Hold-open of Mauser Pocket

alvin · 06-16-2009, 06:24 PM

My first Mauser baby gun.

Following pix illustrate how its hold open works. Before took it down and checked inside, I had thought again and again and could not understand how it works based on its external behavior.

What a design!

Lugerdoc · 06-17-2009, 08:48 AM

This part also doubles as the ejector when a mag is inserted and the front end is up. TH

alvin · 07-12-2009, 10:46 PM

The most amazing part to me was this: its magazine follower holds the slide open after the last shot, when the magazine was removed, before the slide was released, the hold open latch kicks in, so the slide was kept open (slide did not move!). When the magazine is inserted again, the magazine follower does not return to its previous slide-blocking position and it's pushed down by the bolt, the magazine body wall releases the hold-open latch, and slide returns to battery.

The thing was designed working marginally, requiring very accurate machining. But amazingly it's very reliable.

It's not chrome plated

Lugerdoc · 07-13-2009, 11:24 AM

Alvin, I'm glad to find someone else that appreciates the mechanics of these pistols. Most generalgunsmiths hate to work on them, since they are so different that most other pistols. TH

PhilOhio · 07-13-2009, 01:57 PM

Alvin,

Are you sure that your Mauser follower holds the slide back after the last shot is fired? I doubt it. I know it looks that way, viewing parts through the open ejection port, but you might find a few thousandths clearance between the slide face and follower. The way you know what's going on is if you feel slight drag when removing the empty magazine while the slide is locked open; there would probably be heavy slide spring tension on the follower, if it works the way you think it does. I suspect you will find no tension or drag.

I haven't worked on one of the early Mauser pocket pistols (.25 and also .32/.380) for a few years, but my Mauser HSc uses basically the same slide lock system, which I am still trying to figure out; even after disassembling it and staring at the innards many times. I'm still relatively new to working on the HSc mechanism.

Try this and you may be surprised. Close the slide and remove the magazine. Draw the slide back. I think you will find it will lock open, with no follower or magazine body touching anything. This is how my HSc works. Insert the magazine, empty or loaded, and of course the slide will release.

Here's a little Mauser pistol trick an experienced gun guy friend of mine told me about recently. You can release the locked back slide without inserting a magazine. In that mode, magazine removed and slide back, grasp the slide serations and very quickly and sharply draw it back and release it; in a split second. The slide will close. I have no idea why this works, but it does. And you don't grind up your mags all the time just to release the slide.

I don't like any part of this Mauser slide lock system, but the HSc has other strong points, which make me like it almost as much as a PPk, now that I built a couple springs and ammo to make it reliable.

It is worth noting that, to my knowledge, no other manufacturer has felt there was customer demand for incorporating this slide lock system into any other pistol design. Kind of like the toggle bolt.

So for those of you who hate those silly toggle bolts, I'm accepting donations of all pistols using this obsolete mechanism.

alvin · 07-13-2009, 06:26 PM

Glad that I am not the only person interested in Mauser babies. This is the only one that I have at this moment. So I'd like to limit my observation on 1934. Most likely 1910 and 1914 work in the similar way.

Yes, Phil, I am sure it's the magazine follower blocking the slide after the last shot. This gun was designed by Josef Nickl, who also designed the world famous Mauser Schnellfeuer in 1930s. Although Pocket Pistol and Schnellfeuer are very different in appearence, some concepts are very similar because they came from the same designer.

On both guns:
(1) the high speed moving slide/bolt is intially blocked by empty magazine's follower;
(2) there is a 2nd mechnism to keep the bolt open after the magazine is removed;
(3) Without magazine, the slide/bolt can be released by pulling it to its rearest position and releasing it;
(4) firing control via adjusting trigger top width.

On pocket pistol, the hold open latch is pushed down by magazine wall, nothing blocks slide movement except empty magazine's follower. After the magazine is removed, the hold open latch raises its position and catches the notch on the slide. Please note that the hold open latch is pushed down when you pull the slide back, if you release the slide, it won't be able to catch the high speed slide, so the slide returns to battery. Similar thing on Schnellfeuer, but that hold-open latch role is performed by the external hammer.

06-16-2009, 06:24 PM	#1
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Hold-open of Mauser Pocket My first Mauser baby gun. Following pix illustrate how its hold open works. Before took it down and checked inside, I had thought again and again and could not understand how it works based on its external behavior. What a design! Attached Thumbnails

06-17-2009, 08:48 AM	#2
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	This part also doubles as the ejector when a mag is inserted and the front end is up. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 [email protected]

07-12-2009, 10:46 PM	#3
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	The most amazing part to me was this: its magazine follower holds the slide open after the last shot, when the magazine was removed, before the slide was released, the hold open latch kicks in, so the slide was kept open (slide did not move!). When the magazine is inserted again, the magazine follower does not return to its previous slide-blocking position and it's pushed down by the bolt, the magazine body wall releases the hold-open latch, and slide returns to battery. The thing was designed working marginally, requiring very accurate machining. But amazingly it's very reliable. It's not chrome plated Attached Thumbnails

07-13-2009, 11:24 AM	#4
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	Alvin, I'm glad to find someone else that appreciates the mechanics of these pistols. Most generalgunsmiths hate to work on them, since they are so different that most other pistols. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 [email protected]

07-13-2009, 01:57 PM	#5
PhilOhio User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 145 Thanks: 5 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	Alvin, Are you sure that your Mauser follower holds the slide back after the last shot is fired? I doubt it. I know it looks that way, viewing parts through the open ejection port, but you might find a few thousandths clearance between the slide face and follower. The way you know what's going on is if you feel slight drag when removing the empty magazine while the slide is locked open; there would probably be heavy slide spring tension on the follower, if it works the way you think it does. I suspect you will find no tension or drag. I haven't worked on one of the early Mauser pocket pistols (.25 and also .32/.380) for a few years, but my Mauser HSc uses basically the same slide lock system, which I am still trying to figure out; even after disassembling it and staring at the innards many times. I'm still relatively new to working on the HSc mechanism. Try this and you may be surprised. Close the slide and remove the magazine. Draw the slide back. I think you will find it will lock open, with no follower or magazine body touching anything. This is how my HSc works. Insert the magazine, empty or loaded, and of course the slide will release. Here's a little Mauser pistol trick an experienced gun guy friend of mine told me about recently. You can release the locked back slide without inserting a magazine. In that mode, magazine removed and slide back, grasp the slide serations and *very quickly and sharply* draw it back and release it; in a split second. The slide will close. I have no idea why this works, but it does. And you don't grind up your mags all the time just to release the slide. I don't like any part of this Mauser slide lock system, but the HSc has other strong points, which make me like it almost as much as a PPk, now that I built a couple springs and ammo to make it reliable. It is worth noting that, to my knowledge, no other manufacturer has felt there was customer demand for incorporating this slide lock system into any other pistol design. Kind of like the toggle bolt. So for those of you who hate those silly toggle bolts, I'm accepting donations of all pistols using this obsolete mechanism.

07-13-2009, 06:26 PM	#6
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Glad that I am not the only person interested in Mauser babies. This is the only one that I have at this moment. So I'd like to limit my observation on 1934. Most likely 1910 and 1914 work in the similar way. Yes, Phil, I am sure it's the magazine follower blocking the slide after the last shot. This gun was designed by Josef Nickl, who also designed the world famous Mauser Schnellfeuer in 1930s. Although Pocket Pistol and Schnellfeuer are very different in appearence, some concepts are very similar because they came from the same designer. On both guns: (1) the high speed moving slide/bolt is intially blocked by empty magazine's follower; (2) there is a 2nd mechnism to keep the bolt open after the magazine is removed; (3) Without magazine, the slide/bolt can be released by pulling it to its rearest position and releasing it; (4) firing control via adjusting trigger top width. On pocket pistol, the hold open latch is pushed down by magazine wall, nothing blocks slide movement except empty magazine's follower. After the magazine is removed, the hold open latch raises its position and catches the notch on the slide. Please note that the hold open latch is pushed down when you pull the slide back, if you release the slide, it won't be able to catch the high speed slide, so the slide returns to battery. Similar thing on Schnellfeuer, but that hold-open latch role is performed by the external hammer.