WWII Hungarian Femaru Model 37 — jhv/41 32 ACP Nazi Semi Auto Pistol & Holster, C&R
Sold For: $1,856
LSB#: 140314BB02
Make: Femaru in Hungary
Model: Model 37
Serial Number: 38508
Year of Manufacture: 1941
Caliber: .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning)
Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “P. Mod. 37, Kal. 7,65.”, an Eagle holding a Swastika marked Globe and “jhv / 41”. The left side of the slide at the front and the left side of the frame are marked “38508”.
Barrel Length: 2 7/8”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short blade dovetailed into the top of the slide. The rear sight is a “V” notch at the back of the slide. The top of the slide has a thin flat finely checkered rib to reduce glare.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are walnut with vertical serrations. There is some darkening in some of the grooves that could be oil staining. There are only some light handling marks. The grips rate in about Excellent overall condition.
Type of Finish: The finish is a highly polished blue except for the rib on the slide which has a matte finish.
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 98% of its metal finish. There is thinning on the front edges of the slide and a few minor handling marks on the slide and frame. The left side of the frame also shows scratches in the finish around the slide release. The edges of the safety and slide release show minor thinning. The serrations on the slide, hammer and safety are sharp. The grip screw is sharp and the markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. This pistol has both a manual safety and a grip safety. It does not have a magazine disconnect. We did not fire this handgun.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a total of two blued magazines and a period canvas and leather holster. The magazines are blued with steel followers and long serrated finger extensions. The floorplates are marked “P. Mod 37” and “38508” on the extensions. Both magazines show minimal wear with thinning on the front edge of the magazine floorplate and a spot of surface loss on the floorplate from the magazine release. They are in about Excellent condition. The holster is green canvas with a border of brown leather around the rear edge and the top, with a leather top flap sewn to the underside surface at the top of the holster. There is a brown leather magazine pouch sewn to the outside surface of the holster and a steel stud is fastened next to it for securing the top flap via a strap sewn to the flaps outside surface. The inside of the top flap is marked in black ink “Nur fur Pistole 37M / (Ung.) Kal. 7,65mm” (Only for Pistol 37M in 7,65mm). The holster has a single brown leather belt loop sewn to its underside surface. The belt loop is marked “hsy / 1941 / Nazi Eagle”. There are markings at the bottom of the Eagle, but they are illegible. We can’t find the maker for code “hsy” although we believe it is from the first run of holsters made by Femaru. It is identical to those made by Gustav Reinhardt in Berlin, code: jsd. The holster shows multiple scrapes in the finish and a few spots of surface loss. The stitching is all intact and there are no cracks in the leather at the hinge. There is a small cut at the edge of the leather border at the top of the holster just above the magazine pouch. The canvas shows light wear at the muzzle, but the surface is intact with no fraying. Overall, the holster is in about Very Good to Fine condition.
Our Assessment: The Femaru Model 37 pistol is not common, as they were only made for a few years (1941-1944) in numbers less than 80,000. They were made for the Hungarian Army in .380 ACP and for the Germans in .32 ACP. The German version also differed in that it had a manual safety as well as a grip safety. There were two different German jhv/41 variants based on slide markings and a jhv/43 variant. Of the three variants, this 2nd variant jhv/41 pistol represents the highest number made – about 40,000. These pistols differed from most other WWII pistols in that the slides and frames were well polished before bluing, resulting in a high luster blued finish. This is a great looking pistol in Excellent condition with thinning on front edge of the slide and a few handling marks. It includes a period holster and two blued finger extension magazines. This is a great find for the WWII weapons collector. Not that many were made, and to find one in this condition with holster and magazines is going to make some collector very happy.
