MDShooters, I Need to Pick Your Brains!

[Hopalong]

MDShooters Research Team Assemble!

When were semi-automatic firearms first commonly available on the civilian market in the US? I have a rough idea (I'm guessing WWI-ish), but nothing to back it up and, unfortunately, no time to research it.


I know this is somewhat of a subjective question, but if you could help me out by providing some examples of early semi-autos that were available for civilian sale, I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

[Numidian]

Considering there were no gun laws back then, they were available as soon as they were invented.

 

[Rack&Roll]

say it with me now…1911

Actually…after the 1911 .45 auto was invented for the military, 100 of these firearms were distributed to NRA members in the summer of 1912.

 

[browning guy]

Considering there were no gun laws back then, they were available as soon as they were invented.

yup, just like full auto.

 

[K31]

Depends on what you mean by commonly available. Borchardt C-93 pistols were marketed by George Luger in 1894 and the Luger 9mm parabellum after that but prior to the final design of the M1911.

 

[rob]

Dang, I thought this was a zombie apocalypse thread....

 

[Hopalong]

Considering there were no gun laws back then, they were available as soon as they were invented.

say it with me now…1911

Actually…after the 1911 .45 auto was invented for the military, 100 of these firearms were distributed to NRA members in the summer of 1912.

Right, I know that there were no laws restricting civilian sales in that era, but I'm also pretty sure that the first semi-autos were primarily distributed to the military. It's not about legislation, just simple market economics.

For example, when were 1911s actually available in sufficient quantity for civilian sales to take off? I'd wager it wasn't 1912, but I could be wrong.

Depends on what you mean by commonly available. Borchardt C-93 pistols were marketed by George Luger in 1894 and the Luger 9mm parabellum after that but prior to the final design of the M1911.

This is just the kind of stuff I'm looking for, only in the US. Were early Borchardts and Lugers available on the US market?

 

[6-Pack]

Well, do you consider revolvers semi-auto in the sense that they function as a semi auto?

 

[K31]

This is just the kind of stuff I'm looking for, only in the US. Were early Borchardts and Lugers available on the US market?

George Luger was an American gun salesman.

 

[Hopalong]

Well, do you consider revolvers semi-auto in the sense that they function as a semi auto?

Not looking specifically for DA revolvers, but I'll take info.

George Luger was an American gun salesman.

He was an Austrian, and he was born born, lived (mostly), and died in Europe. While he did try to market guns to the US military, calling him an American gun salesman seems a bit...off.

 

[airsporter]

Wiki info on the "Broomhandle" Mauser semi-auto pistol:

Within a year of its introduction in 1896, the C96 had been sold to governments, and commercially to civilians and individual military officers

 

[Biggfoot44]

For shotguns , the Browning Auto-5 was popular from the start , circa 1899-1900. For rifles the Winchester M1907 and M1909 were moderatly popular from their introduction. Rem Model8 moreso.

In handguns , all of various Early JMB designs were well publicised , and moderatly to very popular both under Browning and Colt brand names. Variously 1900, 03, 05, 08, etc.

 

[Hopalong]

For shotguns , the Browning Auto-5 was popular from the start , circa 1899-1900. For rifles the Winchester M1907 and M1909 were moderatly popular from their introduction. Rem Model8 moreso.

In handguns , all of various Early JMB designs were well publicised , and moderatly to very popular both under Browning and Colt brand names. Variously 1900, 03, 05, 08, etc.

Okay then, so around the turn of the century. A bit earlier than I thought.

Thanks! That's just the kind of stuff I'm looking for.

More inputs welcome.

 

[Mike OTDP]

Colt was marketing the 1903 pistol in 1903-4. Savage had their M1907. Remington had a self-loading rifle that predated the war, IIRC.

About a decade before the start of the Great War would be about right, as far as such arms being available in normal commercial channels.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Last session , I drew particular comparison to the Winchester M1905 and M1907 as being carbines with detachable mags , particularily suitable for anti-personel use , while also being useful for hunting ( .35WSL and .351WSL ctgs respectivly ). As in " in common use for 100yrs plus , with similar parameters to AR's " .

 

[Bolts Rock]

In 1922 Abercrombie and Fitch imported 100 specially marked .30 caliber Lugers.

How about Gatling guns?

 

[danb]

Depends on what you are looking for. It took until about 1900 for mass production capability to decrease the cost of auto loaders to the point where a lot of people could afford them, and for people like Browning to figure out how to eject the spent cartridge. It's not that people could not own them, per se, its that they were so expensive few people had them.

But, two civilians lugged a .45 ACP repeating gun with a 20-round gravity fed magazine across the country in... 1800. If someone had invented a darn compressor, it might have actually been practical. The air reservoirs were a PITA to make as well in 1800.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girandoni_Air_Rifle

 

[Qbeam]

In 1922 Abercrombie and Fitch importer 100 specially marked .30 caliber Lugers.

How about Gatling guns?

Ate these the same guys that have the clothing line?

 

[-Z/28-]

Ate these the same guys that have the clothing line?

Yes, but in name only though. They started as a high end outfitter.(Think like Cabelas) They also made accessories for the Army.

 

[lsw]

Winchester had the models 1905, 1907, 1910 semi-auto rifles in those respective years. Remington had the Model 8 I believe in 1906. A version of the Remington IIRC was made for Texas Rangers with a 15 round box magazine. Some of the loadings for the Remington were comparable to or more powerful than a 30-30.