I'd had my eye out for one for a while. My local dealer got one in on trade, in march of 2012. I snatched it right up. $325, he let me test fire it to check that it functioned. It's a type 3, build date of 1915/16. It had very little to no pitting but the finish was really really bad and vague spots of rust color could be seen on the slide in particular and the frame had some odd what looked like staining or something. So seeing as I have NO intention of ever selling it, I had it reblued and installed wolf replacement springs throughout.
They're incredibly fun to shoot, and I'm absurdly accurate with it at 20 yards. I carry it on occasion as I just love it too much to leave at home. But I carry it un-chambered as a back up to something else as it does not have a drop safety and the thumb safety while tight, doesn't have a click to it.
Mine could use a new barrel but no one presently makes replacements and vintage ones in excellent condition go for a lot of dough, as do magazines.
All that said, yeah they're excellent pistols. If someone made a clone of it today, I understand the tolerances wouldn't be as tight, but chambered in .380 or maybe even 9mm with the same basic size shape and weight, finished in a nice deep blue, with a positive click to the thumb safety and a drop safety, and I don't think they'd be able to build them fast enough. Won't happen, but I can dream.
Oh, as a tip though. Don't under any circumstances detail strip the frame. You need six hands to get it back together.
