TEC-9

For the rapper, see Tech N9ne.
TEC-9 / TEC-DC9 / AB-10

The TEC-DC9M
Type Handgun
Place of origin Sweden, United States
Production history
Designer George Kellgren
Manufacturer Intratec
Produced 1985–2001
Number built 257,434
Variants TEC-9M (Mini, 76 mm barrel, no barrel jacket, 20-round magazine)
TEC-9S (Stainless Steel)[1]
Specifications
Weight 1.23–1.4 kg depending on model
Length 241–317 mm depending on model
Barrel length 76–127 mm depending on model
Cartridge 9×19mm Parabellum
Caliber 9mm
Action Blowback-operated, semi-automatic
Muzzle velocity 1,181 ft/s (360 m/s)
Effective firing range 50 m (160 ft)
Feed system 10-, 20-, 32- and 50-round box magazine, 72-round drum magazine
Sights Iron sight

The Intratec TEC-9 or TEC-DC9 or AB-10 is a blowback-operated semi-automatic handgun, chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum that was designed by Intratec, an American offshoot of Interdynamic AB. The TEC-9 was made of inexpensive molded polymers and a mixture of stamped and milled steel parts.

History

Swedish company Interdynamic AB of Stockholm designed the Interdynamic MP-9 9mm submachine gun. Intended as an inexpensive submachine gun based on the Carl Gustav M/45 for military applications, Interdynamic did not find a government buyer, so it was taken to US market as an open-bolt semi-automatic KG-9 pistol. The open bolt design was too easy to convert to full-auto. Because of this, the ATF forced Interdynamic to redesign it into a closed-bolt system, which was harder to convert to full-auto. This variant was called the KG-99. It made frequent appearances on Miami Vice, where it was legally converted to full-auto by Title II manufacturers.[2][3]

The TEC-9 was produced from 1985 to 1994.[4]

After the Cleveland School massacre, the TEC-9 was in California's list of banned weapons. To circumvent this, Intratec rebranded a variant of the TEC-9 as the TEC-DC9 from 1990 to 1994 (DC standing 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 were moved from the side of the gun with the cocking handle, to a removable stamped metal clip in the back of the gun. The TEC-9 and TEC-DC9 are otherwise identical.

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).[5] 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/barrel shroud and limited to a 10-round magazine instead of a 20- or 32-round magazine. However, it accepted the standard capacity magazines of the pre-ban models.

The weapon was the subject of controversy following its use in the 101 California Street shootings[6][7] and later the Columbine High School massacre.[8][9] 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.[10][11]

In 2001, the Supreme Court of California ruled that Intratec was not liable for the 1993 California Street attacks.[8] In that same year, the company went out of business and production of the AB-10 model ceased.[8]

Although still found on the used firearms market, the TEC-9 and similar variants are banned, often by name, in several states including California, New York, New Jersey[12] and Maryland.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hogg, Ian (1989). Jane's Infantry Weapons 1989-90, 15th Edition. Jane's Information Group. p. 70. ISBN 0-7106-0889-6.
  2. ↑ Muramatsu, Kevin (18 July 2012). The Gun Digest Book of Automatic Pistols Assembly/Disassembly. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. pp. 361–369. ISBN 978-1-4402-3006-6. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Peter Harry Brown; Daniel G. Abel (15 June 2010). Outgunned: Up Against the NRA-- The First Complete Insider Account of the Battle Over Gun Control. Free Press. pp. 90–96. ISBN 978-1-4516-0353-8. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  4. ↑ Phillip Peterson (30 September 2008). Gun Digest Buyer's Guide To Assault Weapons. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-4402-2672-4. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Intratec". Violence Policy Center. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  6. ↑ "California Supreme Court Turns Back Gun Foes in Merrill v. Navegar". Findlaw. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  7. ↑ "Assault Weapons: The Case Against The TEC-9". Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Columbine Gun's Maker Closes Up; Legal Battles Ensnarled Navegar and TEC-9 Pistol". The Washington Post (August 18, 2001).
  9. ↑ "The hidden culprits at columbine". Salon. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  10. ↑ http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfib/courses/silveira.htm
  11. ↑ "A California AR/AK “Series” Assault Weapon FAQ…". calguns.net.
  12. ↑ Edward Colimore (March 14, 1993). "New Jersey Gun Owners Decry Ban Critics Were Legion At A Sports Shop. They Hope For A Senate Override Tomorrow Of Florio's Veto.". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2014-03-25.

External links