Bergmann Mars 1903
Theodor Bergmann Waffenfabrik · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1903
Also known as: Bergmann-Mars, Bergmann Mars Model 1903, Pistola Bergmann modelo 1903
Overview
The Bergmann Mars 1903 is a German short-recoil semi-automatic pistol designed by Louis Schmeisser and manufactured by Theodor Bergmann Waffenfabrik. It introduced a vertically-sliding locking block that encircled the bolt, a design patented in 1901 that proved more reliable and economical than earlier Bergmann pistols. Chambered for the powerful 9x23mm Bergmann (9mm Largo) cartridge and fed from a six-round detachable box magazine forward of the trigger guard, the Mars 1903 won a Spanish military trial and was ordered by Spain in 1905. Unable to meet the Spanish contract from his German works, Bergmann licensed production to the Belgian firm Anciens Etablissements Pieper, where the design was rebranded the Bergmann-Bayard - making the Mars 1903 the direct ancestor of that better-known service pistol.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 908 g (32.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 250 mm (9.84") |
| Barrel Length | 108 mm (4.25") |
| Height | 145 mm (5.71") |
| Width | 35 mm (1.38") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 335 m/s (1099 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 451 J (333 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x23mm Largo (Bergmann-Bayard) · primary — also known as 9mm Largo, 9mm Bergmann, 9mm Bergmann-Bayard, 9x23mm Bergmann
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Hammer Safety
- Features: Vertically Sliding Locking Block, External Hammer, Stripper Clip Loadable, Detachable Magazine Forward Of Trigger
Service history
Operators
- Spanish Army · adopted 1905 · as Pistola Bergmann de 9 mm modelo 1903
Production
Estimated total produced: 900 · Production years: 1903-1908
Approximately 900 German-made Mars 1903 pistols produced in 9mm before the design was licensed to Pieper in Belgium and rebranded the Bergmann-Bayard.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Louis Schmeisser
Discontinued: 1908
Notes
German-built Mars 1903 pistols are scarce; only around 900 were made in 9mm before production shifted to Belgium as the Bergmann-Bayard. The Spanish-contract pistols delivered from 1908-1909 were Belgian-made. The 9mm Largo cartridge it pioneered remained in Spanish military service into the 1980s.
Background
The Bergmann Mars 1903 is the gun that almost armed an empire: it won a Spanish army trial, but its German maker could not build them fast enough, so the contract - and the design - crossed the border into Belgium and was reborn as the Bergmann-Bayard.