A Wonder Nine is a
semi-automatic pistol
A semi-automatic pistol (also called a self-loading pistol, autopistol, or autoloading pistol) is a repeating firearm, repeating handgun that automatically ejects and loads cartridge (firearms), cartridges in its chamber (firearms), chamber afte ...
chambered in
9×19mm Parabellum
The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO or simply 9mm) is a Rim (firearms)#Rimless, rimless, Centerfire ammunition, centerfire, tapered cartridge (firearms), firearms cartridge.
Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer ...
with a
staggered column magazine and a
double-action trigger for at least the first shot.
The term was coined by firearms author Robert Shimek, and became popular in American
firearm
A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions).
The first firearms originate ...
-related
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
s during the 1980s and 1990s by those advocating their use by police forces.
At the time most American
police department
The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citize ...
s were still using
revolver
A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
s, with the majority chambered in either
.38 Special or
.357 Magnum.
The simplicity of being able to fire the first shot just by pulling the trigger (a prominent feature of double-action revolvers), larger ammunition capacity, and faster reloading of ammunition with the use of
box magazine
A magazine, often simply called a mag, is an ammunition storage and feeding device for a repeating firearm, either integral within the gun (internal/fixed magazine) or externally attached (detachable magazine). The magazine functions by holdi ...
s are the "wonderful" features of a semi-automatic pistol.
Examples include the
Heckler & Koch VP70 (1970),
Smith & Wesson Model 59 (1971),
CZ 75
The CZ 75 is a semi-automatic pistol made by Czech Republic, Czech firearm manufacturer Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod, ČZUB. First introduced in 1975, it is one of the original "Wonder Nine, wonder nines" and features a staggered-column magaz ...
(1975),
Star Model 28 (1975),
Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 (also Beretta 96 and Beretta 98) is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy.
History
Carlo Beretta, Giuseppe Mazzetti and Vittorio Valle, all experienced firearms designers, contributed to ...
(1976),
(1981),
Glock 17
Glock (; stylized as GLOCK) is a brand of polymer- framed, short-recoil-operated, striker-fired, locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H.
The firearm entered Austrian military an ...
(1982),
FN HP DA (1982),
SIG Sauer P226
The SIG Sauer P226 is a full-sized service pistol made by SIG Sauer. This model is available in four chamberings: the 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, or .22 Long Rifle. It has the same mechanism of operation as the SIG Sauer P220, but ...
(1984),
Ruger P85 (1985),
(1988),
IWI Jericho 941 (1990),
Vektor SP1
The Vektor SP1 was South African pistol produced since 1992 by Denel Land Systems (DLS), formerly Lyttelton Engineering Works (LIW).
Design
The Vektor SP1 was the improved version of the Vektor Z88 pistol, the South African Beretta 92F copy. ...
(1992),
Heckler & Koch USP
The Heckler & Koch USP (''Universelle Selbstladepistole'' or "universal self-loading pistol") is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.
History
Design work on a ...
(1993),
Bersa Thunder 9 (1994),
Walther P99
The Walther P99 () is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market.
History
Design work on this new generation sidearm began ...
(1997), and
Steyr M (1999).
Gallery
File:Bda9.JPG, A FN Browning BDA-9.
File:Vp70z.jpg, Heckler & Koch VP70.
File:Smith & Wesson Model 59.jpg, S&W Model 59.
File:CZ-75BD, Pistol Variant, Czech.jpg, CZ 75BD variant, with 19-round magazine.
File:Beretta 92FS left.jpg, A Beretta 92FS Inox stainless steel pistol.
File:GLOCK 17 Gen 4 Pistol MOD 45160305.jpg, A "fourth-generation" Glock 17.
File:SIG Sauer P226 neu.jpg, A SIG Sauer P226 pistol.
File:Ruger P89.jpg, A Ruger P89.
File:Walther P99 9x19mm.png, A first generation Walther P99.
See also
*
Machine pistol
A machine pistol is a handgun that is capable of automatic firearm, fully automatic fire, including shoulder stock, stockless handgun-style submachine guns.
The Austrians introduced the world's first machine pistol, the Steyr M1912 pistol#Masch ...
Notes
9mm Parabellum semi-automatic pistols
{{pistol-stub