The HSc was Mauser’s answer to Walther’s PP model in the same chambering, and it’s a pretty little thing, made very much in the Art Deco style of the time:
Like many of the .32 ACP guns, I’ve actually owned one of these, and while it’s a joy to shoot — far nicer than the PP, by the way, which can cut your hand up — it’s not really a “pocket” pistol like its many competitors, in that it’s surprisingly heavy despite its diminutive size. (Carried in a pants pocket, it’ll make your trousers sag alarmingly — ask me how I know this — which is not true of the others.)
I’ve spoken before of my fondness for the .32 ACP cartridge, and it should be known that I’ve owned a large number of guns thus chambered, and fired almost all of them.
I once owned a Mauser HSc, and I very much regret selling it (but not the Walther), because it was a peach to shoot: accurate, smooth and in my hands, absolutely reliable without a single stoppage (despite that semi-rimmed design, which can cause feeding problems, I never experienced any with the HSc). Other people think so too, as whenever one appears at Collectors Firearms, for example, it seldom lasts long before being gobbled up.
The biggest problem with owning the HSc (like many of its cousins) is that the magazines are made of unobtanium, and if you can find one, it’s going to put a big hole in your wallet. Upon reflection, however, I don’t happen to think that it’s a problem because a .32 ACP pistol isn’t going to be your primary carry piece anyway.
But every time you take it to the range, you’ll remember why you enjoy shooting it so much. And that is not something you can say about many guns.
Alas, try finding a couple spare magazines for the little darling.
As a rule anyone selling the mag or mags is selling the pistol with them.
I’ve got the double stack model and 1 mag and wandered all around the most recent gun and knife show up in Allen and dropped by every mag seller I could find, zero luck.
And on top of that my buddy squeezed me out of my first attempt at a .45 when he snatched up a new Rock Island that fit my price range.
Sigh.
I should mention mine’s a Renato Gamba HSc Super double stack model.
They are making the straight stack mags now, that won’t fit the Super.
Numrich had/has them as of last month and they were in the $20something price range.
I’ve never tried a .25ACP or .32ACP pistol. the .25acp looks downright pathetic.
I get asked rather frequently for the .32ACP ammunition that will work in a Seecamp. I think it’s a Winchester 71grain offering that just doesn’t seem to be available at all.
The newly made Walthers by Smith and WEsson or now made by Walther in Arkansas have been modified to be more enjoyable to shoot. the tang has been extended and the bottom of the slide has been chamfered to prevent slide bite. I havent tried those newer variants. The local shop has one for about $800-900 which is ludicrous. For half that cost you can get a nice little 9mm that conceals easily, is lighter and probably easier to shoot than the PPK or PPK/s models and the ammunition is cheaper.
Way back in the stone age I ad the opportunity to test the PP, Hsc and Sauer, no problems with the PP ( I have small hands which is probably the reason ) no problems whith the Hsc but indeed very heavy for caliber. But the one that impressed me the most was the Sauer. Of course the only one for which Magazines are easily avaiable is the PP/PPK serie
It looks not too dissimilar from the 1st pistol I ever bought: 9×18 Makarov (albeit not quit as purty as the HSc), which is basically a PP clone. I got mine after the wall came down & the Russkies were hard up for cash. $110, came with an extra mag, cleaning rod & leather flap holster. It remains mucho fun to shoot and currently resides in my kitchen.
ah the .32ACP. Only thing more fun then shooting the .32 in the VZ-61 is a full auto 10/22 Ruger. A 20 round mag in the VZ will pretty much punch a quarter size hole in a target at 15 yards. It goes so fast the last one is out the barrel before it starts to lift.
Damn and I forgot to suggest trying triple -K for hard to find mags.