Educate me on Deutsche Wenke .32

[Viper99]

Hello All,
Saw this gun at my local gun shop and kind of looks interesting.
Tell me the good and bad. Decent shape for the age at 200.00
Regards,

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Werke, not Wenke.
Search "Ortgies."

 

[gyvel]

Meh. Middle-of-the-road 1920s German .32 auto. Not the best, but not the worst, either. As Bill says, search "Ortgies."

If you do buy it, PLEASE learn how to take the grips off before you attempt it.

 

[RJay]

And don't ever carry it " one in the chamber " for pocket carry,, in fact it is not a good ideal to carry it with a round in the chamber at all.

 

[gyvel]

What looks like a grip safety on the Ortgies acts in an unusual manner. When the gun is cocked, the grip safety pops out, locking the gun. when you grip the gun as to fire, it automatically locks in, enabling you to pull the trigger and fire the gun. It will not reset until you press the button on the frame, thus keeping the gun in a loaded condition with no safety of any kind.

 

[Viper99]

Sounds like something I should stay away from and will.
Thanks for the replies.

 

[MFitz]

On the contrary. If you want it as an inexpensive historical curiosity for the display and occasional trip the range then go for it.

If you are looking for a working gun, take a pass.

 

[James K]

Anyone thinking of disassembling an Ortgies, PLEASE find out how to reassemble it before trying to do so. Many have been ruined by attempts to get the slide back on without knowing the firing pin spring guide "trick".

The Ortgies is also very susceptible to breakage of the firing pin "feet" from dry firing. So do NOT dry fire an Ortgies; if you have no snap caps, use an empty case or a dowel/pencil inserted through the muzzle to cushion the firing pin.

The warning about not carrying or storing it loaded is also well taken. Of those two "feet", only one actually engages the sear. Sometimes that "foot" can crack or fail in such a way that the gun does not fire accidentally right away; the "foot" can fail under strain when the gun is cocked, even when it is just "sitting there" or seemingly safe in a holster.

Jim