Now this is the strangest, yet most interesting handgun..admittedly I have ever bought.. I found it at a local sale.
It is an earlier Dreyse variant being marked Rheinische Metallwaren & Maschinenfabrik Sömmerda and having the grips marked. Also after cleaning I found what I believe is the Imperial German Army acceptance mark, and it also has the normal Crown N commercial proofs on the left side. They were made between 1907 and 1915. Use was in both wars, but as weapons technology advanced, use was typically found with rear line troops later, it was also fairly common police pistol.
Has this interesting feature, when cocked, the pin sticks out the rear indicating it is cocked.
Now it does something most semiautos don't, or cant, it breaks open.
What I think is the Imperial German Army acceptance mark.
The Crown N commercial proofs on the left side.
I used a 22wmr casing to hold the action open, there is no slide hold open, or last shot hold open.