Pieper Bayard 1923
Anciens Etablissements Pieper · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1923
Also known as: Bayard Model 1923, Bayard 1923-30, Pieper Bayard 7.65mm
Overview
The Pieper Bayard 1923 is a Belgian blowback-operated, hammer-fired semi-automatic pocket pistol manufactured by Anciens Etablissements Pieper of Herstal. Introduced in 1923 as a redesigned successor to the ultra-compact Bayard 1908, it adopted a more conventional and ergonomic layout while retaining the company's signature mounted-knight 'Bayard' trademark on the grips. It was offered in three Browning chamberings: 6.35mm (.25 ACP), 7.65mm (.32 ACP) and 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP), with the .32 ACP being the most common, and was marketed as a concealable defensive and pocket pistol.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 480 g (16.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 127 mm (5.00") |
| Barrel Length | 57 mm (2.24") |
| Height | 83 mm (3.27") |
| Width | 25 mm (0.98") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 275 m/s (902 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 175 J (129 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.65x17mm Browning SR (.32 ACP) · primary — also known as .32 ACP, 7.65mm Browning
- 6.35x16mm Browning (.25 ACP) — also known as .25 ACP, 6.35mm Browning
- .380 ACP — also known as 9x17mm, 9mm Browning Short, 9mm Kurz
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Safety
- Features: Fixed Sights, External Hammer, Checkered Grip Panels
Service history
Operators
- Civilian market
Production
Production years: 1923-1940
Produced in Herstal, Belgium; the initial 1923 pattern ran to roughly serial number 1500 before later production variations.
Origin
Country of origin: Belgium
Designer: Bernard Clarus
Discontinued: 1940
Notes
The 1923 model was a substantial redesign of the earlier 1908 Bayard, with the slide and frame reworked for easier handling. Early examples feature eight-pointed stars flanking the caliber inscription and a hand-engraved mounted knight. Dimensions vary by caliber variant; figures here reflect the common 7.65mm (.32 ACP) version.
Background
The Bayard name and its mounted-knight emblem reference the legendary medieval French knight Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard, 'the knight without fear and beyond reproach', a marketing flourish Pieper used across its pocket-pistol line.