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.

Weapon

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