Heckler & Koch P9S

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Heckler and Koch P9S
Type	Pistol/Suppressed Pistol
Place of origin	(West) Germany
Service history
In service	1969 to present
Used by	US Navy, (West) German police, commercial sales
Specifications
Weight	(31 oz), empty (.45 ACP)
Length	19.2 cm (7.5 in)
Barrel length	10.2 cm (4 in)
Height	(5.4 in)

Cartridge	9 mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, 7.65 x 21.5 mm
Action	Delayed roller-locked bolt system, DA
Rate of fire	Semi-automatic
Feed system	9-round (9mm Para) or 7-round (.45 ACP) single column , detachable box magazine

The Heckler and Koch P9S was the first pistol to use a variation of H&K's delayed roller-locked bolt system in a pistol format and polygonal rifling now common in H&K designs. It differs from the earlier P9 by being a conventional double action pistol able to be fired both single action and with the hammer forward on a loaded chamber.

[edit] Overview

The P9S is a delayed roller-locked pistol manufactured from a pressed steel frame covered in polymer and a pressed steel slide that contains the precision machined internal parts including a polygonally rifled barrel. High profile fixed sights are fitted with two red rectangles on the rear sight and a white stripe on the drift adjustable front blade sight. Vertical zeroing is accomplished by fitting front sights of a different height.

The interior cutaway of a P9, P9S.

The P9S was adopted by the US Navy for use with a sound suppressor. The sound suppressors of the period were comparatively large and the model frequently shown with the P9S make the pistol's sights unusable so the suppressor was equipped with sights. The fixed barrel of the P9S allows the pistol to operate reliably with the suppressor attached without requiring the recoil enhancer some Browning-inspired tilting-barrel designs need to compensate for the added muzzle mass and mechanical movement of a mounted suppressor.

[edit] Operational traits

This weapon uses a heel-mounted magazine release. It fires double or single action and uses a lever on the left side of the pistol grip to both decock a cocked hammer or to manually re-cock it for a single action first shot. The hammer is concealed within the slide with a protruding pin at the rear of the slide to indicate whether it is cocked. A manual safety is found at the left rear of the slide.