Mud testing the curious Austrian Steyr-Hahn 1912 pistol (VIDEO)

Karl and Ian from InRangeTV continue their “field mud” tests of Great War-era small arms with the downright oddball Steyr-Hahn M1912 in 9x23mm Steyr.

With a large milled steel frame, and very few moving parts, the big Steyr was a durable brute. Due to this beefy construction, it tipped the scales at almost 42-ounces, unloaded. It had a 5-inch barrel, which contributed to an overall length of 8.5-inches. Ergonomically, this produced a very distinctive feel and look. The 1912 Steyr rather looks like the design Picasso would create if tasked to sketch an M1911 Colt. The fact that the takedown for fieldstripping is located at the end of the slide near the muzzle further confuses the design.

More than 300,000 were made and used during WWI by Bavaria and Austria (who kept them in service through the next World War), and there were models sold to Romania and Chile.

But how does it work in der mud? Roll zee footage!

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