Steyr-Hahn M1912 Police 9mm Luger 5″ Semi-Auto Pistol 1919 w/ Holster C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,725.00
LSB#: LSB260624RL004
Make: Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft (Steyr), Steyr, Austria
Model: M1912 (Steyr-Hahn), German 9mm Parabellum conversion
Serial Number: 9570y
Year of Manufacture: 1919 / C&R
Caliber/Gauge: 9mm Luger (9x19mm Parabellum), converted from the original 9x23mm Steyr chambering
Action Type: Short-recoil, locked-breech semi-automatic pistol with a rotating barrel, fed by a fixed internal magazine in the grip that is charged with stripper clips through the top of the open slide. It has an exposed hammer, a manual safety lever at the left rear of the frame, and a slide stop lever on the left side.
Barrel Length: 5″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a small barleycorn blade dovetailed to a barrel-mounted base. The rear sight is a V-notch fixed to the rear of the slide.
Grip Configuration & Condition: The grips are refinished checkered wood panels, each secured by a single slotted screw near the bottom, with a lanyard loop at the base of the grip frame. The checkering has worn peaks, and there are a few chips on both panels. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips rate in Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original to arsenal rework, with cold blue touch-ups
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is light erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 60% of its metal finish, which is the arsenal rework blue with cold blue touch-ups. The balance has thinned to a gray patina on the slide and frame flats, with general handling and holster wear. There is scattered light pitting and freckling, most noticeable on the right side of the slide, along with a small spot of light green discoloration on the right side of the slide. The trigger is bright, and the edges show wear. The screw heads show light wear with serviceable slots. The left side of the slide is marked “STEYR 1919”, with the “08” conversion stamp toward the muzzle, and a “K” stamp and a large “S” are present at the left rear. The serial number “9570y” appears on the left side of the slide and on the left side of the frame above the trigger guard, and the two match. The left side of the frame also carries a small eagle proof stamp and a triangle stamp. The right side of the trigger guard is marked with an “HV” monogram, a small double-headed eagle, and “30”, and the right side of the frame has a small police eagle stamp with an “L”. The lanyard loop is marked “LGK. V.” on the right side and “705” with a small stamp on the left side. The markings are clear, though some of the smaller stamps are lightly struck. Overall, this pistol rates in about Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Includes a dark leather flap holster. The flap is secured by a leather strap that passes through a metal loop on a riveted oval plate, and the back has two stitched belt loops. The leather shows crazing and surface cracking, scuffs, edge wear, a small loss along the top edge of the body, and loose stitching at the end of the flap strap. No markings are visible on the holster.
Our Assessment: The Steyr M1912, often called the Steyr-Hahn for its exposed hammer, was developed by the Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft at Steyr and adopted in 1912 by the Austro-Hungarian Army as one of its standard service pistols of the First World War. Chambered for the powerful 9x23mm Steyr, it uses a short-recoil system in which the barrel rotates to unlock from the slide, and it feeds from a fixed eight-round magazine in the grip that is charged with a stripper clip from above. After the 1938 Anschluss brought Austria’s arms into German hands, a number of M1912s were rebarreled for the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge and stamped “08” on the slide, with Vienna proof house records indicating the conversions were carried out from 1940 into 1945. Many of these went to the police, marked with the eagle and “L” acceptance stamp, and some served on in Austria with the Landesgendarmeriekommando after the war.
This 1919 example tells that layered story in its markings: the “STEYR 1919” slide legend, an “HV” Heeresverwaltung overhaul stamp dated 1930 from its Austrian Army service, the “08” conversion stamp, the police eagle with “L” on the right side of the frame, and an “LGK. V.” unit marking on the lanyard loop, with the slide and frame serial numbers matching at “9570y”. It retains about 60% of its arsenal rework blue with cold blue touch-ups, the 8/10 bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling, and the action functions correctly. Paired with a leather flap holster, this converted Steyr-Hahn offers collectors of Austrian and German police sidearms a well-marked example that is chambered for readily available 9mm Luger. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids!