Military Pistols E-Book

Bruce Gordon

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

This book provides a convenient reference to the history and characteristics of the self-loading pistols that were adopted by the military forces of the nations involved in the two World Wars. It presents a selection of nineteen self-loading pistols - and the firms engaged in their manufacture - during this period, together with a technical appraisal of each weapon. For each pistol a history of both manufacturer and pistol is provided, along with a colour photograph and cutaway views of both the pistol and its breech operation. Details and cutaway views are also provided for the cartridges used by these pistols. All of the weapons illustrated are representative of the pattern issued to the military, and in many cases they continued to be produced for the commercial market. Includes a wealth of technical information and numerous high-quality illustrations prepared specially for the book.

Leseprobe

EUROPA MILITARIA N°39

MILITARY PISTOLS

HANDGUNS OF THE TWO WORLD WARS

GORDON BRUCE

THE CROWOOD PRESS

First published in 2016 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2016

© Gordon Bruce 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 247 2

Contents

Introduction

1.ASTRA 9mm Model 1921

2.BERETTA 9mm Model 1934

3.BERGMANN-BAYARD 9mm Model 1910/21

4.BROWNING 9mm Model 1935

5.COLT .45 Model 1911

6.CZ 9mm Model 1938

7.FRENCH 7.65mm Model 1935A

8.FROMMER 7.65mm Model 1912

9.GLISENTI 9mm Model 1910

10.LAHTI 9mm Model 1935

11.LUGER 9mm Model 1908

12.MAUSER 7.63mm Model 1896

13.NAMBU 8mm Model 1925

14.RADOM 9mm Model 1935

15.ROTH 8mm Model 1907

16.STEYR 9mm Model 1912

17.TOKAREV 7.62mm Model 1930

18.WALTHER 9mm Model 1938

19.WEBLEY .455 Model 1912

Operation of the Semi-Automatic Pistol

Introduction

While the conventional revolver had proved itself to be a reliable weapon, the advantage of an automatic system involving a more rapid loading of more powerful ammunition seemed an inevitable choice for modern military purposes. The rifle had always been a regulation army weapon, leaving the handgun to be retained as a sidearm for personal defence in close combat situations, and a weapon of individual choice rather than one of official issue. Its use had been intended mainly for officers and non-commissioned officers. Self-loading pistols of various types were thus purchased privately by these men during World War I, but by the time of World War II they had become widely adopted by the military authorities of many nations. The armed forces of each country had selected their own preferred type of pistol with a strong emphasis on its land of origin. Competent designs of automatic systems were prevalent throughout the early years of the twentieth century, and had been promoted by the various arms firms concerned with their manufacture. Patents were registered to protect a wide variety of methods for disengaging breech from barrel, and the loading of ammunition into the firing chamber. Systems involving the use of rotary barrels, tilting barrels and pivoting wedges had all been proposed to achieve the same result. To gain recognition and acceptance for military use, each pistol had to undergo a rigorous test programme requiring qualities of efficient operation, accuracy and reliability. Those weapons that were ultimately adopted by the authorities enabled large contracts to be awarded, together with recognition for individual designers, who have since become widely recognized throughout the world.

Key: A ASTRA 9mm Model 1921; B BERETTA 9mm Model 1934; C BERGMANN BAYARD 9mm Model 1910/30; D BROWNING 9mm Model 1935; E COLT 45in Model 1911; F CZ 9mm Model 1938; G FRENCH 7.65mm Model 1935A; H FROMMER 7.65mm Model 1911; I GLISENTI 9mm Model 1910; J LAHTI 9mm Model 1935; K LUGER 9mm Model 1908; L MAUSER 7.63mm Model 1896; M NAMBU 8mm Model 1914; N RADOM 9mm Model 1935; O ROTH 8mm Model 1907; P STEYR 9mm Model 1912; Q TOKAREV 7.62mm Model 1930; R WALTHER 9mm Model 1938; S WEBLEY 455in Model 1912;

1 Astra Model 400 (Spain)

Pistola de 9mm Modelo 1921 (9mm Model 1921)

Regulation sidearm of the Spanish military forces. Adopted by the German military in World War II

Factory: Unceta y Compania, Guernica, Spain

This factory originated from the small metalwork business of Juan Esperanza and Pedro Unceta founded on 17 July 1908 at Eibar in northern Spain. Senor Unceta was a wealthy local businessman who had achieved considerable success as a manufacturer and exporter of general hardware products. The factory produced all types of metal articles, particularly as applied to the Spanish arms trade, with a large part of their business involving rifles and pistol components. Soon after the firm was established, the partners were approached by an engineer who offered them an opportunity to manufacture a novel self-loading pistol. The design was accepted and that weapon was produced in large quantities as a pocket model, enabling the factory to establish a solid financial base and create a good reputation for the quality of its products. Further opportunity for expansion presented itself in the form of a military contract to supply quantities of the Campo Giro pistol for the Spanish army in 1912. Due to the restricted working conditions at Eibar, the partners had to consider the possibility of enlarging their premises to cope with the new orders. At the town of Guernica the local authorities were endeavouring to attract new industry to the region by offering suitable incentives.