Identify WWII Mauser 7,65

[NLH]

I'm trying to identify a "war souvenir" handgun . Here are the markings:
Mauser-7,65 (on the right side)
WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER A.-G. OBERNDORF A.N. MAUSER'S PATENT
(on the left side)
There appears to be a serial number in front of the writing on the left 256977

My father brought this back. He saw combat with the third armor division in France, Belgium and Germany and was with the occupation for a few months.

I'm interested to know an approximate value as well as general information about it. If anyone knows any other sites that may provide info I would appreciate it. Thanks

NLH

[Deaf Smith]

Now if it has the mag in front of the trigger guard it's a Broomhandle Mauser.

If the magazine is in the grip and the gun is small, then it's a pocket pistol.

Look at these:

http://www.simpsonltd.com/index.php?cPath=156_170

And decide which it is.

Deaf

[carguychris]

Deaf, I don't think this is a Broomhandle, I think it's a Model 1914 or 1934 pocket pistol. The caliber marking on the right, the inscription on the left, and the serial number are consistent with a Model 1914.

Here's an excellent rundown of Mauser pocket pistol features and serial numbers:

http://www.mauserguns.com/Mauser1910.pdf

For those not familiar with the pistol, the tab that looks like a conventional American-style slide release actuates the safety while the thumb button that looks like a mag release deactivates the safety. The actual mag release is a spring-loaded tab on the butt, similar to that used on a Colt 1903, Browning 1910/1922, or Makarov.

IIRC the Mauser 1914 and 1934 were not officially issued by the Third Reich; the Wehrmacht issued the HSc, the 1914/1934's successor, and discontinued the earlier pistols to free up production capacity. However, a substantial number of German officers carried privately-owned commercially-sold pistols to war.

Value is somewhere in the $250-$600 range. These pistols don't seem to have very durable finish and most examples have some degree of holster wear, rust, and/or uneven bluing on different parts. An average worn later-production M1914 will usually sell for around $350.

[raftman]

Now if it has the mag in front of the trigger guard it's a Broomhandle Mauser.


That'd be a 7.63 rather than 7.65. Huge difference.

[gyvel]

According to the late Roy G. Pender's book, you have an "Early Postwar Commercial 1914," meaning a gun produced commercially after the end of WW I. The earliest confirmed date of production is pistol #186703 and is dated 1919, according to Mr. Pender. His observed serial numbers (at the time of publication) are 185414-290402.

As stated above, many Germans carried private purchase weapons during WWII.