Hammerli pistols made in Germany ???

[daotoys1]

I know that some of the "Swiss" Hammerli pistols of old were actually made in Germany under contract ( prior to the Walther buy out of Hammerli in 2006).

For example; the Hammerli model 120 pistol was actually made in Germany.

Question; is the Hammerli model 232 rapid fire 22 short pistol also made in Germany or was it Swiss made???

The same question for the model 230?

Are there any other "old" Hammerli pistols also made in Germany ( or any other country other than Switzerland) ?

Thanks for help with this.

DAO
:)

[Tycho]

It will be difficult to answer this in a definitive way. Hammerli "always" had a factory in Tiengen, just scross the border (which was also used by SIG, btw). You'll find Hammerlis and SIGs with Tiengen markings, as well as the same models with Lenzburg markings. Some parts were made in-house, some were outsourced. Some people worked in both factories and travelled back and forth. My 230 and my 232 are all made in Switzerland. Two of my 230 are prototypes, and the guys I bought them from got them personally from the development office the Lenzburg factory, so I'd guess that at least the following 230 production was based in Switzerland. Besides, both types were never produced in big numbers, so there was no real motivation to build them elsewhere, I'd think. The 120 was clearly marketed as a less expensive FP, and Germany is THE market for something like that, so that would fit. But don't bet your pension on the markings on the guns, because Hammerli / SIG had a long tradition of putting together whatever parts were at hand, and selling it under any brand/markings the buyer liked.

I've certainly never heard of any other production sites for Hammerli pistols, and it would greatly surprise me if there were any.

[Paul Ha]

Tycho,
A bit off subject topic; but please consider helping.
A friend's Hammerli 162 has stopped working. A TT posting netted the part numbers needed for its conversion to mechanical trigger, supplied by another helpful TT poster.
However, an inquiry to Hammerli's factory service website has been unresponsive. Would you please help? Thank you for your time.
Paul Ha.

[TonyT]

I beleieve the problem is the Swiss governmentts tough export laws on firearms exports. Thus they manufacture in Germany.

[Tycho]

You can forget about that. We've always managed to export stuff... to almost everybody. Where do you think those Morinis come from? But manpower is cheaper in Germany, and to get into the public submissions, it's useful to be present in that country, and Germany was and is a really big market especially for Police equipment. Which is why SIG started that SigSauer stuff. And Hammerli had their Tiengen factory as a service center for Germany, and later, to have a legal presence in the EU, which simplifies a lot of paperwork. Nowadays it's of course different, Hammerli was sold and SIG is shut down.

[jipe]

You can forget about that. We've always managed to export stuff... to almost everybody. Where do you think those Morinis come from? But manpower is cheaper in Germany, and to get into the public submissions, it's useful to be present in that country, and Germany was and is a really big market especially for Police equipment. Which is why SIG started that SigSauer stuff. And Hammerli had their Tiengen factory as a service center for Germany, and later, to have a legal presence in the EU, which simplifies a lot of paperwork. Nowadays it's of course different, Hammerli was sold and SIG is shut down.

Well, I don't agree completely with that statement. Yes, export from Switzerland is possible to everywhere but it is easier, there are less constraints and it is less expensive to export from Germany especially for spare parts.

[Tycho]

If you read the original question, we are talking about the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s here, so your current experience doesn't apply.