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DWM Pocket Pistol

8585 Views 39 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  Vlim, 
M
3
I recently inherited a DWM Pocket Pistol from my father. This is a 7.65mm (.32ACP) blowback, semiautomatic pistol modeled on the FN Browning Model 1910.

The pistol was not functional when I received it, but a local gunsmith ordered an extractor, extractor spring and magazine for a Browning 1910, and the pistol works fine now. It has a matching serial number 711 on the slide, frame and barrel, and the N/Crown proof mark.

My understanding is this pistol was manufactured by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabrik in Berlin from 1922 thru 1931 (?). Can anyone tell me more about this pistol? Was it used by military or police personnel? How many were manufactured? Are there any good references available?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Michael O’Driscoll
Waunakee, Wisconsin USA
[email protected]

Here are some pictures, while not of my pistol, that show a DWM Pocket Pistol…

Download Attachment: DWM_Left.jpg
49.64 KB

Download Attachment: DWM_Right.jpg
46.53 KB



Download Attachment: DWM_Detail.jpg
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M
10
Isn't there anyone here who can help, or comment?

Here are some pictures of my DWM Pocket Pistol...

Download Attachment: DWM_Kit.jpg
111.12KB

Download Attachment: DWM_MuzzleLeft.jpg
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Download Attachment: DWM_MuzzleRight.jpg
118.53KB

Download Attachment: DWM_SerialNumbers.jpg
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Download Attachment: DWM_Right.jpg
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Download Attachment: DWM_GripLeft.jpg
124.61KB

Download Attachment: DWM_w_Mags.jpg
129.13KB

Download Attachment: DWM_GripRight.jpg
131.77KB

Download Attachment: DWM_Stripped.jpg
143.46KB

Download Attachment: DWM_Left.jpg
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Edward Tinker
Michael, your posting must have been lost among the posts that day.

I am sure there are some collectors of this fine pistol. Yours looks like a nice one,

Ed
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Jan C Still
Michael
You have a rare pistol. I saw one at a gun show many years ago and I know very little about them. I believe that you are correct. They were manufactured by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabrik (DWM) in Berlin from 1922 thru 1931 (?). DWM is the same Company that manufactured Lugers from 1900-1930. There is no indication that they were used by the German Police or military. It was a commercial pistol. Perhaps other collectors will give you more detailed information and a reference.
Jan
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P
Here is a very good collector's website for pocket pistols:
http://www.vestpockets.bauli.at/
Go to the "Archive" section for photos and info.
This is a very nicely developed site which I have visited many times over the lasts few years. I will contact this collector, and see if he wants to visit this forum. I think he might be a good contributor.
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M
Pancho, Weimar_Police and Mr. Still,

Thank you for your replies and the additional information... I knew there must be someone on this board that could help. Again, I'm not a collector, just curious about this pistol.

There is someone I've been in contact with who is a collector and interested in this gun. Any idea on a fair market value? Because of the sentimental and personal value, I'm not convinced I will sell it. It probably belongs in a collection of some sort, and I'm not sure I consider it as reliable as other modern pistols that I own.

Cheers
Michael O'Driscoll
Waunakee, WI
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Edward Tinker
Michael, since you verbalized a bit of regret, then DON'T sell it. You will always regret it and the $300 - $800 you make is not much. I have no idea of value, but being rarer, makes it harder to find, thus driving the price up, being rarer, there are fewer collectors that would want it.
But as I started to say, the "small" amount of money will be long spent and the regret still there. Of course, seeing it in a museum would be nice? But usually not much money in something like that for most museums.

Ed
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M
Ed,

Thank you for the support. In a world where money talks, it's sometimes tough to remember what it's all about. I spoke with my son today about selling his grandfather's DWM, and we both agree it's better to keep this pistol in the family.

Cheers
Michael
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O
While we are discussing this pistol I would hope that any other owners will post their serial numbers.

I own #710 which I assume means an early gun. I have wood checkered grips. DWM script is engraved on the left hand of slide just above grips. I see both posted here has DWM as part of the top of the grip.

I hope someone can enlighten me further on the differences and just what I/we have.

The finish on my gun is not very good. Poor storage I think.

I have also fired this gun. It unfortunately goes "full auto" from time to time when it gets warmed up. Not sure if it is a sear problem or something else. Advice is welcome on this front as well. Where the heck would I get parts for this gun. Needless to say I have not fired it lately until I learn more of the remedy for this exciting problem.

As far as selling the thing, I would like to improve upon my own gun, if you are interested in selling let me know. This would make a collection of two, there must be others out there with multiples of this gun!

Regards,

KG
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O
Michael,

I posted my most recent comments before I realized that your gun is only one serial number away. So do 710 and 711 mean early guns? Regardless, why are our grips so different? My grip screws are in the same location as yours. My grips are checkered wood not plastic. No DWM logo on the grips.

My gun came home from Germany as a GI souvenir. It came in a med brown leather pouch with a snap flap. No place for spare mags. The gun has been in the pouch/holster forever so came with the gun likely from new??

Look forward to learning more about our guns.

KG
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M
onaway,

How uncanny... serial #'s 710 & 711! Could you possibly post pictures of your pistol, in a simialr fashion as I have, for the record?

Michael
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Douglas_Jr
Michael and KG,

I found the following info in the Ian V. Hogg´s book "GERMAN HANDGUNS", (Greenhill Books, 2001, p. 42-43) concerning the DWM 7,65mm pistol:

"In the aftermath of World War I, DWM found themselves in a quandary: they had a skilled work force and splendid machinery, but they were forbidden, under Versilles Treaty, to manufacture military pistols. They therefore decided to manufacture a pocket pistol for the commercial market.

Instead of employing a designer to come up with something completly novel, DWM took the easy way out and produced a close copy of the 1910 Belgian Browning (...) In fact they made such a good job of copying that Fabrique NAtionale of Belgium, who had designed and produced the original, threatened legal action, even though the Browning patents were on the point of expiring. This, together with declining sales in later 1920s, led DWM to cease production in 1928, after about 50,000 had been made.

DWM marketed its gun initially as Model 22. The original version had walnut grips, but these were soon changed to black plastic and the pistol became the Model 23, though this was purely company inventory nomenclature and never appeared on the pistols. The sole marking is the DWM monogram on the left side of the slide and on the black plastic grips."
Hope it helps you a little bit more.

Regards,

Douglas.
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Douglas_Jr
Michael and KG,

I found the following info in the Ian V. Hogg´s book "GERMAN HANDGUNS", (Greenhill Books, 2001, p. 42-43) concerning the DWM 7,65mm pistol:

"In the aftermath of World War I, DWM found themselves in a quandary: they had a skilled work force and splendid machinery, but they were forbidden, under Versilles Treaty, to manufacture military pistols. They therefore decided to manufacture a pocket pistol for the commercial market.

Instead of employing a designer to come up with something completly novel, DWM took the easy way out and produced a close copy of the 1910 Belgian Browning (...) In fact they made such a good job of copying that Fabrique NAtionale of Belgium, who had designed and produced the original, threatened legal action, even though the Browning patents were on the point of expiring. This, together with declining sales in later 1920s, led DWM to cease production in 1928, after about 50,000 had been made.

DWM marketed its gun initially as Model 22. The original version had walnut grips, but these were soon changed to black plastic and the pistol became the Model 23, though this was purely company inventory nomenclature and never appeared on the pistols. The sole marking is the DWM monogram on the left side of the slide and on the black plastic grips."
Hope it helps you a little bit more.

Regards,

Douglas.
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O
Douglas,

Thanks for the excellent post. That is the most I have ever found about the DWM pocket pistol. Now I know what to call it. It also explains the discrepency in the grips between our guns. Mine appears to have the original grips while Micheals was updated by an owner to the newer grips perhaps.

Regards,

KG
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O
Douglas,

Thanks for the excellent post. That is the most I have ever found about the DWM pocket pistol. Now I know what to call it. It also explains the discrepency in the grips between our guns. Mine appears to have the original grips while Micheals was updated by an owner to the newer grips perhaps.

Regards,

KG
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M
Here's a URL to an Italian web site maitained by Edoardo Mori that shows the DWM Pocket Pistol...
http://www.earmi.it/armi/atlas/207.htm
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M
Here's a URL to an Italian web site maitained by Edoardo Mori that shows the DWM Pocket Pistol...
http://www.earmi.it/armi/atlas/207.htm
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P
Wait a minute.
Hold on.
Together, these pistols have a value that they do not have apart.
Together, they represent the specific point in time when the manufacturer
changed models, and began using the new plastic grip.
Were I either of you fellows, I would seek to buy the other's pistol.
Of course, you'd have to be a little fanatical, like me.
In fact, it's starting to drive me a little nuts that they are not mine.
I think I need my medication.
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P
Wait a minute.
Hold on.
Together, these pistols have a value that they do not have apart.
Together, they represent the specific point in time when the manufacturer
changed models, and began using the new plastic grip.
Were I either of you fellows, I would seek to buy the other's pistol.
Of course, you'd have to be a little fanatical, like me.
In fact, it's starting to drive me a little nuts that they are not mine.
I think I need my medication.
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RockinWR
Michael/KG,
* FYI.
* Picture of a(nother) DWM shown in Edward C. Ezell's Handguns of the World, Pg. 257, Fig.5-57. Caption reads: "The 7.65mm Browning caliber DWM pistol, which was a close copy of the Modele 1910 FN Browning. This pistol has an 88-millimeter barrel for a total length of 153 millimeters, and it weighs 573 grams(Krcma)."
* Grips have no LOGO shown.
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