Maxim Silverman Model 1896 Automatic Pistol

Hiram Maxim is obviously best known for the Maxim Machine Gun, but he and (most significantly) his assistant Louis Silverman also dabbled in handgun design. It appears that the work was primarily Silverman's, done with the tacit support of the Maxim company. A followup version was made with more of Maxim's fingerprints on the design, but it never appears to have been produced - while three of the Maxim-Silverman guns are known to still exist.
This pistol began as a simple blowback action, albeit a clever and elegant one. It was chambered for the 7.63mm Borchardt cartridge, which proved to be too strong for a blowback mechanism to safely handle. This was remediated by the addition of a delaying spring added to the side of the frame to hold the bolt closed slightly longer during the firing process. The two other known prototype examples are in different calibers; one in an experimental 8mm version of the Borchardt round, a larger framed model in .455 Webley.
Overall, these pistols are simple, elegant, and quite ahead of their time. It is unfortunately that they were not given more attention at the time, but it is reasonable that the Maxim company would be more interested in devoting its resources to the military machine gun market.
Thanks to the Institute of Military Technology for giving me access to this pistol: www.instmiltech...
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[@HKIMN2]

1896? This shit was so ahead of its time.

[@realhorrorshow8547]

1896, it's more like 2096. I think it may be the the most beautiful and elegant pistol I've seen. No wonder Maxim didn't like it, he made a great machine gun, but it looks like farm machinery, especially compared to that thing!

[@classifiedad1]

You can probably understand why they decided to invest in their machine gun business. They were making a profit off of selling machine guns, but semi-auto pistols were kind of seen as a newfangled novelty at this time. I mean, it looks great, but many people at this time have not seen value in a semi-auto pistol. Why use that thing, which can jam, when you have your old reliable revolver?

[@realhorrorshow8547]

"If you want to make a fortune, invent a machine that will help these Europeans kill each other." Well, he did and he did. Still, if someone took up that design and fixed the problem with using powerful cartridges, you could sell a ton of them on looks alone.

[@taistelusammakko5088]

Its fucking steampunk gun! I love it!

[@splashnavaroh5958]

HKIMN2 especially seeing as most of the good service pistols came 30 years later

[@Chaosrain112]

This thing is in absolutely IMMACULATE condition for being 120 years old. Props to the guys taking care of it.

[@CombustibleKitttens]

That thing looks so Art Deco it shoots Chrysler Buildings.

[@ducomaritiem7160]

Christopher Jeffrey better shoot Trump buildings... those are ugly.

[@herobrineharry7698]

Christopher Jeffrey not enough brass and geometric designs

[@Tarik360]

First gun you pick up in the next bioshock game.

[@bobbyhood101]

Ironically he treated his employees like the industry had treated him in the states a very unfortunate character flaw,a blemish on a otherwise brilliant individual.

[@alexspalding4945]

Duco Maritiem what a great President

[@Deliverygirl]

When I first saw the thumbnail, without seeing the date, I was certain this was a late 20th century weapon. The design looks so modern!

[@normalispersona5060]

It resembles a Luger P08 and Ruger Mk I in a few ways...

[@WineScrounger]

Normalis Persona yeah, that grip angle. It’s really sleek in a Buck Rogers/early space comics kind of way.

[@leonardpearlman4017]

@@WineScrounger This might be the thing that SET that style! That the cartoonists were working to this image, I'm saying.

[@WineScrounger]

Leonard Pearlman very possible. 👍

[@user-xg8yy7yl1d]

Normalis Persona Also a nambu kind of

[@Pleumel]

Over 120 year old gun.. Only 3 ever made.. "Oh boy! Let's dissassemble it =D"

[@MaeGambler]

Pleumel hes got some balls

[@Pleumel]

He once mentioned that he doesn't think about the value of these guns.. sometimes he doesn't even know it himself and wondered that they went through the auction with such high prices afterwards. And yes, indeed he has.

[@realhorrorshow8547]

Only three ever made and each is a different calibre, so each is effectively unique. There are some things he doesn't strip, but not many. I can only assume that he has a considerable reputation (I only know him from this channel). Certainly no auction house would allow the likes of me to even touch most of the weapons he features.

[@stephentroyer3831]

Right? It's crazy, the extremely rare guns he gets to take apart and explain for us all.

[@TheLongwolf14]

Pleumel and here I was thinking maybe just maybe I could buy one.....

[@extremistcontent1337]

Lets just take a moment to appreciate how such a rare pistol made in 1896 is in such pristine condition over 100 years later. That pistol has been superbly cared for over that time.

[@davidmcguire6043]

Most things will hold up well if you stick them in a box for a hundred and twenty-four years without touching them.

[@callumclark3358]

@@davidmcguire6043 You volunteering?

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

It’s a beautiful, elegant design. It would sell as a .22 or even a .380. They would have pinned the ejector eventually. A really simple trigger setup too. I can see DIY guys taking note.

[@samuelwatson8460]

only 3 in existence, Jango lost 2 of them in Geonosis and Gun Jesus has the last one

[@tostie3110]

Samuel Watson Sure hope they kept them intact for the movie.

Actually Boba took them back (you can see him with those guns in one of the Clone Wars Episode) so they were probably lost during the formation of the Empire... ?

[@Director414]

gun jesus! lmao best name ever for this guy xD

[@taistelusammakko5088]

Damn he lost something expensive. I mean his head

[@hichamdadi3506]

Samuel Watson yes you have right👍🏼😂

[@T2266]

this came out way back in 1896.... wow... just wow...

[@Ulvetann]

Back then, it must have looked like science fiction. Even to this day, it looks like science fiction. -Just ask Jango.

[@Karl_Kampfwagen]

We should all come together and make 80% parts to make new ones... It's not like Hiram Maxim and Co. can still have active patents on it, right? 120 years old, and only 3 made? 🤔 I see Opportunity here

[@heinzxzxzxzxzx]

Just comparing its looks to other guns of the era it looks so sleek and stylish Just magnificent

[@cflmaior]

The "unknown 8.45mm cartridge" that Ian mentions at 3:23 is called 8mm Schönberger, which was used in the Laumann pistol of 1891. This round was already described as "quite unobtainable" as soon as 1931 (Textbook of Automatic Pistols" by R. K. Wilson).

[@TheOzTurkish]

The finish on that pistol is exquisite during the closeups

[@Punisher9419]

I really like it's simplicity even the added spring which was a simple solution to a problem. Someone should reproduce these by hand or something. Would be cool.

[@vguyver2]

It really does. The entire design is surprisingly modern.

[@gavindavies793]

also looks like there's room to increase the thickness of the bolt walls & reduce the flange dia on the striker, fit a smaller dia (stiffer) main spring. Maybe even swap the bolt material to a nickle alloy, maybe a lost-wax investment casting part to bump up the mass further. Might slow down the breach opening a tad more. Such an elegant gun. Make a Luger look like the ugliest of ugly sisters by comparison!

[@gavindavies793]

would have thought Tungsten Carbide too brittle?

[@SuqMadiq]

Gavin Davies they use tungsten carbide in machining tools, lol

[@aceroadholder2185]

Yep they do, but Tungsten Carbide is very brittle as Gavin notes. Vibration and interrupted cuts are death to this type tooling. A striker made from Tungsten Carbide would snap off in no time. If you needed mass in the bolt there doesn't seem to an easy way to do that as the bolt is hollow.. perhaps a ring of Tungsten at the back of the bolt might do the trick. But even that might not be enough, e.g. the bolt in the blow-back 9mm Sten gun looks like it might have 5 or 6 times the mass of the bolt in this pistol. A bolt with a heavy slug insert might work ok with .32 ACP and be easy to cock without that external spring.

[@TheGeneralKirov]

It would be nice if someone produced this gun in .22lr. nice plinking potencial :)

[@stephenarling1667]

Like the SW 22Victory too, but prettier.

[@davidmcguire6043]

It's called a Ruger MKII.

[@davidmcguire6043]

@Daniel Nunez so obviously you've never handled a Ruger mk pistol.

[@davidmcguire6043]

@The Weapon Collection you mean mark 2. The mark 2 being the best of the bunch and also having a heel type magazine release

[@davidmcguire6043]

@Mauri Mela the mark 4 isn't an upgrade. the Mark II is the best of the Ruger Mark series as far as performance and shoot ability. Some people have trouble with the disassembly and reassembly of pre Mark 4 Ruger 22 pistols those people are morons.

[@MadNumForce]

That's really a neat design. If Silverman had got to this point of optimizing mechanically the gun, with further development that crude delaying leaf spring would probably have become some sort of sliding or tilting block providing actual, proper delaying. Compared to the Borchardt, it's so much tidier, compact, mechanically elegant and straight forward! Shame it didn't go any further...

[@franciscoschwarz6451]

Unbelievable to me, it's a pre 1900 design. It's so slick!

[@SoWe1]

this spring delay system is in function very similar to a roller delayed blowback, as there is something roundish that has to be pushed out of the way by the bolt before it can move backwards

[@donjones4719]

@@SoWe1 Same thought popped into my head when I saw it. And the piece could be made nicer, but keep the simple design - not sure the roller is really needed. I like the idea of this as a simple to mass produce wartime gun - no need for internal rollers, etc, just this spring. There's hardly any room for dirt to get in.

[@dennisyoung4631]

Perhaps a hardened ring at the front of the receivers with several small holes and ball bearings - converting the reshaped striker into something vaguely like the bolt assembly of an MP-5 (delayed blowback)

[@sjoormen1]

This one deserves to be replicated. Simply breathtaking.

[@williamprince1114]

Too bad.....20 years later a 32 acp or 380 version would probably have been very popular.

[@andymac4883]

Makes me wonder what the patent status like. Over 100 years old, would it be possible for someone to make reproductions in a more suitable cartridge?

[@Mengmoshu]

This is one of several guns that make me wish I had the money to start a gun replica company. CNC machines and contemporary metallurgy could turn a lot of old designs into very serviceable sporting and hobby guns. With the added benefit that I'd be chambering them in common contemporary cartridges.

[@ChadThundersneed]

Timothy King yes this is good, I have idea! We gather more people with this idea and make a company to fund these

[@hurricane567]

who owns the .455 one, we can buy ammo and try it out lol

[@josephdillard9907]

William Prince Yeah really, I'd love to have one in either .32 or .380, either one or even better, both

[@nthedecent7717]

Such an elegant and beautiful piece.

[@browncoat697]

Rakermul ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ A more elegant weapon from a more civilized age?

[@veryberrykeri]

"Its elegant and simple" Me: "a weapon from a more civilized age...?"

[@beelz5932]

lol

[@cyrusdavirus3411]

Im growing a mustache just like you gun jesus.

[@ProfDrUZI]

Gun Jesus. That's great! XD

[@philipparish9439]

Ian is officially "gun jesus". Perfect

[@jackripperson6260]

Yay, "Gun Jesus" is catching on! X3

[@ProfDrUZI]

Hey guys, thanks for tuning in on forgotten weapons dot com, I'm gun Jesus... XD

[@MrRoboskippy]

If you like Ian's mustache, you should see his dad's.

[@nosferatu5]

Looks like something you'd see in a James Bond movie.

[@tdugong]

nosferatu5 color it gold and it would be worthy of Scaramanga.

[@mantistoboggan5171]

you mean star wars

[@Pirategod23]

We all thought it

[@Oblithian]

Maybe moonnraker

[@lord_hemp]

Jango Fett's pistol on forgotten weapons, I never thought I'd see the day

[@thegun1649]

Piece of art. Simplistic InDesign and easily maintained.

[@brainkill7034]

Phenomenal design. Extremely simple and efficient. I would love to see this incorporated into new models.

[@entropy11]

For such an early design, it's extremely well thought out and simple.

[@elcapullogalactico8335]

I can only see the jango fett blasters.

[@lisciatoredimele8919]

They look very similar indeed

[@TheCpirate9]

ELCAPULLO GALACTICO Jango Feet Huh

[@elcapullogalactico8335]

I didn't see that shit when i wrote that. Thanks for the correction dude

[@JaingSkirata]

I was about to say...

[@TheCpirate9]

ELCAPULLO GALACTICO no worries mate

[@shrikantpatil4979]

personally, I declare this the best gun reviewed. I also give this gun a title of "mother of luger, ruger and nambu".

[@brain4154]

No, he even said it predates luger

[@slinq]

@@brain4154 a mother predates her children

[@nickirmen6671]

I live for those kind of pistols

[@jabronimargaretti7315]

Maxim Silverman sounds so slick and the gun really matches it

[@gree2056]

That gun actually looks really nice. The machine work is very impressive.

[@gree2056]

This gun was ahead of it's time. Truly impressive for the time period

[@hobbitilius]

It's really beautiful in it's simplicity.

[@MrBandholm]

Almost look like a Star Wars gun... It is really cool and kinsa wird that they didn't look more into it.

[@lord_hemp]

It is jangos gun

[@Crimson-kt7fd]

I wanna see it in action. DICE, get in here and check this out

Meh... I don't understand why you want to see this gun in action against people jumping everywhere.

[@joekurtz6587]

Grégory Fleury its always cool to see the aparatus in a simulation of its natural enviorment

[@solhamer3502]

joe kurtz BF1 is not that natural environment. Man is it a retarded game

[@joekurtz6587]

shit dude i wish i knew that before it came out , then id have 60 more bucks

[@ghjghj1000]

It is in BF1, but only for the vehicle classes

[@dragonbutt]

"Silverman" "What Maxim" "For gods sake focus on firearms for one second" "What" "Design me a pistol or you're fired!" *silverman makes this pistol* "God dammit silverman here give me that thing" "B-but" "Clearly I have to do this myself" Maxim and Silverman could be a drunk history bit

[@lolroflpmsl]

Very elegant design for the age.

[@achillebelanger989]

Heavy Metal Chemist A more elegant design from a more elegant era.

[@randywatson8347]

The design looks pretty slick. Especially the right grip panel with the holes.

[@vexbomer]

hell id buy one today great looking pistol!

[@puebespuebes8589]

One of the most beautifull gun in the world, and i think it inspired every futuristic pistol ever

[@bigbilllasalle]

As always, informative, erudite, entertaining and very interesting.. Thank you. As Pablo Picasso said, the ultimate critic is the person who spends his money to buy your painting. Not an exact quote, but if this pistol ware available in .22 LR today, I'd buy it.

[@ryoung6730]

I dont often see much that really impresses me on this channel, but this gun is an elegantly simple and quite beautifully designed firearm. It combines the simplicity and authentically original design work that one would expect from a really experienced designer. These guys (whether it was Silverman or Maxim) really were ahead of their time in both the firing group and the cycling of the pistol. this design coupled with the right caliber/load would have been a good gun even by todays standards.

[@geigertec5921]

A time traveler from the 1960's must have gone back to the Victorian Age and dropped his gun.

[@DonVanderweele]

Has to be one of the most elegant hand guns I have ever seen. Thanks for sharing.

[@baron8107]

Someone should use this design as the basis for a high-end Target Pistol.

[@loglad5394]

They do its called ruger

[@davidmcguire6043]

Yeah, rugers been doing it since the 50's

[@JerryEricsson]

This is, perhaps the most beautiful sleek handgun I have seen. Reminds me a lot of the automag of years gone by.

[@BlankPicketSign]

Would this crazy little thing have been FULLY AUTOMATIC?! If you held down the trigger would the gun just roll with it? P.S. Maxim really dropped the ball with this one, if he didn't let his pride get in the way of a good idea then He and Silverman could have really made something awesome!

[@JohnDoe-fk6id]

I found this on forgottenweapons.com: www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sear-diagrams.jpg The reset mechanism is in the trigger, and as the bolt goes into battery, it forces the top of the trigger forward and under the chamber. As the trigger is released, the top part can reset back under the sear, ready for the next shot.

[@mariotrujillo1673]

BlankPicketSign if mr Browning had known about this he would have made it an affordable civilian and/or police pistol. One thing gun Jesus left out was the little slots on the grip would tell you how many bullets were in the mag.

[@tacticalmanbun2399]

@@JohnDoe-fk6id Comment section to the rescue, I had the same concern as BPS. Nice find. Looks like the "trigger bar" is on a pivot and its tail is pinched between the trigger spring and the trigger. It can rotate further than the trigger but is spring loaded back when the trigger is released. Cool design. Probably creepy as a caulk gun tho.

[@gree2056]

The bolt looks like the bolt face of an AR15, and the firing pin block of more refined than a Glock firing pin block. Extremely impressive. It is rare I watch one of your videos Ian and am impressed by a gun but this one is truly impressive.

[@leonardpearlman4017]

Have watched this episode several times now, this is one of my favorites so far. I love the low parts count and amazing straightforward design. It's too bad about the wacky external spring! Thinking that if they had just gone with what they had and used a different (lower power) cartridge, they would have had this amazing thing with ? eight moving parts?!! And that awful tiny ejector thing. Maybe they could give you a little bag of them when you buy the pistol. Anyway, for being such an antique I think I'd buy a modern one today, especially if it was this cool and also the cheapest thing in the store! I bought a Ruger MkIV which I definitely did not need basically because it looked like this. And was stainless! So yeah, I'm hoping some entrepreneur in Argentina or something will pick this up, and get it to us in Stainless. Thank you, Forgotten Firearms!

[@CheapCheerful]

You teach a great lesson. Regardless of self promotion or riches, jerks will always be remembered as jerks.

[@joshdavis8929]

I find your voice soothing...your sorta like the Bob Ross of firearms. Great vid Gun Jesus!

[@DarkWizard83]

"And make sure your Bergmann pistols are happy Bergmann pistols..."

[@J.DeLaPoer]

I love the aesthetics here, long grip and all. It's just so clean, simple and elegant; futuristic in a timeless way. I'd love to own one, but imagine they'd be expensive and hard to find.

[@ezydenias8505]

Man I love that design. I mean that is the main reason why I follow this series. All those neat designs. Maybe from a technical standpoint that thing is a failure, but design wise it looks pretty menacing.

[@tostie3110]

Ezydenias I'd love a modern version of this

[@acbthr3840]

from a technical standpoint its actually vastly ahead of its time. They came up with this when nothing really even resembling all the parts they have working together in this gun was well-known. with 10 years more R&D they could have got this thing working with some kind of sliding/tilting block and had a real winner on their hands. Fixed barrel for accuracy, mechanically simple, very well-enclosed internals, very cheap compared to something like the luger, replaceable magazine, semi-auto, it has it all really. All it needed was a more robust breech delay

[@evilcowboy]

Not even knock the caliber down to anything within .22LR and .380 and you do not have to do anything to the design as is should work in those calibers without any modifications to the original design.

[@brokenwishbone422]

When you said the era of manufacture I was surprised. I already really liked it before I knew the age of it. Some of the most beautiful and innovative things man makes never reach production for a consumer.

[@Zukkor224]

That ejector pin looks like one of those tiny game pieces from the game Life.

[@snakedad]

Had an airgun that looked just like that when I was a kid. Brings back memories

[@yogsothoth915]

The relationship between Maxim and Silverman reminds me a bit of Edison and his think Tank

[@willdyer9688]

this is possibly the best looking gun ever

[@the_real_Kurt_Yarish]

Waita minute.... the patent on this thing must be expired by now.... therefore I don't see to much of a problem adjusting the design and remanufacturing them in the modern day. Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will decide to bring the Silverman back.

[@jakerelind5577]

Then we're gonna need a lot of luck, I'm still waiting for someone to reproduce the Burgess Shotgun.

[@evilcowboy]

I'll give it a shot seems simple enough.

[@luisvega9315]

evilcowboy how's the Silverman coming

[@mrlucky5025]

Ian's video on the Burgess Shotgun is featured in the Popular Mechanics article on same.

[@ahuman6064]

@@evilcowboy reproduce it yet?

[@grumpybastard5744]

That is the most elegant firearm I have ever seen.

[@jamesmaxwell4447]

Feel like a modern reproduction in 22lr would be a good opponent to the ruger mk series and would much easier to take down.

[@davidmcguire6043]

The Ruger Mark series is essentially this concept designed to work with 22LR and if you can't disassemble and reassemble a Ruger Mark II then you aren't smart enough to be allowed to own handguns it's not difficult.

[@marcusborderlands6177]

@@davidmcguire6043 holy shit, your comments really make you sound like an asshole

[@dottquill7575]

@@davidmcguire6043 how does feel like being a dick to someone else huh ?

[@thatoneasiankid8734]

@@davidmcguire6043 firearm gatekeeping

[@davidmcguire6043]

@@marcusborderlands6177 maybe I'm an asshole but I'm also right. It's simple and guns are dangerous you should put more effort in if you can't figure out how to operate and clean a very common gun.

[@nstied]

That ejection system is absolutely brilliant. It's like an ejector piston.

[@nstied]

mrzoperxplex Fair points, I just find it mechanically unique and interesting. It's not like a cotter pin on an AR15 bolt is much harder to lose, for example.

[@christopherzarcone1363]

That gun looks straight out of a sci-fi movie, also maxim and Silverman's relationship sounds like the one between Edison and Tesla

[@tostie3110]

christopher zarcone Jango Fetts blasters if I'm right.

[@Lyulfr]

No, Maxim and Silverman worked together for many years. Edison and Tesla were rivals and hated each other's guts.

[@eddybingo5871]

Why do Brits always have the coolest looking guns?

[@generalwolf007]

Orson Welles The Germans do IMO

[@cinemarewind5397]

Orson Welles Lewis gun is my favourite British gun, beutiful

[@MrMrtampro]

You forgot Sten....

[@Papperlapappmaul]

They actually have a reputation for making absolutely hideous firearms. Just look at things like the Sten, EM-2, L85 or the Sterling. I'm not saying they don't work (well, except for the L85, that thing is just a piece of crap) but they aren't exactly visually pleasing firearms. edit: I should add that there are of course exceptions like the Lee-Enfield, that both look good and work well.

[@chrausis]

Osh Thomas the Lewis gun was designed by an American though

[@cmoneynumbaone]

Hey Ian, does this pistol have a semi-auto disconnector?

[@marksyb957]

I can't see what would stop it firing full auto if you hold down the trigger

[@SoWe1]

@@marksyb957 I was wondering the same thing as you two here, I could imagine that if you held the trigger it would keep the bolt from going all the way forward as the front of the sear will hit the trigger-peg-thingy - but then I don't understand how it wouldn't trip the sear when releasing the trigger in either case

[@larrygoldstein3481]

Dang this is the coolest gun design ever.

[@JandRJarmsandammo]

PLEASE some gun company make a 22lr version of this!

[@davidmcguire6043]

Ruger has been making a 22LR version of this for 70 years how do so many of you not know that?

[@rommelperdiz6557]

Very cool design way ahead of its time.

[@Galahad_Du_Lac]

Has a very “Rocketeer” vibe to it.

[@BrushCountryAg06]

This pistol and the Ruger .22LR MK's really bear a very uncanny resemblance to eachother. I absolutely love the simplicity of the internal mechanical design.

[@elicrane2221]

This would’ve been a great weapon for BF1. BF1 is infamous for having weapons that were experimental.

[@michaelhatfield3430]

I love these odd and prototype firearms, especially handguns and military guns. I would really like to get the blueprints to some of the better one offs and functional prototypes and build a modern version. Since I could never afford the original and even if I could some belong in museums but it would be nice to make a run of 200 very well made replicas for the collector market.

[@FairDinkvm]

What actually happens when you fire a too powerful a cartridge in an unlocked gun? You often mention this, but what would the actual experience be?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

In the extreme case, the rear of the case blows out and injures the shooter. More typically, you would get excessively high bolt velocity, which would quickly lead to damage to the bolt or receiver, as the two slam into each other.

[@callumdonington2227]

That machining and fitment is beyond beautiful.

[@viagrabuffalo5141]

Welp somebody’s been time traveling

[@merrypickster7824]

Damn Ians got the best job in the world. He gets to play with and shoot the coolest guns, id actually pay to do what he gets to do for a living

[@indiequas]

prime example of how we self-prevent our own progress

[@vgamedude12]

What a beautiful gun. Hard to believe 1896, damn.

[@fdmackey3666]

This pistol looks, to my old eyes at least, a lot like what you would get if a Colt's Woodsman had sex with a Ruger Mk1. Externally a beautiful pistol.

[@acbthr3840]

the internals are bloody amazing too. If this had had say 10 years more development time, the delaying spring could have been replaced with some sort of sliding block, and then you'd have a simple, incredibly elegant and compact pistol. It probably would have been the better of the Luger and 1911 if only for the simple design.

[@W7DSY]

I have to say that this pistol is exceedingly well finished and well-preserved.

[@itsmetheherpes1750]

can you get your hands on one of those "nuclear cannons" that fire nuclear projectiles? and fire it in a firing range? they where made in the 50's or the 60's i think.

[@mrbruce5666]

Davy Crockett

[@SFVec3F]

M-28 Davy Crockett with a M-388 round. If Ian would ever fire that weapon on a range, it would be the first nuclear detonation on US soil since 1992, the first in the atmosphere since 1962, and a breach of a handful nuclear weapon treaties. It would certainly give this channel a lot of attention. 😆

[@Ackehece]

This pistol is amazingly easy to understand. So few parts. I salute Mr Silverman for this design.

[@ringowunderlich2241]

Missing some information here. When the trigger is kept pulled, how the mechanism prevents the pistol from shooting fully automatic? I have only seen the trigger moving the striker stopper aside so the striker can hit the primer. For the ejector it would have been a simpler solution, to make the later added delayed blowback spring to snap in again, when the bolt is fully open to kick out the cartridge.

[@JohnDoe-fk6id]

I found this on forgottenweapons.com: www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sear-diagrams.jpg The reset mechanism is in the trigger, and as the bolt goes into battery, it forces the top of the trigger forward and under the chamber. As the trigger is released, the top part can reset back under the sear, ready for the next shot.

[@goneutt]

As an amateur researcher into the history of engineering design, that spring was high tech for the 1890s. Getting consistent steel wire drawn, tempered, and coiled was still in the early days. Now it's just a matter of specifying the spring characteristics and sending out a RFQ to the makers.

[@leeknivek]

probably shop made

[@MrClassiccarenthusia]

A fine example of an idea that went nowhere thanks to self infatuated business owners egos.. Wonder what other fascinating things have been lost to history because of employers narcissistic tendencies.. 🤔

[@DarkKatzy013]

Anything Nicola Tesla made while employed for Thomas Edison... I think that's the perfect example.

[@thomas-rs1vb]

God I love your history on some of these weapons it's so thorough and accurate. You even went into why you believe this was RA created by Silverman. And you're absolutely right. It was said that he was very jealous of Silverman's skills and treated him very poorly and never let his ideas leave the drawing board. Then it was said he later went back and changed Silverman's ideas just a little bit and would then try to take credit for the whole weapon. At first he was trying to make it where it was only his name. But there was this squabble and the threat of parting ways. Dude knew that he needed Silverman. So that's why you see both their names.

[@theenclave4981]

Maxims condescending way of allowing a “lesser designer” have a gold star pinned up on the metaphorical refrigerator.

[@Patrick-857]

For a prototype, this thing is beautifully made.

[@Krusell1994]

This is full auto? In 1896? With 8 bullets in the mag? Wow... Would love to see it shoot.

[@LordChesalot]

Krusell1994 semi auto still cool though

[@stevensiloti356]

I don't see anything in the fire control mechanism that disconnects the sear.

[@JohnyG29]

Steven Siloti there is one.

[@JohnDoe-fk6id]

I found this on forgottenweapons.com: www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sear-diagrams.jpg The reset mechanism is in the trigger, and as the bolt goes into battery, it forces the top of the trigger forward and under the chamber. As the trigger is released, the top part can reset back under the sear, ready for the next shot.

[@LG-gx3nf]

Wow i like that pistol. Not to take away from the work that went into it, its so simple, its great.

[@gabrieleciciriello6447]

isn't there a full auto disconnector??

[@stevensiloti356]

This is what I'm wondering. I don't see any obvious mechanism to prevent the sear from tripping again after the first shot.

[@gabrieleciciriello6447]

Let's wait for the mighty gun jesus to respond

[@chaz720]

Gabriele Ciciriello I wanted to ask the same thing. My guess would be the bolt face stops on the top of the trigger and the gun doesn't go into battery until you release the trigger. (Don't know that that would be a good idea, but that's what it looks like.)

[@gabrieleciciriello6447]

chaz720 it doesn't sound really safe though

[@ES1976-3]

Commenting so I can see the response

[@crazyadam9281]

For a handgun that is 121 years old it looks like it's been well kept over the years.

[@andreweisen3314]

looks a lot like a ruger

[@tommcmahon14]

Andrew Eisen it pre dates the luger

[@Apus__]

DerpBomb Gaming (((?))))

[@tommcmahon14]

What?

[@tommcmahon14]

He edited his comment to ruger, and the gun was made in 1896 so it predates both the luger and ruger

[@noahkeyes8671]

DerpBomb Gaming, he didn't edit his comment though.

[@sgt_s4und3r54]

The beauty of simplicity.

[@Franques7]

WEEEEEW!

[@geraldharper4851]

This pistol design was genius both in form and function. It's easy to see its potential. Too bad for us that Silverman's accomplishment was suppressed. Awesome job of digging up this impressive gem. Thanks!

[@dndboy13]

Didnt the Predator in well, Predator use this in his medkit after getting shot by a wall of bullets.

[@dndboy13]

whoops, no, i just totally misremembered what his little syringe thingy looked like

[@dndboy13]

that is one slick looking 19th century pistol tho.

[@Sm0nkyB0i]

Am I The Only On Seeing The Ruger Standard In This Pistol?

[@Theoriginalsparkythemagicpiano]

Aesthetically it reminds me of any one of a number of Webley air pistols I had when I was a kid. Just really pleasing to look at and hold

[@gavinhudson5251]

1896, looks like it's from 1986!

[@allhumansarejusthuman.5776]

Maaaan. That is SLICK. As a machinist I absolutely adore this pistol

[@008TheDen]

I love how elegant it is. It's incredible that originally it would have only come apart with one screw.