Ortgies 7.65 Semi-Auto

[fprefect]

I have an Ortgies Werk Erfurt in 32 APC that was inherited from my father who obtained it from a captured German Officer. The pistol is in excellent condition from a mechanical standpoint, shoots well and has no major scratches on the grips and no defects on the metal exterior of the gun at all other than worn bluing on the frame near the muzzle and along some of the raised areas of the slide that appears to be normal wear from taking the gun in and out of the holster and strap, which I also have. All of the lettering, numbers and emblems are clearly readable.

My question is this. There were a fairly good quantity of these pistols manufactured I believe in the late 20s and 30s, and I realize that re-bluing will diminish the value from a collector standpoint. Put since the pistol does not as of yet have a great deal of collector interest, I was interested in what the cost would be for a quality hot blue (I have some experience with woodworking and could refinish the grips) AND would bringing the gun back to what I think would be a near like new condition actually make it more valuable. I know it would from my standpoint, but don't want to do anything that might erode the value of the weapon 25+ years from now.

F. Prefect

 

[James K]

First, those guns were all rust blued, so a tank blue will look like heck and destroy any collector value the gun has. The bluing wear is normal and any attempt to "make it look new" will ruin it. My advice is to forget the idea.

Two pieces of advice. Do not dry fire that pistol; the firing pins break easily. If you disassemble it (and please don't go beyond field stripping), you have to lock the back of the firing pin spring guide into the cut in the top of the slide before putting the slide back on.

Jim

 

[fprefect]

First, those guns were all rust blued, so a tank blue will look like heck and destroy any collector value the gun has. The bluing wear is normal and any attempt to "make it look new" will ruin it. My advice is to forget the idea.

Two pieces of advice. Do not dry fire that pistol; the firing pins break easily. If you disassemble it (and please don't go beyond field stripping), you have to lock the back of the firing pin spring guide into the cut in the top of the slide before putting the slide back on.

Thanks Jim,

If a hot blue will not give a uniform color as you suggest I'll take you're advice and leave it the way it is. As far as any collector's value I believe there were far too many of these fine quality pistols made to give it any collectors value for quite some time although I have heard prices as high $400, but I think $175 to $200 for one in good working condition with the only wear being what would be normally expected.

I wish I had taken your advice on the field stripping as I was getting off slightly off center primer strikes and was told in was probably only in need of a good cleaning and possibly a new firing pin spring. The firing pin spring did prove to a frustrating exercise but was able to get it back after making a tool with a hook that would catch in or near the top of spring and I was able to depress it and after a fews attempts was able to get the spring back in place. The poster who suggested a good internal cleaning was right, the firing pin guide was full off 50 years old oil and dirt making it impossible for it to move smoothly and from looking at 2 or 3 fired cases I was able to find, the imprint on the primer was much deeper and for some reason, now well centered as well.

Appreciate the tip on dry firing, but after trying to oil the internal parts without disassembling in order to eliminate the occasional misfire from a lack of firing pin force I did dry fire it probably 8 to 10 times. After finally deciding to take apart the 80 year old pistol which I wanted to avoid, I could see the excess oil did more harm than good.

Thanks again for the advice, it's now in good working order and I plan to leave it in the condition that it's currently in. And BTW, not a speck of rust anywhere on the gun, even in areas on the slide near the muzzle where be bluing was beginning to "wear through".

F. Prefect

 

[James K]

The tank blue would probably give a good and even finish but someone compared it to a hair dye job, makeup and lipstick on your grandmother. It just won't look right and won't look as it did when your father obtained it. The choice, of course, is yours.

Jim

 

[fprefect]

The tank blue would probably give a good and even finish but someone compared it to a hair dye job, makeup and lipstick on your grandmother. It just won't look right and won't look as it did when your father obtained it. The choice, of course, is yours

Your point is well taken, a 75 year old pistol that had seen use in WWII and is still in excellent working condition should look like a 75+ year old pistol that has seen use in WWII. I believe I'll take your advice and leave the weapon in a condition one would expect to find it in rather than attempt to make it look like something that it's 'not'. Thanks for the advise, much appreciated.

F. Prefect