Bergmann - Bayard pistol The Bergmann - Bayard was a German designed semi - automatic pistol produced under license in Belgium . Bergmann Mars . The Bergmann Mars was produced in 1901 , and was the first Bergmann design aimed squarely at the military market , with a comparatively powerful 9x23mm Bergmann round . It aroused the interest of a number of armies and was the subject of several trials in competition with the Mauser C96 , Mannlicher , Browning and Luger pistols . Model 1903 . The Bergmann - Bayard Model 1903 was adopted by the Spanish army in 1905 as the " Pistola Bergmann de 9 mm . modelo 1903 " . Unable to find a German manufacturer to complete the Spanish order for 3000 pistols , Theodor Bergmann turned to a Belgian manufacturer , Anciens Etablissements Pieper ( who used the trademark " Bayard " ) and who completed the order . The modified pistol was known as the Bergmann Bayard 1908 ( not to be confused with Pieper - Bayard 1908 ) , or in Spain as the " Pistola Bergmann de 9 mm . modelo 1908 " . Although adopted in 1908 delivery of the approximately 3 , 000 weapons was not completed until two years later . Meanwhile other manufacturers such as Campo - Giro had adopted the 9mm Bergmann - Bayard round and , due to its long history of use in Spanish submachine guns , carbines and pistols , today it is most commonly known as the 9mm Largo . Model 1910 and Model 1910 / 21 . At the same time the Bergmann - Bayard model 1910 was adopted by the Danish military . A total of 4 , 840 M1910 Bergmann Bayards was initially delivered to the Danish Army . The pistol was produced in Belgium until 1914 , when production ceased during World War I and never resumed . The Bergmann - Bayard was later produced in Denmark from 1922 - 1935 . Several modifications to the original design , such as an improved extractor and bolt ; a screw to retain the sideplate instead of a spring - loaded catch ; and a new grip design extending the full length of the backstrap to the frame were made . The original grips were made of Trolit , a checkered plastic material similar to Bakelite . It was , however , prone to chipping and warping , and the majority of new 1910 / 21 models was fitted with checkered wooden grips . More than 2 , 200 Danish Bergmann - Bayard pistols were produced in Copenhagen . In addition , most of the prewar M1910s delivered to the Danish army by AEP were converted to meet the new specifications . These were restamped " M1910 / 21 " beneath the " Societe Anonyme Anciens Establissments Pieper " on the left side of the barrel extension . The last Danish 1910 / 21 models were built in 1935 , but they remained standard issue for the Danish military until 1946 when they were replaced by the Browning Hi - Power . Other variants . German forces received between 1 , 000 - 2 , 000 modified Model 1910 pistols from the occupied AEP factory . Comparatively speaking these are very rare , and had a distinctive wooden grip fitted and changed markings , but seem to have been mechanically identical . Greece also adopted the pistol in 1913 ( presumably the Model 1910 ) but no deliveries are believed to have taken place due to the outbreak of war . Bergmann - Bayard pistols in . 45 ACP were submitted for US army trials in 1906 , but were unsuccessful .