Wonder Nine refers to any

semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol is a type of repeating single-chamber handgun ( pistol) that automatically cycles its action to insert the subsequent cartridge into the chamber (self-loading), but requires manual actuation of the trigger to actuall ...

that is chambered in

9×19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger or simply 9mm) is a rimless, tapered firearms cartridge. Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer Georg Luger in 1901, it is widely considered the most popular handgun a ...

and has a staggered column magazine, as well as a double-action trigger for at least the first shot. The term was coined by firearms author Robert Shimek, and became popular in

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

firearm A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...

-related

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

s during the 1980s and 1990s by those advocating their use by police forces. At the time most American

police department The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...

s were still using

revolver A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...

s, with the majority chambered in

.38 Special The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & ...

.357 Magnum The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR as it is known in unofficial metric designation, is a smokeless powder cartridge with a bullet diameter. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. ...

. 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 magazine A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device for a repeating firearm, either integral within the gun (internal/fixed magazine) or externally attached (detachable magazine). The magazine functions by holding several cartridges withi ...

s are the "wonderful" features of a semi-automatic pistol. Examples include the

Heckler & Koch VP70 The VP70 is a 9×19mm, 18-round, double action only, semi-automatic/three-round burst capable polymer frame pistol manufactured by German arms firm Heckler & Koch GmbH. VP stands for ''Volkspistole'' (literally "People's Pistol"), and the des ...

(1970),

Smith & Wesson Model 59 The Smith & Wesson Model 59 is a double-action pistol produced from 1971 to 1982. It was developed by Smith & Wesson from the earlier Smith & Wesson Model 39 by adapting a 14-round capacity stagger-stack magazine. History and users The Model 59 ...

(1971),

CZ-75 The CZ 75 is a semi-automatic pistol made by Czech firearm manufacturer ČZUB. First introduced in 1975, it is one of the original " wonder nines" and features a staggered-column magazine, all-steel construction, and a hammer forged barrel. It ...

(1975),

Star Model 28 Star Model 28 – also written as Star M28 – is a 9×19mm semi-automatic pistol produced by Star Bonifacio Echeverria. The Star Model 30, Star Model 31 and their variants are considered part of the same design family as Star Model 28. Prior to ...

(1975),

Beretta 92 The Beretta 92 (also Beretta 96 and Beretta 98) is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The Beretta 92 was designed in 1975, and production began in 1976. Many variants in several different calibers co ...

(1976),

Steyr GB The Steyr GB is a double-action 9×19mm Parabellum caliber, large-framed semi-automatic pistol employing a gas-delayed blowback action. As such the GB abbreviation stand for ''Gasbremse'' (gas brake). It was designed in 1968, intended as a replace ...

(1981),

FN HP DA FN HP-DA ('' Hi-Power Double Action'') is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol developed by Belgian Fabrique Nationale arms factory in Herstal. In North American markets, it was marketed as Browning BDA (''Browning Double Action'', also BDA9) and is ...

(1982),

SIG Sauer P226 Sig used as a name may refer to: *Sig (given name) *Sig, Algeria, a city on the banks of the Sig River *Sig Alert, an alert for traffic congestion in California, named after Loyd Sigmon *Sig River, a river of Algeria also known as Mekerra sig (lo ...

(1984),

Ruger P85 The Ruger P series is a line of centerfire semi-automatic pistols made by Sturm, Ruger & Company produced from 1985 to 2013. The P-series pistols were designed for military, police, civilian and recreational use. The designs are largely based on t ...

(1985),

Walther P88 The Walther P88 is a semiautomatic pistol developed by German company Walther. Its main feature is a high-capacity double-stacked magazine designed for military and law enforcement use. The P88 was succeeded by the Walther P99 in 1997. Overview ...

(1988),

IWI Jericho 941 The Jericho 941 is a double-action/single-action semi-automatic pistol developed by Israel Military Industries (now Israel Weapon Industries) introduced in 1990. It was first imported into the United States in 1990 by K.B.I., Inc. of Harrisbur ...

(1990),

Vektor SP1 The Vektor SP1 is an improved 9mm version of the Z-88 pistol (which is a locally produced copy of the Beretta 92F), produced since 1992 by Denel Land Systems (DLS), formerly Lyttelton Engineering Works (LIW). Design The Vektor SP1 and SP2 pistol ...

(1992),

Heckler & Koch USP The USP (''Universelle Selbstladepistole'' or "universal self-loading pistol") is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns. History Design work on a new family of p ...

(1993),

Bersa Thunder 9 The Thunder 9 is a full-size semi-automatic handgun manufactured by Bersa at the Ramos Mejia production plant in Argentina. It is also sold under the name Firestorm or FS 9. Derivatives in other calibres include the Thunder 40 and Thunder 45. ...

(1994),

Walther P99 The Walther P99 () is a semi-automatic pistol developed by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88. The P99 and ...

(1997), and Steyr M (1999).

Notes

References

The Wonder Nine invasion
Pistols {{pistol-stub