Mannlicher Model 1900 (Series)

History

The Mannlicher Model 1900 series is in keeping with Steyr's high-quality craftsmanship. Pistols are made of high quality and durable, but this often comes at the cost of expensive production methods and complex machining.

Therefore, this excellent pistol did not look feasible and was limited to Austro-Hungarian (later Austria) and export customer Argentina. The pre-World War I surplus of safe small arms worked well against the Model 1900, earning it a world-renowned reputation.

The action of the 1900 series is noteworthy because it assumes delayed recoil ignition. Deceleration is achieved by a heavy spring that acts against the slider during recoil. The spring provides enough delay during recoil to allow the bullet to leave the barrel before a new cartridge is inserted into the firing chamber.

The Model 1900 series is chambered for the 7.63mm Mannlicher cartridge and is fed from a full 8-round magazine. Instead of using a "traditional" magazine by today's standards, the 1900 series used a cartridge "loader" fed from the top of the gun into a fixed magazine port buried in the pistol grip. Therefore, the feed is opened by requiring the operator to pull back the slider to load the gun. The loader is then inserted into the magazine well until the eight-round count is reached, and the slide closes. A release lock is provided if the operator needs to empty the magazine at any time.

The operator simply pulls the slider back once and activates the lock to access the magazine and its cartridge loader.

Externally, the Mannlicher Model 1900 had a thin frame with the barrel sticking out of the receiver. The gun is very light at 2 pounds, making it a perfect fit for the average person's hand. The pistol grip is slim, lightweight and ergonomic with a vertical grip pattern and open bottom loop.

The trigger is set in an oval trigger guard. There is a slight claw on the back of the handle, above which the hammer can be seen. The well-built Mannlicher Model 1900 presents a very unique exterior design as a collection.

The design of this Mannlicher product began in 1900, and the early form was characterized by ever-changing details in the quest for ultimate pistol perfection. Notable on these original models is a modification to the rear sight, which moves from above the chamber to the rear of the slide, creating a larger line of sight radius for the user and extending the weapon's capabilities.

Early production prototypes were provided and marked by Von Dreyse of Sommerda. Production of the Steyr (Osterreichische Waffenfabrik-Gesellschaft) began in 1901, which led to the Mannlicher pistol being better known as the "Type 1901" brand.

Production continued until 1905of which about 10,000 prototypes were eventually shippedand spawned the next notable brand, the Model 1905. The Argentine army became the recipients of the Model 1905, which were clearly marked with the designation "Md 1905" and the Argentine coat of arms to indicate their final destination.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes