Now its my turn: Ortgies

Zorba · 12-02-2019, 12:04 AM

Update: The Wolff spring kit and the replacement firing pin are now installed - with rather less than the "usual trouble". This pistol is easy to work on, overall. The trigger plunger and spring was a bit of a challenge to get back in the gun, but it didn't take too many references to "The Sailor's Guide" before it was done. Gun is all numbers matching inside, and was very clean except for the extractor spring hole which had some cruft in it. The new springs are obviously stronger than the old ones, probably 96 year old originals. The piece was a bit dryer inside than I would have liked, but now there's a coat of gun oil on everything.

Just need to replace the two mag springs tomorrow, and she'll be ready for a range trip!

Zorba · 12-03-2019, 06:36 PM

Took the "new" Ortgies to the range, along with my Walther PP for comparison - and my Ruger Mark III .22 "just because".

Comparing the Ortgies with the Walther was "interesting" - keeping in mind that the Walther is a 10 year newer design in a time when handgun design was rapidly evolving.

Sights: Ortgies very small V-notch, Walther is a smaller version of the modern U notch sights we're all familiar with.

Empty mag hold open: Ortgies no, Walther yes.

Mag release: Ortgies heel, Walther button in usual place.

Firing system: Ortgies striker, Walther hammer.

Safety: Ortgies has a one of a kind odd grip safety, Walther has a decocker.

Accuracy: As can be seen in the following pix, the Walther won out - these two guns in *my* hands, on this particular day. Same ammo used in both, a mixture of PMC hollow point and Magtech FMJ.

Reliability over the 50 rds shot: I had one FTF/FTE "event" with the Ortgies, with a PMC hollow point. Walther had no issues.

The rest of the story: All shots at 8-1/3rd yards, AKA 25 feet. 50 rds through both. Both guns felt fine in the hand, and handling/recoil were very similar as you'd expect. Both guns had replacement springs in them, the Ortgies "just yesterday", and the Walther 250 rds ago when I first got it. Both are fun to shoot.

The oddball Ortgies grip safety just makes zero sense to me. *shrug* I shot a bunch of raw video yesterday of the Ortgies complete take down to replace the springs - I should have it up on YooToob as soon as I can get to editing/combining the footage.

Zorba · 12-25-2019, 08:45 PM

One last resurrection of this thread, I made a video of the complete tear down for spring replacement. I had completed the assembly and editing of said video in iMovie, when I ran against yet another one of Apple's bugs that they refuse to fix. I had "fought" this bug with the last video I made also - so then and there I made the painful decision that I had been putting off for several years: I'm weaning myself off of Apple's programs - I've been bit too many times over the years!
So to start, I found an open source video editor that is actually quite good, but like anything else, there's a learning curve - so it took far longer to get this video out, but now its here, courtesy of the "shotcut" video editor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndG-GKgzjpM

tomaustin · 12-25-2019, 11:07 PM

I don't own one, but I know a hellava lot more than I did about them....thanks, Tom

Olle · 12-26-2019, 08:34 PM

Speaking of accuracy, here's a cut and paste from Wikipedia: In 1921, prize winners at some 70% of principal shooting competitions had chosen Ortgies 7.65 mm pistols, and the winner of the German championship on September 26, 1921, at Halensee, Germany, took the prize firing an Ortgies.

The Ortgies is obviously a very capable pistol.

12-03-2019, 06:36 PM	#2
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	Took the "new" Ortgies to the range, along with my Walther PP for comparison - and my Ruger Mark III .22 "just because". Comparing the Ortgies with the Walther was "interesting" - keeping in mind that the Walther is a 10 year newer design in a time when handgun design was rapidly evolving. Sights: Ortgies very small V-notch, Walther is a smaller version of the modern U notch sights we're all familiar with. Empty mag hold open: Ortgies no, Walther yes. Mag release: Ortgies heel, Walther button in usual place. Firing system: Ortgies striker, Walther hammer. Safety: Ortgies has a one of a kind odd grip safety, Walther has a decocker. Accuracy: As can be seen in the following pix, the Walther won out - these two guns in my hands, on this particular day. Same ammo used in both, a mixture of PMC hollow point and Magtech FMJ. Reliability over the 50 rds shot: I had one FTF/FTE "event" with the Ortgies, with a PMC hollow point. Walther had no issues. The rest of the story: All shots at 8-1/3rd yards, AKA 25 feet. 50 rds through both. Both guns felt fine in the hand, and handling/recoil were very similar as you'd expect. Both guns had replacement springs in them, the Ortgies "just yesterday", and the Walther 250 rds ago when I first got it. Both are fun to shoot. The oddball Ortgies grip safety just makes zero sense to me. shrug I shot a bunch of raw video yesterday of the Ortgies complete take down to replace the springs - I should have it up on YooToob as soon as I can get to editing/combining the footage. Attached Thumbnails

12-26-2019, 08:34 PM	#5
Olle User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,149 Thanks: 159 Thanked 664 Times in 318 Posts	Speaking of accuracy, here's a cut and paste from Wikipedia: In 1921, prize winners at some 70% of principal shooting competitions had chosen Ortgies 7.65 mm pistols, and the winner of the German championship on September 26, 1921, at Halensee, Germany, took the prize firing an Ortgies. The Ortgies is obviously a very capable pistol. __________________ Deer Hollow Enterprises, LLC Gun repair and restoration

12-02-2019, 12:04 AM	#1
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	Update: The Wolff spring kit and the replacement firing pin are now installed - with rather less than the "usual trouble". This pistol is easy to work on, overall. The trigger plunger and spring was a bit of a challenge to get back in the gun, but it didn't take too many references to "The Sailor's Guide" before it was done. Gun is all numbers matching inside, and was very clean except for the extractor spring hole which had some cruft in it. The new springs are obviously stronger than the old ones, probably 96 year old originals. The piece was a bit dryer inside than I would have liked, but now there's a coat of gun oil on everything. Just need to replace the two mag springs tomorrow, and she'll be ready for a range trip!

12-25-2019, 08:45 PM	#3
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	One last resurrection of this thread, I made a video of the complete tear down for spring replacement. I had completed the assembly and editing of said video in iMovie, when I ran against yet another one of Apple's bugs that they refuse to fix. I had "fought" this bug with the last video I made also - so then and there I made the painful decision that I had been putting off for several years: I'm weaning myself off of Apple's programs - I've been bit too many times over the years! So to start, I found an open source video editor that is actually quite good, but like anything else, there's a learning curve - so it took far longer to get this video out, but now its here, courtesy of the "shotcut" video editor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndG-GKgzjpM

12-25-2019, 11:07 PM	#4
tomaustin Lifer X5 Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: texas Posts: 708 Thanks: 87 Thanked 522 Times in 201 Posts	I don't own one, but I know a hellava lot more than I did about them....thanks, Tom