The 7.65mm Roth–Sauer is a centerfire cartridge resembling a shortened .32 ACP. Two self-loading pocket pistols were designed for this cartridge. One was manufactured by Roth-Sauer of Germany, and the other by Frommer of Hungary.[1]

7.65mm Roth–Sauer
TypePistol
Place of originGermany, Hungary
Production history
Designed1901
Specifications
Case typeRimless, straight
Bullet diameter.30 in (7.6 mm)
Neck diameter.332 in (8.4 mm)
Base diameter.335 in (8.5 mm)
Rim diameter.335 in (8.5 mm)
Rim thickness.043 in (1.1 mm)
Case length0.51 in (13 mm)
Overall length0.84 in (21 mm)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
71 gr (5 g) FMJ 820 ft/s (250 m/s) 106 ft⋅lbf (144 J)
Source(s): "Textbook of Automatic Pistols" [1]

The Roth-Sauer pistol was named for its Austrian patentee Georg Roth, but was developed by Czech designer Karel Krnka [cs]. It was produced in small quantities (probably less than 3000) by J P Sauer & Sohn of Suhl in Germany during the early 1900s. It employed a notably complex long-recoil mechanism to fire a unique 7.65 x 13mm cartridge. It bears similarities to other designs by Krnka, the most famous of which was Roth-Steyr adopted for service by the Austro-Hungarian Army. The striker firing mechanism is also of interest, in that it foreshadows the system used in modern double-action striker-fired pistols such as the Glock.

The markings on some of the surviving pistols suggest that they were used by the Berlin police and also Landes polizei for the German colony of South West Africa.[2]

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Roth - Sauer Automatic Pistol on YouTube

References

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  1. ^ a b *Wilson, R. K. Textbook of Automatic Pistols, pp.255-256. Plantersville, SC: Small Arms Technical Publishing Company, 1943.
  2. ^ "Roth-Sauer". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-06-17.