9 x 23 : [E] ; 9 mm Bergmann-Bayard & 9 mm Largo

priming cap : attachment : press fit

Reference: White, H P & Munhall, B D & Bearse, R : 1967 : Centerfire Pistol and Revolver Cartridges : Thomas Yoseloff Ltd : Vol I : pp 42 43. Description: introduced in 1903 for the Bergmann No. 6 Military pistol, it was one of a plethora of early 20th century self-loading pistol cartridges aimed at the military market, where there were encouraging signs of a desire to replace old-fashioned revolvers with new pistols firing modern high performance cartridges loaded with jacketed bullets that would comply with the St Petersburg Declaration and Hague Convention. The 9mm Bergmann Bayard is rimless, with a tapered case, and is similar in size and performance to the .38acp (Automatic Colt pistol), which pre-dated it, and the Austrian 9mm Steyr, which came after, in 1912. The Belgian gunmakers Anciens Etabs. Pieper made a version of the Bergmann, which was adopted by the Belgian Government in 1908 and Denmark in 1910, and Astra and Star in Spain produced pistols for the cartridge, where it was known as the 9 mm Largo, and was given official use. The Bergmann, with its magazine mounted in front of the trigger guard like the Mauser C96, was already beginning to look old-fashioned, so success for pistol and cartridge remained modest outside Denmark and Spain. The date of this example may indicate a Spanish Civil War connection. Spain continued to use this cartridge from 1907 until c. 1981, when government production ceased. It was used in a variety of Astra and Star pistols, in CETME, La Coruna and Parinco sub-machine guns, and in Destroyer, Onena and Zubillega bolt action carbines designed for civilian security guard use.

PS // 36