Synopsis:

The scarcest, earliest, and the most desirable of the Bergmann 1896 No. 2 pistols had a folding trigger to better slip the pistol into a pocket. Of those, only a few were completed with an extended barrel.

Description:

Standard configuration Bergmann 1896, No. 2, Folding Trigger with a fixed front sight and a notched rear sight. It was a single action blowback pistol made to fire a rimless, groove-less cartridge. For that reason, the bolt was never cut for an extractor; the fired case would literally just blow out of the gun. This example has a 4.25” extended barrel, the left side marked "611" that was a bore/gauge, equivalent of the 5 mm caliber. Crown/C/U on left side on barrel, barrel extension, and top of the bolt. In addition to the standard references, the barrel on this example is also marked 587 97/Vienna Proof House, a reference to this pistol being the 587th pistol proofed in 1897. Patent markings on the left side of the frame. The sideplate was marked with the Gaggenau/Miner/Suhl logo. Serial number “386” on the right side of the frame that is stamped on each of the grips and repeated in full or part of virtually the major components including the lower surface of the barrel. Fitted with the usual rotating magazine cover that was carried forward on all the later production No. 2 and No. 3 pistols. Unlike the later Bergmanns, the Folding Trigger pistols had an external transfer bar (mounted on the left side of the frame) and did not have their parts numbered for disassembly. Fitted with finely checkered walnut grips and a rotatable lanyard ring. Major components rust blued. Most small parts strawed or fired blued.

Condition:

This is VG+ original finish with sharp edge wear and fading as one might expect from a pistol that has seen moderate use. The left/right side of the octagonal barrel have been lightly freshened, an upgrade that was similarly applied to most of the originally strawed/fire blued parts. Grips dark, oil stained, with areas of blunted checkering. Bright bore with sharp rifling. Perfect manual mechanics. If you are a collector and want one of the earliest Bergmann pistols, particularly a super scarce long barrel variation, this is your opportunity! An instantly recognizable semiautomatic from the end of the 19th century, especially nice as an ANTIQUE!