The most notable feature of the 1909 Schwarzlose is its “blow- forward” or “reverse-recoil” action, which allows the barrel to be the same length as that of any “blow-back” pistol, while the overall length of the gun may be shorter than usual, since the magazine is positioned beneath the barrel rather than behind it.
Another feature, not quite so obvious is the flat mainspring that tensions the hammer, the magazine release, and the safety lever. When the grip safety on front of the grip is squeezed it pulls a u- shaped connector bar at the base of the grip forward, putting enough tension on the bottom of the mainspring to allow the gun to be fired.
The magazine release serves as a fulcrum point for the spring. If the grip safety is not squeezed there is insufficient tension in the mainspring to enable the hammer to ignite the primer. In its forward position, the grip safety blocks the trigger. A button on the left side of the gun may be pressed upward and allowed to come down when the safety is squeezed to lock the safety back, which makes it easier to aim the gun carefully for target shooting