POTD: Out of The Way Colt Here Comes The Czech Jaga Duo!
Sam.S 12.07.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Czech gunsmith František Dušek had serious skills. When he started producing slick little .25s under his “DUO” trademark in the late 1930s, folks took notice. See, Dušek’s streamlined six-shooters took inspiration from the sweet FN 1906 Browning. He put his own spin on it, trimming the grip safety to keep the DUO svelte. Once Hitler’s forces occupied Czechoslovakia, they commandeered Dušek’s workshop, spitting out over 110,000 DUOs for the Axis war effort. Even when the communists nationalized the factory in 1948, DUO production moved to Uherský Brod, now called the “Z” but retaining Dušek’s premium standards. Nearly 120,000 total DUOs and Zs rolled off the lines before wrapping in the early 1950s, much beloved by soldiers and civilians alike. While Dušek’s name doesn’t ring out like CZ or Browning, his gorgeous pistols could compete with the giants.
“Manufacturer: European
Model: Semi-Automatic
Type: Pistol
Gauge: 6.35 mm auto
Barrel: 2 inch round
Finish: blue
Grip: hard rubber”
Lot 6462: Four European Semi-Automatic Pocket Pistols – C) Czechoslovakian Jaga Pistol with Holster. (n.d.-br). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved December 6, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/1034/6462/four-european-semi-automatic-pocket-pistols.
