Help with gun identification (.25 autoloader)

[SeanSw]

Help with gun identification

This gun has been in my girlfriend family for awhile, but she cannot identify it. I don't know anything about the gun or what markings it may have, but I'm hopinh someone here can help us identify the firearm and it's caliber.

I have not seen the gun in person and only have these lo-res images.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Johnny Guest]

Change of forum here - - -

I'm moving this one to Harley Nolden's Institute for Firearms Research. I believe there may be more sutdents of unusual firearms there than in Autoloaders.

I'm an autopistol enthusiast, and I can't put a name on it. The checkerboard-effect stock panels are rather unusual and they may provide someone with the visual clue necessary for identification.

A standard reference book is the Book of pistols and Revolvers by W. H. B. Smith, later added to by Joseph E. Smith. Mine is the 1968 edition. In Appendix I, Identification of Miscellaneous Pistols, there are illustrations of 142 different caliber .25/6.35 mm autopistols. The elder Smith wrote there were literally hundreds of brand names and variants of this caliber handgun.

I hope someone can ID the particular item for you.

Best,
Johnny

 

[Old Fuff]

The little pistol is Czechoslovakian, made by CZ following World War Two, and likely imported by the Thalson Company. It is a generally well made copy of the F.N. Browning vest pocket pistol - model 1906, and simialr Colt model 1908. It fires the 6.35mm Browning automatic cartridge, which is known in this country as the .25 ACP.

Importation ended when the Russians invaded Czechosovakia.

 

[Jim K]

It is a Czech DUO pistol, first made by Frantisek Dusek, Opocno, Czechoslovakia around 1926. They were made through the German occupation (with the name of the town changed to Opotschno in the marking).

After the war, the Communists wanted to consolidate arms production and gave the DUO design to CZ, so it is under that name in some lists. The post-war guns are marked "Z AUTO PISTOL R 6.35mm", and the gun is also sometimes called "the Z gun". Fjestad states that the pistol is still (2004) being made as the "Z" pistol by CZ, but if so they cannot be imported because of the GCA 68 restrictions.

It is a very nice pistol, reasonably accurate and extremely reliable; it is one of the few .25 Autos I consider on a par with the old Colt and Browning.

Jim

 

[SeanSw]

That's great! Thanks for the information everyone.

I assumed it was just a cheap SNS that was forgotten and left dangerously laying around, as it was found by accident rummaging through a closet with some loose ammunition.

I will pass the information along.

 

[JardaXor]

I have to complete informations - pre-WWII production (Dusek Opocno) produced small series of this pistol under trade names DUO, JAGA, IDEAL (or YDEAL - slide/grip) and SINGER. Unfortunately, these old models (have little diferent frame under grips - they have shaped top side) aren't see here in CZ

 

[Dr.Rob]

aside from the lack of a grip safety that looks exactly like a Colt 1908.

It's tricky to take apart and a bear to put back together with greasy fingers.

If it is indeed a CZ it will likely shoot just fine.