The Dreyse 1907 Pistol

Posted by John Kullman on March 5, 2011

One pound and nine ounces

Dreyse with holster The Dreyse M1907 Pistol is a weapon that saw use during both World Wars. It was first used in war by the German and Austrian Empires, and later by Nazi German Volksstrum and Volksgrenadier units. It was also carried by Vatican City units. While never officially exported to the United States, many G.I.s brought them back as war trophies. The standard Dreyse Pistol fires a 7.65mm Browning cartridge (.32 ACP) with a muzzle velocity of 1,200 ft/s. It has a 7 round detachable single-stack magazine and an effective range of 164 feet. It saw active service between 1907-1945.

The Dreyse semi-automatic pistol was designed by Louis Schmeisser and named after Nikolaus von Dreyse, designer of the Dreyse Needle Gun

Cocking the Dreyse that saw use in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. The Dreyse Pistol has an interesting feature for the time: when the gun is ready to fire, the firing pin projects through the back of the breech block, serving as an early handgun-cocking indicator. The Dreyse Pistol gets its inspiration from John Brownings M1900 Pistol, although the Browning has its recoil spring above the barrel while the Dreyse has a concentric recoil spring. But the overall shape is the same, as is the grip angle, magazine release and the positioning of the manual safety. Also, both have breech blocks that protrude from the rear of the gun during recoil.

Browning M1900

During WWI, the Dreyse was primarily used by Austrian troops. When the P08 Luger was found to be unreliable in trench warfare, German officers were issued the sidearm. In 1912 the popes Swiss Guard bought 30 Dreyses and they remained in service until 1990. The Dreyse M1907 also has the distinction of being the first semi-automatic weapon used by a civilian police force; the Royal Saxon Gendarmerie and the Berlin Police.

Dreyse Components

The Dreyse M1907 Pistol is a good acquisition to any collection of WWI or WWII small arms. It is a sturdy little handgun that can still be fired if properly maintained and parts are available from dealers.