The Italian Glisenti Model 1910,In the early 20th century the Italian Army decided that it needed to

The Italian Glisenti Model 1910,In the early 20th century the Italian Army decided that it needed to update it’s standard issue sidearm, at the time the Bodeo M1889 Revolver.  In 1910 Italy adopted a design invented by Capt. Betel Abiel Rivelli and manufactured by Glisenti.  The Glisenti Model 1910 was a semi automatic pistol which outwardly looked similar to the popular German Luger pistol.  However, it used a whole different firing mechanism than the Luger.  One of the first double action/single action pistols ever produced, the Glisenti used a short recoil locked breech mechanism.   The force of the recoil would drive the bolt back, both bolt and barrel recoiled together.  The bolt stopped in a rearward position, then once unlocking itself drove forward while stripping a cartridge from its 7 round detachable magazine.  Originally the Glisenti fired a 7.65xmm bottlenecked cartridge, however higher ups wanted it to be chambered for the popular 9mm Para.  The 9mm Para was often too powerful for the pistol, damaging the frame, blowing out the left plate of the reciever, and on occasion blowing the bolt clean off the frame..  To fix this problem a new cartridge called the 9mm Glisenti was invented.  The 9mm Glisenti had the same dimensions as the 9mm para (9x19) but used a weaker charge of gunpowder.  The fact that the Glisenti had a weak frame and receiver should have alerted Italian ordnance officials that it was a piece of crap, however, the pistol was officially adopted and issued to all officers in the Italian Army.  It would serve throughout World War I, where its deficiencies became all to real.  Breakages were common and the pistols wore out quickly.  The Glisenti also tended to jam and malfunction due to the dirt, mud, and dust usually attributed to combat.  It was not uncommon for Italian officers to dispose of the Glisenti and hang on to their trusty Bodeo revolvers instead.  Altogether around 100,000 Glisenti Model 1910’s were produced.  It was later replaced by the far superior Beretta Model 1934.  Regardless a number continued to be used and issued up until the end of World War II.While the Italians rejected the Glisenti, there was one man who loved the design.  The Japanese gun designer Kijiro Nambu had an affinity for overcomplicated and unreliable pistol designs.  Though not influenced by the Glisenti, Nambu created a very similar design which used a similar type of action, called the Nambu Type A (and later Type B, Type 14).  The Nambu pistol would serve the Japanese army throughout World War I and World War II.  It to had a reputation for being underpowered and unreliable. -- source link

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