Glisenti Model 1910
Metallurgica Bresciana gia Tempini · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1910
Also known as: Pistola Automatica Modello 1910, Glisenti 1910, MBT Glisenti
Overview
The Glisenti Model 1910 (Pistola Automatica Modello 1910) was the standard Italian service pistol of the First World War, designed by army officer Bethel Abiel Revelli. It is a short-recoil, locked-breech, striker-fired pistol of unusually complex construction, using a separate rectangular bolt and a vertical-lever barrel lock. A removable left side-plate eased field maintenance but weakened the frame, and the gun was widely regarded as over-complicated and structurally fragile. It was chambered for the reduced-power 9mm Glisenti cartridge to keep stresses within the design's limits.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 820 g (28.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 207 mm (8.15") |
| Barrel Length | 100 mm (3.94") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 305 m/s (1001 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 410 J (302 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 15 m (16 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 30 m (33 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9mm Glisenti · primary — also known as 9x19mm Glisenti, 9mm Glisenti M1910
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety, Manual Safety
- Features: Removable Left Side Plate, Separate Rectangular Bolt, Vertical Lever Barrel Lock
Variants
- Brixia M1913 — Commercial
Service history
Operators
- Royal Italian Army · adopted 1910 · as Pistola Automatica Modello 1910
- Royal Italian Navy
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 33,000 · Production years: 1910-1924
Approximately 33,000 M1910 pistols plus around 5,000 Brixia commercial variants; figures vary between sources (some cite up to 50,000).
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Bethel Abiel Revelli
Discontinued: 1924
Notes
The removable side-plate is the design's defining weakness, reducing structural strength. Production figures are disputed (commonly cited around 33,000 M1910 units plus roughly 5,000 Brixia variants).
Background
The 9mm Glisenti cartridge is dimensionally identical to the famous 9x19mm Parabellum, so a full-power 9mm Luger round will chamber perfectly in a Glisenti pistol - but firing one risks catastrophic failure, because the gun's frame and locking system cannot handle the higher pressure.