Steyr Model 1912 (M1912) / (Steyr-Hahn)

History

The Steyr Model 1912 (also known as the "Steyr-Hahn") was an Austro-Hungarian pistol that appeared before the First World War (1914-1918). The traditional Steyr-Mannlicher group is responsible for design and production. At the heart of the Model 1912 is a semi-automatic sidearm that holds a 9mm Steyr cartridge.

It was also adopted by the German Empire (and later Nazi Germany) who eventually used it via a 9mm Luger chamber (Parabellum). As such, this pistol was used in both world wars.

The Model 1912 was developed for service with the Austro-Hungarian Army at a time when the revolver was still established as the leading military pistol worldwide. Designs from the U.S. and Italy quickly shifted focus to semi-automatic types, and with them came many gun problems. The Model 1912 was born in 1911, but was not introduced until 1914, and used specialized Austro-Hungarian units until a wider adaptation was observed.

When the First World War broke out, the 1912 model was already in circulation, and several foreign buyers, including the German Reich, appeared. In the harsh conditions of wartime use, this weapon has proven itself quite well.

Internally, the Model 1912 is recoil operated and fed from an 8-round integrated magazine (ejector/loading clip lined with 9x23mm Steyr M12 rounds). Its semi-automatic function means that each pull of the trigger fires a round, and this action also continuously loads the gun. The barrel is rotated to lock the breech, which is essentially a "cleaned up" version of the feature seen in earlier Ross-Steyr Model 1907 pistols.

The effective range is 160 feet and the reported muzzle velocity is 1,120 feet per second. Iron sights are installed front and rear for some long-range accuracy.

The rails are smooth rectangles with little to no key feature of breaking fine lines - the muzzle sticks out a short distance from the front, giving the weapon a somewhat unique look. The shape of the grip is almost vertical, and the trigger is tight in the slender trigger ring.

The 1912 model was restored in the pre-WWII period (1938-1945) when Germany annexed Austria in 1938. Another batch of orders followed, and these examples were for the aforementioned Luger pistol cartridges.

In official Bundeswehr service, these pistols were designated "9mm P12(O)" and marked "P-08" on the left side of the slide assembly for identification purposes. About 200,000 guns received new barrels to fire Parabellum cartridges, which brought the Model 1912 in line with other German pistols of the period.

One of the two main models of the Model 1912 series of pistols became the "submachine gun" form. This design features increased magazines for more bullets and increased automatic action.

A solid stock is usually mounted on the rear of the gun to compensate for the uncontrollability of such a small gun firing at such high speeds.

Another major addition to the Model 1912 series was the "twin pistol" M. 12, which was essentially a "twin pistol" design combining two Model 1912s into one product - realizing the twin barrel approach. In this configuration, the M. 12 is more of a submachine gun than a submachine gun, but its tactical value is questionable.

As many as 300,000 copies were produced during the production of this above-average semi-automatic service pistol. The series was the standard Austro-Hungarian weapon until the fall of the Empire in 1918.

Chile, Italy and Romania are some of the notable foreign operators (outside Germany) of the series.

The Model 1911 is the commercial market version of the Model 1912.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes