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EXTRAORDINARY SCHLEGELMILCH REPEATING PISTOL.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
EXTRAORDINARY SCHLEGELMILCH REPEATING PISTOL.
SN 13. Cal. 7.5mm. An extremely unusual repeating pistol whose breech block operates through transverse horizontal movement. The gun is fitted with a 3.5" bbl having a fixed front and a fixed rear sight. Except for the serial number that appears on the left side of the frame, there are no other markings. The bbl and frame are blued. The bolt is in-the-white and hammer, trigger and safety are strawed. Curiously, there are no slotted screws. All fastening is done through square headed bolts, all evident on the right side of the gun. The hammer has a half cock and a full cock and operates either as single action (cock hammer to operate and fire) or double action (cocked, operated and fired by trigger motion alone)repeater. Bringing the hammer to half cock moves the bolt horizontally to the left, exposing the entire chamber, while simultaneously moving the extractor rearward to eject a fired cartridge case. The magazine is fed from above with a stripper clip. Continuing the hammer cock pushes a loading arm forward that feeds the next round into the chamber. Near the end of the hammer movement the bolt returns to the right into the closed position, aligning a freely moving pin in the frame with a concentric firing pin in the bolt. After pulling the trigger to drop the hammer, the trigger springs back to its original position during which time the loading arm retracts and the cycling arm repositions the bolt for the next operation phase. Mounted to the left frame is checkered safety lever that blocks the mechanism when moved up. Pistol has checkered and bordered grips secured with a single square headed bolt. Less than 20 of these pistols were made (in two versions) at the Royal Firearms Factory, Spandau, in 1891/92 for trials by the German Army (GPK)in their search for a replacement of the M1884 Reichsrevolver. Only one other example, of the alternative design, is known to exist in the Werhtechnische Studiensammlung of the German Bundewehr in Koblenz. The designer and constructor in the Factory was Louis Schlegelmilch, then the chief armourer at the Spandau Arsenal. PROVENANCE: Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess Collection, ex Visser collection, illustrated in "The Borchardt and Luger Automatic Pistols" by Sturgess. CONDITION: Approximately 95% bright blue with some fading of the bbl and minor toning. Negligible oxidation. Straw on hammer, safety, trigger and square headed bolts in the same condition. Mirror bore with strong rifling showing minimal use. An exceedingly complex repeater, manual function is like the proverbial Swiss watch. A wonder to operate and a mechanical masterpiece and a near unique example of a German military trials pistol! 4-52456 LMA98