Schwarzlose Model 1908
A.W. Schwarzlose GmbH · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1908
Also known as: Schwarzlose Standart 1908, Schwarzlose Blow-Forward
Overview
The Schwarzlose Model 1908 is a German .32 ACP pocket pistol designed by Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose and built by A.W. Schwarzlose GmbH of Berlin. It is one of the very few production pistols ever to use a blow-forward action: it has no slide, and instead the barrel itself reciprocates forward off a fixed standing breech to cycle the action. The unconventional mechanism produced a sharp recoil impulse and proved a commercial dead-end, leaving the pistol a prized collector's curiosity.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 530 g (18.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 142 mm (5.59") |
| Barrel Length | 105 mm (4.13") |
| Action Type | Blow Forward |
| Firing Mechanism | Internal Hammer |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 282 m/s (925 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 184 J (136 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 20 m (22 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.65x17mm Browning SR (.32 ACP) · primary — also known as .32 ACP, 7.65mm Browning, .32 Auto
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety
- Features: Blow Forward Action, Fixed Standing Breech, Reciprocating Barrel, No Slide
Production
Production years: 1908-1911
No published total; observed serial numbers (German-made to ~6489, American-assembled to ~1494) suggest a low total in the single-digit thousands
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose
Discontinued: 1911
Notes
Blow-forward operation: on firing, bore friction and gas pressure drive the barrel forward off the fixed standing breech, compressing a recoil spring; the spent case held against the breech face is ejected, then the spring drives the barrel rearward, sleeving over the next cartridge to chamber it against the standing breech. A front grip safety cocks/positions the internal hammer mechanism and can be locked into 'fire' by a frame push-button. Magazine capacity is sometimes listed as 6 rounds.
Background
Blow-forward is one of the rarest auto-pistol actions ever fielded; only a handful of commercial pistols ever used it, among them the Schwarzlose 1908, the Japanese Hino-Komuro, and the Mannlicher Model 1894. On every shot the barrel lunges forward away from the shooter, the exact opposite of nearly every other semi-automatic, making the Schwarzlose a fascinating mechanical dead-end and a prized collector's curiosity.