This Mauser pocket pistol model 1914 is a blowback design, striker fired, semi-automatic pistol that is chambered in 7.65mm(.32 ACP). The barrel is stationary or locked in place at all times but is easily removable for service. The pistol is fed by an 8 round detachable box magazine. It utilizes a blade type front sight and a V notch rear sight. The pistol uses a one piece wrap around Walnut wood grip. The total length of the pistol is 6.1 inches and it weighs in at an unloaded weight of 21 ounces. The pistol has a manual safety that is located on the left side of the frame and operated by the users thumb. The pistol also incorporates an automatic magazine safety which blocks the firing of the pistol when the magazine is removed. There is a slide hold-open device installed on this pistol, but once the slide is in the open position, it can only be released by inserting a fresh magazine either empty or charged.

This Mauser pocket pistol model 1914 was manufactured some time between 1923 and 1929. This 1914 post war is the most commonly found model of this version. This pistol has no military acceptance stamps so there is a good chance that it was originally intended for commercial sales.

Finally, the Mauser used the older German “heel-catch” magazine release, while the Walther twins used the still prevalent Browning style button release. Production began in 1940 at approximately. Mauser C96 Broomhandle Identification Guide This is one of a series of identification guides for the C96 produced by Mauser. In 1896, Mauser introduced the Mauser C96 Self-loading Pistol chambered in 7.63mm. Known as the 'Broomhandle', approximately 1 million were produced until production ended in. 9mm; 85% blue, 60% straw, very good bore, very good grips, 4.0' barrel, Early Mauser production U suffix serial number gun manufactured using DWM parts. Police sear safety installed, with the frame cut for the magazine safety, which were normally.

The Mauser pocket pistol model 1914 gets it shape and appearance from the patents of the Mauser model 1907 pistol. The first of these pistols was the model 1910 which did not go into commercial sales until the original designs of the 1907 pistol patent had been considerably modified . The most noticeable of these changes was that the 1907 is a locked breech weapon while the 1910 is of the blowback design. The model 1910 which looks very similar to the pistol on this page is chambered for the 6.35mm(.25 ACP) cartridge.

In 1914 Mauser used the design of the model 1910 and built the model 1914 that is chambered for the larger 7.65mm(.32 ACP) round. The main difference between the two models was in the dimensions to accept the larger caliber round. There was also some minor design changes such as the lug at the rear of the barrel which is discussed in the pictures below. Then twenty years later in 1934, the factory director, August Weiß whose nickname was 'Parabellum-Weiß' came out with the final design to this pistol that changed the shape of the grip to fit more comfortably in the hand. All three models of this pistol, 1910, 1914 and the 1934 are mechanically identical. The parts can be easily interchanged between the model 1914 and the model 1934. Given that the three pistols look nearly the same, and are mechanically the same, and that the parts between two version can interchange, lends itself to a lot of confusion among collectors as to exactly which model of the pistol they may have in their collection. All three of these models are exceptionally well made and were the best pocket pistols that Mauser produced at the time.

So which version do you have? Below are some rough model guidelines that might be able to help. Keep in mind that with-in these models there will be sub-variations which have some minor differences. Mauser did not officially designate model names for all of these different variations of this pistol. The Mauser firm commonly referred to it as simply the model 1910. It is the collectors, historians, researchers and authors that further derived model designations based on the earliest year of significant change in design or appearance. As such, there will always be some debate when it comes to model names and variations. With that in mind, lets dig into some of the variations of this pistol and learn a little more about it. All models can have either a wood or plastic grip. The early plastic grip will have the MW(Mauser Werke) monogram while the Mauser banner is found on the late curved back plastic grip. The date of manufacture and the serial number ranges found below are credited to John LaCroix’s excellent AutoMag articles.

1910 Sidelatch, this variation was manufactured between 1910 to 1913 with a serial number range of 1 to 61000. This version is appropriately named due to the latch in the left side plate. The early versions are found with a smaller diameter safety release. This model is found with 2 different slide markings.

Humpback, this variation is very rare and was manufactured between 1912 to 1913 with a serial number range of 1 to 2800. This model is referred to as the humpback version due to a hump at the top of the slide. This model is found with many variations and slight changes to the smaller parts, but all will have a hump on the slide. The early models have a 3 line slide marking while later models have a 2 line stamping. Some collectors consider this version a prototype.

1914 model, this variation was manufactured between 1913 to 1914 with a serial number range between 2801 to13500. This variation will be found with a 2 line slide marking.

1910/14 model, this variation was manufactured between 1914 to 1921 with a serial number range between 61000 to 221800. This variation has no latch in the side plate and will be found with 9 slide serrations on each side of the slide.

1914 model, this variation was manufactured between 1914 to 1923 with a serial number range between 13500 to 296000. This variation will be found with a single line slide stamping on the left side. Late models will not have the Mauser Banner on the left side plate. Some time around serial number 162,500 the right side of the slide is stamped “Mauser 7.65”. Around serial number 277,000 the milled panel on the frame was discontinued.

1910/14 model, this variation was manufactured between 1921 to 1928 with a serial number range between 221800 to 345000. This version will be found with 7 slide serrations on each side of the slide.

1914 model, this variation was manufactured between 1923 to 1929 with a serial number range between 277000 to 460000. This variation will be found with a 2 line left slide stamping. The 1914 post war model is the most often encountered. It is this version that is pictured on this web page.

1914/34 model, this variation was manufactured between 1929 to 1933, with a serial number range between 460000 to 526000. This variation will have a single line left side slide marking and a straight grip. Late models will be found with a slot cut into the forward part of the slide containing the serial number. The smaller parts are finished with a potassium nitrate(saltpeter) or hot bluing process. In this hot bluing process, as the temperature is brought up, the surface turns a straw color which proceeds to blue and then to black. If it is stopped at the blue stage, the color will be a gorgeous deep royal blue not achievable any other way. Very expensive custom guns are often found blued this way.

1910/34 model, this variation was manufactured between 1928 to 1936 with a serial number range between 345000 to 403300. This variation is found with a strait grip and a single line left side slide marking. The finish is a cold blue with the smaller parts being finished in a potassium nitrate(saltpeter) or hot bluing process as described above.

1934 model, this variation was manufactured between 1933 to 1941 with a serial number range between 498250 to 617000. This variation will have a curved grip and a single line left side slide marking. The model is finished with a hot bluing process.

1914 Mauser Pistol Serial Numbers

1910/34 model, this variation was manufactured between 1936 to 1941, with a serial number range between 403300 to 429000. This variation will have a curved grip and the only serial number showing will be on the slide. Late models will be found with a slot cut into the forward part of the slide containing the serial number.

For pictures of many of the different models, please see a pdf. document that was put together by my friend Burgess located at the MauserGuns website.

The model 1934 was used by the German armed forces as a substitute standard sidearm. The pistol was also adopted in 1936 by the various police and security forces of Germany. The pistol saw service with the German Kriegsmarine(Navy), the Luftwaffe(Air Force) and the Wehrmacht(Army) which ordered about 8,000 pistols.

This pistol design was also very popular with the Japanese army. The Japanese would normally label handgun ammunition by the firearm the ammunition was intended for rather than by the caliber or size of the round. When the Japanese manufactured ammunition for the Mauser pocket pistol they labeled it just that, 'mo shiki chu gata ken ju dan yaku' or “Mauser type medium sized pistol cartridges'.

This pistol design was produced from 1910 until 1941 with close to a million pistols being manufactured. Some variations of this model are quite common, while others are extremely rare. The Mauser firm stopped production of this pistol at the beginning of WWII and replaced it with the HSC model.

The first Mauser patents on blowback type pistols date from 1907, and many patents were taken out from 1907 to 1915. Work on a fixed-barrel type of arms was first done on rifles in 1907, but in 1908 interest had shifted to experimental work on a hand gun of this type. Mauser's first attempt was to produce a military pistol in 9 mm. Parabellum caliber, and this resulted in a pistol designated as Modell 1909. Although an instruction book was issued, indicating that the pistol was expected to meet with approval, there was little demand for them and very few were made. This Modell 1909 is not to be confused with the later Modell 1912 and the Modell 1912/14, as it did not have the delaying or retarding devices which appeared on the Modell

1912. Successful functioning depended on the use of a special Parabellum cartridge with a lighter powder charge and lighter bullet, which was specially designed by Mauser for this weapon (Figs. 213, 214).

1910 and 1914 Types-In 1909-1910 Mauser developed and produced a 6.35 mm. pocket pistol which, except for size, minor machining, and assembly differences, was a copy of the 9 mm. Modell 1909, and this was put on the market later in 1910 or early in 1911. It is now referred to as the Mod. 1910, although at the time no model designation was assigned to it by the manufacturer. Model designations for the early smaller pistols were made only in the case of the 6.35 mm. vestpocket (W.T.P.) pistols and then only after the introduction of the second model.

Early issues of the 1910 Type are characterized by the presence of a lever on the left side of the receiver just above the trigger, the purpose of which is two-fold. The device combines a trigger pin and on this pin is a latch which unlocks the front end of the side plate over the limb work. The rear end of this plate is rabbeted into the receiver. In the later issues of the 1910 Type pistol a simpler and less expensive scheme was used. In these later pistols the trigger pin is staked to the opposite (right) side of the receiver. To expose the limb work the slide is first removed and the side plate, which is rabbeted at each end, is simply lifted up at the rear end and removed.

Late in 1913 a new version of the 1910 type was announced, differing in a few details. Early in 1914 it was announced that a 7.65 mm. pistol was forthcoming, in which all of the latest features of the 6.35 mm. pistol would be incorporated. This appeared late in that year or possibly early in 1915. Experimental models for a 7.65 mm. pistol had been made in 1912 and

1913, but the final form which was issued commercially was quite different in external characteristics from the experimental forms. The Model 1910 (but unofficial) designation seems to have remained as popular nomenclature for the early 6.35 mm. model (ca. 1910), the improved 6.35 mm. model (ca. 1913-14), and the first 7.65 mm. model (ca. 1914, commercially). Later the 7.65 mm. pistol became known as the Model 1914 in popular nomenclature. As time went on it appeared in several slightly differing forms, but essentially it remained the same.

The numbering of the 6.35 mm. pistols produced from 1910 to 1913 (inclusive) appears to have been from 1 to 61,000. The 7.65 mm. 1914 type seems to have been numbered first from 61,000 to 100,000, after which the numbers jumped to 200,000 and became intermingled with the numbers for the 6.35 mm. pistol. From the number 200,000 on, the 6.35 and 7.65 mm. pistols appear to have been numbered in the same series, which by 1939 had reached about 640,000. This statement does not include the W.T.P. models, however, which had their own series of numbering. Although the firm name had been changed from Waffenfabrik Mauser to Mauser-Werke in 1922, the new name was not used on the pocket pistols until 1929 or 1930, at about serial number 400,000.

1934-1939-From 1914 to 1934 there had been little change in the 7.65 mm. model, but in 1934 a change was made which altered its external appearance. This change consisted in the use of a more streamlined grip, which afforded a better hold. Instead of using two grip pieces the entire grip consisted of one piece, formed to fit the grip frame. A single screw on each side held it in place.

About this time Mauser began work on a design for a double action pistol and by 1937 they had developed one which they designated a Hahn Selbstspann (or self-cocking hammer). This system, generally referred to as the HS system, was much delayed in its development due to patent and legal difficulties engendered by Walther's natural desire to control the production of double action pistols. In 1937 Mauser produced a few of the new pistols, designated HSa, and circulated samples among firearms authorities, editors, etc. to get their reaction. As a result of recommendations and comments received, certain changes were made and a few of this revised form (known as HSb) were similarly circulated. Finally, a third form was arrived at and this was considered sufficiently perfected to warrant commercial production. This model was designated Modell HSc, and serial numbering started around 700,000. From the time that it was brought out, in 1938, until 1945 serial numbers had grown to about 955,000, indicating that more than 250,000 had been made in that period. This model was produced throughout World War II as a side arm for the Army and for the Luftwaffe, and very few were distributed commercially. Hence almost every specimen seen will have the German military acceptance mark (WaA ). Not only did the military forces take over all of the HSc pistols produced, but also the last 100,000 or so of the 1934 type, consequently many specimens of the latter will also have the German military acceptance mark. Both of these 7.65 mm. pistols, being small, compact, and reliable, were desirable as light side arms. The Model HSc is an exceptionally fine pocket pistol.

Mauser Pistol Serial Number Range

Immediately after the war another 20,000 pieces were made for the French Government. These are regularly marked and should be numbered above 955,000. Naturally they will not have the German acceptance mark. There were several minor mechanical variations in this run. The Mod. HSc was also produced, experimentally, in .22 caliber and in 9 mm. Short (.380 ACP) but only in very small quantities. Consequently they are collectors' items.

Mauser Pistol Serial Numbers

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