Mars pistol

Zorba · 02-19-2016, 11:28 AM

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/mars-pistol/

Combines the worst features of a Nambu and a Borchardt, and the best features of neither!

kurusu · 02-19-2016, 11:57 AM

Life's to short to shoot an ugly gun.

And complicated.

And disagreeable.

And ugly.

And all around nasty.

And ugly.

Did I mentioned it was ugly?

Sergio Natali · 02-19-2016, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurusu

Life's to short to shoot an ugly gun.

And complicated.

And disagreeable.

And ugly.

And all around nasty.

And ugly.

Did I mentioned it was ugly?

I couldn't agree with you more!
Goodness that's not the most beautiful pistol ever made is it?

kurusu · 02-19-2016, 02:36 PM

Don't shoot that! Shoot this!

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Zorba · 02-19-2016, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurusu

Don't shoot that! Shoot this!

Attachment 56639

Shoot that WITH this!

RichSr · 02-19-2016, 06:01 PM

Not the most attractive for sure, but it packed a much bigger punch. the Auto-Mag of it's day.

kurusu · 02-19-2016, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zormpas

Shoot that WITH this!

Shoot what with what?

I generally use these:

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Diver6106 · 02-19-2016, 08:35 PM

Is that hog leg a Maximum?

kurusu · 02-20-2016, 04:10 AM

No, it's a regular .45 Colt.
Early 3rd generation (1978).

alanint · 02-20-2016, 07:29 AM

I don't see how the Mars' pictured magazine could physically fit into the pistol's grip.
What am I missing?

kurusu · 02-20-2016, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanint

I don't see how the Mars' pictured magazine could physically fit into the pistol's grip.
What am I missing?

I believe it's the 9 mm(sort of) pistol with the 45 magazine in the picture.

sheepherder · 02-20-2016, 11:19 AM

Here's a pic/page from the 1943 Textbook Of Automatic Pistols by Wilson. The 9mm version (a bottlenecked 45 Mars cartridge) is quoted at 1750fps. Also rotary bolt, long recoil.

Interesting.

Also an amusing excerpt from Pistols Of The World...

kurusu · 02-20-2016, 11:37 AM

And this is the.45, the .45 long giving an impressive 1200 fps:

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mrerick · 02-20-2016, 11:50 AM

Now that's a marketing executive's nightmare!

"A singularly unpleasant and alarming pistol to shoot with"...

And, in government testing...

",,, somewhat violent, though not greatly excessive recoil..."

"No one who once fired the pistol wished to shoot it again..."

Those are competitor's "endorsements" that only John M. Browning could have loved reading!

alanint · 02-20-2016, 11:56 AM

Rarely do you see such an unbalanced design, with all the center of gravity well above the recoil fulcrum.

This must feel like the playground bully bending your wrist back until it touches your arm.

conehammer · 02-20-2016, 09:21 PM

Still, I'd sell any of youse guys' body parts to have any of the Mars pistols in just "good" condition....

Jerry

alvin · 02-21-2016, 12:32 AM

Played with a couple of them in preview: large size, heavy weight, complex structure, weird action, rarely seen, very well made, very old, and great condition -- all point to higher value. And, they indeed sold tens of thousands a few days later. No plan to find one due to their price tag. But if have one, that's very lucky... even had a chance to hold it in hand a few minutes being lucky.

Zorba · 02-21-2016, 05:10 AM

I wouldn't mind holding one - but for my money I'd much rather have a Borchardt. The one is a beauty, the other a beast!

alvin · 02-21-2016, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zormpas

I wouldn't mind holding one - but for my money I'd much rather have a Borchardt. The one is a beauty, the other a beast!

Borchardt is a different type and is a different play. Due to its transaction volume, although being a very expensive pistol, Borchardt has ballpark value. Mars?? No, too few transactions to setup a ballpark.

From this perspective, Borchardt value is very predictable, but Mars is not. Mars has more value uncertainties. More risk. Looking from another side, if have $$ and interest to buy one of them, and both are available, Mars should have priority, due to it's much harder to come. Borchardt can wait. Of course, this only applies when you have interest in it.

Zorba · 02-21-2016, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvin

Of course, this only applies when you have interest in it.

Borchardt is beautiful, Mars is not. I'd love to own the former, the latter - not so much!

02-19-2016, 11:28 AM	#1
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	Mars pistol http://www.forgottenweapons.com/mars-pistol/ Combines the worst features of a Nambu and a Borchardt, and the best features of neither! Attached Thumbnails

02-19-2016, 02:36 PM	#4
kurusu User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,225 Thanks: 2,679 Thanked 930 Times in 509 Posts	Don't shoot that! Shoot this! Last edited by kurusu; 02-19-2016 at 03:51 PM.

02-19-2016, 06:01 PM	#6
RichSr User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 128 Thanks: 154 Thanked 54 Times in 36 Posts	Not the most attractive for sure, but it packed a much bigger punch. the Auto-Mag of it's day. __________________ Rich

02-20-2016, 11:19 AM	#12
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,196 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	Here's a pic/page from the 1943 Textbook Of Automatic Pistols by Wilson. The 9mm version (a bottlenecked 45 Mars cartridge) is quoted at 1750fps. Also rotary bolt, long recoil. Interesting. Also an amusing excerpt from Pistols Of The World... Attached Thumbnails Attached Images __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

02-20-2016, 11:50 AM	#14
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,920 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,135 Times in 1,518 Posts	Now that's a marketing executive's nightmare! "A singularly unpleasant and alarming pistol to shoot with"... And, in government testing... ",,, somewhat violent, though not greatly excessive recoil..." "No one who once fired the pistol wished to shoot it again..." Those are competitor's "endorsements" that only John M. Browning could have loved reading! __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

02-19-2016, 11:57 AM	#2
kurusu User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,225 Thanks: 2,679 Thanked 930 Times in 509 Posts	Life's to short to shoot an ugly gun. And complicated. And disagreeable. And ugly. And all around nasty. And ugly. Did I mentioned it was ugly?

02-19-2016, 08:35 PM	#8
Diver6106 User Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Mt. Vernon VA Posts: 245 Thanks: 1,433 Thanked 117 Times in 75 Posts	Is that hog leg a Maximum?

02-20-2016, 04:10 AM	#9
kurusu User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,225 Thanks: 2,679 Thanked 930 Times in 509 Posts	No, it's a regular .45 Colt. Early 3rd generation (1978).

02-20-2016, 07:29 AM	#10
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	I don't see how the Mars' pictured magazine could physically fit into the pistol's grip. What am I missing?

02-20-2016, 11:37 AM	#13
kurusu User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,225 Thanks: 2,679 Thanked 930 Times in 509 Posts	And this is the.45, the .45 long giving an impressive 1200 fps:

02-20-2016, 11:56 AM	#15
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	Rarely do you see such an unbalanced design, with all the center of gravity well above the recoil fulcrum. This must feel like the playground bully bending your wrist back until it touches your arm.

02-20-2016, 09:21 PM	#16
conehammer User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 116 Thanks: 1 Thanked 55 Times in 21 Posts	Still, I'd sell any of youse guys' body parts to have any of the Mars pistols in just "good" condition.... Jerry

02-21-2016, 12:32 AM	#17
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Played with a couple of them in preview: large size, heavy weight, complex structure, weird action, rarely seen, very well made, very old, and great condition -- all point to higher value. And, they indeed sold tens of thousands a few days later. No plan to find one due to their price tag. But if have one, that's very lucky... even had a chance to hold it in hand a few minutes being lucky.

02-21-2016, 05:10 AM	#18
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	I wouldn't mind holding one - but for my money I'd much rather have a Borchardt. The one is a beauty, the other a beast!