The Volkspistole ("People's Pistol") was an emergency German pistol design that was assembled from simple steel pressings with a minimum of machined parts. Only prototypes were produced before the end of World War II. These prototypes had an unusual locking system that directed the propellant gases forward to retard the barrel until the bullet had left the muzzle. Some prototypes were also manufactured by Walther, Mauser and the Gustloff-Werke. These prototypes had slightly different actions.