WWII Nazi Occupied Norwegian Kongsberg M1914 Semi-Auto Pistol, MFD 1942 C&R
SOLD FOR: $6625
LSB#: 210312DW06
Make: Kongsberg Vapenfabrik, Norway, under license from Browning through Fabrique Nationale
Model: 1914, known as the “Kongsberg Colt”
Serial Number: 27937
Year of Manufacture: 1942, Under Occupation By Germany
Caliber: 11.43×23 ACP (.45 ACP)
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “11.25m/m AUT. PISTOL M/1914==No 27937” and with a crowned “K” Kongsberg crest. The left side of the frame is also marked “27937” and the left front of the trigger guard is marked with an inspection mark. The left side of the trigger, slide release and safety, as well as the grip safety and mainspring housing, are marked “.937”. The underside of the barrel in front of the lug is marked “* .937 / N”. The right side of the slide is marked “1942” over a “JB” monogram (Jorgen Bjornholt, a civilian sub-inspector forced into service under German occupation as regular inspectors refused to serve under occupation). The inside of the slide is marked “1” in front of the locking-lug slots. The top-rear of the slide is marked “A”. The magazine floorplate is marked “50648”.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is rounded blade fixed to the slide. The rear sight is a “U” notch dovetailed into the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered birch with smooth diamond shapes around the grip screws. The grips were painted black originally, and the paint has mostly worn off except for in the grooves of the checkering and on the inside faces of the panels. The left panel has a scratch behind the bottom diamond and the right has a patch of compressed checkers above the bottom diamond. Otherwise, the grips show fairly uniform handling wear with well defined checkering. There are no chips or cracks. The grips rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Black Phosphate & Case Color Hammer
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is some scattered minor erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most of the balance is handling wear in the grip areas with some minor surface oxidation in the frontstrap. There is a patch of minor erosion at the left-front of the slide. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from tool marked with strong slots to disfigured with useable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good-plus condition
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide has very little play to the frame. The trigger has a hint of creep. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one 7 round magazine. The magazine has moderate operational wear, infrequent minor surface oxidation, a few shallow dents, intact feed lips and a strong spring. The dents do not interfere with the follower. Overall, the magazine is in Good-plus condition as not original to the gun.
Our Assessment: In the early 1900’s, the Norwegians were looking around for a pistol to replace their aging Nagant revolvers. They held several commissions to evaluate pistols, but they all came back recommending Colts – at first the Model 1902 in .38 ACP and finally the Model 1911. The Norwegian parliament kept refusing funding for the pistol, holding out for a “homegrown’ design. They finally gave up in 1914 and allowed the 1911 to be adopted. Norway held discussions for Fabrique Nationale, Browning’s representative in Europe, to secure a license to produce the pistols in Norway. Production finally began in 1917 with a few hundred produced. In 1918, a few slight changes were made, which resulted in a slide release that was both extended and lowered, which makes one wonder “Why didn’t we think of that?”. Nazi Germany occupied the Kongsberg factory in 1940 and remained there until 1945. During their occupation, production of pistols continued from 1940 to 1942, ceased in 1943 and 1944, with priorities given to rifles, and a few more pistols were made in 1945. The M1914 pistols were issued to both German troops and troops of the Quisling government in Norwegian occupied territory. This pistol was made in 1942 and is in about Very Good-plus condition with about 85% of its original finish remaining. It has matching serial numbers on the serialized parts with the exception of the magazine, which is a replacement. The checkered wood grips resemble Colt grips with smooth diamonds around the grip screws, but the Norwegian grips were made from their domestic birch trees and were painted black. This is a very nice find for collectors of European firearms as used during WWII, and for those of Scandinavia in particular. There were only about 30,000 of these pistols made in total, and only about 8200 during WWII. To add further value to these guns, the Kongsberg Colt and the Argentine Model of 1927 are the only two legitimate licensed copies of the Browning designed Colt 1911 produced overseas. Please see our photos and good luck!