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Austro-Hungarian Weapons - Mannlicher Pistols |
Semi-Automatic pistol (delayed blowback)
Very similar to the Austro-Hungarian Mannlicher Model 1901, which was particularly
popular in South America, and was adopted by the Argentine army as the 'Modelo 1905'. The M1905 sight is a notch in the rear end of the breech block.
Variations in grip, magazine capacity and barrel length will be found.
Original 1898-type guns bore no marks other than Mannlicher's motif (a crowned 'M', in a circle or a cross) while those made in 1900-1901 displayed 'PATENT MANNLICHER'
on the front of the left slide arm. Subsequently 'WAFFENFABRIK STEYR' appeared on the lock cover on the left side of the gun. Excepting guns supplied on contract to
Argentina, the M1905 is marked 'Md.1905/WAFFENFABRIK/STEYR' in three lines on the left frame panel and SYSTEM MANNLICHER' on the right.
The Argentine guns had all five lines on the left side to accommodate the national coat of arms on the right. Most of
these guns can be found with their Argentine crest ground off. Numbering of the 1900 series was separate. The 1901-pattern Steyr-made guns began again at
1 and continued to the end of M1905 production about 1910. About 10,600 of these Mannlichers had been made. Approx. 6000 was sold to Argentina.
A neat Austrian Eagle on the right side of this pistol, probably added by an Austrian officer.
This Mannlicher introduced the open-topped slide to the automatic pistol world. A fixed barrel is screwed into
the standing breech, forged as part of the frame. The slide consists of a short breech-block section behind the barrel, carrying the extractor and firing
pin. Two arms run forward from this block, one on each side, to join transversely beneath the barrel. The return spring sits in a hole beneath the breech,
extending forward to anchor on a stud in the front of the slide arms. Any rearward movement of the slide compresses the spring. There is a large external
hammer, and the simple trigger linkage is covered by a removable plate on the left side of the frame. The main spring lies in the right side of the frame,
the lower arm pressing on the hammer and the upper arm on a small lever whose tip engages a notch in the underside of the slide. The plate covering the
spring mechanism is joined to the lockwork plate by a forward-sweeping arm. This arm is locked beneath the return spring by a spring catch.
Ammo picture by Wesley Terrel