Rifleman Q & A: Pre-War Stock Pistol

by
posted on June 27, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
warst.jpg

Q: I’ve acquired an older, semi-automatic .32 ACP pistol that I’ve never heard of. The gun is stamped “STOCK” on the stock panels, and the slide is stamped “FRANZ STOCK – BERLIN. D.R.P.” Can you help identify this pistol?

A: These are well-made, blowback-operated pistols that were introduced in the 1920s by Franz Stock of Berlin. The D.R.P. stamped after his name is the abbreviation for Deutsches Reichs Patent (Patented in Germany). They were in production for about 15 to 20 years.

Fieldstripping the Stock pistol was addressed on p. 84 of the June 1971 issue of The American Rifleman, and is available online at americanrifleman.org. It was noted that the trigger pull is clean and quite light for a pocket pistol. Also, the barrel is fastened rigidly to the frame, and the slide fits the frame and barrel closely. These features, and the excellent proportions of the pistol, aid in accurate shooting. 

--Michael F. Carrick

Latest

Nighthawk Custom New Guns 2026 1
Nighthawk Custom New Guns 2026 1

Nighthawk Custom Releases Trio Of New Pistols For 2026

Ahead of SHOT Show 2026, Nighthawk Custom announced it would be releasing three new handguns, all built with the company's "One Gun, One Gunsmith" approach.

I Have This Old Gun: Remington Nylon 66

When Remington Arms wanted an inexpensive, mass-market .22 rifle, the company's designers departed from traditional manufacturing materials. The resulting Remington Nylon 66 emerged as an incredibly innovative, durable design that went on to be produced in great numbers.

Nevada, Missouri Law Enforcement Agencies Adopt Springfield Echelon

Police departments in Nevada and Missouri became the latest law-enforcement agencies to adopt the Springfield Armory Echelon 4.5F as their official duty pistol.

New For 2026: FN 309 MRD

For 2026, FN is seeking to bring its handguns to a wider market with the FN 309 MRD, a no-frills affordable pistol that the company says is “easy to shoot, easy to use and easy to own.”

Handloads: A Cheap .38 Special Target Load

These times of sparsely available handloading components require scrimping here and there in order to continue shooting, and the .38 Special provides a lot of bang for the buck.

Jack O'Connor Guns, Books & Art Up For Auction

A number of books and firearms, along with some art pieces, that have a direct connection to famed outdoor writer Jack O'Connor are up for auction at GunBroker.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.