popular with pilots in fighter cockpits, which were cramped. Also, if the pilot bailed out over the UK, he could hope to conceal his pistol if he stole civilian clothes in an attempt to escape. (This carried the risk of being shot as a spy, but if he had Luftwaffe ID and was obviously a shot-down pilot, it might well not have been enforced.)
That's a very nice one. The second model (Type II) was only made for a couple of years IIRC. Can't be too awful many of them around.
It does look a lot like the post war Bernardelli 'baby' model. At least from what I can see from the out side of the Mauser.
I've never had one of the Mausers apart that I can recall, but I'm way too familiar with the Baby Bernardelli,,one in particular that I seem to have an unwritten contract agreement to keep running for it's owner.
It does look a lot like the post war Bernardelli 'baby' model. At least from what I can see from the out side of the Mauser.
I've never had one of the Mausers apart that I can recall, but I'm way too familiar with the Baby Bernardelli,,one in particular that I seem to have an unwritten contract agreement to keep running for it's owner.
it's truly interesting to see all the different designs from the time of slide rules and ingenuity. Think of what some of the masters of that time could accomplish with the technology of today. I am betting canted barrels would not be a part of that lol
The WTP 2 is quite scarce, but the scarcest variant was the one put together for France after WW II, using parts in storage at Oberndorf. They didn't have German proofs, and were usually electropenciled on the front gripstrap: FRANCE. They were serial numbered on the rear of the slide in a different type font than the Germans used. Less than 1000 were made, so serial numbers were only three digits. Most were sold here in the US.
Yes, I had one, and like a dope I sold it.
Yes, I had one, and like a dope I sold it.
charlie sherrill
Member
The German officers of WWI and WWII carried dozens of different small caliber pistols from many different countries. They were aquirred from allies or countries they had invaded and manufactoring facilities they had taken over. As mentioned earlier, these little pistols were mostly status symbols for non line officers and some pilots. There are still a lot of these little guns out there and the WWII stuff is usually marked with waffenants "dirty birds" which makes them wonderful collectibles. My son has about 15 of them and is always looking for more. We have found quite a few of them in the gun and pawn shops and most of the shopkeepers don't know what they are. I especially like the German marked Belgium guns. They are very well made and most of them are still functional. The German marked Spanish Stars and Belguim made Browning Hipowers in 9MM are two of my favorites also.
Vasili Blokhin used the .25acp with great efficiency. Joe
