The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

Guys, I hope yu don't mind this OT subject, but I am soooooo aggrevated I had to vent!

I subscribe to SGN and the latest issue has some good articles. One article is about the NEW Beretta Px4 Pistol that has the polymer frame. Well, this new pistol was given as great review! One of the features of this pistol is the "rotating barrel" locking mechanism. This is a feature that is on the Beretta Cougar pistol. Personally, I like the rotating barrel lock; it is sold, makes a shorter pistol and provides a softer recoil with large calibers. The problem with rotating barrel locking are the locking lugs MUST be kept lubricated or the pistol will stop. Still a good solid method, and I appreciate its use by Beretta.

My Rant is because Mauser, Oberndorf designed a rotating barrel lock pistol just before they sold their commercial operation to SIG/Sauer. SIG kept the Mauser pistol and used the Mauser name (which SIG owns now) on it. I have one of the excellent pistols in .45 ACP which is an absolute pleasure to shoot. reasonably accurate but not target quality. When I bought the pistol several years ago, I started looking up info on it to see what folks had to say. I was flabergasted that it was blasted BIG time for two points: the ROTATING BARREL locking mechanism and the location of the safety. I can't believe that a fine pistol like the Mauser gets blasted for a locking mechanism that Beretta get praises for using!

On a side note, the safety is not required on the Mauser, but it was an afterthought for the US market. It is located on the rear end of the slide and is a little inconvienient to operate with one hand, I sort of like the location, but that is just me.

Anyway, the article in SGN shows how a perfectly good pistol made by one maker is close to another, but folks can ruin a good pistol with "bad press" like has been done with the SIG Mauser.

I sort of see a parallel with the Beretta/Mauser and I do with the P-64/Makarov controversy. Bad Press or invalid information on the Internet can and will ruin any fine weapon. It is good to see we have folks that understand the P-64, and it is NOT a Polish Makarov; this is one point the P-64 and makarov lovers want to keep clarified, LOL!

Thanks for understanding my Rant; by the way, so any of you have a SIG Mauser?

I was flabergasted that it was blasted BIG time for two points: the ROTATING BARREL locking mechanism and the location of the safety. I can't believe that a fine pistol like the Mauser gets blasted for a locking mechanism that Beretta get praises for using!

Yup, perhaps Mauser is not as big an advertiser as Beretta...

There is one thing I would not want a rotating barrel lock system for and that is a combat weapon. The locking lugs tend to be exposed to mud, dirt, etc. more than the conventional locking block like the P.38 or the Beretta M92, and the Browning locking lugs like the Colts, SIG, etc.

After I posted this thread, I looked on the SIG websight and could not find a photo of the Mauser M2. I bought this pistol NIB at my gun dealer for $300 and I love it!

Edit - I found some photos. The first one is the pistol and the second one is the safety location

Of course,The rotating barrel is not new. There was the Mexican pistol that externally resembled the 1911 and had the rotating barrel. Before that, there was the Steyr 1912. Everything old is new again, 'eh?

abwehr, I agree with Tunnelrat... Something tells me a lot of the praise for the Beretta was paid for with advertising dollars (regardless of how sound the design, etc. is)...

-Mark

You guys are probably correct about the gun magazines and praise to certain manufacturers! This is the reason I don't subscribe to but only a couple of firearms publications. If the manufactureres like Beretta, Ruger, and others stopped advertising with them, they could not pay the bills. I make up my own mind about weapons.

I appreciate the comments guys, and when I read the article, it made my blood boil from the bad press the Mauser M2 has received. It is a fun pistol to shoot, but it is not a combat or Police weapon. Even SIG advertises it as a CCW and a shooter. Thanks again guys for putting up with my RANT!