Mauser HSc
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mauser HSc | |
|---|---|
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| Type | semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940-1945 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1935-36 |
| Manufacturer | Mauser |
| Produced | 1940-1977 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 600 g unloaded |
| Length | 152 mm |
| Barrel length | 86 mm |
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| Cartridge | .32 ACP, .380 ACP |
| Caliber | 7.65 mm, 9 mm |
| Feed system | Magazine capacity: .32 ACP: 8 .380 ACP: 7 |
| Sights | fixed iron sight |
The Mauser HSc is a small 7.65mm pistol made in Nazi Germany starting in 1940 to the end of World War II. The designation HSc stood for Hahn Selbstspanner (Self-cocking hammer) Pistole, third and final design "C". It's production was continued in 1945-46 under French occupation and, later, from 1968 to 1977 by postwar Mauser. It features a semi-exposed hammer, double-action trigger, single-column magazine, and a spring surrounding the barrel.
It competed with the contemporary German Walther PPK and PP and Sauer 38H for police and military use. The Mauser HSc was originally intended as a commercial pistol, but was procured initially by the Navy (Kriegsmarine) soon followed by the Army (Heer) and Police. HSc pistols used by the Luftwaffe or Waffen-SS were procured from Army and Police stocks.
Production began in late 1940 at serial number 700,000, as an extension of the serial number range of the Mauser Model 1934 pistol. The early pistols have wooden grips,and are highly polished and richly blued. The first 1350 pistols were made for the commercial market and because of the low positioning of the grip screws have become known as the "Low Grip Screw" variety. Approximately half of this initial production was purchased by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine. All these early low grip pistols are today very rare. At approximately serial number 701345 the grip screws were relocated to a more central and sturdier position.
The German Army (Heer) began HSc procurement with an initial order for 3,000 pistols in early 1941, beginning with serial number 701,345. These pistols are marked with a WaA655 inspection stamp on the left rear trigger guard web and with an Eagle/swastika proof stamp on the left rear grip tang. Subsequent orders were placed throughout the war, along with pistols procured by the Police and Kriegsmarine, with almost 24% of the total production of 252,000 pistols going to the commercial market.
Final German WWII production ended at approximately 952,000. Bluing and finish deteriorated as the war progressed and pistols in the 945,000+ range were parkerized/phosphated rather than blued. Black plastic/phenolite grips replaced wooden grips in the final stages of production.
Military personnel of all ranks not issued sidearms often purchased HSc pistols in the commercial marketplace and carried them into the field. Such commercial pistols often returned with veterans as WWII war souvenirs, often in military proofed HSc holsters.
Distribution of total Nazi WWII HSc pistol production (1940-1945):
- Army (Heer): 137,121 - 54.4%;
- Navy (Kriegsmarine): 27,100 - 10.8%;
- Police (Polizei): 28,300 - 11.2%;
- Commercial( Civil): 59,467 - 23.6 %
- Total: 251,988 - 100.0 %
The HSc pistols made by the French in 1945-46 bear an RW proof. Most of these pistols were destined for French forces fighting in Indo-China. Production of high-quality commercial pistols was resumed at the Mauser factory in Oberndorf from 1968 to 1977. These were exported primarily to the U.S. commercial market and were available in both blued and nickel finishes.
The pistol utilized the 7.65mm (.32 ACP) cartridge, but during the 1970s the majority of Mauser HScs were chambered for 9mm Kurz (.380 ACP).
[edit] External links
- Mauser HSc at guns.ru
- Mauser HSc at www.mauserguns.com
| German-made firearms and light weapons of World War II |
|---|
| Side arms (Pistole) |
| Mauser C96 | Luger | Walther P38 | Walther PPK | Sauer 38H | Mauser HSc |
| Rifles & carbines (Gewehr & Karabiner) |
| Karabiner 98k | Gewehr 41 | Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43 | StG44/MP44 | FG42 | StG45(M) | Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 |
| Submachine guns ( Maschinenpistole ) |
| Bergmann MP18 | MP38/MP40 "Schmeisser" | MP3008 "Volks MP" |
| Machine guns & other larger weapons |
| MG08 | MG34 | MG42 | Faustpatrone | Panzerfaust | Panzerschreck
Flammenwerfer 35 | Panzerbüchse 39 | Granatwerfer 36 | Granatwerfer 42 |
| Notable foreign-made infantry weapons |
| P.640(b) | Vis.35 | Vz.24/G24(t) | MG26(t) | Panzerbüchse 35(p) |
| German-made cartridges used by the Wehrmacht |
| 7.92 x 57 mm | 7.63 x 25 mm Mauser | 7.92 mm Kurz | 7.65 mm Luger | 9 mm Luger |
