The Schwarzlose Model 1908 was a semi-automatic pistol, designed by Andreas Schwarzlose, released in 1908 in German Empire

German Empire

The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...

 and produced until 1911.

Operation

The Schwarzlose employs a very distinctive "blow-forward action"

Blow forward

Blow-forward is a firearm operation where the barrel is virtually the only moving part of the weapon that is forced forward against a spring by the cartridge pressure and friction of the projectile against the rifling...

 operating mechanism. It has no slide, instead the mechanism is operated by the barrel being projected forward due to the gas pressure and the friction of the bullet passing through the bore, the compressed recoil spring drives the barrel back, stripping the top cartridge from the magazine, chambering the round, and pressing the cartridge head against the standing breech, which is part of the frame.

Sources

• http://web.archive.org/web/20090603093046/http://www.gunsworld.com/gun_pistols/schwarzlose.htm
• http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Schwarzlose_001.jpg
• http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Schwarzlose_002.jpg
• http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Schwarzlose_003.jpg
• http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Schwarzlose_004.jpg

See also

• Schwarzlose MG M.07/12
  Schwarzlose MG M.07/12
  The Maschinengewehr Patent Schwarzlose M.07/12 was a medium machine-gun, and was used as a standard issue firearm in the Austro-Hungarian Army throughout World War I. It was also used by the Dutch, Greek and Hungarian armies during World War II...
  
  
• Steyr Mannlicher M1894
  Steyr Mannlicher M1894
  The M1894 Steyr Mannlicher blow-forward, semi-automatic pistol was an early semi-automatic pistol.-General features:This earliest Steyr Mannlicher pistol, manufactured by FAB.D'ARMES Neuhausen, Switzerland, was designed to be self loading and to use a special rimmed cartridge in 6.5 mm caliber...
  
  
• Hino Komuro M1908 Pistol
  Hino Komuro M1908 Pistol
  The Hino Komuro M1908 was a blow-forward operated, semi-automatic pistol of Japanese origin and was patented by Yujiro Komuro.It was chambered in 8mm Nambu, .32 ACP, and .25 ACP...