Today on Gus’s Gear I have a Sauer & Sohn M1913. This example is from the second series and the serial number places it just before the German military contract pistols. It is a compact blow back design chambered for the 7.65mm Browning cartridge. The magazine holds 7 rounds and has the typical European heel release. The Sauer & Sohn firm has been located in Suhl, Thuringia for several centuries. They are well known for their quality sporting arms and often produced arms for the German military.
The left view of the pistol shows the safety lever just behind the trigger, down is fire and up is safe. There is a manual hold open lever for the slide above and in front of the trigger. With the finger on the trigger, pressure is put up to engage the hold open while the slide is drawn back, to release the hold open, the slide can be moved back and released or the trigger can be depressed.
The holster shown came with the pistol when it was acquired and shows the impression of the Sauer, indicating they have been together for a long time. The holster was made at Erfurt in 1915 and is the standard German issue holster for the short small frame pistol.
The view of the right side shows the ejection port on the slide and the heel release for the magazine can be seen at the bottom rear of the frame.
Disassembly on this pistol is fairly straight forward. First, remove the magazine and clear the chamber, then the rear sight can be depressed to release the knurled knob on the back of the slide. The knob can be unscrewed to remove, allowing the firing pin spring and firing pin to be removed. The slide can then be moved forward off the barrel and main spring and the breach block can be lifted off the frame. Assembly is a reverse process.