Ortgies

**cruzans** · April 4th, 2011, 08:05 PM

Any Ortgies buffs out there ? I've wanted one and finally purchased a 6.35 Deutsche Werke Ortgies. I was doing a little research, and the one I purchased appears to be a matte nickel finish which from what I've dug up, is one of the more rare finishes ? Supposedly most were blue, some bright nickel, and few matte nickel. I will have the pistol in a few days so I can research more, but just curious if anyone has any other info? Thanks !

**G19** · April 5th, 2011, 09:26 AM

I have a 6.35 Deutsche Werke Ortgies in blue my grandfather brought over from Germany shortly after WWI. Its serial number is below 500, so it seems pretty cool to me having such an early model. I did a bit of research back when he first gave it to me, and if memory serves, the nickel finish was less common, but not rare.

**Noah_Zark** · April 5th, 2011, 12:30 PM

I once had two Ortgies in .32 and one in .25.

The Ortgies (ORT-geese) is named for its inventor, Heinrich Ortgies, and was manufactured at Deutsche Werft, primarily one of many shipbuilders in Kiel, Germany. The early pistols had Heinrich Ortgies' initials in the emblems in the grip panels, an H in an O, tilted. Later examples have a script "DW" in the emblems.

The Orgies pistol is well-known for three characteristics:

1) It has no screws, not one.

2) Both the .32 and the .25 are noted for snapping the right lug off the striker, which results in the pistol dumping the mag full auto as soon as the slide is cycled. (Ask me how I know this.) Lesson learned: DO NOT dry fire an Ortgies without a snap cap or fired cartridge, and EVEN THEN, be prepared for the pistol to "burp" the mag empty when you rack the slide after inserting a full mag. Also, it pays to have a spare striker on hand. And no, the strikers are NOT the same for the .32 and .25. The .25 striker is a "baby brother" to that used in the .32.

3) The grip panels on both the .32 and the .25 are held in place by a bevel machined into the wood on the front edge, and a rotating steel clip riveted to the inside of the wood grip panel accessible from the magazine well by a screwdriver. You MUST rotate the spring clip away from the frame and GENTLY push out on the panel lest you chip off the bevel on the front edge of the grip panel. There are MANY Ortgies pistols with F-ed up grip panels with all kinds of "repairs" effected. If when buying an Ortgies, get a flashlight and take a peek up the magwell and look the inside of both grip panels for repairs. They will be obvious.

Upshot: I had heard much about the Ortgies pistols from collectors of small pocket autos, how cool they are, how well-made, how unique because of no screws, and how some were imported to the US before WWII and had English rollmarks, and some were bringbacks that had German rollmarkings. So I wanted to join the club. Both .32s that I ended up with had good strikers when I bought them, yet both strikers lost their right side lugs and went FA on me. I spent way more than I should have for new strikers at Numrich and Popperts, got the guns functioning, and promptly sold all three. If you're only interested in collecting and not shooting, no problem. But IMO if you plan to shoot and Ortgies, exercise care and DO expect it to sooner or later go FA on yo azz. Word.

Noah

**indianjack** · April 5th, 2011, 06:10 PM

Have a 25 cal that was a WW II bring back. Had the sear break on me, but got a replacement from Poppert's.

**cruzans** · April 5th, 2011, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by Noah_Zark

I once had two Ortgies in .32 and one in .25.

The Ortgies (ORT-geese) is named for its inventor, Heinrich Ortgies, and was manufactured at Deutsche Werft, primarily one of many shipbuilders in Kiel, Germany. The early pistols had Heinrich Ortgies' initials in the emblems in the grip panels, an H in an O, tilted. Later examples have a script "DW" in the emblems.

The Orgies pistol is well-known for three characteristics:

1) It has no screws, not one.

2) Both the .32 and the .25 are noted for snapping the right lug off the striker, which results in the pistol dumping the mag full auto as soon as the slide is cycled. (Ask me how I know this.) Lesson learned: DO NOT dry fire an Ortgies without a snap cap or fired cartridge, and EVEN THEN, be prepared for the pistol to "burp" the mag empty when you rack the slide after inserting a full mag. Also, it pays to have a spare striker on hand. And no, the strikers are NOT the same for the .32 and .25. The .25 striker is a "baby brother" to that used in the .32.

3) The grip panels on both the .32 and the .25 are held in place by a bevel machined into the wood on the front edge, and a rotating steel clip riveted to the inside of the wood grip panel accessible from the magazine well by a screwdriver. You MUST rotate the spring clip away from the frame and GENTLY push out on the panel lest you chip off the bevel on the front edge of the grip panel. There are MANY Ortgies pistols with F-ed up grip panels with all kinds of "repairs" effected. If when buying an Ortgies, get a flashlight and take a peek up the magwell and look the inside of both grip panels for repairs. They will be obvious.

Upshot: I had heard much about the Ortgies pistols from collectors of small pocket autos, how cool they are, how well-made, how unique because of no screws, and how some were imported to the US before WWII and had English rollmarks, and some were bringbacks that had German rollmarkings. So I wanted to join the club. Both .32s that I ended up with had good strikers when I bought them, yet both strikers lost their right side lugs and went FA on me. I spent way more than I should have for new strikers at Numrich and Popperts, got the guns functioning, and promptly sold all three. If you're only interested in collecting and not shooting, no problem. But IMO if you plan to shoot and Ortgies, exercise care and DO expect it to sooner or later go FA on yo azz. Word.

Noah

Great info - thanks !!!!

**Verticaltransman** · April 5th, 2011, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Noah_Zark

I once had two Ortgies in .32 and one in .25.

The Ortgies (ORT-geese) is named for its inventor, Heinrich Ortgies, and was manufactured at Deutsche Werft, primarily one of many shipbuilders in Kiel, Germany. The early pistols had Heinrich Ortgies' initials in the emblems in the grip panels, an H in an O, tilted. Later examples have a script "DW" in the emblems.

The Orgies pistol is well-known for three characteristics:

1) It has no screws, not one.

2) Both the .32 and the .25 are noted for snapping the right lug off the striker, which results in the pistol dumping the mag full auto as soon as the slide is cycled. (Ask me how I know this.) Lesson learned: DO NOT dry fire an Ortgies without a snap cap or fired cartridge, and EVEN THEN, be prepared for the pistol to "burp" the mag empty when you rack the slide after inserting a full mag. Also, it pays to have a spare striker on hand. And no, the strikers are NOT the same for the .32 and .25. The .25 striker is a "baby brother" to that used in the .32.

3) The grip panels on both the .32 and the .25 are held in place by a bevel machined into the wood on the front edge, and a rotating steel clip riveted to the inside of the wood grip panel accessible from the magazine well by a screwdriver. You MUST rotate the spring clip away from the frame and GENTLY push out on the panel lest you chip off the bevel on the front edge of the grip panel. There are MANY Ortgies pistols with F-ed up grip panels with all kinds of "repairs" effected. If when buying an Ortgies, get a flashlight and take a peek up the magwell and look the inside of both grip panels for repairs. They will be obvious.

Upshot: I had heard much about the Ortgies pistols from collectors of small pocket autos, how cool they are, how well-made, how unique because of no screws, and how some were imported to the US before WWII and had English rollmarks, and some were bringbacks that had German rollmarkings. So I wanted to join the club. Both .32s that I ended up with had good strikers when I bought them, yet both strikers lost their right side lugs and went FA on me. I spent way more than I should have for new strikers at Numrich and Popperts, got the guns functioning, and promptly sold all three. If you're only interested in collecting and not shooting, no problem. But IMO if you plan to shoot and Ortgies, exercise care and DO expect it to sooner or later go FA on yo azz. Word.

Noah

Thanks for the information. A buddy I've been trading with for 30 years owns two Ortgies and loves them. I'm happy to give him the heads up.

**RandomTask** · April 5th, 2011, 10:21 PM

I love orgies, but haven't participated in one since college.

**smithwessn** · April 6th, 2011, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by RandomTask

I love orgies, but haven't participated in one since college.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was thinking along those lines.

**cruzans** · April 6th, 2011, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by smithwessn

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was thinking along those lines.

Hmmm, maybe that's why I was drawn to wanting an Ortgies - memories of earlier days

Here's one of the reasons I thought the Nickel was a bit rare:

In keeping with prevalent economics in Germany at the time, factory finishes were limited to bluing or, rarely, nickel. The latter finish could be either matte or bright. No Ortgies pistol was produced with a chrome finish or, aside from one known salesman's sample, with factory engraving.[1] Production ceased in 1924.

And I know I read somewhere else that the matte was rarer than the bright? Now I'll have to go search for that salesman's sample

Here is what I have been told is the best info. on Ortgies :

http://ortgies.net/ortgies0015.htm

**dogngun** · April 7th, 2011, 10:53 AM

I owned 2 of them, both .32's, both blue. I think the .25 is less commonly found. I really would not carry one because of the odd safety system, but they are very interesting to collect. IIRC, there was one for sale at the Hamburg Cabelas last week, but I just noticed it in passing...

mark