My 1945 DUO pistols

[Tiger 2 Tank]

Hello,
I now have three DUO ‘45 dated pistols (and two ‘44 dated ones as well). Added one a couple of weeks ago that is pretty high in serial number range. Possibly still making it under German occupation. The slide is still “Opotschno” and not after the change over to “Opocno”.

I have been keeping track of these ‘45 DUO pistols by serial numbers in a listing to see when the change over from occupation to post occupation was. So far the serial number listings show 120728 is “Opotschno”, then the next serial number listings show I have is for “Opocno” at serial number 129365. I hope to keep getting serial numbers to narrow it down even further.

#118841 I have a capture paper with it, along with a holster and extra mag, and I am still trying to get information on the vet. Ran into numerous road blocks so far, but I am still trying.

These are neat little pistols, still made very well. High polish finish but with some gouges in the metal here and there.

Here is my newest #120285:

 

[biggymu]

Cool little niche’. I’ve never seen even one of them.

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

Cool little niche’. I’ve never seen even one of them.

Thanks. They are interesting and seem to not have lost the early features such as high polish finish. There are minor little pock marks in the metal here and there, slips with the cutting machine, but overall they seem to have kept the early looks all through the War.

One of these little pistols supposedly belonged to Reinhard Heydrich.

The factory:

 

[Pisgah]

Nice looking examples. I like these too

 

[moosedog]

Nice collection and nice photo skills. I had up until recently all the war years rigged.

 

[Gman06]

Very nice I have a 1941 that’s chrome finished

 

[heavy_mech]

The factory:

View attachment 435569

'Weapons, bicycles, sewing machines' I think it says. Kind of strikes me that it's not very large to be making those items. I wonder if that's the whole facility?

Those are very cool looking little guns!

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

Nice collection and nice photo skills. I had up until recently all the war years rigged.

Thanks. One day hopefully I can do that.

'Weapons, bicycles, sewing machines' I think it says. Kind of strikes me that it's not very large to be making those items. I wonder if that's the whole facility?

Those are very cool looking little guns!

Thanks. Yes they are! They are basically a Colt 1908 without the grip safety. Someone did a thread on one of the gun sites where they experimented and put the Colt 1908 slide on the frame of a DUO and it fit exactly.

Not sure on the facility question, but this was what I found. I thought it looked small too.

 

[AndyB]

The proofed production of pistols in 1945 up to may 1945 was 10275pcs, since the june there was only 9 rilles on slide. Skramoussky book source.

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

What serial number started January 1, 45?

 

[bayoned]

The DUOs are very cool little pistols, and yours are super !!!
Great photos.

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

The DUOs are very cool little pistols, and yours are super !!!
Great photos.

Thanks. Yes they are! I intended to only get one because that one had capture papers to it. Next thing I knew, I have 5. The 1945 ones are the really interesting ones to me. Late war, and these still kept high a polish finish with some errors, which is cool.

 

[AndyB]

No there is mentioned how many were sent to proof station in Prague since 1.1.1945 to 1.may 1945. The serialing was continued in one string, the mashining of postwar pistol has a high finish but i assume already some older spare slides with german names were used in may/june 1945.