| Liliput 4.25 mm, 6.35 mm | |
|---|---|
 Liliput Model I (.25 ACP) | |
| Type | Pistol |
| Place of origin | Weimar Republic |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | August Menz |
| Variants | 2 |
| Specifications | |
| Cartridge | 4.25mm Liliput,.25 ACP,.32 ACP |
| Caliber | 4.25 mm (.167 in), .25 in (6.35 mm) |
| Action | Blowback |
Designed and popularized by the Austrian watchmakerFranz Pfannl. The 4.25 mmLiliput pistol is one of the smallestsemiautomatic handguns ever made (theKolibri is generally considered the smallest). Hence its name, derived from the fictional island ofLilliput, inhabited by tiny people. The pistol is a simple blowback with an unlocked breach. It uses a4.25 mm (.167 in) rimless centerfire straight-sided cartridge (which became known as the4.25mm Liliput, and which is no longer manufactured), that was introduced with the Erika 4.25mm handgun. Overall length of the Liliput was 4.25 inches and barrel length was 13⁄4 inches.
The Liliput was manufactured by Waffenfabrik August Menz inSuhl, Germany, from approximately 1920 to 1927. Menz also manufactured a similar.25 ACP pistol introduced in 1925 as the Model 1, and took over production of theBeholla Pistol, marketing it as the Menta. in.25 ACP and.32 ACP.
The Liliput is one of the few pistols that can be owned in the United Kingdom without a license.[1]
The Liliput is featured in a number of novels byAlistair MacLean, though he incorrectly refers to its calibre as ".21".
According to an Allied report, a Liliput pistol was issued to members of theWerwolf resistance force.[2]
