Hungarian Femaru FEG 37M 37-M .380 ACP Semi Automatic Pistol, MFD 1942 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,030.00
LSB#: LSB251220TO103
Make: Fémáru, Fegyver- és Gépgyár (Hardware, Weapons & Machinery Factory)
Model: 37M
Serial#: 154507
Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1942
Caliber/Gauge: 9mm Kurz (.380 ACP)
Action Type: Blowback Operated Semi-Automatic Pistol with Detachable Magazine.
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “FEMARU-FEGYVER-ES GEPGYAR R.T. 37M”. On the left side of the frame is the serial number “154507”. The left bow of the trigger guard features a St. Stephen’s Crown acceptance mark. The bottom of each magazine baseplate is marked “37M”.
Barrel Length: 4”
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a short blade dovetailed into the top of the slide. The rear sight is a “V” notch integral to the back of the slide. The top of the slide has a thin flat finely checkered rib to reduce glare.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The grips are two piece serrated wood. There is a lanyard ring at the bottom rear of the grip. There are some scattered light nicks and small scratches. The serrations are well defined. There are no cracks or chips. Overall the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is light gray with sharp rifling. There is light erosion and some stubborn fouling scattered through the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates about 7 out of 10.
Overall Condition: The pistol retains about 87% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There is some holdster wear on the leading edges of the slide. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and small scratches with infrequent of minor surface oxidation. The action shows operational wear. The screw head is tool marked with a usable slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box Paperwork and Accessories: This pistol comes with a leather flap holster and a total of three 7-round magazines with pinky extension floorplates, marked “37M”.
Our Assessment: Designed by Hungarian firearms inventor Rudolf Frommer, the 37M is a single-action handgun chambered for the 9mm short cartridge, better known here in America as .380 ACP. Frommer had more than 100 patents including for his Frommer Stop pistol which would be adopted by the Hungarian Army. For his contributions to Hungarian weapons design, he was elevated to the Hungarian nobility by none other than Emperor Franz Joseph and given the title “Fegyverneki” which loosely translates as “arms forger”. The 37M was a significant improvement over the earlier Frommer Stop with a simplified blowback action that shares a number of similarities to the Colt Pocket Hammerless designs, though it has an exposed hammer. This example was produced in 1942, which is surprising given the pistol’s condition.
Hungary was not the most pleasant place to be in the years to come, with the Hungarian 2nd Army taking heavy losses at Stalingrad in 1943 and then swiftly crushed at Voronezh, the nation directly occupied by Germany in early 1944, occupied by the Soviet Union in late 1944, went through a period of hyperinflation in 1946 and then went through a conversion to a Communist People’s Republic. Somehow, this 37M survived all that in Very Good condition and made its way here to America. This will be a great addition to a collection of Hungarian firearms or WWII-era commercial guns. In most of the warring nations, commercial firearms production was severely limited to provide for the war effort, so this wartime commercial 37M is quite the find. Please see our photos and good luck!
-Bud