The 1905 Steyr-Mannlicher was developed by Ferdinand Mannlicher, one of Europe’s most prolific gun designers. It uses the 7.65mm Mannlicher cartridge, which is roughly equivalent to .32 ACP, with a 10-round fixed internal magazine. The 1905 is, in my opinion, a fantastically elegant pistol, handles very well, and has minimal recoil thanks to its light cartridge. The ammunition used in this video is 1940s Argentine surplus (the single largest batch of pistols was sold to the Argentine Navy), which is known for having hard and dud primers (as you will see at the end of the video).
Mechanically, the pistol is a sort-of delayed blowback. It has a spring-loaded cam pushing against the breech that theoretically delays opening, but in practical fact it doesn’t have a significant impact. You can see how quickly the breech opens in the video…
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At Forgotten Weapons I think the most interesting guns out there are the most obscure ones. I try to search out experimental and prototype weapons and show you how they work, in addition to more conventional guns that you may not have heard of before. You’re much more likely to find a video on the Cei Rigotti or Webley-Fosbery here than an AR or Glock. So, do you want to learn about something new today? Then stick around!
Items you may have missed...
The Kit of Britishmuzzleloaders: PART SEVEN – Battledress, Khaki Drill, and the 1937 Web Equipment
The 1854/67 Wänzl rifle in caliber 14x33R
Seven shot flintock pistol, 20 shot revolver and other rarities at Holt’s booth at 2019 IWA
George Hyde’s First Submachine Gun: The Hyde Model 33
Bill Ruger’s Prototype WW2 Light Machine Gun
Final Prices: RIA September 2017 Premier Auction (and what I bought!)