What was the first-ever semiautomatic pistol?

Unless you’re a super hardcore firearms history buff, your first instinct might be to answer with either the German-made C-93 Borchardt, which was patented in 1893 and was indeed the first mass-produced semiauto pistol, or the German-made C96 “Broomhandle” Mauser, which was patented in 1896 and was the first military semiautomatic pistol to prove itself both rugged enough and reliable enough for field use (as Winston Churchill himself could personally attest).

However, the first semiauto pistol ever to be patented actually beat the Borchardt and the “Broomhandle” to the punch by two years and five years, respectively. It was invented in a country that would later end up as one of Imperial Germany’s allies during World War I. Say hello to the Salvator-Dormus pistol, made in Austria-Hungary.

Salvator-Dormus Pistol and 8mm Dormus Cartridge History & Specifications

The Salvatore-Dormus semiautomatic pistol was patented on July 11, 1891, by Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria (April 30, 1839-January 18, 1892) and Field Marshall Lieutenant Georg Ritter von Dormus (January 7, 1853-June 27, 1940). These two gentlemen also designed the Skoda Heavy Machine Gun M1893 (aka, the Salvator-Dormus M1893), which fired the 8×50mmR Mannlicher round.

The gun differed from many others in that it had been designed from the ground up as a semiauto pistol, rather than a modification of an earlier repeater. As noted by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons:

“It is chambered for the 8mm Dormus cartridge, and holds 5 rounds in a Mannlicher type clip. Only about 50 of these pistol [sic] were made, mostly for an Austrian military trial in 1896/7 (this particular one has an 1897 Austrian military acceptance mark). The gun uses a delayed blowback action, with the shooter’s finger pressure on the trigger acting as the delaying force – not exactly an ideal system! In Austrian trials (which were the only trials the gun entered) it was rejected in favor of the 1898 Gasser revolver, which would serve until Austria began adopting semiauto handguns in 1907. However, it does hold the distinction of being the earliest automatic pistol to actually be manufactured in more than toolroom prototype numbers (even if its military trials didn’t actually take place until after other guns had come on the market).”

The pistol loaded through the top with a charger and had a hinged magazine door on the butt, along with separate controls at the rear which functioned as a manual hold open/slide release and safety.

Dimensions included a barrel length of 5.75 inches (146 mm). Reportedly, the pistol had a maximum firing range of 40 meters (131 feet); by contrast, a modern semiauto military pistol such as the 9mm Beretta M9 has a maximum effective range of 50 meters (164 feet) but an actual maximum range of 1,800 meters (5,905 feet).

As for its original 8mm Dormus cartridge, McCollum reports that that bullet weight was 5.1 grams, or approximately 125 grains; he’s not certain of the muzzle velocity, but ventures an educated guess that it’s somewhere along the lines of the .32 ACP (7.65mm) cartridge.

Where Are They Now?

Thanks to the combination of the Austrian Army’s rejection of the pistol, as well as a lack of funds (apparently even the weight of influence bestowed by having blueblood inventors only goes so far), the Salvatore-Dormus semiauto pistol was abandoned, and very few specimens survive today. One of those lucky few survivors is on display at the Bundeswehr Museum of German Defense Technology in the city of Koblenz (on the banks of the Middle Rhine and the Moselle, in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate).

Meanwhile, if you act quickly enough—and if you’re rich enough—you can purchase one of these rare historic gems from Historic Investments for the modest price of a mere $195,000!

About the Author: Christian D. Orr

Christian D. Orr is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch, The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS). If you’d like to pick his brain further, you can ofttimes find him at the Old Virginia Tobacco Company (OVTC) lounge in Manassas, Virginia, partaking of fine stogies and good quality human camaraderie.

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