The Ortgies was a standout design from an era when Europe seemingly produced dozens of new pocket pistols every year. It was designed toward the end of World War I and entered production shortly thereafter.
The larger model was chambered in either .32 or .380, with a more diminutive model (almost identical except for scale) appearing in .25. The same frame, slide, and even magazine was used for both the .32 and .380 model, with only the barrel being changed.
The Ortgies had smooth lines and few “horns” to get caught on clothing, etc., although it was generally meant to be carried in a holster of some form. The barrel protrudes slightly, but noticeably from the slide, and the design is overall very clean with what some would probably think remarkably tight tolerances for the age.
The absence of screws is almost immediately noticeable. The Walther PP and PPK and the M1922 have lines strongly suggestive of heavy influence from the Ortgies, especially from the trigger guard forward.
The Ortgies is a striker-fired pistol, and of very simple blowback design that relies on a relatively light, single recoil spring. The trigger pull is generally consistent and pleasant in the 7-pound range or so when clean and well-lubed, and this no doubt contributed to its accuracy.
The design features a grip safety that resembles that of the Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless.
The button on the left-hand side of the frame may look suspiciously like a push-button safety, but is in fact a disassembly button used to release the slide from the pistol for stripping, cleaning, and maintenance. Like most European pistols of the era, it has a heel magazine release. The magazine for the .32/.380 model holds eight or seven rounds respectively. Most of the larger Ortgies encountered will be in .32 ACP.
Its smooth design and tight, neat lines produced a remarkably accurate pistol. Although only produced for a few years by two different facilities, the Ortgies was popular in Germany and overseas. Examples meant for the export market were marked Germany, while those meant for domestic consumption bear only the proof and roll marks associated with the production facility.
For a pistol that was produced for less than a decade, the design seems to have had a lot of traction. It was popular with shooters and for self-defense, and it had a good reputation when it was designed and produced — not simply in later years’ post-mortem analysis of the design. It doesn’t appear to have been used by many government organizations, although one is left to wonder if it might have if it had a longer production run.
Many Ortgies pistols were brought back as war trophies from Europe following World War II. Occasionally, one will be found with capture papers, and the presence of many in the U.S. not marked for export suggests that’s how many, if not most, arrived in the U.S., though some could possibly have been imported without import marks.
This of course begs the question who was using them and why? There are three or four distinct possibilities with some more glamorous than others (feel free to apply whichever makes you happiest).
Many German officers carried private purchase pistols of their choice, and this seems to be a strong contender for the most probable explanation. Many officers in staff positions carried smaller pistols due to their convenience, mass, and size. .32 (7.65) was a caliber that was supplied and would’ve been available to Wehrmacht troops through the regular supply channels, and .32 ACP was considered a viable self-defense caliber during that era in Europe and the U.S., although out of favor now.
Luftwaffe pilots often carried smaller pistols for the same reasons of convenience, mass, and size, especially in cramped cockpits. If you ever get to see the interior of a Bf109, or many fighters of the era including the American P38 Lightning, you’ll swear the pilot wore the plane like a suit.
It’s also quite possible that some Ortgies, through one mechanism or another, could’ve ended up in police or Wehrmacht stocks, as an almost inconceivable variety of other pistols were and perhaps it was issued to a radio operator, vehicle driver, etc. Lastly, they could simply have been kept by civilians and surrendered at the end of the war during disarmament. If you choose to envision your Ortgies in the cockpit of a Bf109 strapped to the belt of an ace taking on Allied fighters at 20,000 feet, feel free to do so.
The good news for collectors is that the Ortgies is an excellent pistol often found at a very good price. They’re almost universally good shooters, as well as tolerant of a wide variety of ammunition in the author’s experience and good handloads. They can be found all-day long under $450 in most cases, with full rigs coming in well under $1K — almost unheard of today with any WWII-era German associated pistol. This particular Ortgies was found locally, and although a little rough around the edges, still functions flawlessly.
Ortgies mags are often found in junk boxes at gun shows, and the guy who “knows what he has” can usually be persuaded to sell the mags at a decent price to cover his gas, jerky, and table costs. Check the spring tension before you buy. You can replace the magazine springs, but modern replacements are available that function well enough for the casual shooter.
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