Ortgies safety removal?

[Strayhorn]

Friends -

A darned old previous owner took a file to the grip safety of an Ortgies Pocket Pistol and I'd like to replace it. Fortunately, parts are available. I've gotten the frame stripped down to the last two pieces - the takedown catch and the safety itself, but I'm stumped on how I get these last two pieces out. The grip safety seems to hold the catch from being pushed out the left side, and the catch prevents the safety from being withdrawn from the bottom.

Any help would be appreciated. I've found exploded views on the web, but no info on how to finally disassemble the safety.

Thanks,

 

[johnwill]

I'll try again, the board locked up an hour or so ago when I was trying to tell you this. There should be nothing but the safety catch that could stop the grip safety from coming out, though you might have to wiggle it around a bit. I'd try depressing the safety catch and then wiggle the grip safety around, it comes out back, then down.

 

[Strayhorn]

Thanks, I'll give it a try again tonight. It seems to be catching on something as I try to withdraw it from the bottom and I can't figure out exactly what.

Fascinating little firearms, though. The grip panel attachment is a hoot!

 

[johnwill]

Lots of people pry the grips off, breaking the wood at the spring loaded catch. You'll see them with rubber bands or tape...

 

[Strayhorn]

Success! I chucked up the frame in a vise, using a bench block to allow the take-down catch to protrude from the right side.

I pulled the safety back as far as it would go, then used a brass drift to lightly tap the top (just above the take-down catch) and it popped right out. Must have been a very snug fit.

Besides the broken grips, I often find these with broken firing pins. Seems a common mistake is to replace the slide in a manner that the firing pin sear hangs on the trigger sear, and people will bang on the end of the slide, breaking off the firing pin sear. These are available from both SARCO and Numrich, if anyone needs one.

Thanks again for the tip.

 

[johnwill]

Glad to see you had success, good luck with the rebuild.

 

[Strayhorn]

Thanks, johnwill.

The safety replacement arrived this morning and I'll start the rebuild this weekend. SARCO had all the parts and our friends at Wolff Gunsprings even have a "service pack" for the Ortgies.

You know, the machining on this little pocket pistol is very complex - the frame and grip safety are a testament to the days when even inexpensive firearms were made by men who really knew what they were doing.

 

[johnwill]

I marvel at a lot of the German guns, clearly they had a real thing for overdesign in the early 1900's! I love the old Walthers in my collection, every part is finely machined, even the ones that it wouldn't make any difference. No stamped metal in those babies!