1918 M12 Steyr

I've recently purchased a beautiful 1918 "ersatz" canvas holster for both the M12 and M07 Steyr pistols.It's the time taking some pics of the holster and of my nice 1918 vintage Austrian Army M12 Steyr.It's a "last minute" produced gun s.n. 640y (1918 Austrian Army guns are reported in 1407w-1580y range-my 8395y it's a "Steyr 1919"
NPV commercial gun and also the 3124y it's a "Steyr 1918" Wn19 Army proofed gun) and the finish tells it:the gun is more rough than usual and the bluing is a greysh one.I checked it very well,the bluing is not really faded.it's different than usual,probably they missed one or two rust bluing procedures for sparing time and work.This has not to be considered usual for 1918 guns:my 1918 Bavarian Army M12 is perfecly blued,with a deep blue cover.
But the war was at the end,Austro-Hungarian Empire had enormous troubles in purchasing every kind of raw materials and also the hope of closing the war on the southern front with the dreadful defeat suffered by the Italian Army near Caporetto(late October 1917 after a winning gas attack carried out by German troops sent to this front after the Russian closed the war) that lead to the capture of 300.000 Italian soldiers and an enormous bulk of goods(including an high number of weapons immediatly issued and used by the troops)was a bitter disappointment.The Italian Army stopped the Austrian advance in front of the Piave river and no Austria effort was able to cross this line.This was the scene when my gun and the holster were produced.The closing strap of the holster is a piece of Italian Military leather(we call it "grey-green" colour) and the canvas was a rescued one(there are marks of former stitchings).The flour in the bread for the soldiers was mixed with sawdust,but the Austrian troops went on fighting proudly till the end.A great Empire was looking at his last days.
I apologize for my poor English and also for having perhaps too much stressed the historic panorama around the story of the gun.


Download Attachment: IM002387.JPG
109.88KB


Download Attachment: IM002390.JPG
106.9KB


Download Attachment: IM002394.JPG
97.2KB


Download Attachment: IM002397.JPG
111.08KB


Download Attachment: IM002399.JPG
121.11KB


Download Attachment: IM002403.JPG
106.07KB


Download Attachment: IM002404.JPG
123.07KB