EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - Patent Information.

With thanks to Peter for this scan of research by Dennis Commins.

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - Unboxed.

With thanks to Mike for these pics:

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - Boxed.

With thanks to John A for the first pic.

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - Russian Copy.

See also Stiga, Brema and Milbro Diana Mk IV for copies of the EM-GE Zenit.

John Griffiths, author of The Encyclopedia of Spring Air Pistols, says about this copy (an example of which came up for auction at Campbells of Worthing in October 2014): <b>"This Russian copy must be the rarest of all. Close inspection of the pistol... shows that it has a different grip shape to other Zenit copies, and uniquely [it] has a plastic body with a separate metal trigger guard, and also has a characteristic trademark on the grip... Although it is said that about 55,000 of these were made between 1945 and 1947, they are very rare in Russia and even rarer outside Russia as they were never made for export."</b>

The German website muzzle.de calls it the 'Ischewsk' Zenit (a translation of the Russian 'Ижевск').

With thanks to splosh! for these pics:

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - Russian Copy (CCCP - IZH-45).

With thanks to Robert from the Polish forum FKW - Forum Kolekcjonerów Wiatrówek, for these pics.

The pistol was made from 1945-1947. Note the symbol on the grips is different from the other Russian Zenit copies.

Original pics here:

https://wiatrowki.cloudtown.pl/threads/izh-45-izh-45.411/

For more information about the IZH guns, see here:

https://wiatrowki.cloudtown.pl/threads/izh-izh.83/

Robert says: " This pistol was manufactured between 1945 and 1947 (54,890 were made in total).

It was 'designed' by A.A.Klimovym and N.P.Proshutinym (А.А.Климовым and Н.П.Прошутиным) in 1944. This is almost a complete ripoff of the [EM-GE] Zenit (the Russian Army took over German production machines during the WWII).

The first name of the pistol was СПП (SPP in latin letters - it translates to Sport Pneumatic Pistol). The name IZH-45/Иж-45 was used later."

Some markings found on this pistol:

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - Patent Pending.

This pistol lacks the EM-GE ship logo and just has "patent. ang" (angemeldet - 'panding' or 'applied for').

The owner's manual with it also says "patent angemeldet".

And another one copyright Hermann Historica:

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - leaflet / instructions.

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol - The Falke derivatives.

Three pistols in these pics (in order in 1st pic):

1. Falke' branded EM-GE 'Zenit'-type repeater

2. Falke model 33

3. EM-GE 'Zenit' 1930s

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol with plastic grip 

Boxed EM-GE Zenit ('Made in Germany' box) patent pending 

Geco-branded EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol (boxed) 

Note the absence of any mention of Geco on the box. EM-GE has simply removed its own brand/model, whereas the EM-GE box has the brand and the model emblazoned on it:

However, the pistol itself has a Geco stamp on the top of the cylinder and the grips have Geco decals instead of the familiar EM-GE ones.

With thanks to Tim Dyson of www.timdysonairguns.co.uk

EM-GE Zenit Air Pistol (Geco markings) 

With thanks to Eberhard.

He says:

Probably made after the war in the Soviet occupation zone for export to Sweden.