The takedown latch is of paramount importance in regard to a shooter's safety. If the trigger is pressed when the hammer is cocked and the latch is unlocked, the caming surfaces of both the latch and the hammer prevent the hammer from reaching the firing pin.

The hammer body is machined in such a way that it prevents the latch from being raised when the hammer is not cocked. To be able to push it up and unlock the barrel assembly, you first have to draw the hammer down in the cocked position. The takedown latch is located at the rear of the receiver, just below the hammer pivot. Using the point of a 7.63 mm cartridge or a tool of non-marring material, depress the magazine plunger and slide the floorplate forward until it can be lifted off.Įach end of the flat spring can be easily disengaged from the floorplate and the magazine follower, by just sliding them out of their retaining grooves.

The first four stripping steps are shown In the drawing below. Producing a pistol in which the parts were made to interlock so that screws and pins were not necessary to assemble it, was then, and still remains as an outstanding achievement in the history of firearms development. Upon these principles which are already partly known, I have devised a magazine firearm in which all previous experiences in respect to this class of arm have been carefully taken into consideration, not only with regard to its ballistic qualities, but especially by the peculiar skillful construction of the component parts, and the manner of connecting them without the aid of screws it may, therefore, be considered that the improved firearm is in every way well adapted for military purposes.' The patent specification described the invention as follows : ' A magazine repeating firearm with a movable barrel, in which the recoil caused by the shock is used to unlock the bolt and open the breech, to eject the empty cartridge case and to work the firing mechanism, as well as to compress a number of springs arranged in such a manner as to effect the loading of a fresh cartridge, the re-closing of the breech and locking of the bolt and the advancing movement of the barrel. While some experimental models had been manufactured prior to that time, it was not until Mauser patented his military automatic pistol that a weapon of reliable design was produced. In 1896, the Mauser firm produced the first really successful military automatic pistol. Translated in English by the author himself with the friendly help of John VeitRelease 01-00Ģ002 Henrotin Gerard and HL Publishing (Belgium)

Mauser hsc firing pin removal