SCHWARZLOSE Blow-forward Action Pistol:

I thought that the obscure 'Blow-Forward' action would be worth looking into as I had no idea how it might work - and that it would make an interesting post.

The SCHWARZLOSE 1908 Semi-auto .32"ACP Blow-Forward Action.

 

Well I think that I've got it - but I'm not sure that I could explain it clearly without one in my hand to demonstrate! - Luckily, the Great Flying Spaghetti Monster has thought it all out and invented Youtube where you can find almost anything.

 

It looks like a neat wee design but I wonder how reliable it is in use with different variants of ammo.

 

 

Anyway, Wikipedia describes the blow-forward action as one where the friction and pressure of the bullet travelling down the bore drag the barrel forward.

The spring-loaded barrel moves forward opening the breech that lets the empty shell eject and the sprung magazine pushes-up the next round into a position to be chambered by the barrel coming back into position. - There is no 'slide'.

Well the video shows it all happening:

I wonder if that action would work with a 9mm NATO power level cartridge.

Designed by Andreas W Schwarzlose - the 1908 was only made for three years in the German Empire - that might suggest that this "slide-less" design had limited reliability or other short-comings. The six round box magazine in 32ACP fed a 121mm barrel (- four and three-quarter inch), with a muzzle velocity reported as 305m/sec.

- There was a machine gun that used this blow-forward action, and several other pistol designs.

Marty K