8mm SUNNGARD

Research notes

One thing that can be said about early firearm designers, they could get creative. None more so than Norwegian inventor Harald Sunngård. He was granted US Patent 972087 in October 1910 for his Model 1909, and it was based on two assumptions, firstly that, when engaged in a firefight a soldier can run out of ammo fast and secondly, being under stress or at night, changing magazines can be difficult. His solution therefore was twofold: One, give the shooter a (very) high-capacity magazine (in the 6,5mm version the mag held 25 rounds and 18 in the 8mm version), and secondly design the gun in such a way the grip contains two magazines in tandem. When the first (front) magazine was empty, it is ejected and the second magazine pushed to the front. The 8mm version is the rarer of his two designs and he tried to get various military forces interested but without success. Sunngård did however manage to get his pistol entered for the 1914 Norwegian military trials but lost out to the Colt 1911. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 107A).

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