<P> In 1896, Paul Mauser introduced his first model of the famous Mauser "Broomhandle" semi-automatic pistol, the C96 . It was also the first mass - produced and commercially successful pistol to have a large - capacity, staggered - column magazine holding 10 or 20 rounds . </P> <P> Using a more powerful and nearly identical version of the 7.63 mm bottle necked cartridge of the Borchardt C - 93 Pistol, the Mauser was one of the first self - loading pistols used extensively in battle, notably the South African War of 1899 - 1902 . These pistols were made in 7.63 mm Mauser, or 9 × 25 mm Mauser, along with some models eventually being made in 9 mm Parabellum and a small number in . 45 ACP for China . </P> <P> In 1898, The Schwarzlose Model 1898 was a semi-automatic pistol invented by Prussian firearm designer Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose . It was chambered for the 7.65 × 25mm Mauser. (1) It could also shoot the less powerful Borchardt ammunition . The Schwarzlose design was most advanced and far ahead of its time, but not widely adopted with less than 1000 pieces being manufactured. (2) (3) Small lots were sold to the Boers and used during the Boer War . Another lot was sold to members of the Russian Social - Democratic Party who were plotting insurrection, but were confiscated at the Russian border and issued to the Imperial Russian Frontier Guards. (3) (4) </P> <P> In Belgium in 1896, the first American gun designer to develop self - loading semi-automatic pistols was John Browning, whose models were first manufactured by the Belgian firm of Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Europe and later by Colt in the U.S. Like Luger's work conducted around the same time in Germany, Browning's first successful design was in 7.65 mm, the Browning M1900 . Browning also devised a slightly different 7.65 mm Browning (. 32 Auto) cartridge for his semi-automatic pistol that differed from Luger's 7.65 mm Parabellum . Browning also designed . 25, . 38, . 380, and . 45 ACP cartridges in addition to . 32 ACP for his semi-automatic pistol designs . </P>

Single action vs double action vs semi auto