History of semi-automatic pistols

[500]

Borchardt C93 - 1893

First successful semi-automatic pistol. It uses short recoil barrel system which is still used today, but complicated toggle-lock mechanism. It also used magazine in a handle. It worked well, but was not comfortable and bulky, thats why few thousands were produced.

Mauser C96 - 1886

First mass produced semi-automatic pistol - nearly a million produced. It used stripper clip loading instead of magazine in handle. Overall it was powerful but bulky and not so comfortable.

Luger - 1898

Based on Borchardt design, but with drastically improved ergonomics. Its first comfortable pistol, but was too complicated and expensive to produce. Still about 3 millions were made.


FN Browning M.1900 - 1899

Its first compact pistol. Designed by Browning. First one which used a slide and blowback action. Blowback action is used on weak self defence guns. These two innovations allowed to make very compact, comfortable, simple and cheap gun. It is basically a first modern pistol.

 

[500]

Colt M1900 - 1900

First powerful military pistol with a slide and locking system based on lowering a barrel. It used two barrel links to lower a barrel. Modern guns use one link:

This gun was bulky uncomfortable and not so successful, it passed many modifications and slowly it evolved into an iconic M1911.

Savage 1907 - 1906

This gun used delayed blowback action. It was unreliable for powerful military cartridges and too complex for weak self defence (simple blowback is better there). But it had two innovations: recoil spring around the barrel (which makes guns more compact and used on most blowback guns since then - FN M.1910, Walther PP, Makarov...) and double feed magazine.

Colt M1911 - 1911

Its M1900 which evolved into perfection. Browning used tilt barrel locking mechanism with barrel link (see illustration above). First this action was applied on experimental M1909 and used till today on almost all modern military guns. Improved ergonomics and safety. Its produced and popular till today.

 

[500]

Walther PP - 1929

Its first pistol using double action mechanism. It also had a decocker. Used blowback mechanism with spring around the barrel.

Browning HP - 1935

Simplified M1911 design. Replaced barrel link with barrel hook. Double stack magazine. Best WW2 pistol.

M1911 above vs. Browning HP below:

 

[UkroTurk]

Browning HP dream of every Turkish man from the Black Sea region .

The first pistol i used

 

[500]

CZ-75 - 1975

I was not sure if add it to the list, but let it be. It's basically a Browning HP with perfected ergonomics, better trigger, added double action. Most accurate and fun to shoot pistol if u ask me (out of standard pistols not specially designed sportive).

Glock-17 - 1982

Even more simplified Browning tilt barrel design. Striker instead of hammer, no external safety, plastic frame. All this made Glock very simple (to produce, to maintain, to operate), very reliable and very light pistol.

Glock has some downsides too: due to light weight it has high recoil (but if u carry a pistol whole day its not a big con), its trigger, ergonomics, sights are not so good, lack of external safety can cause problems.

Most of pistols in production today are Glock clones. Many are better than Glock: better ergonomics, sights, trigger... But still they remain only clones of Glock.

 

[500]

Browning HP dream of every Turkish man from the Black Sea region .

The first pistol i used

In terms of looks Browning HP and Walther PPK are my favorite. A true work of art. And other than being too heavy for daily carriage they are still fine even today.

 

[UkroTurk]

Creating a such topic requires big balls and responsiblity , sorry for being rude.

you forgot historical icon Beretta F92!
Where are HK models

For me Hk P30, CZ P07and Beretta PX4 much more reliable and tactical than Glock like striker fired handguns.


I would recommend you to add here SW equalizer models which are totally different from Glock like striker fired pistols as İt has internal hammer which makes light charging.


Also Smith Wesson revealed new 5.7 handgun. İt has crazy future of Tempo barrel system.

So if the pistols have polymer chassis and striker fired mechanism , they will not same.

Mechanism of action, motion of Barrell etc. are also unique and important.

Tilting or rotating barrel reduces Impulse of recoil while worsening the accuracy. Especially browning tilting mechanism.

I would prefer rotating barrel mechanism of Beretta PX4 rather than tilting.



BTW That's why HK made P07 fixed barrel with gas piston system.

 

[500]

Creating a such topic requires big balls and responsiblity , sorry for being rude.

you forgot historical icon Beretta F92!
Where are HK models

For me Hk P30, CZ P07and Beretta PX4 much more reliable and tactical than Glock like striker fired handguns.


I would recommend you to add here SW equalizer models which are totally different from Glock like striker fired pistols as İt has internal hammer which makes light charging.


Also Smith Wesson revealed new 5.7 handgun. İt has crazy future of Tempo barrel system.

So if the pistols have polymer chassis and striker fired mechanism , they will not same.

Mechanism of action, motion of Barrell etc. are also unique and important.

Tilting or rotating barrel reduces Impulse of recoil while worsening the accuracy. Especially browning tilting mechanism.

I would prefer rotating barrel mechanism of Beretta PX4 rather than tilting.



BTW That's why HK made P07 fixed barrel with gas piston system.

I am quite outdated to be honest, stuck in 1990-es. So thanks for criticism.

Beretta 92 is overrated in my opinion. Too many details.

HK P07 is interesting but too expensive to produce. Thats why no one copied it as in case of Glock.

One of the main signs of success is when others start copying it.