| TEC-9 / TEC-DC9 / AB-10 | |
|---|---|
TEC-DC9M |
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| Type | Handgun |
| Place of origin | Sweden |
| Production history | |
| Designer | George Kellgren |
| Manufacturer | Intratec |
| Produced | Circa 1980s-1994 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1.23 kg–1.4 kg depending on model |
| Length | 241 mm–317 mm depending on model |
| Barrel length | 76 mm–127 mm depending on model |
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| Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum |
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Action | Blowback-operated, semi-automatic |
| Muzzle velocity | 1181 ft/s (360 m/s) |
| Effective range | 50 m |
| Feed system | 10, 20, 32 and 50 round box magazine, 72 round drum magazine. |
| Sights | Iron sight |
The Intratec TEC-DC9 (TEC-9) is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic firearm, chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum, and classified by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as a handgun. Designed by Intratec, an American offshoot of Interdynamic AB, it is made of inexpensive molded polymers and stamped steel parts. Magazines with 10-, 20-, 32-, 50- and upwards of 72-rounds are made. The three models are referred to as the TEC-9, although only one model was sold under that name.
First, Swedish company Interdynamic AB of Stockholm designed the Interdynamic MP-9 9mm submachine gun. Intended as a cheap submachine gun based on the Carl Gustav M/45 for military applications, Interdynamic did not find a government buyer, so it was brought to US market as open-bolt semi-automatic KG-9 pistol, what was bought in large numbers by criminals and often converted to full-auto. Because of this, ATF forced Interdynamic to redesign it into closed-bolt system, which was harder to convert to full-auto. This variant was called KG-99. It made frequent appearances in Miami Vice, where it was legally converted to full-auto by Title II manufacturers.
From 1985 to 1990, TEC-9 was produced. Because of its intimidating appearance and similarity to MP-9, it was favored by Cuban and Jamaican gangs in Miami.
TEC-DC9 was produced from 1990 to 1994. After the Cleveland School massacre, TEC-9 was in California's list of banned weapons. Intratec then simply renamed TEC-9 to TEC-DC9, which stood for "Designed for California". The most noticeable external difference between the TEC-9 and the later TEC-DC9 is that rings to hold the sling was moved from the side of the gun with the cocking handle, to a removable stamped metal clip in the back of the gun. Though slight, it allows one to know which version of the gun they are looking at. The TEC-9 and DC-9 can swap parts, so sometimes in movies appear DC-9 barreled upper receivers mated to TEC-9 lower receivers.
The TEC-9 and, eventually, TEC-DC9 variants were listed among the 19 firearms banned by name in the USA by the now expired 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB). This ban caused the cessation of their manufacture, and forced Intratec to introduce a newer model called the AB-10, a TEC-9 Mini without a threaded muzzle and limited to a 10 round magazine instead of a 20 or 32 round magazine. However, it accepted the high capacity magazines of the pre-ban models.
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The weapon was the subject of controversy following its use in the 101 California Street shootings[1][2] and later the Columbine High School massacre.[3][4] The gun was banned by name in the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.[5] California amended its 1989 Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act (AWCA) later in 1999, effective January 2000, to ban firearms having features such as barrel shrouds.[6][7] In 2001, the Supreme Court of California ruled that Intratec was not liable for the 1993 California Street attacks.[3] In that same year, the company went out of business and production of the AB-10 model ceased.[3]