| KG-99 / TEC-9 / TEC-DC9 / AB-10 | |
|---|---|
 The TEC-DC9M | |
| Type | Machine pistol |
| Place of origin |
Sweden United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | George Kellgren |
| Manufacturer | Intratec |
| Produced | 1985–2001 |
| No. built | 257,434 |
| Variants |
TEC-9M (Mini, 76 mm barrel, no barrel jacket, 20-round magazine) TEC-9S (Stainless Steel)[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 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 machine pistol, chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. It 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. The simplistic design of the gun made it easy to repair and modify.
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 KG-9 and KG-99 have an open end upper receiver tube where the bolt, recoil springs and buffer plate are held in place by the plastic/polymer lower receiver frame. This design only allows for 115 grain 9mm ammo. If heavier grain ammo or hot loads are used, the plastic lower receiver will fail/crack rendering the firearm unusable. The later model TEC-9 and AB-10 have a threaded upper receiver tube (at the rear) and screw on end cap to contain the bolt , recoil spring and buffer plate, even if removed from the lower receiver. This solves the problem of lower receiver failure when using "hot ammo". 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.[citation needed]
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[]
- ↑ Hogg, Ian (1989). Jane's Infantry Weapons 1989-90, 15th Edition. Jane's Information Group. p. 70. ISBN 0-7106-0889-6.
- ↑ 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. http://books.google.com/books?id=YAjzU4WjeLoC&pg=PA361. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ↑ 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. http://books.google.com/books?id=DgXlZjWcKUUC&pg=PA92. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ↑ 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. http://books.google.com/books?id=fd9Qc0neMjYC&pg=PA139. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ↑ "Intratec". Violence Policy Center. http://www.vpc.org/intrtec.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
- ↑ "California Supreme Court Turns Back Gun Foes in Merrill v. Navegar". Findlaw. http://library.findlaw.com/2001/Aug/1/126093.html. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
- ↑ "Assault Weapons: The Case Against The TEC-9". http://www.cpmlegal.com/publication.php?p=assault. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
- ↑ 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).
- ↑ "The hidden culprits at columbine". Salon. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/12/30/guns/index2.html. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
- ↑ http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfib/courses/silveira.htm
- ↑ "A California AR/AK "Series" Assault Weapon FAQ…". calguns.net. http://www.calguns.net/a_california_arak.htm.
- ↑ 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. http://articles.philly.com/1993-03-14/news/25948755_1_gun-ban-gun-stores-tec-9. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
External links[]
- Manual TEC-9 TEC-9 Mini TEC-9 Stainless—Intratec 9 manual (PDF) at Nazarian's Gun Recognition Guide
The original article can be found at TEC-9 and the edit history here.