Korth Semi-Auto Pistol 9mm Para Ratzeburg

Korth built its name on revolvers, so a Korth semi-automatic is the kind of thing that makes a collector do a double take. This is one of the pistols that came out of the Ratzeburg workshop during Korth's early semi-auto era, chambered in 9mm Parabellum and marked exactly as you would expect from that house: 9 mm PARA on the slide flat, the Korth roundel forward of the magazine release, and the full Made in W. Germany, Waffenfabrik Korth, Ratzeburg roll on the right side of the frame.

The whole thing reads as hand-built rather than mass produced. The slide carries a deep, satin-blued finish that sits quiet under light, paired with broad angled cocking serrations and a squared profile that feels sculpted at the muzzle. Up top you get an adjustable rear sight matched to a post front, the kind of setup that tells you precision was the priority. The bore is bright with clean rifling, and the crown shows the polished ring of a properly cut barrel.

The walnut grips are the detail that holds the eye. Full wrap-around panels with hand-cut diagonal checkering, a palm swell that fills the hand, and a contour that flows into the frame without a seam to fight you. They show light honest handling marks near the heel, nothing that takes away from the wood's warmth.

Worth noting: this one was built as part of a matched pair, sharing its number with an accompanying Korth revolver. Korth made very few semi-autos to begin with. Pairing one with a revolver under the same number puts it in a category most collectors never get the chance to handle.

For anyone who already respects what Ratzeburg put into its revolvers, this is the rare chance to own the other half of the story, a Korth that runs on a slide instead of a cylinder, and one that did not leave the factory alone.