C93 Borchardt

This a C93 (1893) Borchardt semi-automatic pistol chambered for the 7.65x25mm (.31 cal) smokeless round designed by Hugo Borchardt and originally manufactured by the German arms concern Ludwig Loewe, Berlin. Ludwig Lowe & Companie of Berlin offered it for commercial sale in 1884. In January 1897 Deutsche Waffen-und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) took over production during a merger. (820)

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The barrel length is 7 1/4" with an overall length of 14". It weighs 2 1/2 lbs. The serial number appears on the front bottom of the barrel, the trigger, the rear toggle, the bottom of the grip frame, the magazine and the stock attachment. The Borchardt originally sold in the US for $30.00, (don't we wish?).

The barrel is Crown B.U.G Proofed. Good crisp proof on the frame and toggle. The stock lug bears the serial number. Collectors prize the guns that are BUG proofed. The Crown B means the barrels were tested using a heavier load in accordance with the 1892 proof law. The Crown U (Untersuchung) means it was inspected after assembly and the Crown G (Gozogen) means a rifled barrel.

Hugo Borchardt was a rather easily offended type who thought his design quite adequate and couldn't be better. However, in addition to its bulky nature, the Borchardt pistol proved expensive to produce. Georg Luger, who had engaged himself in designing rifle magazines for the Loewe company (now renamed Deutsche Waffen und Munitions Fabriken), studied the Borchardt design.

Between 1895 and 1897, Luger modified the Borchardt, producing a small number of prototype weapons chambered in 7.65 mm Parabellum. While the Luger retained the toggle lock design, it did away with the cumbersome attachment at the rear of the receiver, moving the locking assembly over the grip. The grip itself had a new shape and a vastly improved angle, improving handling. While elegant, the Luger design required additional work.



In 1894 the US Military Attaché in Berlin, Lt. Robert Evans, reported firing the Borchardt and stated it had very little recoil. The Boston Herald of November 22, 1894 reported the US Navy tested the Borchardt and the weapons was exhibited by Georg Luger himself. An extract of the article stated; "A light adjustable stock may be affixed, making for all practicable purposes a carbine for the cavalry".


Guns produced after January 1897 under the DWM banner are marked SYSTEM BORCHARDT. PATENT. DEUTSCHE WAFFEN-UND MUNITIONSFARBRIKEN BERLIN, in three lines on the right side of the receiver, though retaining the patent mark on the toggle of D.R.P. №75837.
	This is an all-matching Borchardt with the serial number beautifully struck on most of the parts. Truly a classic gun and a must-have for the serious automatic pistol or advanced Luger collector.
While other designers had created self-loading pistols in the past, only the Borchardt sold in appreciable numbers. The Borchardt utilized a toggle lock, but housed the locking mechanism and springs in a large, bulbous assemblage at the rear of the receiver. To make matters worse, the grip of the Borchardt quite nearly ran in a vertical direction, providing an uncomfortable grip angle. Excellent source data at http://www.landofborchardt.com/
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The year of 1897 also marked the US Testing of the Borchardt semi-automatic pistol. The Springfield Armory, on October 19, 1897, Post Orders #40:

In accordance with the instructions of the Chief of Ordnance a board of Officers is hereby appointed to meet at this Armory tomorrow, the 20th instant, to make a thorough test of, and report upon, a BORCHARDT Automatic Pistol Carbine.

Detail for the Board.

Captain J. Rockwell, Jr., Ord. Dept.

Captain C. W. Whipple, Ord. Dept.

Lieut. T. C. Dickson, Ord. Dept.

By order of Colonel A. Mordecai

(Signed) Tracy C. Dickson

Lieut. Ord. Dept. U.S.A.

Post Adjutant

When a cartridge is fired the barrel and breech bolt locked together, recoiled until a pair of lugs on the frame lifted the toggle-joint action of the breech and allowed the bolt to continue it's travel independent of the barrel. The bolt when recoiled farther, ejected the empty case and cocked the arm, then returned, feeding a new cartridge into the chamber, pushing the barrel forward and locked rigidly as the toggle joint fell into line.

Hugo Borchardt created the 7.65mm x 25mm cartridge specifically for his gun. It came in a 85 gr FMJ round that could reach 1280 ft/sec velocity and delivered 312 ft/lb of energy. This cartridge is similar to the 7.63 x 25 mm Mauser cartridge, but a weaker powder charge. This cartridge was the basis of the 7.63x25 Mauser, 7.65 x 21 mm Luger Parabellum, and 7.62x25 Tokarev cartridges.

This is a excellent example of the C93 Borchardt automatic pistol with all matching serial numbers in fantastic condition.