History:
Nicolas Piepers first pistol construction originated in the year 1906/07. In these years, the caliber 6,35mm (.25) developed by J.M. Browning had just started its big successful run with vestpocket pistols, and Pieper immediately recognized the great potential of business on this market.
He used a patent of Warnant (brit.Pat.9379/1905) about the kind of barrel- and breech fixation, which he appearently took over from Warnant and which he extended with own patents later on. A second own patent (brit.Pat.25025/1906) protected the type of the magazine catch.
The pistol appeared in 1907 on the market and sold well.
Although a tip barrel already was quoted in Warnants patent, the barrel was not yet hinged on this model, but only detachable, therefore this pistol also was called "Demontant" (=detachable). This however just was Piepers catalog name in order to distinguish it from his "Basculant" pistols following this model. The name is not written on the pistols.
In short sequence improvements appeared in the fixation of barrel and breech. Some few very first models had a pin in the middle for the fixing of the barrel, and a pin at the rear end for the fixing of the breech casing. Immediately later the middle pin was operated by turning it pressing a thumb lever, while the breech casing was fixed with a screw at the rear. Finally, as third version, the rear fixation was changed to a nose fitting to a hook, and one could take out both barrel as well as breech casing after turning the thumb lever.
The pistol was made in 6.35 (.25) and 7.65 (.32) caliber. Manufactured numbers of pieces are not reported, but it should not have been too much, despite the good success, as the tip barrel type "Basculant " already appeared in 1909 as well as the new company already in 1908 competed with his own pistols with his new developed Bayard pistols.
The pistols however were sold until the end and after World War one.
A Spanish "pirated copy" named "Boltun" appeared on the market shortly afterwards, made by Franzisco Arizmendi/Spain
Technical Data:
SYSTEM: self-cocking pistol with internal hammer
CARTRIDGES : 6
CALIBER : .25 ACP
BARREL LENGTH : 58 mm, 6 grooves right hand twisting
WEIGHT EMPTY : 360 g
TOTAL LENGTH : 128 mm
TOTAL HEIGHT : 86 mm
TOTAL WIDTH : 22,8 mm
TRIGGER : Single Action
SIGHT : fix
SAFETY : lever
FINISH : blued
GRIPS : hard rubber