Some firearms, like the Lignose pistol, have very different manuals-of-arms.
I found a pistol while going through the effects of a deceased relative, wrapped carefully in a white cloth. The relative was a World War II veteran who lived alone and kept to himself, according to other relatives. In going through his effects, it was like going back into history almost 100 years ago. Though I never met him, I almost feel like I knew him, having gone through the items he carefully preserved and left behind. Since I am the gun person of the family, I was given the gun for safekeeping.
My questions are why does the gun have two triggers? How do I make sure that it is clear before I start handling it? I got the magazine out (it was empty), but the slide will not move enough to inspect the chamber. What kind of ammunition does it take? It seems in good shape, so I might like to shoot it sometime in the future. How do I fieldstrip the pistol, or disassemble it for cleaning and lubrication? For added clarification in identification of the pistol, the exterior of the grips have the names Lignose and Bergmann molded into them. G.E. Powell, via e-mail
You did a good job in removing the source of ammunition first for safety purposes. The heel release on the frame is easily manipulated to remove the magazine. The safety on the left side of the frame must be in the down or fire position to operate the slide, allowing for chamber inspection if the hammer is forward. Since there was no ammunition in the magazine, it is plausible that the previous owner wanted to leave the gun in a safe condition, and this may include releasing the hammer forward to decrease tension on the mainspring. This can be verified by looking at the back of the slide where there is a small hole that houses a cocking indicator for the hammer. If the hole is vacant, which it most likely is, point the gun in a safe direction while keeping the fingers away from the triggers, move the safety to the fire position, then retract the slide as you would with any other semi-automatic pistol. Once you have visually inspected the chamber to verify that it is empty, the slide can be locked rearward by pulling it fully to the rear and rotating the safety up to interlock with the bottom of the slide.
The front “trigger” is actually a cocking piece that can be used to chamber a cartridge from the magazine with the firing hand only, should the remaining hand not be available to rack the slide. This gives the operator multiple options for carrying it safely, since it has a manual safety as well as carrying the gun with an empty chamber.
The cocking piece is actually a separate part from the slide. It can be removed by retracting the slide slightly and then depressing the spring-loaded detent with a small punch, allowing it to be removed from the muzzle.
In order to further disassemble the pistol for cleaning and lubrication, lock the slide to the rear, rotate the barrel 90 degrees to disengage it from the frame, then lift the rear of the slide up and away from the frame—carefully easing it forward while releasing the tension of the recoil spring on the guide rod—allowing separation of those parts. The barrel can be removed by lifting it up and out of the slide once the slide is off the frame. Disassembly to this level is considered fieldstripping at the user level and is sufficient to allow for proper cleaning and lubrication of the pistol.
Reassembly of the pistol is simply the reverse of disassembly. When repositioning the barrel back in the slide, ensure the locking lugs are turned to the side and not visible. Join the recoil spring and guide rod, position them into the recess provided in the frame followed by capturing the recoil spring in the opening of the slide below the barrel. Next, pull the slide to the rear fully and reseat it on the frame, locking it rearward with the safety. Rotate the barrel 90 degrees to lock the barrel into the frame and release the slide forward to ensure that it moves smoothly in both directions.
Finally, the cocking piece can be reinstalled by retracting the slide slightly and aligning the cocking piece with the frame rails, bringing it to rest against the front of the slide, which will allow said detent to lock it into place.
As you have discovered, this obscure pistol is of high quality and perhaps produced ahead of its time with several unique innovations that would fit into today’s market. Although it was produced in two different models: a six- and a nine-round model, both in .25 ACP, handling and maintenance procedures are the same.
The real history of the Lignose Einhand is a bit cloudy; historians do not agree its origin, the years of manufacture, how many were made or even where. The fact that your gun has Bergmann and Lignose inscribed in the grips would be an indicator that those two companies had a hand in producing these fine little pistols, most probably between the World Wars, near Suhl, Germany.
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