TEC-9

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

Intratec TEC-9 (KG-99 Shown)
Type Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin Sweden
United States
Production history
Designer George Kellgren
Manufacturer Intratec
Produced 1985–2001
Number built 257,434
Variants KG-9
KG-99
TEC DC-9
TEC DC-9M
AB-10
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 pistol
Muzzle velocity 1,181 ft/s (360 m/s)
Effective firing range 50 m (160 ft)
Feed system 10-, 20-, 32-, 36- and 50-round box magazine, 72-round drum magazine
Sights Iron sight

The Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9, or AB-10 is a blowback-operated semi-automatic 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 simple 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. Interdynamic intended it as an inexpensive submachine gun based on the Carl Gustav M/45 for military applications, but did not find a government buyer, so it was taken to the U.S. 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 or crack, rendering the firearm unusable. The later model TEC-9 and AB-10 have a threaded upper receiver tube at the rear and a 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.

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 sold with 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 handguns 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. 1 2 3 "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.
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