some history questions.

J

jar

New member
I believe that the P-38 was the first successful DA/SA pistol with a decocker/safety.

I THINK that the P-35 was the first double stack semi-automatic.

The 1911 is creadited with being the first successful semi-automatic.

But what is the real story?

What was the first successful semi-automatic?

What is the early history of Semi-automatic, the history before the 1906-1908 US Army Trials?
 
Get a copy of Handguns of the World by E. C. Ezell. It goes into the early automatic pistols by country. Germany had a couple of successful designs including the Borchardt and Parabellum that preceded the Colt 1911.

The Austrians also had a bunch of varyingly successful designs pre 20th Century. The period between 1880 and 1910 was probably the most fruitful for autoloading designs in history. There is really nothing new since then except refinements.

The Savage autoloader had a double stack mag back around 1907 or so. You can find lots of .32 ACP models available.

Another great resource for early autoloaders is Textbook of Automatic Pistols by R. L. Wilson. Goes into all the pre-WWII stuff with lots of great anecdotes.
 
Hum...

Well, the Walther PP/PPK came out before the Walther P-38, and the PP/PPK were SA/DA with decocker.

I think the Sauer-Sohn and Mauser HsC also came out before the P-38.

Your statement would be correct if you were to say the first successful full-size military SA/DA with decocker...

But, the Polish Radom Vis 35 had a decocker before the Walther, even though it wasn't double action.

There were many other successful semi-autos before the 1911.

Again, if you're talking full-size military, there's the P-08 Luger and the C96 Mauser. While the Mauser never gained official military recognition, it was purchased privately and used heavily all over the world, including by Winston Churchill.

In small handguns, there were literally dozens of nicely successful semi-auto designs made prior to the 1911, several of them by John Browning and FN/Colt, but also included were the Savages, which sold very well in the United States.

Finally, again if you're talking about full-size military handguns, the High Power would be the first one to use a double stack magazine. But it wasn't double action.

Was the Beretta the first to combine both SA/DA and a high-cap magazine in standard military use? I'm brain farting...
 
The c96 was also produced in China. there are several variations some in 9mm others in 7.65 some are full auto most are not. German officers were allowed to purchase any sidearm they wanted.
 
The basic C96 design was also produced in Spain, by Astra. The Spanish made several hundred thousand, including many thousands in full auto.
 
Was the Beretta the first to combine both SA/DA and a high-cap magazine in standard military use? I'm brain farting...
Click to expand...

I believe so, although the *&* Model 59 was the first commercially successful pistol of the type.
 
That's what I thought, Tam.

The military in the 1950s was hot on the idea of a 9mm, so S&W made up some testers for them, and then all of a sudden interest cooled off quite a bit.

I've never been very impressed with any of S&W's semi-autos...
 
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