New (old) Gun - Ortgies 7.65 (32 acp)

[DoggyDaddy]

Picked this up off Gunbroker and it arrived today... It's an Ortgies (no, that's not a typo - there really is a t in there ) 7.65. They were made in post-WWI Germany from 1919 to 1924. It will just be a range toy since it's a .32, but I saw one of these on a C&R Facebook group I belong to and for some reason I just liked the way it looked. Neat little gun, very well made. They made about 400,000 of them altogether.

From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortgies_Semi-Automatic_Pistol

From Forgotten Weapons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf410MfFqTw

Anyhow, here's mine...

 

[rob63]

Very nice! I also think they are sleek looking little pistols.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Very nice! I also think they are sleek looking little pistols.

Thanks Rob. They seem to be very well made and pretty simple, being a blow-back design.

 

[dbg326]

That's cool! Right up my alley of weird old things.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[1775usmarine]

I've looked into buying one a while back.

 

[Mgderf]

I have one of those.
Mine looks like it's seen a little more use than yours, and I haven't shot it forever, but it's still a neat little piece of history.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I was surprised at how reasonable (pricewise) they are. Pretty easy to find one for $300 or less. I'd like to get one with the earlier logo too, although I do like the cat with the tail curved over its back to make the Deutche Werkes "D".

 

[snorko]

I've always liked. 32 acp/7.65mm and have slowly been getting into the older ones. Picked up a Walther PP, a Colt 1903 and a Browning/FN 1910 in the last year or so. The coolest is the S&W 1913 I found. Actually chambered in .35S&W but it's basically the same cartridge.

Forgotten Weapons did a good video on the 1913 and my serial number is less than 50 off the one they used.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've always liked. 32 acp/7.65mm and have slowly been getting into the older ones. Picked up a Walther PP, a Colt 1903 and a Browning/FN 1910 in the last year or so. The coolest is the S&W 1913 I found. Actually chambered in .35S&W but it's basically the same cartridge.

Forgotten Weapons did a good video on the 1913 and my serial number is less than 50 off the one they used.

DoggyMama's dad has a Colt 1903. That's the only one I've ever shot, but they made a lot of cool pistols in that caliber. And a LOT were military issued. Makes you think when people say .32 is not sufficient as a SD round (I sure wouldn't want one as my primary), but it sure used to be popular with a lot of military and police personnel.

 

[Leadeye]

Great find, the 32ACP is a fun cartridge to shoot.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

A lot of the old European and American .32's are pleasant and fun shooters. I have a French Unique with Moroccan military markings that is astonishingly accurate. The Ortgies is a good gun and quite a few of them saw second line use in the WWII German armed forces.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

A lot of the old European and American .32's are pleasant and fun shooters. I have a French Unique with Moroccan military markings that is astonishingly accurate. The Ortgies is a good gun and quite a few of them saw second line use in the WWII German armed forces.

I was surprised to hear that the Ortgies were used by a lot of competitive shooters back in the day. I'm looking forward to trying it out. It's pretty heavy for such a small gun, so I imagine it will be pretty pleasant.

 

[Thor]

Nice looking pistola, rather reminiscent of my Walther PP in the same caliber. 7.65 is greater than 7.62 which everyone seems to think is sufficient...as opposed to a .22 cal weapon

My PP is the significant others go to weapon for weight and wrist issues, with the right ammo it is a fine option for SD.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Nice looking pistola, rather reminiscent of my Walther PP in the same caliber. 7.65 is greater than 7.62 which everyone seems to think is sufficient...as opposed to a .22 cal weapon

My PP is the significant others go to weapon for weight and wrist issues, with the right ammo it is a fine option for SD.

Hey, a .32 PPK was good enough for James freakin' Bond!

 

[walleyepw]

Nice pistol. I only have one 32 acp and it is the Keltech. I carry it when out walking in nylon shorts. Not much of a PD pistol but better than nothing. My dog is not much personal protection, you know those American Stafordshire Terriers like everyone.

 

[Tomc1947]

I've had one, very nice pistol, but the firing pin will break if you dry fire it.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've had one, very nice pistol, but the firing pin will break if you dry fire it.

Yikes! Why is that? (Being a center fire I wasn't too worried.) I had to dry fire mine a few times to test it, because it needed a little cleaning and lube at first to get it to "fire" reliably. When I first got it, I could rack the slide, pull the trigger - nothing - pull the trigger a second time and it would "fire". I put fire in quotes because I haven't actually had it to the range yet. I've ordered a new firing pin spring from Numrich just for good measure, but maybe I should order an extra firing pin?

 

[indy1919a4]

Nice Gun DD, those 32 acps can raise one hell of a welt so be careful with them.

The early Deutsche Werke emblem is maybe one of the finest designs ever made for a firearm. I have heard it referred as the "Dormant Lion ".. Which if true is a pretty kick ass name considering at the time of Deutche Werkes founding the German nation was being held down by the Post War treaties , fighting the raise of Communism and waiting to rise again the world stage.

So does anyone know its this was the official Deutsche Werke name for the symbol.???? Or just something we later generations have made up???

 

[indy1919a4]

1925 catalog advertisement to show you how much your Ortgies cost in the day

 

[indy1919a4]

Oh and DD did you see the cost of a spare Ortgies magazines in the day.. 2.00 each, now I know you were thought that the new ones today cost alot at 39 dollars.. But in the day that means that magazine cost about 30 dollars in today's money, not that far difference in price.. So I guess magazines were always a bit salty.

But here is the best part, Ortgies would cost you in the day about 220 dollars in today's money.. Heck that is not far off what alot of them still bring.. (Well unless some guy get buck fever and go nuts with online bidding)