Artist's comment:

Continuing what's becoming a series of drawings with anthro MLP characters test firing various late 19th and early 20th century pistols.

Primarily I am exploring the early 1st generation of semi-automatic pistols that were around in the late 19th and very early 20th century. Many of these were not great designs, but they would lead the way to better future models.

The sales representative closed his eyes repeated in his mind over and over again as her Highness Princess Celestia removed her coat and rolled up the sleeves of her shirt.

She's just another customer. You've given this presentation to officers, politicians, journalists, and other people of authority. You know the product. You believe in the product. You got this!

The pegasus stallion opened his eyes and turned around to address the princess. Only to discover that.

1. Her Highness was now standing right behind him.

2, He was about 5.8ft. Her Highness was about a foot taller than he was.

1. Her Highness was looking, down, at him with a very impish grin.

His head snapped upwards fast enough that his neck made an audible crack. He swallowed started his spiel.

Your Highness!" He said in slight higher than normal pitch of voice. "I want to thank you for taking time out your busy schedule to allow me to demonstrate my company's submission to Equestria's Military Trials to secure a new pistol for its Armed Forces. Today I want demonstrate to you the versatility of my company's latest creation.

Getting back into groove he made a sweeping gesture at the 2 pistols that were sitting on the range table. "Allow me the honor of introducing to you what my company believes will be the future of semi-automatic pistols. We believe our design will be one that the competition will strive, and fail, reproduce. Either in terms of performance, or in simplicity of manufacture!

The stallion picked up the smaller of the 2 pistols. "This is our primary submission to the competition." He'd checked both pistols before her Highness had arrived, but still he removed the magazine again and checked the chamber. "This elegant design chambers a 7.65x25mm cartridge that fires the latest in smokeless powder. Its fires a full metal jacket projectile that gives it excellent penetration against a variety of materials. The magazine holds 7 rounds and can be quickly removed and swapped with other preloaded magazines. Giving the shooter a volume of fire previously unheard of in a pistol."

He returned the magazine to the pistol as he continued his presentation. "And unlike the finicky pistol your sister fired recently

, or the overly complex one that her Highness Princess Twilight tested our design is masterpiece of simplicity! Less than dozen parts make up this fine example of modern engineering and manufacturing!"

"Excuse me." Celestia interrupted. "But what about that other pistol you brought today?" She was eyeing second gigantic pistol that dwarfed its sibling on the table. "What is that?"

The stallion chuckled. "Oh ho! Yes. That's an experimental variant that our engineers came up with to show the range of possible cartridges that our design can theoretically chamber. In this case its a .455 cartridge similar to what Equestria's armed forces are currently using in its revolvers. However it's not something we're seriously–"

"I'd like to shoot it." The pale alicorn spoke up. "By chance did you bring ammunition for it?"

"Um....yes. Yes! If your Highness is intrigued this can be arranged!" The stallion quickly set aside the box of 7.65mm cartridges and started frantically rummaging through his valise. A few seconds later he produced a wallet-like pouch holding about 24 rounds of .455.

In quick order the rep had walked Celestia through the manual-of-arms for the pistol. Although her Highness arched an eyebrow as he explained its operation mechanism.

"So it's an unlocked breech mechanism? That seems to be a dubious design choice?"

"Well.....it is one of the things that makes the mechanism so simple." The stallion said while loading .455 cartridges into the magazine. "However we're considering that we may incorporate a delaying mechanism into future variants." He glanced over at the 7.65mm model. For that model we've added an external spring to help retard the bolt, but we'll undoubtedly develop a more refine solution if the pistol is picked up by our kingdom's forces. Ah! All loaded!"

He passed the loaded magazine to Celestia. As instructed she inserted into the pistol grip and then sharply worked bolt/striker. Her deep, wine red leather pants and thigh-high black leather boots creaked slightly as she cocked her hips. She took aim at the target 25m away and squeezed the trigger. The pistol thundered and ejected the casing. 6 more times the giant pistol boomed, then it went silent. Following the instructions she'd been given her Highness removed the magazine and checked that chamber was empty. Then she set the pistol back down. She glanced at the rep.

"I'm intrigued, but I fear that its mechanism is not robust enough for prolong service without some form strengthening of the action. However if that was done then it might have possibility. I recommend that your company consider that and then resubmit for further testing. Oh! And we'll only be interested in the 7.65mm version for official procurement. However...."

She held up the .455 and grinned. "I might be interested in one of these once the bugs have been worked out."

Note. The pistol Celestia is firing is a 1896 Maxim-Silverman. It's a pistol that was many years ahead of its time that suffered from an original action that wasn't really up to handling the cartridges it was chambered for, and doomed due to a lack of promotion on Hiram Maxim's part. Our friend Ian McCollum has done several videos on both the 7.65mm version Link and its gigantic .455 Link brother.