Background to Haenel LP55R/LP250 air pistol

Background to Haenel LP55R/LP250 air pistol 

With thanks to the author Eberhard and to John G for the translation and interepretation.

Background history to the Haenel LP55R / Haenel LP250 air pistol

In the Soviet occupation zone of Germany, immediately after the war, the Russians took over the management of the various manufacturing companies in Eisenach, Suhl and Zwickau, under the general name “Soviet Aktiengesellschaft (SAG)”, also known as Avtowelo. As far as armaments factories were concerned, the Russian policy was to dismantle and remove them, as for example happened to the larger, more modern companies like Gustlov & Göring-Werke.

However, the Russian generals' appetite for luxury goods probably saved the older small companies in Suhl, and consequently superior luxury hunting rifles of all kinds continued to be manufactured for the Russian army elite. Some air guns also continued to be made, such as the Haenel 28 and EM-GE Zenit pistols. In the case of the Zenit, in 1945 the logo was milled from the plastic handle and it was embossed in Russian characters on the cocking lever with СП (English equivalent SP for ‘sports pistol’) and the Tula diamond. A larger series was produced from 1946, stamped with СПП ИЖ-1946 ( SPP for ‘sports pneumatic pistol’, IZ-1946), and they were now serial numbered. The Haenel Model 1 was also produced in large numbers, as the Tula Mod.1946, as was the Haenel mod.33 Junior, with a civilian stock, then called the Haenel mod. 49 Junior. The latter was later produced for export, dropping the name Junior.

In Suhl, selected air gun models from pre-war production lines continued to be built, but in the case of Haenel products, the guns were not marketed with that name, as Haenel was considered to be a "war criminal". Consequently they manufactured under the name MEWA (Metalware). It was only later, when the export market had collapsed, that the Haenel logo was resurrected.

When the German Democratic Republic finally took control of the Haenel company from the Russians in 1952 it was given the official name “Ernst Thälmann Werk” (ETW). At this point only the Haenel mod. I-53, III-53 and the 49a air rifles were being manufactured. In Zella Mehlis another company, the August Bebel Werk, was making Mars air rifles, namely the Mars models 100 and 115, although relatively few examples of the model 100 were made. Both models were intended for export and for military training of the "FDJ" (Free German Youth). The FDJ rifles had no markings whatsoever, whereas the Mars export air rifles were marked "Aug.Bebel Werke Zella Mehlis", with the relevant model designations "Mars 100" or "Mars 115".

In 1956 the “GST” (Society for Sport and Technology) was founded, which took over the military tasks of the FDJ. The FDJ was also supposed to take part in civilian sporting competitions, but there was a severe shortage of appropriate sporting arms - not just air guns but also small caliber firearms, and as a consequence the new "Development Department" was founded, with the object of designing new small-bore guns, and also new air rifles and pistols. The firearms included KK rifles, which used proven pre-war technology, the Haenel mod.110 (a small, lightweight repeating rifle), the Haenel models I and IV (the mod. IV being produced in large numbers), and the Haenel mod. KP 53 (a smaller mod.110 with a pistol grip similar to that on the LUP 54 air pistol).

In the case of air guns (for which there were already printed brochures), at ETW these included the air rifles Haenel mod. I-54, Haenel mod.III-54, Haenel mod. IV-M (which was based on the Leyh cocking system), and the break-barrel air pistol Haenel mod. LUP 54.

There were also several known prototypes of the Model IV air rifle that were more like the pre-war underlever Model IV , as well as various air pistols based on the Leyh cocking principle which for convenience are referred to collectively as the Haenel LP55R.

In 1952 and early into 1953, air pistol prototypes were designed and made by Eric Leyh, as forerunners to his LP55R air pistol. Two prototype versions are known, and for convenience these can be called the LP52 and LP53 (based on information from a colleague who worked for ETW). In 1953 a new “development department” was set up, and was given the task of developing new air rifles and air pistols in the fall. This also included a development order for a repeating air pistol of the LP55R format with a magazine for up to 40 rounds. Some surviving factory documentation for the LP52 and 53 pistol projects is shown below but unfortunately is incomplete and of poor quality. This first illustration shows part of a report ca, 1952/53 with the illustration of a drum magazine pistol (which we have for convenience called the “LP52”, as it precedes the LP55R).

Factory report (part) depicting the “LP52” drum-magazine prototype:

The above text translates as:

2
Development order 520 640 E 3-27: air pistol with sizeable magazines

This order was given so late that completion was in doubt. It is completely unreasonable to assume that such new developments can be carried out within 1/4 year. In this case, starting work only made sense when it came across a development suggestion from a colleague at the Ernst Thalmann factory. The template presented was adopted and worked through constructively. There was not sufficient time to allow a test prototype to be made. A transfer application was submitted for 1954 to carry out the work that still needed to be done.

This new development of an air pistol fundamentally differs from previous models. While previously cocking was done by tilting the handle or barrel, which required a lot of force, and while previously only one pellet could be loaded at a time, the new development has a separate cocking lever that lies on the barrel in the rest position. Cocking requires significantly less force. Precautions have been taken to ensure that the pistol is safe during the loading process. The external shape is smaller, more pleasing and easier to handle. The multi-shot device is very versatile and can be designed with either 6-12 rounds with a stick magazine or with a drum magazine for up to 40 rounds. This creates an air pistol that is particularly suitable for sport shooting purposes.

The next illustration is part of a factory report from the same source, and shows a prototype pistol ( arbitrarily described here as the “LP53”) with a typical pre-war Haenel “stick” magazine One prototype example of this design is known and has serial number 2 . It has no model designation stamped on it, confirming that it is a pre-LP55R prototype.

Factory report illustrating a “LP53” prototype:

An example of a prototype “LP53” (serial number 2):

A transfer application was submitted in 1954 for project work that still needed to be completed on the “LP52”. This air pistol had a drum magazine that could be removed from the side, and was constructed from the engineering drawings shown above in 1954. Presumably it was further developed into the final LP 55R with the side magazine, an example of which, with serial number 3, is shown below. This example does have the “LP55R” marking.

LP55R with side-removable drum magazine, serial number 03:

Also developed was the more better known LP 55R version with the normal Haenel “stick” magazine.

LP55R with “stick” magazine:

There was also another variation of the LP55R version with an axial drum magazine.

LP55R with axial drum magazine:

Unfortunately none of these air pistols made it into series production. The final outcome of these developments should have been the LP 250 with a “stick” magazine, which was intended for export in 1964. Unfortunately this did not happen, and all we have are a few pre-production examples, marked “LP250” .

An example of the final LP250 intended for export: