Schouboe Automatic Pistol

Jens Theodor Suhr Schouboe patented his semi-automatic pistol in 1903. It was a simple blowback design featuring an unusual wood-core projectile with a metal jacket. By 1917, production of these weapons had ceased.

History

The Schouboe pistol was designed in 1903 as a pocket pistol chambered in 32 ACP. In 1907, Schouboe developed a.45-caliber version of the pistol for entry in the 1907 US pistol trials. The trials' requirements included the pistol being chambered in.45 caliber. The Schouboe was a direct blowback pistol, so it could not handle the energy of a traditional.45-caliber cartridge. To address this, Schouboe designed bullets with a wood core and metal jacket, making them light enough to be fired safely from the pistol. The pistol was rejected due to insufficient wounding capability.
The 11.35 mm Schouboe or.45 Schouboe was developed in 1902 as an experimental centerfire pistol cartridge for the Schouboe Automatic Pistol. The lightweight bullet was a steel jacketed wooden plug with an aluminium disk protecting the base. Muzzle velocity was 1600 feet per second. Accuracy was poor, and the blowback pistol chambered for this cartridge was unsuccessful.