Bergmann M-1896
Notes: One of
the first workable automatic pistol designs, the M-1896 was an improvement over
what may be considered a prototype – the M-1894.
Though Theodor Bergmann is more commonly associated with Austria, this
handgun was made before Bergmann’s factory at Suhl was built. The M-1896 is a
large, blockish sort of pistol that is a bit nose-heavy.
The grip is empty – the small magazine is ahead of the trigger guard,
under a rounded magazine well cover that is accessed by pulling forward and down
a milled grip at the bottom rear of the cover.
The cover is held in place by a large brass screw.
(The trigger, hammer, cocking button, and disassembly screw are also
brass.) Originally, the M-1896 used the M-1894’s unreliable extraction system –
where the spent cases were simply pushed out of an attachment in front of the
magazine – later, a more conventional and reliable positive extractor was used.
M-1896 marks are delineated by the ammunition they fire; all the cartridges are
proprietary. Barrels are 3.15
inches for the No 2 and 4 inches for the Nos 3 and 4. Today, the M-1896 is quite
rare – there are an estimated only 2000 in firing condition in the world.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
No 2 |
5mm Bergmann |
0.47 kg |
5 |
$101 |
No 3 |
6.5mm Bergmann |
1.13 kg |
5 |
$176 |
No 4 |
8mm Bergmann |
1.31 kg |
5 |
$231 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
No 2 |
SA |
-2 |
Nil |
1 |
3 |
Nil |
5 |
No 3 |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
2 |
Nil |
6 |
No 4 |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
2 |
Nil |
8 |
Borchardt C-93
Notes: Despite
it’s ungainly appearance, the C-93 is an ancestor of the Luger; it pioneered the
toggle lock and return spring action which later worked so well on the Luger.
It was bought by some officers (at that time, officers of many countries
were required to purchase their own sidearms), and even tested by the US Navy
and Army. When fired, the toggle rose and then fell with the action of the
return spring. It is a unique
action found only on the C-93 and Luger.
The toggle action unfortunately requires rather precise machine work to
produce and is prone to malfunctions due to dirt in the action; on the C-93,
with its not-yet perfected action, it could also be prone to malfunctions due to
the complexities of the action. It used proprietary ammunition. It was an
accurate pistol (the 6.5-inch barrel undoubtedly helped in this regard), and had
good range; it was also a clumsy and large weapon (for example, roughly the size
of a Mini-Uzi), for which a special holster had to be manufactured.
The magazine, like most pistols, was inserted into the grip; the grip,
however, was near the center of the C-93. The C-93 came with a shoulder stock,
to which the holster was attached. Today, the C-93 is a much sought-after
collector’s weapon.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
C-93 |
.30 Borchardt |
1.16 kg |
8 |
$260 |
With Stock |
.30 Borchardt |
1.86 kg |
8 |
$280 |
Stock Alone |
N/A |
0.7 kg |
N/A |
$20 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
C-93 |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
2 |
2 |
Nil |
12 |
EP-882S |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
3 |
2 |
Nil |
15 |
Erma EP-22/KGP-69/KGP-68
Notes: The
EP-22, also known as the LA-22, is modeled on the P-08 Luger, but chambered for
.22 Long Rifle ammunition. It was
produced from 1964-1971, and is basically of a similar size and of comparable
weight to the Luger. Some rare
variants of the EP-22 include the Navy model, with a 5.9-inch barrel (as opposed
to the 4.5-inch barrel of the standard EP-22), and a Carbine model with an
11.8-inch barrel, wooden fore-end, tangent-leaf rear sight, and a detachable
stock.
The KGP-69
succeeded the EP-22 in production, and was manufactured until 1997.
It adds a magazine safety and replaces the wooden grip plates with a
molded plastic grip. However, the
barrel is shorter at 3.9 inches.
The KGP-68 is a version of the EP-22 firing either .32 ACP or .380 ACP
ammunition, and having a shorter action and the same short barrel length as the
KGP-69. The KGP-68A is a KGP-68
with a magazine safety, required by US laws at the time; Beeman also sold this
pistol, calling it the MP-08.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
EP-22 |
.22 Long Rifle |
0.99 kg |
8 |
$124 |
EP-22 Navy |
.22 Long Rifle |
1.05 kg |
8 |
$139 |
EP-22 Carbine |
.22 Long Rifle |
1.29 kg |
8 |
$199 |
EP-22 Carbine (With Stock) |
.22 Long Rifle |
1.99 kg |
8 |
$219 |
KGP-69 |
.22 Long Rifle |
0.84 kg |
8 |
$118 |
KGP-68 |
.32 ACP |
0.64 kg |
6 |
$182 |
KGP-68 |
.380 ACP |
0.64 kg |
5 |
$220 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
EP-22 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
1 |
2 |
Nil |
8 |
EP-22 Navy |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
1 |
2 |
Nil |
11 |
EP-22 Carbine (No Stock) |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
2 |
2 |
Nil |
21 |
EP-22 Carbine (With Stock) |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
4 |
1 |
Nil |
23 |
KGP-69 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
1 |
2 |
Nil |
7 |
KGP-68 (.32) |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
4 |
Nil |
9 |
KGP-68 (.380) |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
4 |
Nil |
10 |
Erma EP-452/457/459
Notes:
Introduced in 1984, the EP-452 is externally modeled on the M-1911A1, though it
is much smaller in size.
Internally, the mechanism is quite different, as was necessary to use the .22
Long Rifle cartridge. The frame and
slide are made of light alloy with a blackened finish, and the grips plates are
of wood. The EP-457 is similar, but
fires the .32 ACP round, has a faux stainless finish, and a slightly longer
barrel. The EP-459 is similar to
the EP-457, but fires .380 ACP.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
EP-452 |
.22 Long Rifle |
0.61 kg |
8 |
$113 |
EP-457 |
.32 ACP |
0.69 kg |
8 |
$179 |
EP-459 |
.380 ACP |
0.77 kg |
8 |
$218 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
EP-452 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
1 |
3 |
Nil |
6 |
EP-457 |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
3 |
Nil |
8 |
EP-459 |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
3 |
Nil |
9 |
Erma EP-552/555/652/655
Notes: Like many
such Erma pistols, the EP-552 series was designed to resemble another pistol –
in this case, the Walther PPK. It
does resemble that weapon externally, though internally, it is quite different,
and the slide and frame are made from light alloy.
The EP-552 is the base weapon; it is quite small and light, and has a
short barrel to match. The EP-555
is the same weapon, but fires .25 ACP ammunition.
The EP-652 is a modernized EP-552; it has squared contours and does not
resemble the PPK much any more. It
is also lighter than the EP-552, due to a simplification of the pistol’s
mechanism. The EP-655 is a .25 ACP
version of the EP-652.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
EP-552 |
.22 Long Rifle |
0.41 kg |
7 |
$109 |
EP-555 |
.25 ACP |
0.44 kg |
7 |
$126 |
EP-652 |
.22 Long Rifle |
0.39 kg |
7 |
$109 |
EP-655 |
.25 ACP |
0.42 kg |
7 |
$126 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
EP-552 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
0 |
4 |
Nil |
5 |
EP-555 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
0 |
4 |
Nil |
5 |
EP-652 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
0 |
4 |
Nil |
5 |
EP-655 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
0 |
4 |
Nil |
5 |
Erma EP-882
Notes: This is
basically Erma’s version of the Walther P-38.
This version is a compact pistol in .22 Long Rifle, with a safety catch
that blocks both the bolt and the hammer, and a magazine catch on the heel of
the butt. It is a simple, basic,
small-caliber pistol. A variant,
the EP-882S, has a 6-inch barrel, but is otherwise the same.
Weapon |
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
EP-882 |
.22 Long Rifle |
0.76 kg |
8 |
$129 |
EP-882S |
.22 Long Rifle |
0.79 kg |
8 |
$139 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
EP-882 |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
1 |
2 |
Nil |
9 |
EP-882S |
SA |
-1 |
Nil |
1 |
2 |
Nil |
11 |
Rheinmetall Dreyse
Notes:
Though the Dreyse was never formally adopted by the military of any
country, the Dreyse was carried by many German officers during World War 1, and
it was sold in large numbers to civilians between 1912 and 1915.
An original Louis Schmiesser design, the Dreyse was originally chambered
for .32 ACP and had a 3.6-inch barrel, and was targeted at the civilian
self-defense market. Unofficially,
it was carried by many German staff officers and rear-area troops in World War
1. In .32 ACP, the Dreyse was an
easy to use and shoot pistol, with simple operation and take-down.
Unfortunately,
someone has the bright idea to up-caliber the Dreyse to 9mm Parabellum.
This required not only strengthening of the components, but a
much heavier recoil spring.
This meant that the Dreyse was virtually impossible to cock in the normal
way (by pulling the slide back); instead, the slide could be unhooked from the
frame, allowing it to be pulled back much easier, then locked back into place.
(If you had the strength and time, you could still cock the 9mm Dreyse in
the normal manner.) The barrel was also lengthened to 5 inches.
Examples of the 9mm Dreyse are rare today, and they are usually dangerous
to fire, since wear means the strange cocking mechanism can make the slide sit
loosely on the frame.
Ammunition |
Weight |
Magazines |
Price |
|
Dreyse |
.32 ACP |
0.71 kg |
7 |
$179 |
Dreyse |
9mm Parabellum |
1.05 kg |
8 |
$247 |
Weapon |
ROF |
Damage |
Pen |
Bulk |
SS |
Burst |
Range |
Dreyse |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
3 |
Nil |
8 |
Dreyse |
SA |
1 |
Nil |
1 |
3 |
Nil |
12 |