SOLD - French Le Francais Type Policeman Pistol - 6.35mm

Description

3/11/25 - Le Français is one of the simplest pistols ever produced. It has a minimum of moving parts, and several parts perform two functions. The primary components are the frame, slide, and barrel. The gun is blowback operated, double action only, with no extractor--the empty brass shell being ejected by residual gas pressure in the breech. Le Française has a tip-up barrel that opens automatically when the magazine is removed and will only close when a magazine is inserted. The round in the chamber is loaded by hand when the barrel is tipped up, as there are no serrations on the slide for retraction. In 1922 the 6.35mm type Policeman model was introduced. It had the identical frame and magazine as the Le Français, but featured a longer 87mm (3.42 inches) barrel, and had an overall length of 157mm (6.18 inches). The longer barrel made it slightly less concealable, but capable of greater accuracy. In 1934 the magazine was provided with a ring at the base to hold a spare cartridge (like the type Armée--see below). Since there were no gripping surfaces on the slide, and a cartridge could only be inserted into the chamber manually, there was always a spare cartridge available with the magazine. This example comes with two such magazines. The gun itself has retained nearly all of its original finish with just very minor high edge and muzzle wear. Case-hardening on the trigger. It is fitted with the later-style grips. Late models have the flared grip frame with a thumb-operated magazine release at the heel of the grip. The flared grip frame was almost certainly designed to accommodate the pin for the magazine release lever. Mint bore.