Description
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Co. is pleased to present this collectible semi-automatic pistol today for a penny-start auction, this is the OWA (Austrian Works Arsenal) Pocket Pistol!
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: OWA (Austrian Works Arsenal)
Model: Pocket Pistol
Serial: 15563
Date of Manufacture: 1922 (According to the “22” proof/date stamp)
Caliber: 6.35mm (AKA .25 ACP)
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 2"
Optics/Sights: Fixed Blade Front with V-Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Black Grips with Checkering
Action: Semi-Automatic
Markings: Standard / The left side of the slide is stamped “CAL 6.35 – ARSENAL, VIENNA AUSTRIA” on the upper line and “Pat. I. A. KULTURSTAATEN" on the lower line. The left side of the slide is also stamped with an “NPv” and an Austrian Eagle with a shield proof mark above the number “22”. Austrian proofs will bear the last two digits of the year the pistol was proofed.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
Oesterreichische Werke Anstalt (ÖWA), or Austrian Works Arsenal, was established in Vienna after the 1848 uprisings to ensure a military presence. By WWI, it had become a large industrial complex with 18 factories and 20,000 workers, focused on military production. After the war, the factories were idle, and to prevent political unrest, ÖWA sought to employ these workers. This led to the creation of a pistol, the only one produced by the arsenal. The design process was driven by the need to create a product quickly rather than by market demand. The engineers, likely inspired by older designs like the Steyr M1909 and Belgian pistols, created a model resembling early Clement pistols. Unlike John Browning’s later, more efficient designs, this model was more complex and costly to make. The pistol’s registration was submitted to the Vienna Patent Office on March 1920 under the name “State Industrial Plants.” The pistol featured a pivoting top section holding the barrel, recoil spring, and slide.
Model: Pocket Pistol
Serial: 15563
Date of Manufacture: 1922 (According to the “22” proof/date stamp)
Caliber: 6.35mm (AKA .25 ACP)
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 2"
Optics/Sights: Fixed Blade Front with V-Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Black Grips with Checkering
Action: Semi-Automatic
Markings: Standard / The left side of the slide is stamped “CAL 6.35 – ARSENAL, VIENNA AUSTRIA” on the upper line and “Pat. I. A. KULTURSTAATEN" on the lower line. The left side of the slide is also stamped with an “NPv” and an Austrian Eagle with a shield proof mark above the number “22”. Austrian proofs will bear the last two digits of the year the pistol was proofed.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
Oesterreichische Werke Anstalt (ÖWA), or Austrian Works Arsenal, was established in Vienna after the 1848 uprisings to ensure a military presence. By WWI, it had become a large industrial complex with 18 factories and 20,000 workers, focused on military production. After the war, the factories were idle, and to prevent political unrest, ÖWA sought to employ these workers. This led to the creation of a pistol, the only one produced by the arsenal. The design process was driven by the need to create a product quickly rather than by market demand. The engineers, likely inspired by older designs like the Steyr M1909 and Belgian pistols, created a model resembling early Clement pistols. Unlike John Browning’s later, more efficient designs, this model was more complex and costly to make. The pistol’s registration was submitted to the Vienna Patent Office on March 1920 under the name “State Industrial Plants.” The pistol featured a pivoting top section holding the barrel, recoil spring, and slide.
Unlike the Steyr, the barrel assembly wasn’t spring-loaded, and the recoil spring was mounted over the barrel. It had a simple design with a serrated breechblock, spring-loaded extractor, and plunger-type ejector. Its fixed sights were small, with a blade front and a V-type rear. The magazine release, similar to the Steyr M1909, was activated by pushing a lever towards the muzzle. The frame was made from solid steel, with basic internal components such as a hammer spring and a simple slide safety. The ÖWA Pistol arose from a need to employ labor, not from any free market demand. Coupled with the lack of sales structure or experience by ÖWA, the pistol suffered extremely poor sales. Unfortunately, many writers have blamed the problem on poor workmanship and quality of the pistol, and the reputation of the ÖWA has since suffered.
The problem really centered on the Austrian Arsenal; its postwar transformation from a giant military factory to a civilian-led commercial enterprise was a flop. In 1919, arsenal employment was down to 3,000. By the time the ÖWA pistol production began, the arsenal was in a state of disarray, with a wide variety of haphazard products with little marketing. Capital was quickly depleted, and it was not being replaced by sales. A major shakeup at the Arsenal occurred in October 1924, where the General Director and two-thirds of the employees were dismissed. By the end of 1925, there was nothing left but the machine factory and 300 workers. This is important in understanding the story of the ÖWA. It wasn’t simply that it was a poor selling pistol; the world around it fell apart. Sources state that ÖWA produced 40,000 pistols, and the serial numbers of observed pistols confirm this. However, these sources also state that only 8,000 pistols were sold! This doesn’t mean that the rest never reached consumers, so it must certainly refer to official sales.
Contents:
Contents:
This example will ship with one magazine.
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping with Insurance $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping with Insurance $70.00
Any orders placed with magazines that are not compliant with your state, county, or city regulations will not ship with your order.
We strive to ship orders within the close of the following business day after payment and documentation is received.
Payment Details
We accept all forms of Payment including Personal Check, Business Check, PO Money Orders, Certified Check, Etc.
Please note we place a 7 business day hold on shipment, for all non-certified payments.
Payment MUST be received within 14 days.
Return Policy
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Additional Details
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About Us
From a small town hobby, to a leader in the investment and collector grade firearms industry. Bryant Ridge Firearms is here to offer the best in quality and customer service when you are looking to unload your collector grade firearm collection.
