WAFFENFABRIK STENDA ..32ACP
Here's the story.......
In 1946, a 19 year old U.S. Army sergeant, my dad, won a .32 ACP in a poker game while stationed near Bad Hersfeld, Germany.
The little auto has a nickle finish, worn in some places, but very clean. The left side of the slide reads: WAFFENFABRIK STENDA - WERKE-SUHL I/TH . The serial number, which is located on the frame bottom and in front of the trigger guard reads 70715. Other parts on the pistol are numbered 715. If you lay the pistol on its right side with the butt facing down, you can identify a crown with the letter N below the crown, on the frame above the trigger.
Here's whats odd and why my dad bluffed and bet 3 months of sergeant's pay for this pistol.......it has CLEAR, uncheckered plastic (or bakelite ??) grips!! I have remembered the uniqueness of these clear plastic grips all of my life. (We're not going there!!!)
When sailing into New York Harbor in 1948, my dad tossed the clip overboard. Get this......you could bring over all sorts of weapons into the country at that time as long as they were missing the clip, or you could be court martialed.....my dad was busted to corporal for totalling a jeep on an unauthorized excursion while in Hersfeld ..... the word, "NOOKIE", was mentioned!!
I have acquired a clip for this pistol, but it is about 3/32 too long and will need to be fitted to this gun. It has been more than 50 years since this little 32ACP has been fired and I will be doing so in about a month!!
Is there anyone in cyberspace that has information on "Stenda" pistols and what the Blue Book price for a nickle finish one is??????
You can never have too many guns!!!
In 1946, a 19 year old U.S. Army sergeant, my dad, won a .32 ACP in a poker game while stationed near Bad Hersfeld, Germany.
The little auto has a nickle finish, worn in some places, but very clean. The left side of the slide reads: WAFFENFABRIK STENDA - WERKE-SUHL I/TH . The serial number, which is located on the frame bottom and in front of the trigger guard reads 70715. Other parts on the pistol are numbered 715. If you lay the pistol on its right side with the butt facing down, you can identify a crown with the letter N below the crown, on the frame above the trigger.
Here's whats odd and why my dad bluffed and bet 3 months of sergeant's pay for this pistol.......it has CLEAR, uncheckered plastic (or bakelite ??) grips!! I have remembered the uniqueness of these clear plastic grips all of my life. (We're not going there!!!)
When sailing into New York Harbor in 1948, my dad tossed the clip overboard. Get this......you could bring over all sorts of weapons into the country at that time as long as they were missing the clip, or you could be court martialed.....my dad was busted to corporal for totalling a jeep on an unauthorized excursion while in Hersfeld ..... the word, "NOOKIE", was mentioned!!
I have acquired a clip for this pistol, but it is about 3/32 too long and will need to be fitted to this gun. It has been more than 50 years since this little 32ACP has been fired and I will be doing so in about a month!!
Is there anyone in cyberspace that has information on "Stenda" pistols and what the Blue Book price for a nickle finish one is??????
You can never have too many guns!!!
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Stenda Waffenfabrik, made in Suhl Germany.
25,000 manufactured. Only mentions blued
frame. A lot of GIs had there bring homes
nickled. If that is the case price is
probably less than the book value of $200.
2002 Standard Catalog of Firearms.
JBB
I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them.0 -
Stendawerke Waffenfabrik GmbH of Suhl, Germany took over production of the Beholla pistol from
Becker & Hollander shortly after the end of the First World War and after some design changes to simplify
field stripping, manufactured Stenda pistols until about 1926. Stenda pistols with serial numbers into the 70000
range have been observed but it is thought that the numbering continued from the Beholla period and so
probably only about 25,000 pistols were manufactured by Stenda.
Numrich or as they are called now Gunparts Corp has some parts for these little guys.
If you Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Failfreetog@ulster.net0
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