TheMoneyPit
.357 mag
Interesting quick read
Invented by Hugo Borchardt in 1893, the Borchardt C-93 pistol was the first semiautomatic pistol to make it into large-scale production. The pistol used a toggle lock system, which meant that when the gun fired, a two-piece arm rose and flexed as the gun recoiled, thus allowing the breech to unlock and release the empty cartridge case. The gun used an eight-round magazine rather than requiring six shots to be manually loaded as with other revolvers at that time. Borchardt C-93 Pistol was tested by the U.S. Navy as early as 1894 and later by the U.S. Army. Although it was accurate and its rate of fire was rapid, the Borchardt pistol was expensive to produce and unwieldy to handle due to its almost vertical grip and distribution of weight. Its extended grip made aiming and firing difficult and gave it uneven weight distribution. One of the manufacturers wanted to redesign the pistol, but Borchardt turned down the offer because he believed the gun was perfect. The manufacturer later bypassed Borchardt and met with his assistant, Georg Luger, who invented the Luger pistol that was used by Germany in World War I and in World War II as well.
Source Top 10 historical firearms with wildly unusual characteristics - Page 2 of 2
Invented by Hugo Borchardt in 1893, the Borchardt C-93 pistol was the first semiautomatic pistol to make it into large-scale production. The pistol used a toggle lock system, which meant that when the gun fired, a two-piece arm rose and flexed as the gun recoiled, thus allowing the breech to unlock and release the empty cartridge case. The gun used an eight-round magazine rather than requiring six shots to be manually loaded as with other revolvers at that time. Borchardt C-93 Pistol was tested by the U.S. Navy as early as 1894 and later by the U.S. Army. Although it was accurate and its rate of fire was rapid, the Borchardt pistol was expensive to produce and unwieldy to handle due to its almost vertical grip and distribution of weight. Its extended grip made aiming and firing difficult and gave it uneven weight distribution. One of the manufacturers wanted to redesign the pistol, but Borchardt turned down the offer because he believed the gun was perfect. The manufacturer later bypassed Borchardt and met with his assistant, Georg Luger, who invented the Luger pistol that was used by Germany in World War I and in World War II as well.
Source Top 10 historical firearms with wildly unusual characteristics - Page 2 of 2