| Roth–Steyr M1907 | |
| Origin: | Austria-Hungary |
| Type: | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Is Ranged: | yes |
| Service: | 1909–1945 |
| Used By: | Austria-Hungary, Austria, Kingdom of Hungary, Kingdom of Italy, Poland, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia |
| Wars: | World War I, Polish-Soviet War, World War II |
| Designer: | Karel Krnka |
| Design Date: | 1907 |
| Manufacturer: | Œ.W.G. Fegyver- és Gépgyár |
| Production Date: | 1908–1914 |
| Number: | 99,000 |
| Weight: | 1030g |
| Length: | 23cm (09inches) |
| Part Length: | 13cm (05inches) |
| Cartridge: | 8mm Roth–Steyr |
| Action: | Recoil operated[1] |
| Velocity: | 330m/s |
| Range: | 50m (160feet) |
| Max Range: | 100m (300feet) |
| Feed: | 10-round integral box magazine, fed by stripper clip |
| Sights: | Iron |
The Roth–Steyr M1907, or, more accurately Roth-Krnka M.7[2] was a semi-automatic pistol issued to the Austro-Hungarian kaiserliche und königliche Armee cavalry during World War I. It was the first adoption of a semi-automatic service pistol by the army of a major military power.[3]
The Roth–Steyr pistol fires from an unusual style of locked breech. The bolt is very long. Its rear end is solid, except for a sleeve for the striker, but its front part is hollow and fits tightly over the barrel. The interior of the bolt has cam grooves cut into it, and the barrel has studs which fit into the grooves. When the pistol is fired, the barrel and bolt recoil together within the hollow receiver for about 0.5inches. During this operation, the helical grooves in the muzzle bush cause the barrel to turn 90 degrees clockwise, after which it is held while the unlocked bolt continues to the rear, cocking the action as it does so. For safety in the intended use by mounted cavalry, the pistol has a heavy trigger pull against the firing striker spring, similar to a hammerless revolver.[4]
The Roth–Steyr is a locked-breech pistol, which allows the barrel and bolt to recoil together within a hollow receiver. It is chambered for a cartridge specific to this model. The Roth–Steyr does not have a detachable magazine, but features a fixed magazine loaded from the top with stripper clips. The sights are fixed, the grips are wooden and terminate in a lanyard ring. Rifling is four grooves with right-hand twist.
The Bundeswehr Museum of German Defense Technology in Koblenz has one of these specimen in its collection.
The pistol was developed by the Czech designer, working for the ammunition company of Georg Roth, based on the earlier Roth–Theodorovic pistol. After development and tests of several prototypes, the final version of the Roth–Krnka won a contest for an Army pistol in 1906, and was adapted as a standard gun of Austro-Hungarian Army as: Repetierpistole M.7. (self-loading pistol M1907).[2] Since Roth had no weapon production capabilities, the government bought all the rights and ordered production in the Österreichische Waffenfabriksgesellschaft (OEWG) in Steyr and FEG in Budapest. From 1908 to 1914, approximately 99,000 weapons were manufactured (the Army received 59,334 from Steyr and 38,213 from FEG, plus several hundred were sold on the civilian market).[2] Despite common name for the pistol Roth–Steyr, Steyr works did not participate in its design, apart from minor improvements.[2] Following the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, the Roth–Steyr was fielded by Yugoslavia, with limited use during World War II by the Austrians and Hungarians. Italy received a number of pistols as World War I reparations from Austria-Hungary, and these pistols were used by Italian troops during World War II.[4] They were used also in Czechoslovakia and Poland.[2]
| align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:0.05pt solid #000000;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Manufacturer | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:0.05pt solid #000000;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Introduced | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:0.05pt solid #000000;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Variants | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:0.05pt solid #000000;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Cartridge (mm) | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:0.05pt solid #000000;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Cartridge (in)* | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border:0.05pt solid #000000;padding:0.0694in;" | Notes |
| align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Roth | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Early 1890s | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1895, 1897, 1898 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 8x19 Roth | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 0.329 | Invented by Roth from Wasa Theodorovic patent, Civilian Market | |
| align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Roth | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Late 1890s | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1895, 1897, 1899 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | (1895, 8x21)8x19? | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | (1895, 0.32)0.329? | Karel Krnka changed the bolt, Civilian Market | |
| Sauer | Around 1901 | 1905 | 7.65 x 13 | 0.301 | Civilian Market, Police | ||||||
| Roth | 1902 | 1899/02 | 11.5 Roth krnka | 0.45 | Prototype, UK Trial, Failed | ||||||
| Roth | 1903 | 1903 | ? | 0.44 | Prototype, UK Trial, Failed | ||||||
| align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | Roth | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1904 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1904(M.I, M.II, M.III) | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 8x19 Roth(M.III 7.65) | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 0.329 | Prototype, Austro Hungarian trials | |
| align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | RothFÉG | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1906 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1906(M. II) | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 8x19 Roth | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 0.329 | Hammerless, Prototype, Austro Hungarian trials | |
| align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | O.E.W.GFÉG | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1907 | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1907 | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 8x19 Roth | align=center style="background-color:#eeeeee;border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 0.329 | Adopted by Austro Hungarian military, Civilian market | |
| align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | O.E.W.G | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1909 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1909 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 11 ? | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 0.403 ? | Prototype, UK Trial, not adopted | |
| align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | O.E.W.G | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1911 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 1911 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 10.3x18.8 | align=center style="border-top:none;border-bottom:0.05pt solid #000000;border-left:0.05pt solid #000000;border-right:none;padding:0.0694in;" | 0.38 | US Trial, Failed | |
The company was looking forward to get a military contract for their brand new gun. The pistol was originally chambered for 8x18 mm Roth Steyr however the United Kingdom and United States asked for a gun that would use a bigger cartridge, most preferably a 0.45inches Cal.
The trials are exhaustively described in the Minutes of the Small Arms Committee, starting in April 1900 with the Borchardt and ending with the adoption of the .455SL Webley in 1912.
The first trial of the 11.35mm Roth is recorded in Minute 635 of June 1902. An 8mm Roth had been tested earlier in October 1900. In 1902, Roth submitted two 11.35mm and one 8mm pistol of “improved design”. The committee reported that the ammunition had a bullet of 198gr with a copper envelope with exposed lead tip with 5gr of smokeless powder.
In March 1903, another Roth pistol was tested (Minute 745), this time in “.0.44inches caliber” with a bullet of 247gr which gave a velocity of 975ft/s. The conclusion was that the method of loading was unsatisfactory, pull-off too heavy, too many openings to admit dust but Figure of Merit was good.
The last mention of a Roth is Minute 1077 of May 1909 when an 11mm (0.403inches actual) pistol, described as a “Mark II”, was tested. Recorded as having an eight round magazine loaded by charger. The velocity was 816.8ft/s and penetrated ten of the 0.5inches boards, spaced 1inches apart at 25feet. Bullets weighed 200gr grains with steel envelope and 4.7gr of smokeless powder.
Conclusions were that it was a handy and well balanced pistol with good certainty of action. It performed well in the sand test, strips easily, and had less recoil that the Webley pistol. There was no safety catch, which was a disadvantage.
A prototype in 10.3mm cartridge was tested at the Springfield Armory and it failed the 1,250 rounds endurance test with 191 malfunctions of 9 different types of ammunition and a broken extractor.