Krnka 1895
Georg Roth AG · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1895
Also known as: Roth-Krnka 1895, Krnka Pistol, Roth-Krnka, Krnka Karel 1895
Overview
The Krnka 1895 is an early Austrian self-loading pistol designed by Karel Krnka under the patronage of ammunition magnate Georg Roth, and was among the world's first practical semi-automatic handguns. Chambered for an 8mm Roth-Krnka cartridge, it operates on a long-recoil principle: on firing, the barrel and a rotating bolt recoil together to the rear, where the front-locking bolt unlocks and the barrel springs forward to strip and chamber the next round. It feeds from a fixed internal magazine in the grip loaded from the top with a stripper clip, and uses an exposed hammer offering both single- and double-action fire. Only small numbers were built, but the design directly led to Krnka's later Roth-Steyr M1907 service pistol.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 980 g (34.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 230 mm (9.06") |
| Barrel Length | 130 mm (5.12") |
| Action Type | Long Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 390 J (288 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 8mm Roth-Krnka · primary — also known as 8mm Roth, 8mm Krnka
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Exposed Hammer, Out Of Battery Disconnect
- Features: Rotating Bolt Locking, Long Recoil Action, Fixed Internal Magazine, Stripper Clip Loading, Single And Double Action
Service history
Operators
- Austro-Hungarian Trials
Production
Production years: 1895-1900
Built only in very small experimental and trials quantities; never entered mass production
Origin
Country of origin: Austria
Designer: Karel Krnka
Discontinued: 1900
Notes
Often referred to as the Roth-Krnka because it was developed with backing from Georg Roth, whose cartridge factory Krnka managed from 1898. Dimensions and weight are approximate; the pistol never reached series production and surviving examples vary. Muzzle energy is computed (~390 J) from the closely related 8mm Roth service load.
Background
Karel Krnka, son of the Bohemian gunsmith Sylvestr Krnka, built this pistol in the mid-1890s as one of the very first workable self-loading handguns in the world, predating the famous Mauser C96 and Borchardt designs as a fully locked-breech autoloader. Though overcomplicated and costly for its day, its rotating-bolt long-recoil action and grip-fed internal magazine became the proving ground for the Roth-Steyr M1907 that armed the Austro-Hungarian cavalry as the first auto-pistol issued to a major power's mounted troops.