Mauser WTP

The Mauser WTP

The Mauser WTP is a unique vest pocket pistol in .25 ACP caliber. WTP is short for the German "Westen Taschen Pistole" (vest pocket pistol). The first model was available in 1921 until 1938 when the model 2 came out with improvements. The easiest way to tell the difference is by looking at the grips. The model 1 has wrap around grips that don't go all the way up to the slide, and the model 2 has separate grips on each side and go up to the slide at the top of the gun.

I know these look tiny, but they are so well made that they fit comfortably in the hand, even for shooters with large hands. The WTP is not as common as other Mauser pistols, but you can still find them online or at your local gun show.

Mauser's Vest Pocket Pistol was patented in 1918 and introduced for sale in 1921 to take advantage of a rapidly growing market for VERY small pistols for personal defence. The WTP (Westen Taschen Pistole) fitted into the palm of the hand and was chambered only for 6.35mm. It came out in two models: the WTP I and the WTP II, the latter coming into production in 1938 and featuring smaller, improved grips, a relocated safety and a "signal pin", like those on Mauser's larger models, that protruded through the rear of the slide to indicate by sight or feel that the striker was in firing position. The earlier model's black, hard rubber grips were replaced after 1938 with brown plastic grips. There were about 50,000 WTP Is produced (on sale in 1926 for 36 Reichsmarks) and far fewer WTP IIs made as production ceased in 1940 to make way for military manufacture.

If your gun is a WTP, its grips stop well below the slide and it is marked "W.T.P. - 6.35 - D.R.G." you have a WTP I. If the grips go nearly all the way up to the slide and the gun is marked "T. - 6.35" you have a WTP II.

Some of the above was graciously provided by A. Winthrop. See the author's full pocket pistol article HERE. Do you have information to contribute? Send it to us for review and we may post it here for your fellow collectors to learn from. By the way, I'm looking to buy a nice WTP model 2, so if you have one for sale, please contact me at tim@electronicart.com

DOWNLOADS

View the guide on how to field strip the WTP model 1 (also applies to model 2)