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.
The improved M9-A1 shares almost all of the characteristics though.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
Please be careful with all firearms.
