Dreyse M1907 The Dreyse Model 1907 is a semi - automatic pistol designed by Louis Schmeisser . The gun was named after Nikolaus von Dreyse , the designer of the Dreyse Needle Gun . The Waffenfabrik von Dreyse company was acquired by Rheinische Metallwaren & Maschinenfabrik Sömmerda in 1901 , although the Dreyse Model pistols were marketed under the Dreyse name . The pistol had an interesting feature for the time : when the gun was ready to fire , the firing pin projected through the back of the breech block , serving as an early handgun - cocking indicator . For cleaning , the frame , receiver and slide pivoted forward on a pin in front of the trigger guard . The pistol and its derivatives ( Dreyse Model 1907 Pocket Pistol , Dreyse Model 1912 Parabellum ) was of simple blowback recoil operation , though of unusual design . The same company also manufactured a 6 . 35 mm pocket version ( also named Model 1907 ) . In 1912 the 9 mm Parabellum Dreyse Model 1912 emerged as the gun ' s successor . Marked as the RM & M Dreyse , it was chambered for 9 mm Parabellum . Despite the gun ' s limited production time , the gun is relatively common today , in large part due to its use by Volkssturm and Volksgrenadier late in World War II , enabling many Allied servicemen to bring examples home as war trophies . Dreyse company . The Waffenfabrik von Dreyse was founded around 1841 to manufacture the famous Dreyse Needle gun for the Prussian Army , and they also made needle - pistols and caplock revolvers . The Dreyse Factory went into decline after the German Army adopted the Mauser in 1872 . In 1901 Rheinische Metallwaren - & Maschinenfabrik of Sommerda purchased Waffenfabrik von Dreyse . Development . The Model 1907 Dreyse Pistol was designed by Louis Schmeisser ( who had previously worked with Theodor Bergmann on the Bergmann Machine Gun ) in 1905 - 6 and were marketed from 1907 onward . The first gun , the 7 . 65 mm Auto was the most unusual . Most of the cranked slide lay along the top of the barrel , with a short section projecting down behind the chamber to serve as the breech block . The breech block was confined within a flat - sided frame with a bridge to carry the back sight and arrest the upper section of the slide . The recoil spring surrounded the barrel , enclosed in the frame and held by a collar engaging the front end of the slide through a spring catch . Pulling back on the finger grips at the front of the slide brings the breech block into view behind the frame . The Dreyse pistol was fired by a striker whose tail protruded back through the rear of the breech block when the chamber was loaded . The entire top section of frame and slide could be pivoted on a pin in front of the trigger guard , being locked in the firing position by a catch at the rear of the frame . This final refinement was essential to dismantling ; removal of the cranked slide would have been impossible otherwise . The Dreyse design was strongly influenced by John Browning ' s FN M1900 , though the Browning had its recoil spring above the barrel , while the Dreyse had a concentric recoil spring . Nonetheless , the overall shape was the same , as was the grip angle and surface design , the magazine release , the positioning of the manual safety and the breech blocks . Design Modifications . The only major modification concerned the firing mechanism . Prior to 1915 , the cocked striker had been held by the sear before being released by the trigger ; pulling the trigger subsequently pushed the striker back before releasing it , compressing the striker spring to a greater extent . This was inspired by the later 9 mm Dreyse due to insensitive wartime ammunition . It allowed a second strike if the first misfired . Another wartime change involved a recess cut in the top front of the slide to facilitate removal of the recoil - spring retaining bush . Variants . Early pistols were marked ' DREYSE Rheinische Metallwaren - & Maschinenfabrik ABT . SOMMERDA ' on the left side of the frame and an ' RMF ' monogram on the grips as shown above . Later pistols are usually marked ' DREYSE RHEINMETALL ABT . SOMMERDA ' . A few pistols made in 1914 lack the ' DREYSE ' marking . The pistol was also marketed commercially for police forces , including the Royal Saxon Gendarmerie , examples of which are marked as ' K . Sachs . Gend . ' Military Users . Primarily used by Austrian troops during World War I , especially officers of the Austro - Hungarian Habsburg Empire . Also used by officers of Imperial Germany during World War I . Examples issued to the Imperial German Army will have an acceptance proof above the ejection port on the right as well as the normal Crown N commercial proofs on the left side of the frame and slide near the trigger . Examples saw use by Wehrmacht troops ( especially officers ) during World War II . Nearing the end of the war many examples were issued to the " Volksgrenadier e " and " Volkssturm " , the latter often with so - called " last - ditch " Presstoff holsters . Large numbers of these were brought back to the United States by returning servicemen , which accounts for their availability in the country today . Typically the paper Presstoff holsters have not survived . A few thousand were purchased by the Czech military in 1921 and 1922 , but they were removed from service in 1923 due to unspecified accidents with them . In 1912 the pope ' s Swiss Guard acquired thirty of these pistols for use by officers and non - commissioned officers . They remained in service until 1990 when they were replaced by the SIG P225 pistol as the P75 . During World War II this pistol found its way to the Norwegian resistance . Quite a few of these pistols have , alongside home - made Sten - guns and illegal radios , been found hidden within the house - walls of Norwegian resistance members and sympathisers . There has not been described any action in Norway with any Dreyse - pistols . As for the unspecified " accidents " with these pistols , the rear latch which holds the hinged upper part , may come loose . If this happens , the striker WILL move forward and ignite the cartridge . An unconfirmed civilian incident happened in the 80 ` s , where the shooter pierced his foot with the 7 . 65mm as a result of the latch coming loose . Importation . The Dreyse M1907 was never imported officially by contract into the United States , but significant numbers of them were brought back by GI ' s following World War II . Notable Examples . The Deutsches Panzermuseum in Munster , Germany has an M1907 as the first display in its exhibit of German Army sidearms . Trivia . The Dreyse M1907 appeared in the earlier versions of the board game Cluedo , mislabeled as a revolver . References . Manowar ' s Hungarian Weapons and History