| 9mm Bergmann–Bayard, 9mm Largo | |
| Origin: | German Empire |
| Type: | Pistol |
| Service: | 1905−1980s (Spain) |
| Used By: | Spain Denmark |
| Designer: | Theodor Bergmann and Hugo Schmeisser |
| Design Date: | 1903[1] |
| Is Si Specs: | yes |
| Case Type: | Rimless, tapered |
| Bullet: | 9.0 |
| Base: | 9.91 |
| Rim Dia: | 9.9 |
| Case Length: | 23.1 |
| Length: | 33.53 |
| Primer: | Small pistol |
| Is Si Ballistics: | yes |
| Bwunit: | gram |
| Bw1: | 8.2 |
| Btype1: | FMJ |
| Vel1: | 400 |
| En1: | 656 |
The 9×23mm Largo (9mm Largo, 9mm Bergmann–Bayard, 9mm Bayard Long) centerfire pistol cartridge was developed in 1903 for the Bergmann–Bayard pistol. It was adopted by the Spanish and Danish militaries, with the former using it until the 1980s, when it was replaced by the 9×19mm Parabellum.
The 9mm Largo was developed by Theodor Bergmann and Hugo Schmeisser for the Bergmann–Bayard 1903 pistol. According to Janes, the Spanish military loads had a muzzle velocity of 400m/s and a muzzle energy of 656 J. While it's a powerful round, it was used in unlocked breech weapons such as the Astra pistol.
This pistol was adopted by the Spanish army in 1905 as the "Pistola Bergmann de 9 mm. modelo 1905".[2] Unable to find a German manufacturer to complete the Spanish order for 3,000 pistols, Bergmann turned to a Belgian manufacturer, Anciens Etablissements Pieper (who used the trademark "Bayard"), to complete the order. The final pistol, modified by AEP, was known as the "Bergmann Bayard 1908", or in Spain as the "Pistola Bergmann de 9 mm. modelo 1908". Although adopted in 1908, first deliveries did not take place until the next year.[3] Meanwhile, other manufacturers such as Campo-Giro had adopted the 9mm Bergmann–Bayard round and, due to its long history of use in Spanish submachine guns, carbines and pistols, today it is most commonly known as the "9mm Largo".
In 1910, the Bergmann–Bayard model 1910 semi-automatic pistol was adopted by the Danish military. By 1918, the Bergmann-Bayard was considered obsolete and production was discontinued, though about 1,000 pistols were assembled circa 1918−1920. The Spanish continued using the 9mm Largo in military and police weapons until the 1980s, when it was finally replaced by the 9×19mm Parabellum.
The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case.[4] It has a rimless straight-tapered brass, Berdan-primed case. The 8.2g bullet is round nosed, lead-cored with a gilded steel jacket. The cartridge have a total weight of 8.75g. The 9mm Largo and the 9×23mm Steyr have almost identical dimensions, but they can be distinguished by the gilded jacketed bullet on the former, and the Austrian headstamp on the latter.
While external dimensions are almost identical, the 9×23mm Largo is a very different cartridge from the modern, high-performance 9×23mm Winchester. Firing the thicker-walled 9×23mm Winchester round in a 9×23mm Largo pistol is dangerous, as old 9mm Largo pistols cannot handle the pressure generated by the 9×23mm Winchester.
Anciens Establissements Pieper (AEP)[4]
Berthodl Geipel’s Erfurter Maschinenfabrik
Arrizabalaga
CETME
Comissió d'Industries de Guerra (CIG)
Destroyer carbine and similar 9mm Largo carbines
Fábrica de Armas, A Coruña
Fontbernat
Parinco
Republica Española