Make: Walther
Model: Olympia, 1925 Pattern
Serial Number: 4758
Year of Manufacture: 1925-1932
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto fed by Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 7 1/2"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade in a slotted base integral to the front of the barrel, screw-secured and adjustable for elevation. The rear sight is a "U"-notch dovetailed into the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is one-piece checkered wood which wraps around the back of the frame and has a slight thumb-shelf on the left, for a right-handed shooter. The grips show even light-moderate handling wear. The right has a bruise in the checkering toward the top. There is some scattered finish wear, light nicks and scratches. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original, the slide is serial-matched to the frame.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore, just a little stubborn fouling. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There are scattered light nicks, small scratches and light scuffing. There are scattered tiny spots of minor oxidation. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Fair-Good condition (see Mechanics).
Mechanics: The safety does not prevent the sear from disengaging, but does catch the hammer. If the trigger is pressed while the safety is engaged, the hammer will fall as the safety is disengaged. This should be addressed before firing. Otherwise, the action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single early-type 13-round magazine with spring-loaded built-in sight adjustment screwdriver.
Our Assessment: The Walther Olympia Model is a single action semi-automatic handgun manufactured by Walther, originally introduced in 1925 to compete with the Colt .22 Automatic (later known as the Woodsman). The first version was the M1925, formally known as the Automatic Walther Sport Pistol cal. 22 LR. It was followed by the M1932, the Olympia Pistole I, and used to good effect in the 1932 Olympic Games. The final development Walther made was the M1936 Olympia II that won five Gold Medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and effectively ended the Olympic reign of the Colt Woodsman Target model.
This example is one of the early 1925 pattern pistols which has survived the last 80+ years fairly well. The safety is not currently functioning properly, allowing the sear to disengage, but still catching the hammer, lowering the hammer as the safety is disengaged. Otherwise, it retains the great majority of its original finish, serial-matching parts and a nice bore. Even better for the dedicated collector, it comes with a very early magazine featuring a spring-loaded screwdriver built-in for sight adjustment. This would be a great piece for a Walther collection and, after the safety has been fixed, should still prove to be a fine shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
