Model 1941 Sosso Italian Experimental 9mm Pistol

In this video, Ian takes a look at a 9mm Sosso pistol — fittingly pronounced like “so-so” — that was conjured up in the 1930s, but not actually manufactured until the 1940s. Turns out, it’s amazingly complex and takes quite an odd approach to ammo feed. Oh, and the magazine holds 21 rounds!

Here’s what the video description says:

The Model 1941 Sosso is a huge Italian experimental semiauto pistol designed by Giulio Sosso. It uses a short recoil locking mechanism and is chambered for standard 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition, but its more unusual feature is its magazine. Instead of using a traditional spring and follower, the magazine body holds a 21-segment chain, like a machine gun belt. The chain is rotated one position each time the pistol’s slide cycles. This would prevent problems related to magazine spring fatigue or varying pressure between the first and last round, but it also introduces a whole new set of potential problems.

Only 5 of these pistols were made (by FNA Brescia), with the other 4 of them being presented to significant Italian political and military figures. It was not adopted or put into any sort of serial production for reasons that should become very clear once the internals of the gun are seen. One could probably buy a dozen Beretta 1934 pistols for the cost of one Sosso…

The internal workings of the Sosso are incredibly complicated, which is one reason only 5 examples of this model were made. Oh, and the fact that a loaded round could conceivably be placed anywhere on the continuous belt inside the magazine makes this the only semi-automatic pistol appropriate for stupid games such as Russian roulette!

Enjoy the video.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.