Welcome, if you’re a newcomer to this enjoyable bi-weekly section of AllOutdoor.com! Final time round we dove into the historical past of one in every of my favourite World Struggle One period firearms, the Steyr 1912. The Steyr 1912 is an unsightly duckling in an unlimited array of pistols making an attempt to determine what an actual pistol must be. By its life and repair, it actually didn’t see a lot so far as footprint change nevertheless there are nonetheless variants to interrupt down. That being stated let’s dive proper in!
Current Content material in Curious Relics:
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Variations: Steyr 1912
Steyr 1912 (Steyr M1912, Steyr Hahn, Steyr Hammer): Our particular pistol at the moment. Designed in 1911, manufacturing started in 1912, and it was adopted by the Austrian navy in 1914…after they already rejected it throughout an earlier submission. Seems that going to struggle might make a rustic much less choosy. Anyway, roughly 300,000 of those guys had been produced from 1912 till 1945. They had been chambered for the 9mm Steyr cartridge (dimensionally much like 9mm Largo however usually manner much less potent) and it held eight rounds after being top-loaded by way of stripper clip. Industrial fashions did exist all through their manufacturing nevertheless their gross sales had been primarily military-related.
Chilean Steyr Mannequin 1911: Manufactured from 1912 via 1913. Round 5000 of those had been ordered. Nearly fully similar to the Austrian manufacturing weapons however is not going to have Austrian proofs. They are going to have a Chilean crest in between the slide wedge and the serial quantity on the left-hand facet. It’ll have “MOD. 1911” shut by the date of manufacture on the left facet as effectively. On the proper facet, it can have a Chilean navy marking.
Lot 449: Chilean Contract Steyr Mannequin 1911 Semi-Computerized Pistol. (n.d.-m). Rock Island Public sale Firm. {photograph}. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/47/449/chilean-contract-steyr-model-1911-semiautomatic-pistol.
Romanian Steyr 1912: My pistol is definitely a Romanian mannequin however after they introduced again/imported them their markings had been modified and floor off. Round 12,000 of those had been ordered in 1913 and manufacturing was carried out all through World Struggle One. It’s much like the Chilean mannequin with a Romanian crest in the identical spot because the Chilean mannequin. Under the crest will probably be “Md. 1912” and its date of manufacture towards the rear i.e. “Steyr 1916”. Romanian proof marks will substitute the Austrian ones.
Lot 507: Romania Contract Steyr Mannequin 1911 Semi-Computerized Pistol. (n.d.-p). Rock Island Public sale Firm. {photograph}. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/47/507/romania-contract-steyr-model-1911-semiautomatic-pistol.
Braviarin Steyr 1912 (additionally known as the 1916): Totally similar to the Austrian manufacturing weapons and could have Austrian proofs however primarily will lack the letter suffix after the serial quantity. These had been ordered from 1916 via 1918 and will probably be marked as such, nonetheless within the 9mm Steyr chambering.
Steyr 1912 “P12” (additionally known as the M1912 08): That is the explanation these guys had been even produced into World Struggle II. When the Nazis took Austria they seized manufacturing of the Steyr 1912 and requested some modifications be made. Primarily it’s within the more and more frequent and already accepted 9mm Parabellum (9×19, 9mm Luger, and many others) cartridge. This concerned a barrel swap and the recoil springs modified. Some becoming might have been wanted for the journal mechanism however seemingly nothing too drastic.
These transformed weapons had been stamped with an “08” on the left-hand facet of the slide in between the slide wedge and the serial quantity. “08” due to the German adoption of the Luger P08 in 1908 in 9mm Parabellum. These conversions had been fully meant for Austrian police use throughout the German occupation. These could have the entire typical Austrian markings plus new German proofs and the anticipated Eagle/Swastika markings.
Lot 2775: Three Steyr-Hahn Semi-Computerized Pistols – B) Police Marked Steyr-Hahn Mannequin 1911 Pistol. (n.d.-af). Rock Island Public sale Firm. {photograph}. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/1035/2775/three-steyrhahn-semiautomatic-pistols.
Maschinenpistole M.12 Patrone 16: (additionally known as the Repetierpistole 1916): These extraordinarily uncommon examples of a real variant/change arose in 1916. They’re distinctly totally different in that though they resembled a typical Steyr 1912 (I imply they had been) they had been additionally modified to be full auto, fitted for a shoulder inventory, and had a brand new floorplate that prolonged the journal capability to 16 rounds nonetheless fed by an eight-round stripper clip simply twice.
Commissioned on the finish of 1915, this machine pistol was developed by the Österreichische Waffenfabriksgesellschaft below Main Franz Xaver Fuchs. It featured a hearth selector on the proper facet of the set off group, enabling an automated fireplace charge of about 800 rounds per minute. By February 1916, a batch of fifty prototypes was delivered for subject trials, and after profitable checks, an order of 5,000 items was positioned. These had been primarily issued to Tyrolean regiments preventing within the Alps on the Italian Entrance.
The M.12/P16’s prolonged 16-round journal, whereas an enchancment, nonetheless required frequent reloading, which may very well be cumbersome within the warmth of battle. Regardless of stories of large-scale manufacturing, it’s believed that fewer than 1,000 items had been made, with most destroyed after World Struggle I. The weapon noticed restricted use post-war, together with by Austrian SS troops throughout World Struggle II. Immediately, surviving examples are extremely uncommon and extremely prized by collectors.
Doppelpistole M.12: Arguably much more of a prototype than the Repetierpistole 1916, this was apparently making an attempt the identical factor the Italian Villar-Perosa was. It was two Repetierpistole 1916 pistols mounted facet by facet (just one with a inventory) on a steel body and was seemingly meant for plane use or alternatively a kind of suppressive weapon use on the battlefield. Nevertheless, these didn’t make it to fight and in the event that they did there have been so few and so cumbersome it was by no means worthy of notice.
Doppelpistole. (n.d.). firearms.96. {photograph}. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from http://firearms.96.lt/pages/m12p16.
Word: It must be talked about that SOME World Struggle Two period Steyr 1912 pistols that had their grips changed could have vertical serrated grips quite than checkered ones. My private gun had the World Struggle Two ones so I gave it a swap sooner or later.
Finish of Half II: Steyr 1912
There you may have it of us. All of the Steyr 1912 variations I might observe down. This pugly-looking gun has a gentle spot in my coronary heart as a result of it was one of many first World Struggle One-era firearms I ever purchased. It’s not fairly, has its Romanian mark floor off, and elements right here and there don’t match but it surely’s such a snug unassuming pistol and I can’t wait to take it to the vary quickly and inform you all what it’s prefer to shoot! See you quickly.
In closing, I hope our Curious Relics section knowledgeable in addition to entertained. This all was written in hopes of continued firearm appreciation and preservation. We didn’t simply notice how weapons had been alleged to look and performance. It was a protracted and tedious course of that has formed the world we dwell in. So, I put it to you! Is there a firearm on the market that you just really feel doesn’t get a lot notoriety? What ought to our subsequent Curious Relics subject cowl? As at all times, tell us your whole ideas within the Feedback beneath! We at all times admire your suggestions.
