From the Vault: Schwarzlose Model 1898 Pistol

It's an autoloader with a rakish, somewhat Luger-like profile... but it's not a Colt Woodsman or a Glisenti or a Lahti. It's the German Schwarzlose Model 1898, designed by Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose. Brownells Gun Techs Keith Ford and Steve Ostrem show us a nicely preserved example that recently passed through the Rock Island Auction Company. Although it appeared just before the start of the 20th century, the Schwarzlose has features that were decades ahead of its time. Unfortunately, it was also not a commercial success, with fewer than 500 built. It's chambered for 7.63x25mm Mauser, the cartridge of the famous "Broomhandle" Mauser pistol, so Schwarzlose avoided the chore of having to develop his own ammo. Nice ergonomics and shape - sits well in the hand - with modern thumb safety and slide release (though their positions are reversed, with the safety in front), a detachable single-stack magazine through the grip, and a four-lug rotary bolt similar to that of the AR-15 and the .44 Auto-Mag! Like a modern Glock® or S&W M&P®, the Schwarzlose is striker-fired, with the rear of the striker protruding behind the receiver to serve as a visual cocking indicator. Steve demonstrates how this elegantly simple yet surprisingly "modern" mechanism works.

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