The Schönberger-Laumann 1892 is an early

semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol is a type of repeating single-chamber handgun ( pistol) that automatically cycles its action to insert the subsequent cartridge into the chamber (self-loading), but requires manual actuation of the trigger to actuall ...

, having received a patent in Austria in 25 November 1891, only a few months after the 11 July patent awarded to first semi-automatic design, the

Salvator Dormus pistol The Salvator-Dormus pistol is the earliest-patented semi-automatic pistol. It was patented on 11 July 1891, by Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria and Count . As the first of its kind, it was designed without the benefit of experience with earlier m ...

. Austrian inventor Joseph Laumann modified his 8mm repeating pistol in 1892 to use a blowback actuated self-loading mechanism. The pistol retained the original large cocking lever attached to the underside of the frame in front of the trigger. Approximately thirty-five were manufactured before production ceased when the Austrian military rejected the design in 1896.

Sources

19th-century semi-automatic pistols Semi-automatic pistols of Austria World War I Austro-Hungarian infantry weapons {{Pistol-stub