The
purpose of having a collection such as this one, is not of handguns
for entertainment, but also for reminding us of some great history
in the development. Also, this collection can still be useful
on the range, as most of these guns can be maintained in good
working condition, and most are pretty accurate and reliable.
For example, the TOZ-35 featured in this collection is still
a very popular free pistol, and it is used by many athletes all
over the world to compete, win, and set records. Exercising with
this pistol is like feeling history in your own hands. Developed
in 1959, the TOZ-35 already has 45 years of the highest level
of International Target Shooting performance
to its name! Chosen by many High Level Shooters to win Olympic
Games and World Championships, we are proud to have models
such as the TOZ-35 as part of our collection!
Luger
Parabellum
The
Parabellum is one of the first mass-produced semi-automatic pistols.
The Swiss army was the first to adopt this handgun for military
service in the early 20th century. Germany and other European
countries followed soon after.
If cared for properly, the Lugers are highly accurate pistols,
even by today's standards. However, mediocre reliability, sensitivity
to dirt and dust, and higher relative price made this pistol
a weaker substitute to the Browning High Power and Walther
P38 models available
around
the same time. The shooter must make sure to keep this pistol
away from dust and dirt, which is why this Luger was usually
carried in a completely enclosing
holster.
Sometimes referred to as the "assassin's weapon," the
Parabellum is accurate at up to 150 meters. Many countries have
completely
outlawed this pistol because the Parabellum's design
supposedly inspires aggression in the shooter's mind. This
psychological phenomenon has not yet been sufficiently researched.
Technical Specification:
Single action semi-automatic
Ammo: 7.65mm Luger/Parabellum, 9x19mm Luger/Parabellum
Length: 8.75"
Weight (unloaded):
1.9lb
Magazine Capacity: 8 rounds
IZH-35/IZH-35M
This Standard Sports pistol has helped
USSR/Russian Natioal Team win 7 Olympic medals.
It led shooters of Russia and other former USSR republics
to win 4 World and European championships. Some of the best-performing
shooters in the world use this pistol. The IZH-35 first appeared
in 1978 and got modernized later as IZH-35M.
Used
with .22
LR
ammo.
Great
for
both competition
and practice shooting. Some features of this pistol are:
•
Adjustable trigger
•
Grip safety
•
Fully adjustable right hand walnut grip
•
Manual slide hold open
•
Fully adjustable rear sight
•
Detachable scope rail
And more...
Specifications:
Length: 30cm (11.8")
Weight: 1.25kg (2.75lb)
Magazine Capacity: 5
CM-162EI
Another
popular competition pistol. This Morini CM-162EI is produced in
Switzerland and has helped shooting athletes earn numerous Olympic
medals.
*Image at the left Copyright Gehmann.com
Toz-35M
Developed in the year 1959, Vostok Toz-35M is still a formidable
opponent to newer, more expensive Free Pistols produced by
Morini, Hammerli, and others. This great pistol is the result
of high quality Russian craftsmanship and continues to yield
the highest results in competitive sports shooting. Definitely
the best value!
At the 2000 Milan World Cup, athlete Bill Demarest won and
set a world record in Free Pistol of 676.2 points with his
Toz-35. This pistol helped win Gold, Silver, Bronze, and
4th place at the 1996 Olympic Games. And that's not all.
The Toz has many championships and medals to its name. Besides
being relatively inexpensive, it seems to get the best results
for athletes. It is the choice of most high level shooters
all around the world, including the USA Shooting Team.
Smith&Wesson
681/686 Revolver
These models were intended to be easy to carry
and able to withstand the powerful .357 Magnum ammunition. These
revolvers are popular combat, self-defense, and sports pistols.
These handguns quickly became popular and were adopted by police
departments
across the US.
Technical
Specification (for 686 unless otherwise noted):
Double action revolver
Ammo: .357 Magnum, .38 SW Special
Length: Varies depending on the barrel, overall length falls between 7" and 12"
for 686 models.
Weight (unloaded): between 35 and 45oz depending on model.
Capacity: 6-7 rounds
Walther
PPK
This compact pistol is used by many
intelligence services all over the world as a back-up handgun.
The 15cm gun is easily concealed and takes 9mm ammo, with magazine
capacity of 7 rounds. Popularized
by the James Bond films, the Walther PPK is a simple, reliable
self-defense weapon, although somewhat lacking in power at greater
distances.
The PPK gained a good reputation for its use in
police and civilian forces throughout Europe.
Technical
Specification:
Double action semi-automatic
Caliber: .22LR, 9x17mm (9mm short), 7.65x17mm.
Length: 6.1"
Weight (unloaded):
21oz
Magazine Capacity: 6 rounds
Colt
1911
Designed by John Browning, this pistol was adopted
by the US Army in 1911 and became known as the Colt M1911. This
model and its modifications have been used by the US military
until the 1980s when it was replaced by the Beretta 92 FS.
This pistol is known for its extremely high accuracy, and it
has been widely manufactured in the US for both military service
and civilian
use. Many models of this Colt have been produced all around
the world. Various clones have also been manufactured.
The Colt 1911 is considered by
many to be the most popular pistol
in the world . It is known for its reliability, serviceability
and
simplicity. Some of this gun's successive models are still
in use today.
Technical
Specification:
Single action semi-automatic
Caliber: .45 ACP
Length: 8.5"
Weight (unloaded):
39oz
Magazine Capacity: 7 rounds
Mauser
C-96
During WWI, Parabellums proved to be slower and
more expensive to manufacture. To make up for this shortage,
some Mauser C-96 were adopted by the German military. Its military
use extended even through the 2nd World War.
The distinctive features of this gun are the fixed box magazine
in front of the triggerguard and an optional shoulder stock for
increased accuracy and comfort.
The C-96 was highly reliable, pretty powerful, and accurate up
to 200 meters (especially with the shoulder stock). Ultimately,
this gun was too bulky and slow
to reload. It was soon replaced by more modern handguns.
Technical
Specification:
Single action semi-automatic
Caliber: 7.63x25mm, 9x19mm.
Length: 12.25"
Weight (unloaded):
2.75lb
Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds
Browning
High-Power
A durable semi-automatic, 20 cm in length, with a 13 round
capacity. Designed by John M. Browning in 1925. Used by Belgian,
British,
and other foreign police forces.
The High
Power is the only sidearm used by both sides during WWII. Germany
used HPs manufactured in Belguim while the Allies used Canadian-made
models.
The most innovative feature of this handgun is the slide that is physically completely
separate from the barrel.
A very reliable pistol.
Technical
Specification:
Single action semi-automatic
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Length: 7.7"
Weight (unloaded):
35oz
Magazine Capacity: 13 rounds
Beretta
92 FS
A reliable 9mm semi-automatic pistol used by many European
police force agencies. This handgun is fairly
accurate at 50 meters. The Beretta is widely available on the
market.
This model competed against the Sig Sauer P-226 in US military
trials in 1985. Both guns passed all the required tests, but
the Beretta proved to be less expensive overall, so it was the
gun that replaced the famous Colt M1911 as the US Army service
pistol. The Beretta 92FS was also adopted
by many other military and law enforcement organizations around
the world.
Technical
Specification:
Double action semi-automatic
Caliber: 9x19mm
Length: 8.5"
Weight (unloaded): 33.3oz
Magazine Capacity: 15 rounds
Sig
Sauer P-226
First appeared in 1983 and was developed to be the successor
for the US Army's M1911 service pistol (eventually lost to Beretta
92FS due to cost considerations). The P-226 was adopted by the
US SEALs as the official sidearm.
Technical
Specification (for 9mm ammo unless otherwise noted):
Double action semi-automatic
Caliber: 9mm, .357 Sig
Length: 7.7"
Weight (unloaded): 26.5oz
Magazine Capacity: 15 rounds (12 rounds for .4 and .357 caliber)
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