Steyr M9 semi-auto 9mm handgun

steyr m9 unloaded

The Steyr M9 is no longer in production – all that’s out there is all that’s available. Anyway, if you have a chance to check it out, you’ll find that it’s a very interesting semi-auto for a lot of reasons – very different sights, short trigger pull, unusual safety location.

steyr

The improved M9-A1 shares almost all of the characteristics though.

steyr m9

It’s made primarily of polyester like a Glock so it’s surprisingly light (slightly less than 1 kg or so loaded). It takes in 9mm Parabellum bullets. The magazine capacity is 14 rounds – this is not a civilian model. I’m not sure about the laws in Malaysia but back in Australia, there’s 10-round limit for magazines. I used to own a Beretta and a HK but I’ve never seen a Steyr before. It’s not a very popular gun.

9mm magazine

Okay, a lot of people don’t know this (coz of TV shows) but a standard 9 mm caliber bullet is lethal up to 50 meters. Most modern loads can go further. Unless you’re wearing a ballistics vest, you probably wouldn’t survive a point blank hit. Even if you are, there is no such thing as a “bulletproof vest” – you will absorb the impact (energy cannot be created or destroyed and all) which will probably result in cracked ribs (which you will die from if it pierces your lungs), organ bruising and severe trauma unless you’re far enough away that the bullet loses energy from travel.

steyr m9 safety

The Steyr M9 is a very safe pistol, all things considered. This is what it looks like with the safety on and magazine removed. The first safety works by pulling to pull the rod (the black protruding dot on the side is actually a short bar) down so the wedge with the white dot inside the trigger guard (the secondary safety) comes down. It won’t fire this way. Fire as in even dry-fire, the trigger will not engage.

steyr m9 safeties

This is what the Steyr M9 looks like loaded and with all the safety features off.
1. The manual safety set to F (Fire) – it’s default, I don’t think anyone would carry it in the S (Safe) position since you need a key to turn it. I strongly suspect you’ll be dead if you find yourself in need of using it. The wording is a bit faded but the 12-6 position is Fire and the 9-3 position is Safe. The two white lines shows where it’s at. I hear you can also use a handcuff key to twist it.
2. The wedge with the white dot is pushed up with your trigger finger so the rod goes up and disappears (see lowered wedge with white dot in the photo before this one). This is the Steyr M9 ready to fire state.

Disclaimer: There is no round in the chamber. The magazine and bullets are in the gun but I did not rack back the slide.

steyr m9 original

I only dry-fired it (meaning firing without bullets just to see how it works) and it has a very light trigger pull and travel. The Steyr M9 has very unique sights which I can’t explain. You’ll be a bit confused if you’re used to standard Beretta/H&K sights. It’s dual action (kinda like how a Glock works) – you squeeze the trigger “twice”.

concealed carry

Anyway, for the previous question – yes, in that photo it was loaded as you can see more clearly here. However, there is no round in the chamber. Someone mentioned something about the way I was standing. Very astute. That’s why my potbelly protrudes (cheh hahaha) coz I was arching my back so I wouldn’t accidentally discharge a loaded firearm.

holding steyr m9

Please be careful with all firearms.

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16 thoughts on “Steyr M9 semi-auto 9mm handgun”

  1. I would mistake it for a Glock. I don’t favor trend to reduce weight using polymers but most firearm manufacturers are doing so.

    Reply
    • Yeah, it’s the way things are going. I don’t think it’s a bad thing.

      Lighter firearms are easier to carry, I used to own a HK .45 (bought new) and a Beretta 92 (pre-owned) and the latter is so huge and heavy that it’s almost impossible to conceal carry. 🙂

      Reply
    • I am in Malaysia.

      You can fire guns at gun clubs etc. There are a lot of legal ways to acquire a firearm. This isn’t mine though, was just checking it out. 🙂

      Reply
    • Oh, you can join a gun club, you’ll get to fire a real gun. Shotguns too if you’re in Sarawak and happens to visit a longhouse.

      I have a Category H license in Victoria, pretty liberal with guns for a Commonwealth country until that PRC guy shot up Monash University (was studying there at the time) and killed a couple of guys. He had 7 legally registered guns.

      The funny thing about a Category H licence is that even though it’s for owning (home), transporting (safely locked in a case in the boot) and shooting (gun clubs only) – there is a loophole for COLLECTING guns. 😉

      Easiest way? Join a gun club. I got my licence within six months of this:
      http://sixthseal.com/2002/06/let-my-angels-sing/

      Reply
    • Well, you can, just join a gun club. There are pistol shooting clubs around here.

      Getting a license to own a gun is a bit trickier but a lot of people have legally registered handguns in Sibu – usually rich businessmen or rich businessmen of ill repute. 😉

      It’s possible to get one, fully licensed and legit, if you have connections.

      If you just want to shoot one and not hold it, go to a country that offers target shooting. Thailand is the nearest. 🙂

      Reply
    • Well, if you’ve experience with guns it’s not that thrilling, you mostly want to see how it works. 😀

      I’ve never seen a Steyr before, it’s not very popular in Victoria. Thus, I found the safety inside the trigger guard very interesting since I’ve only owned a HK and Beretta in the past (standard build guns ).

      It’s the last place a person would look if they’re experienced with guns so it’ll be great in the US or even Australia with relatively high gun ownership (over 1 in 20 people).

      However, it’s the absolutely *worst* place to put a safety in strict gun control countries if the gun gets wrestled away from you. The little knowledge of guns would cause them to immediately put their finger into the trigger guard and shoot instead of looking to flip the safety.

      Reply
    • That’s one thing I couldn’t get used to. You’re supposed to use your trigger finger to disengage the safety.

      This semi-auto pistol is pretty good on paper – 4 mm trigger travel (!!!), 5.5 lbs trigger pull. Rapid fire with that insanely short 4 mm trigger travel. 🙂

      However, yeah, that safety is a bit tricky. You need LOTS of practice to do it with your trigger finger and it takes a quite a bit of force too.

      Guess it’s good if you poke people a lot or wag your index finger to build them muscles. 😉

      Reply

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