Description
2/26/26 – This is a fantastic example of an early and original Bergmann Model 1896 No. 2 with early folding trigger. Only ~500 early examples with this trigger design were produced by V.C. Schilling, and this is a very high-condition example. Only high edge wear is visible with beautifully fire-blued small parts. The small parts show a beautiful mix of straw and fire-blue, and the grips are in excellent condition. The bore does show some use and pitting throughout though.
The model 1896 pistol was made in three different calibers: 5mm, 6.5mm, and 8mm. This discussion will stick to the 5mm guns, which were designated No. 2 by Bergmann. Ballistically, the 5mm Bergmann is one of the weakest cartridges produced aside from gallery or Flobert type rounds. But the options for a quality pocket semiauto were very limited in 1896, and the No. 2 was reasonably popular with between 1,500 and 2,000 being sold in Europe and beyond. Loading the No.2 Bergmann was the same process as the No.1; the magazine was accessible through a pivoting cover plate on the right side of the pistol. It would hold 5 rounds of ammunition, typically carried as a single unit in a Mannlicher-type clip. This listing includes one spare clip.
