Blow-forward is a firearm operation where the barrel is virtually the only moving part of the weapon that is forced forward against a spring by the cartridge pressure and friction of the projectile against the rifling. The first weapon to use this operation was the Steyr Mannlicher M1894

Steyr Mannlicher M1894

The M1894 Steyr Mannlicher blow-forward, semi-automatic pistol was an early semi-automatic pistol.-General features:This earliest Steyr Mannlicher pistol, manufactured by FAB.D'ARMES Neuhausen, Switzerland, was designed to be self loading and to use a special rimmed cartridge in 6.5 mm caliber...

 pistol of Austro-Hungarian origin, followed by the Schwarzlose Model 1908

Schwarzlose Model 1908

The Schwarzlose Model 1908 was a semi-automatic pistol, designed by Andreas Schwarzlose, released in 1908 in German Empire and produced until 1911.-Operation:The Schwarzlose employs a very distinctive "blow-forward action" operating mechanism...

, Hino Komuro M1908 Pistol

Hino Komuro M1908 Pistol

The Hino Komuro M1908 was a blow-forward operated, semi-automatic pistol of Japanese origin and was patented by Yujiro Komuro.It was chambered in 8mm Nambu, .32 ACP, and .25 ACP...

, Mk 20 Mod 0

Mk 20 Mod 0 grenade launcher

The Mk 20 Mod 0 was a 40mm automatic grenade launcher manufactured by NOS Louisville and was used by the US Navy during the Vietnam War. It used the Blow-Forward operation that was previously used on semi-automatic pistols such as the Steyr Mannlicher M1894 and Schwarzlose Model 1908. The Mk 20 was...

 40mm automatic grenade launcher, the Special Operations Weapon

Special Operations Weapon

The Special Operations Weapon was a blow-forward operated, select fire shotgun used by US Navy SEALs in the Vietnam War. It was designed by Carroll Childers, an engineer at the Naval Special Weapons Center. The 870 mod kit provided SEAL shotgunners with a quick-change magazine holding 20 rounds...

, and the Pancor Jackhammer

Pancor Jackhammer

The Pancor Corporation Jackhammer is a 12-gauge, gas-operated automatic shotgun. It is one of very few fully automatic shotguns, and although patented in 1987, it never entered full-scale production. Only a few working prototypes of the Jackhammer were ever built; some sources state that only two...

, the last known weapon to use this operation. The first rifle to use such an action was the experimental SIG AK53

SIG AK53

The SIG AK53 was an experimental battle rifle using the blow-forward principle of operation. It was developed during the late 1940s and early 1950s but was rejected. However, it led to the SIG SG 510 battle rifle....

 battle rifle.

See also

• Blowback
• Recoil operation
  Recoil operation
  Recoil operation is an operating mechanism used in locked-breech, autoloading firearms. As the name implies, these actions use the force of recoil to provide energy to cycle the action...