Handguns, New Brunswick Military History Museum (NBMHM)
Handguns in the Collection of the New Brunswick Military History Museum, 5 CDSB Gagetown
The majority of the military small arms found on this web page can be viewed in the New Brunswick Military History Museum located with the 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown, New Brunswick. For details on its activities and collection please view their website: http://nbmilitaryhistorymuseum.ca/en/new-brunswick-military-history-museum-home.html.
This page of selected handguns on display the New Brunswick Military History Museum has been compiled by the author, a volunteer and one of the Friends of the NBMHM. Corrections, amendments and updates to the data on this page would be most welcome. Additional photos of the tanks, artillery and major weapon systems and displays in museums in the province may be viewed in the Armoured Fighting Vehicles preserved in Canada section and in the Artillery preserved in Canada sections on this website. Other military weapons and historiucal artifacts on display in New Brunswick, including Aircraft, Armour, Artillery and Naval weapons and equipment found in the province may be viewed on these webpages under the heading of New Brunswick Military Museums and Monuments.
Photos are by the Author unless otherwise credited.
New Brunswick Military History Museum, 5 Canadian Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown, Building A-5, Oromocto, New Brunswick, E2V 4J5. 506-422-1304. Captain David Hughes, Executive Director, and Troy Middleton, Technical Advisor. Website: http://nbmilitaryhistorymuseum.ca/en/new-brunswick-military-history-museum-home.html.
Pistols used by British and Canadian soldiers
Great Britain, Thomas Jones Flintlock Pistol, London, ca 1750.
Pistols were easier to carry than muskets but were more difficult to shoot with any accuracy. They were carried byofficers in various branches of the military and by well-to-do privatecitizens. Sometimes these pistols were inlaid with precious metals. The English led Europe in the production of pistols in the early eighteenth century, andtherefore some French settlers carried English pistols. Thomas Jones was apprenticed to his father, also named Thomas, in 1746. He was a gunmaker with “Cross Guns” in Cornhill, UK c1760. He may have worked earlier at Fenchurch Lane. He continued to use his father’s trademark on the handguns he made to at least 1777.
Great Britain, Jones Flintlock Pistol, London, ca 1750.
Great Britain, Scottish Flintlock Pistol.
The Highland warriors of Scotland carried distinctive arms. Their pistols, unlike those made elsewhere in Great Britain, were constructed entirely from metal, usually steel, and were engraved and often silver-inlaid with geometric and foliate ornament of Celtic inspiration. Among the defining features are the scrolled "ram's-horn" butts, and the button-shaped trigger (with trigger guard).
Since Highlandregiments were raised in 1725, sergeants and the men were armed with Scottishpattern pistols. The most famous of these units was the 42nd, orRoyal Highland Regiment, the Black Watch. Scottish pistols like thisone were often marked "HR" or "Highland Regiment" and thenan "R" was added at the beginning when the regiment became"Royal" in 1758. This pistol does not have thosemarkings, and was probably the pattern issued in the 1740s at the time of theBattle of Culloden.
While pistols wereissued in pairs, only one was carried by each soldier. For example, the88th Highlanders when they were disbanded in 1764, returned 405 pairs ofpistols or 810 pistols which matched the number of men in the unit.
The men carried their pistols hooked on a leather strap under their fashion as illustrated in this 1757 plate of a Highlander.
After the French and Indian Wars, the highland pistol continued to be used throughout the rest of the 18th century. After the American revolution, regiments like the 84th Highland Regiment turned in their pistols into stores in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Additional Highland pistols from New York City were transfered to Halifax in 1784. By 1793, 310 pairs of other ranks pistols were in stores. Similar stock piles were reported in Quebec City and records show highland pistols began to be sent to "outposts". Considering the Scottish heritage of the Northwest Fur Trade Company, it is conceivable they came into their possession as outposts pushed further and further into the interior of the continent.
USA, Starr 1858 .44 Caliber Percussion Army Revolver.
A Starr revolver (Starr DA) is a double-action revolver which was used in the western theater of the American Civil War until the United States Army Ordnance Department persuaded the Starr Arms Co. to create a single-action variant after discontinuation of the Colt. The company eventually complied, and the Union acquired 25,000 of the single-action revolvers for $12 each (equivalent to $306 in 2024). However, the price paid by the government for the DA army revolver was $25. The State of Ohio purchased 500 of the .36 Caliber Navy version for $20 each. The Starr DA .44 cylinder holds in each chamber 33 grains (2.1 g) of powder, the bullet weighs 138 grains (8.9 g).Generally there are three models of Starr revolvers: 1858 Double Action .36 Caliber Percussion Navy Revolver (produced 1859–1860) [3000 produced]. 1858 Double Action .44 Caliber Percussion Army Revolver (produced 1862–1863) [~23000 produced]. 1863 Single Action .44 Caliber Percussion Army Revolver (produced 1863–1864) [23000 produced]. In total, 47,454 Starr revolvers were manufactured making it the third most issued of civil war era revolvers (6,352 Starr DA Navy and Army revolvers were purchased on the open market). (Wikipedia)
Great Britain, .476 cal Enfield Mk II Revolver.
The Enfield Revolver was a self-extracting British handgun designed and manufactured at the government-owned Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, initially in the .476 calibre (actually 11.6 mm).The .476 calibre Enfield Mk I and Mk II revolvers were the official sidearm of both the British Army and the North-West Mounted Police, as well as being issued to many other Colonial units throughout the British Empire.
The Enfield Mk I/Mk II was complicated to unload, having an Owen Jones selective extraction/ejection system which was supposed to allow the firer to eject spent cartridges, whilst retaining live rounds in the cylinder. The Enfield Mk I/Mk II had a hinged frame, and when the barrel was unlatched, the cylinder would move forward, operating the extraction system and allowing the spent cartridges to simply fall out. The idea was that the cylinder moved forward far enough to permit fired cases to be completely extracted (and ejected by gravity), but not far enough to permit live cartridges (i.e., those with projectiles still present, and thus longer in overall length) from being removed in the same manner. The system was obsolete as soon as the Enfield Mk I was introduced, especially as it required reloading one round at a time via a gate in the side.
The Enfield Mk. II was the issue sidearm of the North-West Mounted Police in Canada from 1883 until 1911. NWMP Commissioner Acheson G. Irvine ordered 200 Mark IIs in 1882, priced at C$15.75 each, which were shipped by London's Montgomery and Workman in November that year, arriving in December. They replaced the Adams.Irvine liked them so much that, in one of his final acts as Commissioner, he ordered another 600, which were delivered in September 1885. His replacement, Lawrence W. Herchmer, reported the force was entirely outfitted with Enfields (in all 1,079 were provided] and was pleased with them, but concerned about the .476 round being too potent.The first batch was stamped NWMP-CANADA (issue number between) after delivery; later purchases were not.[10] They were top-break single- or double-action,[8] and fitted with lanyard rings. Worn spindle arms would fail to hold empty cases on ejection, and worn pivot pins could cause barrels to become loose, resulting in inaccuracy. Its deep rifling would allow firing of slugs of between .449 and .476 in (11.4 and 12.1 mm) diameter. Complaints began arising as early as 1887, influenced in part by the British switching to Webleys, and by 1896, hinge wear and barrel loosening were a real issue.Beginning in late 1904,[6] the Mark II began to be phased out in favor of the .45 calibre Colt New Service revolver, but the Enfield remained in service until 1911. (Wikipedia)
Great Britain, .38 cal Enfield No. 2 Revolver.
The Enfield No. 2 was a British top-break revolver using the .38 S&W round manufactured from 1930 to 1957. It was the standard British/Empire sidearm in the Second World War, alongside the Webley Mk IV and Smith & Wesson Victory Model revolvers chambered in the same calibre.
Great Britain, .38 cal Webley Revolver, Mk IV.
The Webley Revolver (also known as the Webley Top-Break Revolver or Webley Self-Extracting Revolver) was, in various designations, a standard issue service revolver for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, and countries of the British Empire, from 1887 to 1963. The Webley is a top-break revolver and breaking the revolver operates the extractor, which removes cartridges from the cylinder. The Webley Mk I service revolver was adopted in 1887 and the Mk IV rose to prominence during the Boer War of 1899–1902. The Mk VI was introduced in 1915, during wartime, and is the best-known model. Firing large .455 Webley cartridges, Webley service revolvers are among the most powerful top-break revolvers produced. The .455 calibre Webley is no longer in military service. (Wikipedia)
Great Britain, .455 cal Enfield No. 1 Mk. VI Pistol.
The Webley revolver went through a number of changes, culminating in the Mk VI, which was in production between 1915 and 1923. The Mk VI was also produced by the Enfield arsenal between 1921 and 1926. The large .455 Webley revolvers were retired in 1947.
Great Britain, .455 cal Webley & Scott Mk. V Pistol 1915. The Mk. V was the standard-issue Webley revolver at the outbreak of the First World War. They were issued first to officers, pipers and range takers, and later to airmen, naval crews, boarding parties, trench raiders, machine-gun teams, and tank crews. They were then issued to many Allied soldiers as a sidearm. Officially adopted 9 December 1913, with a 4-inch (100 mm) barrel, although some models produced in 1915 had 5-inch (130 mm) and 6-inch (150 mm) barrels.
Great Britain, .455 cal Webley & Scott Mk VI Pistol. The Webley is a top-break revolver and breaking the revolver operates the extractor, which removes cartridges from the cylinder. The Webley Mk. VI was introduced in 1915, during wartime, and is the best-known model.
Great Britain, Webley & Scott 1918, No. 2, Mk. 1 single shot, break action signal pistol, London & Birmingham. The breech has a press down latch on the top to open the action. These flare guns were designed for use on light armoured vehicles and slide into a housing. The maker's data is on the left side of the barrel. The bore of the flare is 1.5 inch (3.81 cm) with a 2.75 inch (6.99 cm) opening for the M5 and M36 Mills. Stamped to the left side of the barrel, ‘Webley and Scott Ltd., No.2 Mk. I, London & Birmingham’ with proof marks below and dated 1918.The Webley & Scott Flare pistol was frequently used in conjunction with the Austin Armoured Cars to mark areas for air / artillery support, rear troops and other armoured cars performing transport or reconnaissance. (48th Highlanders of Canada Museum)
Great Britain, Wolseley 1918 Flare Pistol.
Wolseley Mk. III trench flare gun (Very pistol), Wolseley, England, Model 1918, Serial Number 1651. First World War caliber single shot flare gun Barrel Length: 5 3/4 inches. Wood stock. Brass flare gun with a tilt-down, break open loading mechanism and a single action lockwork.
Great Britan, 25-mm Molins No. 2 Mk. 5, 1-inch calibre Very pistol, c. 1940.
These were standard issue to the RAF in the Second World War, and were supplied with both one-man and multi- place dinghies to enable downed RAF aircrew to attract the attention of passing aircraft or ships. They were also carried by fighter pilots tucked into their flying boots so to hand if required in an emergency. It may have been made by I.L. Berridge & Co, who were a commercial knitting machine manufacturer based in Leicester. Berridge apparently made over 200,000 examples of this model during the war and they were issued to the RAF, Royal Navy and the Army.
USA, .32 cal Colt Army Special Revolver.
The ".32 cal" Colt refers to revolvers chambered in the .32 ACP (.32 Automatic Colt Pistol) caliber, which is a common pistol cartridge. Colt manufactured several revolvers in .32 caliber, including models like the Colt New Police, Colt Police Positive, and variations of the Colt Single Action Army.
USA, Colt Model 1878 revolver (in Canadian military service from 1885 -1892.)
USA, Colt New Service revolver (in Canadian military service from 1900 to 1928 and with the NWMP and RCMP from 1905-1954).
USA, .38 cal Smith & Wesson Revolver. Smith & Wesson Model 10, a.k.a. Smith & Wesson .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899, the Smith & Wesson Military & Police or the Smith & Wesson Victory Model revolver. In production since 1899, it is a six-shot double-action revolver with fixed sights. Over its long production run it has been available with barrel lengths of 2 in (51 mm), 3 in (76 mm), 4 in (100 mm), 5 in (130 mm), and 6 in (150 mm). Over 6,000,000 of the type have been produced.
USA, .45 cal Colt Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol.
The Colt M1911 (also known as 1911, Colt 1911, Colt .45, or Colt Government in the case of Colt-produced models) is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered primarily for the .45 ACP cartridge. Among the areas of success for the Colt was a test at the end of 1910 attended by its designer, John Browning. Six thousand rounds were fired from a single pistol over the course of two days. When the gun began to grow hot, it was simply immersed in water to cool it. The Colt gun passed with no reported malfunctions. Following its success in trials, the Colt pistol was formally adopted by the U.S. Army on 29 March 1911, when it was designated "Model of 1911", later changed in 1917 to "Model 1911", and then "M1911" in the mid-1920s. The pistol's formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original model adopted in March 1911, and Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the improved M1911A1 model which entered service in 1926.The designation changed to Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1 in the Vietnam War era. The Canada-US 1st Special Service Force was equipped with the M1911.
The 1st Special Service Force (FSSF) was an elite joint American–Canadian commando unit in World War II, formed by Lieutenant Colonel Robert T. Frederick of the Operations Division of the U.S. General Staff. During the Italian campaign of the Second World War, it was commanded by Frederick and attached to the United States Fifth Army. In August 1944, the Force was attached to 1st Airborne Task Force (commanded by then Major General Frederick) for the campaign in southern France.The unit was organized in 1942 and trained at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana, in the United States. The Force served in the Aleutian Islands, fought in Italy and southern France, and was disbanded in December 1944.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3231124)
.45 cal Colt Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol used by Company Sergeant-Major W.I. Blair of "C" Company, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, Bulford, England, 5 January 1944.
Canada, 9-mm Browning Hi Power single-action, semi-automatic handgun. This pistol is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale (FN) of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized. The Hi-Power is one of the most widely used military pistols in history, having been used by the armed forces of over 50 countries. Browning Hi-Power pistols were used during World War II by both Allied and Axis forces. After occupying Belgium in 1940, German forces took over the FN plant. German troops subsequently used the Hi-Power, having assigned it the designation Pistole 640(b) ("b" for belgisch, "Belgian"). Examples produced by FN in Belgium under German occupation bear German inspection and acceptance marks, or Waffenamts, such as WaA613. In German service, it was used mainly by Waffen-SS and Fallschirmjäger personnel.High-Power pistols were also produced in Canada for Allied use, by John Inglis and Company in Toronto. The plans were sent from the FN factory to Britain when it became clear the Belgian plant would fall into German hands, enabling the Inglis factory to be tooled up for Hi-Power production for Allied use. Inglis produced two versions of the Hi-Power, one with an adjustable rear sight and detachable shoulder stock (primarily for a Nationalist Chinese contract) and one with a fixed rear sight. Production began in the Fall of 1944 and they were on issue by the March 1945 Operation Varsity airborne crossing of the Rhine into Germany.
The pistol was popular with the British airborne forces as well as covert operations and commando groups such as the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the British Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment. Inglis High-Powers made for Commonwealth forces have the British designation 'Mk 1', or 'Mk 1*' and the manufacturer's details on the left of the slide. They were known in British and Commonwealth service as the 'Pistol No 2 Mk 1', or 'Pistol No 2 Mk 1*' where applicable. Serial numbers were 6 characters, the second being the letter 'T', e.g. 1T2345. Serial numbers on pistols for the Chinese contract instead used the letters 'CH', but otherwise followed the same format. When the Chinese contract was cancelled, all undelivered Chinese-style pistols were accepted by the Canadian military with designations of 'Pistol No 1 Mk 1' and 'Pistol No 1 Mk 1*'. Canadian Forces continue to use pistols made by the John Inglis Co. of Ontario, Canada as their primary service pistol as it is still in service with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (Wikipedia)
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3197326)
Agnes Apostle of Dauphin, Manitoba and Joyce Horne of Toronto, Ontario conduct a final assembly of 9-mm Browning Hi Power single-action, semi-automatic handguns destined for China at the John Inglis Co. munitions plant, April 1944.
Handguns used by other nations
Belgium, 6.35-mm FN 1906 Pistol.
FN produced under license from the American arms designer John Browning the revolutionary Model 1905 pocket pistol. Despite the name FN used for this pistol, it was later marketed as the FN 1906, the V.P. .25 (V.P. denoting Vest Pocket), and most confusingly, the Baby. The 1905 Vest Pocket pistol incorporated a grip safety mechanism and also a small safety lever on the left side of the frame, which locked the trigger. In addition, this safety lever locked the slide about a half inch back from the front of the pistol to enable easy disassembly. It is a small blowback-operated semi-automatic pistol designed by Belgium-born Dieudonné Saive chambered in .25 ACP (6.35x15 mm). The pistol features a six-round magazine capacity and is a striker-fired, single action, blowback mechanism. The manual thumb operated safety locks the slide in the closed position when engaged using side thumb pressure. (Wikipedia)
Belgium, 7.65-mm FN M1900 Pistol.
The FN Browning M1900 (known at the time in Europe just as Browning pistol) is a single action semi-automatic pistol designed c. 1896 by John Browning for Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) and produced in Belgium at the turn of the 20th century. It was the first production handgun to use a slide. (Wikipedia)
Belgium, 9-mm FN 626(b) 1910 Pistol.
The FN Model 1910 is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium. An FN M1910, serial number 19074, chambered in .380 ACP[8] was the handgun used by Gavrilo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914, the act that precipitated the First World War.
China, 7.62-mm Type 54 Pistol, copy of Soviet Tokarev TT. It was developed by North China Industries (Norinco) in the 1950s and was a popular military and police handgun in China for several decades. The Type 54 is also known as a Chinese clone of the Soviet TT pistol.
German First World War Handguns
Germany, 7.65-mm Dreyse M1907 semi-automatic pistol.
The Dreyse Model 1907 is a semi-automatic pistol designed by Louis Schmeisser. The gun was named after Nikolaus von Dreyse, the designer and inventor of the Dreyse Needle Gun. The Waffenfabrik von Dreyse company was acquired by Rheinische Metallwaren & Maschinenfabrik Sömmerda in 1901, although the Dreyse Model pistols were marketed under the Dreyse name. The pistol had an interesting feature for the time: when the gun was ready to fire, the firing pin projected through the back of the breech block, serving as an early handgun-cocking indicator. For cleaning, the frame, receiver and slide pivoted forward on a pin in front of the trigger guard. The pistol and its derivatives (Dreyse Model 1907 Pocket Pistol, Dreyse Model 1912 Parabellum) was of simple blowback recoil operation, though of unusual design. The same company also manufactured a 6.35 mm pocket version (also named Model 1907). In 1912 the 9 mm Parabellum Dreyse Model 1912 emerged as the gun's successor. Marked as the RM & M Dreyse, it was chambered for 9 mm Parabellum. Despite the gun's limited production time, the gun is relatively common today, in large part due to its use by Volkssturm and Volksgrenadier late in the Second World War, enabling many Allied personnel to bring examples home as war trophies. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 7.63-mm Mauser C96, Broomhandle M1916 semi-automatic pistol.
The Mauser C96 (Construktion 96) is a semi-automatic pistol that was originally produced by German arms manufacturer Mauser from 1896 to 1937. Unlicensed copies of the gun were also manufactured in Spain and China in the first half of the 20th century. The distinctive characteristics of the C96 are the integral box magazine in front of the trigger, the long barrel, the wooden shoulder stock, which gives it the stability of a short-barreled rifle and doubles as a holster or carrying case, and a grip shaped like the handle of a broom. The grip earned the gun the nickname "broomhandle" in the English-speaking world, and in China the C96 was nicknamed the "box cannon" because of its rectangular internal magazine and because it could be holstered in its wooden box-like detachable stock. With its long barrel and high-velocity cartridge, the Mauser C96 had superior range and better penetration than most other pistols of its era; the 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridge was the highest-velocity commercially manufactured pistol cartridge until the advent of the .357 Magnum cartridge in 1935. Mauser manufactured approximately one million C96 pistols, while the number produced in Spain and China is large but unknown due to poor production records. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 9-mm Luger P08 semi-automatic pistol, 1918.
The Pistole Parabellum or Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum), commonly known as just the Luger or Luger P08, is a toggle-locked recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol. The Luger was produced in several models and by several nations from 1898 to 1949.The design was patented by Georg Luger. It was meant to be an improvement of the Borchardt C-93 pistol, and was initially produced as the Parabellum Automatic Pistol, Borchardt-Luger System by the German arms manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM). The first production model was known as the Modell 1900 Parabellum. It was followed by the "Marinepistole 1904" for the Imperial German Navy. The Luger was officially adopted by the Swiss military in 1900, the Imperial German Navy in 1906 and the German Army in 1908. The Luger was the standard service pistol of Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Brazil, Bolivia, and Bulgaria. It was widely used in other countries as a military service pistol and by police forces. In the German Army service, it was adopted in a slightly modified form as the ''Pistole Modell 1908 (Pistole 08) in caliber 9×19mm Parabellum. The Model 08 was eventually succeeded by the Walther P38. The Luger is well known for its wide use by Germany during the First World War and the Second World War, along with the interwar Weimar Republic and the postwar East German Volkspolizei.The name Parabellum, which also featured in DWM's telegraphic address, comes from the Latin phrase Si vis pacem, para bellum; "If you wish for peace, prepare for war." (Wikipedia)
Germany, 9-mm Luger P08, Navy, second issue, 26-cm barrel, 1917.
The Luger pistol was accepted by the Imperial German Navy in 1904 in 9mm Parabellum as the Pistole 04 (P04). The navy model had a 150 mm (5.9 in) barrel and a two-position – 100 meters (110 yd) or 200 meters (220 yd) – rear sight. This version was also referred to as the "Marine Modell 1904" or, more colloquially in the US as the "navy Luger". The Pistole 04 was later updated with a coil mainspring to Model 1906 pattern as Luger continued to refine and improve his design.
Germany, 9-mm Luger P08, Lange Pistol 32-cm long-barreled artillery model, 1918.
The adoption of the Lange Pistole 08 or LP 08, known as the "Artillery Luger", was authorised by the Kaiser on 2 July 1913. This P08 variation was equipped with a 200 mm (7.9 in) barrel, an 8-position tangent rear sight (calibrated to 800 meters (870 yd)) and a board-type shoulder stock with an attached leather holster. In the event of close combat, the pistol was intended to be used as a carbine with the shoulder stock attached to a lug mounted on the heel of the pistol frame. When set for long range use the rear sight element visibly moves to the left to compensate for spin drift. While initially intended for use by German artillery units who could not be encumbered by the long and heavy K.98 rifle, the LP 08 was also used by Aviation units (prior to equipping aircraft with machine guns) as well as the infantry, primarily on the Western front during World War I. Stoßtruppen (stormtrooper infantry) units frequently employed the Artillery Luger equipped with a new large magazine, the 32-round Trommelmagazin or 'snail' magazine. Production of the LP 08 ended in 1918 with the end of the war. By that time, German troops had begun using the newly developed MP 18 submachine gun in place of the LP 08 for their stormtrooper assault companies. However, by this time enough LP 08 barrels had been manufactured and stockpiled to fill LP 08 export orders into the 1930s.
Germany, 9-mm Luger P08, Lange Pistol 32-cm long-barreled artillery model, 1918, 9-mm Luger P08, Navy, second issue, 26-cm barrel, 1917, and 9-mm Luger P08 semi-automatic pistol, 1918 comparison.
German Second World War Handguns
Spain, 9-mm Astra 600 semi-automatic pistol.
The Astra 600 is a Spanish semi-automatic pistol that was used during the Second World War by the Wehrmacht. Designed by Unceta y Cia, it was a shortened version of the Astra 400 manufactured to fire 9×19mm Parabellum, which was the standard pistol ammunition for Germany at the time. The Astra 600 was designated the Pistole Astra 600/43 when used by the German Military during the Second World War. Approximately 59,400 Astra 600s were manufactured before production ceased. (Wikipedia)
Belgium, 9-mm FN-Browning 626(b) 1922 semi-automatic pistol.
The M1922 was produced in larger numbers than any other firearm at the FN plant during the Nazi occupation. The German designations for the M1922 were Pistole 626(b) for the 7.65-mm version and Pistole 641(b) for the 9-mm Short version. M1922's found their way to all corners of the German government and military as officer's and official's sidearms. The primary user of the M1922, however was the Luftwaffe. The M1922 was also offered as a commercial pistol up to 1942, being sold mostly as sidearms for war factory security personnel and police. M1922's accepted by the German military show one of three Army Weapons Office inspectors markings (Waffenamt stampings).
Czechoslovakia, 7.65-mm CZ vz. 27 semi-automatic pistol, Böhmische Waffenfabrik Pistole Model 27.
The vz. 27 is a Czechoslovak semi-automatic pistol, based on the pistole vz. 24, and chambered for 7.65 mm Browning/.32 ACP. vz. 27 is an abbreviation of the Czech "vzor 27", or "Model 27". The pistol was issued to police and security guards under the designation vz. 27 (CZ 27 was the designation for pistols commercially sold). More than a half a million pistols were produced from 1927 to 1951. During World War II, the Česká Zbrojovka factory operated under the name Böhmische Waffenfabrik AG in Prag (Bohemian Weapon Factory Ltd. in Prague). Captured and German-made pistols were used by Heer under the designation Pistole 27(t). Following the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état, the company name was changed to Česká Zbrojovka Národni Podnik (Bohemian Arms Factory People's Enterprise). During the post-war period, West German intelligence made use of Second World War-era silenced vz. 27s. In 1969, during the last stages of the North Yemen Civil War, Czechoslovakia offered to supply the Yemen Arab Republic with uniforms and obsolete small arms including vz. 27 pistols, but no deal materialized. During vietnam war, VIetcong use ČZ vz. 27 support by Czechsolavkia. (Wikipedia)
Czechoslovakia, 9-mm CZ 85B semi-automatic pistol. The CZ 85 is a double-action semi-automatic pistol based on the CZ 75[1] formerly manufactured in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) by Česká Zbrojovka. It has an ambidextrous safety switch and slide stop, making the pistol suitable for both right- and left-handed shooters.CZ weapons are known for their long service life and high reliability while using various types of cartridges. (Wikipedia)
France, 7.65-mm MAB model D automatic pistol. The MAB model D is a pistol produced by MAB (Manufacture d'armes de Bayonne) from 1933 to 1963 (.32 ACP) and 1982 (.380 ACP); it was inspired by the Belgian Browning FN pistol 1910/22.
It was developed with the smaller "MAB C", also made in .32 and .380 ACP, and with which it has many parts in common. Some later examples marked "MAB C" are actually a combination of a MAB C "slide" and barrel with a MAB D frame; these are officially an "extended grip" MAB C but usually called a "MAB C/D", although are not so marked. The MAB C was primarily a civilian "pocket pistol", while the larger MAB D was intended for police and military use.The MAB D was used by the French Army and military police before and after the Second World War. After German forces occupied France, the MAB D was adopted for use by the Wehrmacht (German army) during the Second World War; these pistols typically have German acceptance marks stamped into the metal. (As with other weapons, it is not uncommon to find forged German acceptance marks on MAB Ds being sold, including incorrect acceptance marks, incorrect placement, and marks on Type II MABs not manufactured until after the Second World War.)Following World War II, the MAB D was used by the French military in Indochina. In France, it was used by various French governmental agencies, including the French local police, the Gendarmerie (military police and also civilian countryside police), the customs department, the National Forests Office, and the Banque de France. MAB Ds are now only used as surplus pistols for the French police, who primarily used revolvers before 2000. As with other French firearms, MAB Ds were also used by the military and police of the Kingdom of Morocco, a French protectorate.In the years after the Second World War, several German State police forces and the Dutch police also used the MAB D between the 1950s and the 1970s.There were two MAB D versions, usually called the Type I and Type II. The Type I MAB D was made 1933–1945 and used an external muzzle bushing release latch in front of the trigger guard; the Type II used an internal "bayonet" type release requiring pushing in and turning the muzzle bushing. The MAB factory changed from the Type I to Type II production in June 1945. (Wikipedia)
France, 7.65-mm Unique Rr-51 semi-automatic pistol. The Unique Rr 51 was manufactured by French company Manufacture d' Armes des Pyrénées Françaises (MAPF). It was designed in the late 1940s as a derivative of the pre-war Unique Model 17. The difference between the Model 17 and Rr 51 is that the latter has an external hammer and grip safety. A transitional model from Model 17 to Rr 51 is the so-called Unique Kriegsmodell that was manufactured in 1941-44 under German control. The Rr 51 was a service handgun of French police from 1951 (more that 102,000 pistols were produced).
Germany, 9-mm Luger P08 semi-automatic pistol, 21.7-cm, 1937.
Germany, 7.65-mm Mauser 34 semi-automatic pistol, Mauser-Werke Oberndorf GmbH, German Navy Model 1934. This is an updated version of the Mauser Model 1914, issued to the Kriegsmarine.
Germany, 7.65-mm Mauser HSc semi-automatic pistol, Mauser-Werke Oberndorf GmbH.
The Mauser HSc is a 7.65mm pistol introduced in Nazi Germany during World War II, and manufactured until 1977. The designation HSc stood for Hahn Selbstspanner ("self-cocking hammer") Pistole, third and final design "C". Production was continued in 1945–1946 during the French occupation and, from 1968 to 1977 by Mauser. It has a semi-exposed hammer, double-action trigger, single-column magazine, and a spring surrounding the barrel.The Mauser HSc was originally intended as a commercial pistol. It competed with the contemporary German Walther PPK and PP and Sauer 38H for police and military use. It was procured initially by the navy (Kriegsmarine) soon followed by the Army and police. HSc pistols used by the Luftwaffe or Waffen-SS were procured from Army and police stocks. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 7.65-mm Ortgies Patent Vest Pocket hammerless semi-automatic pistol.
The Ortgies 7.65 mm pistol was a hammerless semi-automatic pistol that was produced in Germany in the years immediately after the First World War, first by its inventor Heinrich Ortgies and then by Deutsche Werke. Inexpensive, but of good quality, the pistol achieved considerable success at contemporary shooting competitions and, as an export product, was popular throughout the Americas.
Poland, 9-mm Radom Vis 35 P35P single-action, semi-automatic pistol.
The Vis (Polish designation pistolet wz. 35 Vis; German designation 9 mm Pistole 35(p), or simply the Radom in some English sources and Vis wz. 35 in Poland) is a Polish 9×19mm caliber, single-action, semi-automatic pistol.Production of the Vis began in 1935 at the Fabryka Broni factory in Radom, and was adopted as the standard handgun of the Polish Army the following year. After the Polish Campaign of 1939 that marked the start of the Second World War, occupying German forces took over the country's munitions and industry; the pistol was valued by the Germans, who continued its production and eventually issued it to Waffen-SS units. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 7.65-mm Sauer 38H, H, J.P. Sauer & Sohn semi-automatic pistol.
The Sauer 38H or often just H was a small semi-automatic pistol made in Nazi Germany from 1938 until just after the end of the Second World War by J. P. Sauer & Sohn, then based in Suhl, Germany. The "H" in the model number is short for "hahn", referring to the internal hammer of the firing mechanism. The "H" in the model number indicates this pistol uses a shrouded hammer as opposed to striker style firing of earlier Sauer models. Other features included a traditional double-action trigger, single-column magazine and a recoil spring surrounding a fixed barrel. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 6.35-mm Steyr Model 1909 automatic pistol. Originally intended for commercial sale, this is the pocket version of the Steyr-Pieper M1908 pistol and was built to the patents of Nicolas Pieper of Liege, Belgium. This was an unusual blowback pistol with a tip-down barrel. The barrel was retained with a pivoting bolt and it was held by a thumb-latch barrel-locking mechanism. The recoil-spring rod ended in a hook engaging a lug on the slide, disengaging automatically when the breech was raised. This was a favorite pocket pistol for Austro-Hungarian Military officers and Police departments. Manufacture was suspended in 1915, resumed in 1919, and continued until 1933 (or until 1939 according to some sources), however, no post-1933 dates have been reported. The grips have the 'OWG' logo and 'STEYR'.
Germany, 9-mm Steyr-Hahn M1912 semi-automatic pistol.
The Steyr M1912, also known as the Steyr-Hahn, is a semi-automatic pistol that was developed in 1911 by the Austrian firm Steyr Mannlicher. The design was based on the rotating barrel locking mechanism of the Roth–Steyr M1907 but replaced the external striker with a spur hammer ("Hahn") and simplified disassembly to allow for field stripping under adverse conditions. It was developed for the Austro-Hungarian Army and adopted in 1912 as one of the three standard Austro-Hungarian military handguns of the First World War, alongside the Roth-Steyr and FEG Frommer STOP. The M1912 was able to endure the adverse conditions of trench warfare during the First World War and could still be found in service during the Second World War. Despite its near perpendicular grip angle, the Steyr M1912 is usually regarded as one of the best service pistols of the First World War. The M1912 was originally chambered for the 9mm Steyr round. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 9-mm Model 11 Steyr-Hahn 1916 semi-automatic pistol rebored from 9 X 23 to 9 X 19-mm, showing the clip arrangement feeding the rounds (usually 8) into the magazine from the top. This pistol is in the personal collection of Norbert Strahlendorff.
Hungary, 7.65-mm FÉG 37M semi-automatic pistol, Femaru Fegyver-es Gepygar RT Model 37.
The FÉG 37M is a Hungarian semi-automatic pistol based on a design by Rudolf Frommer. It was made in 2 chamberings. The .380 ACP (9x17mmSR) chambered version was used by the Hungarian Army, while the .32 ACP (7.65x17mmSR) version was supplied to Hungary's German allies during the Second World War. The former, was known in Hungarian service as the M1937.The latter, in German service during World War II, was known as Pistole 37(u), pistole M 37 Kal. 7,65 mm or P37. The main difference between this and the other variants is that the "German" version had a manual safety (which the Hungarian issue did not have) and was marked "Pistole M 37 Kal. 7.65" and the FEG code "jhv" and date, along with the Waffenamt markings. Though it was produced under more strain due to the rate by which they wanted them produced, it was still a reliable pistol. 150 - 300,000 pistols were completed this way. Some partially finished post war models were also issued, and there was an attempt to produce the gun after the war, but without success. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 7.65-mm Walther 4 Pistol.
The Model 4 was intended for holster carry,primarily as a police sidearm, rather than as a vest-pocket piece. Retaining many of the design features of the Model 3, the Model 4, though incorporating basically the same slide as its predecessor, had the butt lengthened in order to accommodate eight rounds rather than the six offered by the Model 3, and the barrel extended by almost an additional inch.Featuring an internal hammer and bayonet-lock-retained recoil spring surrounding the barrel assembly, this 5.94"-long, 18.42-oz. blowback-operated single-action became immediately popular with law enforcement, civilians and the military. The safety was a rather fiddly rotating lever located on the left side of the frame, snugged up against the rear of the slide. Not particularly suitable for single-handed operation, the safety was one of the gun’s few drawbacks. Another was a left-side ejection port that was not greatly appreciated by some right-handed shooters who objected to empties being tossed in front of them when the pistol was fired.The Model 4 was rugged, easy to take down and possessed a very simple mechanism—all features endearing it to the German army, which, in the first months of the Great War, presented Walther with a contract for some 250,000 Model 4s to be used as officers’ pistols. Apparently only about 75,000 actually saw service. Martially used 4s (also often referred to as the Model 1914) can be distinguished by German military-acceptance stamps, along with the usual “crown/N” proofmarks. Stocks on civilian and military versions were checkered hard rubber with an intertwined “CW” logo.After the First World War, Walther continued to build Model 4s. Production ceased in 1929, the year the firm introduced the ground-breaking PP. Over its production period the Model 4 underwent a quartet of slight variations, mostly involving differences in markings, a few cosmetic alterations and minor mechanical changes. (American Rifleman)
Germany, 9-mm Walther P38 semi-automatic pistol, 1941.
The Walther P38 (originally written Walther P.38) is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that was developed by Carl Walther GmbH as the service pistol of the Wehrmacht at the beginning of the Second World War. It was intended to replace the comparatively complex and expensive to produce Luger P08. Moving the production lines to the more easily mass producible P38 once the Second World War began, it took longer than expected, leading to the P08 remaining in production until September 1942 and copies remained in service until the end of the war.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3257118)
Calgary Highlander sniper with Walther P-38 pistol.
Germany, 7.65-mm Walther PP and PPK.
The Walther PP (German: Polizeipistole, or police pistol) series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. The Walther PP series feature an exposed hammer, a double-action trigger mechanism,[10] a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel that also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring. The Walther PP series includes the Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S, and PPK/E models. The original PP was released in 1929 and is, as of 2025, re-introduced. It was designed for police use and was used by police forces in Europe in the 1930s and later. The semi-automatic pistol operated using a simple blowback action. The PP was designed with several safety features, some of them innovative, including an automatic hammer block, a combination safety/decocker and a loaded chamber indicator.The most common variant is the Walther PPK, a smaller version of the PP with a shorter grip, barrel and frame, and reduced magazine capacity. A new, two-piece wrap-around grip panel construction was used to conceal the exposed back strap. The smaller size made it more concealable than the original PP and hence better suited to plain-clothes or undercover work. It was released in 1931. "PPK" is an abbreviation for Polizeipistole Kriminal (literally "police pistol criminal"), referring to the Kriminalamt crime investigation office. While the K is often mistakenly assumed to stand for kurz (German for "short"), as the variant has a shorter barrel and frame, Walther used the name "Kriminal" in early advertising brochures and the 1937 GECO German catalog. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 26.5-mm Schneide AG Leuchtpistole 42 (LP42) Flare Gun.
The Leuchtpistole 42 or flare gun in English was introduced into German service in 1943 and served throughout the Second World War. The Leuchtpistole 42 was a single shot, break action, smoothbore, flare gun that was a successor to the earlier Leuchtpistole 34. The Leuchtpistole 42 which was made from stamped mild steel components, was galvanized to stop corrosion and used bakelite for the pistol grips. The focus of the Leuchtpistole 42 was to reduce the consumption of light alloys, reduce reliance on machined components, reduce production time, and reduce production costs. Despite being made from mild steel and stamped components it was considered rugged and its rough appearance didn't hinder its functionality. However, the Leuchtpistole 42 was nearly 390 g (14 oz) heavier than its predecessor. (Wikipedia)
Germany, 26.5-mm Walther SLD Doppelschuss Naval Flare Gun, Royal Canadian Legion Museum, Bathurst, New Brunswick.
Italian Second World War Handguns
Italy, 7.65-mm Beretta Model 1935 semi-automatic pistol, 1936 XIV.
The Beretta M1935 is a compact .32 ACP caliber blowback pistol that was manufactured by Italian firm Beretta. In the early 1930s, the Italian army was impressed by the Walther PP pistol. Beretta did not want to lose a big Italian military contract and designed the compact M1934 for the Italian army, which accepted it in 1937. The M1935 is simply an M1934, modified to fire .32 ACP ammunition. The M1935 is a single-action semi-automatic blowback pistol that fires .32 ACP ammunition. It is constructed from carbon steel with plastic grips and is equipped with a frame safety that also acts as a take down lever and slide hold open. When the last shot has been fired the slide is retained open by the empty magazine and must be held open manually by the safety lever to reload the pistol. The magazine capacity is eight rounds. (Wikipedia)
Japanese Second World War Handguns
Japan, 8-mm Nambu Type 14 semi-automatic pistols with small and large trigger guards.
The Nambu pistols (南部拳銃 or 南部大型自動拳銃, Nanbu kenjū/Nanbu ōgata jidou-kenjuu) are a series of semi-automatic pistols produced by the Japanese company Koishikawa Arsenal, later known as the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal.[1] The series has three variants, the Type A, the Type B (also known as the Baby Nambu), and the Type 14 (十四年式拳銃, Jūyon nen shiki kenjū). The Nambu pistols were designed to replace Japan's earlier service pistol, the Type 26 revolver.The pistols were designed by Kijirō Nambu and saw extensive service in the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War. The most common variant, the Type 14, was used mostly by officers, who had to pay for their pistols themselves. (Wikipedia)
Japan, 8-mm Nambu Type 94 semi-automatic pistol.
The Type 94 Nambu 8 mm pistol (Type 94 handgun, in Japanese: 九四式拳銃, romanized: Kyūyon-Shiki Kenjū) is a semiautomatic pistol developed by Kijirō Nambu and his associates for the Imperial Japanese Army. Development of the Type 94 pistol began in 1929, and after several redesigns the final prototype was tested and officially adopted by the Japanese army in late 1934 (Japanese calendar, 2594).[1] The Type 94 pistol entered production in 1935. Approximately 71,000 pistols were manufactured before production ended in 1945.The Type 94 pistol was designed for (and popular among) Japanese tank and aircraft crews who preferred a smaller, lightweight design. Japanese weapons experts have subsequently criticized some design elements of the Type 94; in particular the pistol can be fired unintentionally before the breech was fully locked if the sear bar on the side of the receiver is depressed while the pistol's safety is disengaged. Additionally, the process to disassemble the pistol is overly complex and awkward. The build quality of the Type 94 pistol declined over its production run; "last ditch" pistols made in 1945 were crudely manufactured. (Wikipedia)
