Help confirming handgun ID (Arminius model 8 ?)

[nazfrank]

Hi,

I've got this narrowed down to an Arminius model 8 made by Friedrich Pickert in the original holster. Could someone please confirm for me and also .. when was this made? Can it safely fire modern amminition. It's marked .320 cal on the top strap along with "Hammerless". 4 pictures below and thanks....

[bsweeney]

Hi,

I've got this narrowed down to an Arminius model 8 made by Friedrich Pickert in the original holster. Could someone please confirm for me and also .. when was this made? Can it safely fire modern amminition. It's marked .320 cal on the top strap along with "Hammerless". 4 pictures below and thanks....

Armenius M-8 was manufactured in Zella St Blasii in 1919 and in Zella Mehlis.

Model 8 is a hammerless .320 or 7.65mm auto (.32acp) revolver, five shot, with a 50mm or 140mm barrel and folding trigger and it looks like you got one!

Friedrich Pickert, Armenius Waffenwerk produced a wide range of pocket revolvers prior to 1945, available in a wide variety of of barrel lengths, cylinder capacities and calibers. Although of obsolete design they were cheap and very well made. Most are standard commercial cartridge only I am not sure how much luck you will have in finding the .320 as I have never looked for that cal.

[bsweeney]

BTW... Here is my Armenius.

[peter monahan]

I too suspect that off-make calibre ammuntion may be a problem to acquire. And, while I know little about old revolvers I have a very little bit of experience with old ammunition and old rifles & muskets and I would be very loth to try firing a pice like this. Consider:

inevitably, even with immediate cleaning afterwards, there will be at least a little added corrosion as a result;

small parts such as firing pins can weaken over time and break when used again - I've had one firing pin and one musket main spring go while blank firing quite new [less than 50 years old] weapons;

if its [post 1900 manufacture its almost certainly proofed for 'modern' [cordite] rounds but there's always a chance it isn't. I assume it does NOT say 'Nitro proofed' or the equivalent. Previous user(s) have over-stressed the breech and barrel, which you could only find out by Xray or by firing. And if anything catastrophic happens while firing, you could wind up being nicknamed 'Lefty'.

Just my tuppence worth.

Peter

Edited April 6, 2010 by peter monahan

[bsweeney]

I too suspect that off-make calibre ammuntion may be a problem to acquire. And, while I know little about old revolvers I have a very little bit of experience with old ammunition and old rifles & muskets and I would be very loth to try firing a pice like this. Consider:

inevitably, even with immediate cleaning afterwards, there will be at least a little added corrosion as a result;

small parts such as firing pins can weaken over time and break when used again - I've had one firing pin and one musket main spring go while blank firing quite new [less than 50 years old] weapons;

if its [post 1900 manufacture its almost certainly proofed for 'modern' [cordite] rounds but there's always a chance it isn't. I assume it does NOT say 'Nitro proofed' or the equivalent. Previous user(s) have over-stressed the breech and barrel, which you could only find out by Xray or by firing. And if anything catastrophic happens while firing, you could wind up being nicknamed 'Lefty'.

Just my tuppence worth.

Peter

Great points! in addition any piece should be marked Crown or Eagle N to have been Nitro Proofed with an excessive round.