Wonder Nine
A Wonder Nine is a semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum with a staggered column magazine and a double-action trigger for at least the first shot. The term was coined by firearms author Robert Shimek, and became popular in American firearm-related magazines during the 1980s and 1990s by those advocating their use by police forces. At the time most American police departments were still using revolvers, with the majority chambered in either.38 Special or.357 Magnum.
Wonder Nine
- Field
- semi-automatic pistol
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History
History
The simplicity of being able to fire the first shot just by pulling the trigger (a prominent feature of double-action revolvers), larger ammunition capacity, and faster reloading of ammunition with the use of box magazines are the features of a semi-automatic pistol. The Glock 17 (1982) is a notable contemporary to the Wonder Nines, but it's inclusion in the category is a subject of debate. Despite sharing several features, many consider the Glock design to be a distinct category.
Prior to 1970, the only 9x19mm semi-automatic pistols with double-stack magazines available were the 13-round Browning Hi-Power (1935) and the 15-round MAB PA-15 (1966), both of which only had single-action triggers.
Gallery
Gallery
• Illustration — FN Browning BDA-9 • Illustration — Heckler & Koch VP70 • Illustration — S&W Model 59 • Illustration — CZ 75BD variant, with 19-round magazine • Illustration — Beretta 92FS Inox stainless steel pistol • Illustration — "Fourth-generation" Glock 17 • Illustration — SIG Sauer P226 pistol • Illustration — Ruger P89 • Illustration — First generation Walther P99
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Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Wonder Nine, revision 1374872562 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Sodofsky, Christopher. The Rise Of The “Wonder Nine”. Shooting Times. March 20, 2023.
- 2.Sadowski, Robert A. Book of Glock: A Comprehensive Guide to America's Most Popular Handgun. Skyhorse Publishing. 6, 17, 251. 2018. 9781510716032.
- 3.Trzoniec, Stanley W. Modern American Centerfire Handguns. Winchester Press. 49. 1981. 0876913419.
- 4.Hartink, A. E. The Complete Encyclopedia of Pistols and Revolvers. Chartwell Books. 279. 2002. 9780785815198.
- 5.Clapp, Wiley. MAB P-15. americanrifleman.org. July 24, 2012.
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1- semi-automatic pistolTerminology
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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