They're good pistol that point well and shoot accurately. One thing to check is take a strong flashlight and remove the magazine and look into the magazine well.

• Deutsche Werke Ortgies Serial Numbers

Sadly I've seen a good number of Ortgies pistols with the grip catch notches that were broken by incorrect disassembly. I've seen them repaired with epoxy and pieces of wood glued in then grooved to allow the catch to lock the grip panels into place. In my area the asking price would be a bit high unless the Ortgies has special markings such as police, military issue marks. They are beautifully machined guns, almost a work of the machinist art. However, in my opinion they have several failing as a good working gun.

The legs on the sear seems to be brittle, if either arm of the sear brakes, the gun will discharge. The interrupter is a small round disk that also wears, if so then the gun will go full auto.

Been there, done that both times. The Germans used every decent gun they could get their hands on, but the Ortgies was only issued ( a very few ) to the finance dept. The grip safety is not spring loaded to the safe position ( such as the 1911 ), once pushed in, it will stay pushed in until released by the release button ( which is also the take down button ) They were a failure on the German market and the US was flooded with them in the late 1920's. But what the hay, they look nice and are well balanced. They are beautifully machined guns, almost a work of the machinist art. However, in my opinion they have several failing as a good working gun.

The legs on the sear seems to be brittle, if either arm of the sear brakes, the gun will discharge. The interrupter is a small round disk that also wears, if so then the gun will go full auto.

Been there, done that both times. The Germans used every decent gun they could get their hands on, but the Ortgies was only issued ( a very few ) to the finance dept.

The grip safety is not spring loaded to the safe position ( such as the 1911 ), once pushed in, it will stay pushed in until released by the release button ( which is also the take down button ) They were a failure on the German market and the US was flooded with them in the late 1920's. But what the hay, they look nice and are well balanced.Okay, you've convinced me not to consider this further. The one I'm looking at is a beautiful pistol, though. I read that they were very popular and accurate target pistols in the US during the early 1900s. I don't need a pistol that has the potential to be unusually unsafe.

Ortgies was a major ship building company in Germany. They enjoyed huge government contracts, and made lots of money. When the treaty of Versailles forbid Germany a navy, guess what. So, in the early 20s they began to mfg non-military firearms. They made the pistol in question, in.25,.32, and.380 caliber. A cheap.22 boys rifle, and a semi auto shotgun. (Walther patent) When the Nazis came to power, Ortgies ceased mfg.

Of firearms, and commenced to building ships again. Their pistol has I believe the fewest number of parts of any other auto pistol. While the price is high, I have never seen one in excellent condition. Ortgies was a major ship building company in Germany. They enjoyed huge government contracts, and made lots of money. When the treaty of Versailles forbid Germany a navy, guess what.

So, in the early 20s they began to mfg non-military firearms. They made the pistol in question, in.25,.32, and.380 caliber. A cheap.22 boys rifle, and a semi auto shotgun. (Walther patent) When the Nazis came to power, Ortgies ceased mfg. Of firearms, and commenced to building ships again. Their pistol has I believe the fewest number of parts of any other auto pistol.

While the price is high, I have never seen one in excellent condition.I will try to get pics of it the next time I'm at my LGS. They are wacky about pictures, though. They really need a few lessons in good customer service.

It is pristine - the bluing is like 95% or better, the wood grips are bright and clean, and the cartouche/emblam on the grips is very clean and bright. I tried to take a picture today and the employees went berserk. I finally convinced him to let me take a shot by saying that I was interested in it and wanted to do a little research.

He told me that it is not an uncommon policy for gun stores to prohibit photos. I guess they don't want you getting serial numbers. Anyway, the pistol is nice, although it does show a little wear on the left side, which looks like holster wear. The sights on that thing are terrible.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Nice looking pistol that shows moderate use. I've got two Ortgies, a.25 and a.32, both are good shooters, very reliable and quite accurate for what they are.

I've fired about 300-400 rounds in each without mishap but I have heard stories about the sear problem. I purchased my.32 Ortgies last year on GB, with shipping total cost was $265 (used my C&R). Condition is very similar to yours, it came with an original Ortgies mag and the wood grips are snug to the frame and haven't been broken/repaired on the inside. Great little guns, good shooters and quality built.I would put a value of $275 on the one you have pictured.with factory Ortgies mag and non-buggered grips. I was back at my LGS and the Ortgies was still there and still listed for $340. I really like it. I asked if he would come down and he said $20.

I got home and decided to see if anyone was offering one on GB. Sure 'nuff, there were several but most really high and not in great condition. I took a shot and bought this one tonight. I think I did pretty well on the price - I spend that much at the grocery store every week so not much to lose.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkExcellent buy on the Ortgies. Looks like it was taken good care of, not alot of finish wear and the grips look great. You've got a nice pistol! I tried to take a picture today and the employees went berserk.

I finally convinced him to let me take a shot by saying that I was interested in it and wanted to do a little research. He told me that it is not an uncommon policy for gun stores to prohibit photos. I guess they don't want you getting serial numbers. Anyway, the pistol is nice, although it does show a little wear on the left side, which looks like holster wear. The sights on that thing are terrible.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkSerial number- like you can't remember it long enough to write it down?

Heinrich Ortgies started the company in 1919 to make a pistol designed by a former FN employee. His pistols introduced the HO medallion on the grips. Shortly afterwards, the company was purchased by the German conglomerate Deutsche Werke, who continued using the HO medallion for awhile. They continued making the pistols until about 1925, when their pistol manufacturing was shut down by enforcement of the Versailles Treaty weapons restrictions.The guns were actually a popular, prize-winning target pistol in Germany during the early '20s, and a bunch were exported to the US, where John Dillinger was reported to have carried one.They are beautifully designed and made pistols with a quirky safety. I have a 25 and a pair of 32s. I take one of the 32s to the range occasionally and it's a really nice shooter.By the way, the 'D' medallion on the later Deutsche Werke pistols is a stylized cat!Happy Motoring, Mark.

My experiences in the past with a three calibers of the Ortgies were that they are excellently designed and made pistols as well as accurate for a pocket pistol. The magazines of the 32 and 380 are in fact interchangeable. The only short comings are those of the grip retainer and the disconnector wear.

On both a 32 and 380 I had once the disconnector projections wears sufficiently the pistols refused to fire. The firing pins locked into position and the trigger pulled but they would not fire, as opposed to going full auto. Since it occurred in both models, I would like to think that it was designed that way to prevent accidents. 3d printing jewelry design software. In any case, once replacement parts were located (this was 15 years back) the pistols functioned fine.I'm sorry that I parted with them, but that is how collecting goes. A lot of folks marked guns country of origin whether or not a particular example was to be exported the USofA. Easier (and cheaper) to mark them all if maker exported as well as servicing home market.

Military Arms weren't generally marked so, but commercial arms were. And then many commercial arms were acquired by soldiers or governments, and then captured and brought home. Or taken from civilian owners or houses after occupation (yes, that is looting and we had rules saying 'no, can't do that' and troops not infrequently ignored them unless somebody was watching) and brought home - complete with nation of origin markings. A lot of folks marked guns country of origin whether or not a particular example was to be exported the USofA. Easier (and cheaper) to mark them all if maker exported as well as servicing home market.

Military Arms weren't generally marked so, but commercial arms were. And then many commercial arms were acquired by soldiers or governments, and then captured and brought home. Or taken from civilian owners or houses after occupation (yes, that is looting and we had rules saying 'no, can't do that' and troops not infrequently ignored them unless somebody was watching) and brought home - complete with nation of origin markings.Agreed.But if the pistols were acquired 'over there', then wouldn't they have undoubtedly been marked 'Deutschland', as there aren't going to be a bunch of commercial purchasers in Germany who are English-speaking?

Thus, if your pistol was marked 'Germany', then it would have been going outside the national borders of the producing country, right?I just won one of these in an online auction last night and I'll be picking it up on Saturday. No idea which production address it belongs to, but the markings on the grips are the later ones from Deutsche Werke (the insignia with the stylized cat). Agreed.But if the pistols were acquired 'over there', then wouldn't they have undoubtedly been marked 'Deutschland', as there aren't going to be a bunch of commercial purchasers in Germany who are English-speaking? Thus, if your pistol was marked 'Germany', then it would have been going outside the national borders of the producing country, right?I just won one of these in an online auction last night and I'll be picking it up on Saturday. No idea which production address it belongs to, but the markings on the grips are the later ones from Deutsche Werke (the insignia with the stylized cat).Have seen 'Germany' on most German made commercial arms, even on a couple of Mauser commercial sporting rifles I handled and failed to buy while in Germany in the mid-60s (what can I say - an LT or very new captain has only so much money), I have examined.

Deutsche Werke Ortgies Serial Numbers

I THINK (not know) that a single nation of origin stamp was used so the gun could be sold pretty well anywhere. Home or away. But the only thing I know for sure is arms being exported to USA commercially were required (after sometime in the 1890s) to bear a nation of origin marking, and apparently doing it in English was required or encouraged or something because that was the usual way. Obviously much cheaper to simply pick a single stamp and put it on everything. After all, some jobber might decide to send a few off and if you didn't have to worry about the markings being indecipherable to some customs agent barely sapient enough to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Used in Good/Very Good condition, I have shot this pistol a few times and functions perfectly. Ortgies Pocket Auto, 32ACP, 3.5' barrel, semi auto pistol. Call me at REDACTED William.Wood grips with brass inserts.Brass inserts has a crouching cat that's tail forms an S.Guns with this insert were manufactured between 1921-1924 Serial Number 67864.Half moon front sight.Notch rear sight.Bluing worn off in places and turning brown from age.Some pitting on slide.Hammerless.Brand markings on right side of frame & on top of barrel DEUTSCHE WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT - WERK ERFURT ORTGIES’ PATENT, 'Germany' stamped on bottom of barrel with the serial number. Item History: The pistol was produced in 6.35 mm, 7.65 mm, and 9 mm variants. Although not expensive, at the time it was of advanced design and high quality construction with relatively few parts, well sealed against dirt. Metal components were forged or machined, and assembly in general made no use of screws, even securing the wooden grips with metal clips, although some examples do incorporate a single screw for that purpose.

The hammerless action depended on a spring-loaded striker to fire the cartridge. As in early Colt and Browning pocket pistols, the Ortgies striker also operated as an ejector as the slide traveled backwards after discharge. Unusual design features included the safety and the magazine.

The safety was a lever inset into the back of the grip and, with the gun cocked, forced backward out of the grip into the 'safe' position by spring tension from the firing pin upon depression of a button under the slide. Thus, engaging the safety simultaneously reduced tension on the firing pin spring. To disengage the safety, a shooter simply would squeeze the grip, pressing the lever forward and locking it flush with the back of the pistol.