[onaway]

Folks,

I have a strange gun in my possession. It is German. Marked DRGM on left trigger guard, Ser #1588 above trigger left side, and GERMANY on rear frame above left grip.

Photos show the gun.

There appears to be no bolt, it is missing from this gun, no firing pin in other words. The chamber breaks in the middle by sliding to the rear the thick ring. The barrel is locked by sliding this thick ring over the rear of the barrel, thereby holding it in place.

Rear sight appears to be a rounded slotted bolt, fwd sight is a square peg with corners pointing fore and aft to create a diamond.

Plain solid wood grip.

Overall finish on the gun reflects serious production, not a handmade item from some local mechanic. Obviously serial number also indicates that.

Caliber appears to be around .32 on business end of barrel but when chamber is broken open it measures about 13/16"ID.

My guess is that it is some sort of signal gun or line shooting gun, the wide open chamber holds short length of coiled line. But this is not likely correct.

PLEASE HELP!

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[Mc]

Since no one else has weighed in on this I would guess that it
is some sort of tear gas gun. Sheintodt comes to mind. But I
am certainly no expert on these.
Mc

 

[onaway]

MC,

Thanks for the reply. Ive been suprised there has been no response until now. Plenty of reasers though.

My assumption is that there must have been a bolt or firing pin in the gun at one time, it is missing at present.

Tear gas gun never crossed my mind, Ill have to look into that a bit. Thanks for the clue.

 

[Edward Tinker]

Onaway and Mc, I imagine they were as stumped as I was?

Tear gas? Dart gun? I too have no idea...

Ed

 

[onaway]

Dart gun is a good idea too. I'll keep looking. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Vlim]

Starter pistol?

 

[Jan]

A several years ago I saw an old German advertisment with a similar pistol called "Fokostop". It was a fire-extinguisher pistol. Cartridge was filled with some chemicals.

 

[Ron Smith]

If it has sights. Obviously it was intended to be aimed. So it must have fired some sort of projectile. Does'nt seem logical to put sights on a pistol for any of the mentioned uses. Except a dart gun. It's marked GERMANY, for export. Is the muzzle threaded on the inside?

Ron

 

[onaway]

Great question. The barrel is not threaded, it does not have rifling for a bullet. Interestingly, the front sight is screwed into the top of the barrel and the bottom of this sight projects into the barrel maybe 1/32 or 1/64. So it is not likely that a bullet was fired with this gun.

The gun seems to me is too well made to be a toy, but could it be a toy???

I was trying to think of tools that might need to look like a gun, like a pop rivet device or whatever. But again, why the sights?

Thanks for the question, I hope my answer helps someone help me!

 

[Guest]

Interesting! I have no clue but I would like to speculate. From the photo's it appears and it was stated as well,the barrel contricts on the muzzle end. I'm not a rocket man but it seems to me that only a gas or a liquid could pass throught it. Both would have to be compressed and be contained. Therefore, some sort of container to insert into the barrel. Could the front site tighten down on this container like a set screw?

Now, why the trigger? "There appears to be no bolt, it is missing from this gun, no firing pin in other words." What would be the purpose of the trigger?

Since I can't see the housing, could the trigger be used to build up pressure that would sgueeze the container or what ever the object inserted is? Thereby, expelling the propellant?

Tear Gas or Fire exstinguisher or dart? Thinking about each of these and what type of pressure is needed for each I tend to speculate a liquid. Therefore, I would side with Jan (especially since he "saw an old German advertisment with a similar pistol called "Fokostop". It was a fire-extinguisher pistol. Cartridge was filled with some chemicals."

However, pure speculation on my part but I would take the odds to Vegas.

 

[aaron]

DRGM was a long time maker of toy pistols and also tear gas guns. You seem to have one of their tear gas guns. To see an example of one of their gas guns in another style, and also a picture of the gas gun cartridges, go to

http://www.joesalter.com/detail.php?f_qryitem=1201

 

[onaway]

Thunderstick and Aaron, thanks for your replies.

When I described the bolt and firing pin I am trying to say that it was likely lost or misplaced from this gun, not to imply that there never was one with it. I cannot find any way to cock the gun or to make the trigger activate a hammer or release something so I assumed that a large spring and or bolt was missing. I assumed a spring fit inside the barrel tube etc.

If I open the chamber and put my finger into the rear tube I can feel the trigger penetrates into the bottom of the chamber tube; I can feel the trigger moving in the tube when I pull it so I assume it must have relased a bolt or firing pin in some way.

Aaron, the gas pistol you provided a link to is a great lead, I will try to follow this up. It is much cruder and simpler but maybe is the same idea. Many thanks.

 

[keoki7]

Aaron, I hesitate to contradict you, but I believe D.R.G.M. is an official abbreviation for the German Patent office designation of a registered patent. One may find it on any number of German manufactured products from the Imperial period up through the Third Reich.

 

[Ron Smith]

Don't mean to be flippant. My first thought when I look at it is a magnum spud gun. It's built along the same lines. A compression chamber, with a restricted muzzle. Strange!

Ron

 

[Mark]

The link to the gas gun that Aaron posted has the German crown over U firing proof on it which indicates it was test fired with an overloaded round. Based on that, the gun pictured should also have a German proof mark if it fired a gas cartridge. I can't tell if it has such a marking in the photo.

Mark

 

[onaway]

There is no crown U mark that I can see. But on the right side of the frame, just above and to the rear of the trigger there is a circle with something in it but I cannot get a magnifyer at the moment to look at it closely.

 

[fg42]

A wild guess is in order with no idea where this idea comes from except a dark recess of my mind.?? Is it a cattle killer ? you load a blank (usually .22 cal) into a 2 piece device that fits inside. fireing the blank propells the front half of the cylender forward attached to it is a rod that goes forward a short distance. the gun is held against the cows forehead and is thusly killed by the rod. Sorry I say something like your in the past and this is my best guess.

 

[Ron Smith]

Bob, Could very well be. I believe they are called bolt guns. Used in slaughter houses. Good thought!
Ron

 

[Guest_V]

Aaron,

DRGM was NOT a manufacturer. The letters denote Deutsche Reichs Gebrauchsmuster - the German Reichs Trades Mark Office.

This could well be a humane killer (slaughterman´s gun) - or maybe a flare gun?

Patrick

 

[fg42]

I am sorry this is not a cattle killer! I have it's true idenity now. I just bought the"Blue Book Of Airguns " fourth edition by DR Robert Beeman and John B. Allen. On page 262 it is pictured!! now Quoting the blue book. Hubertus prevoiusly manufactured by Jadwaffenfabrik,in Sul, Gremany,(other addresses may include Molin, Germany.) Hubertus-.177 or 22cal push-barrel,spring-piston action, single shot,(barrel musrbe pulled backout beforeloading and fireing)blue steel receiver,plain barrel.both front and rearsightson receiver,marked D.R.G.M. Deutsches Reichs-Gebrauch-Muster (a low level patent notice). ((YOURS IS next))Small frame variant:smothbore,8.5in overall,early production, Large frame variant: rifled,10.5 overall, about 1.5 lbs. patented1925,probably mfd to mid 1930s. See guns review,May 1973 and Dec. 1975. Values listed 100% $250 to 20% $90. End Quotes That is what you have. Yours appears to be missing the spring and the barrel-piston piece. but at least yopu now know what to call your gun its a Hubertus