B&T TP9
B&T AG (Brügger & Thomet) · Submachine Gun · In Production · 2003
Also known as: B&T TP9-US, Brügger & Thomet TP9, Tactical Pistol 9
Overview
The B&T TP9 (Tactical Pistol 9) is the semi-automatic civilian-market variant of the B&T MP9 submachine gun. Both designs trace back to the Steyr TMP, whose tooling and intellectual property B&T purchased from Steyr in 2001. By 2003 B&T had introduced more than 20 engineering changes - including a right-side folding stock, integrated Picatinny rail, redesigned trigger safety, and improved reliability components - and reborn the platform as the MP9 / TP9 family. Roughly 80% of the weapon is built from advanced polymer composites, giving it an unloaded weight of approximately 1.4 kg (under 4 lb). It uses transparent polymer magazines in 15, 20, 25, and 30-round capacities and operates via a rotating-barrel short-recoil action originally engineered by Steyr.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1700 g (60.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 303 mm (11.93") |
| Barrel Length | 130 mm (5.12") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 380 m/s (1247 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 540 J (398 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 150 m (164 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 250 mm (9.84") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Polymer |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Matte Black |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Trigger Safety, Manual Safety Selector, Ambidextrous Safety
- Features: Polymer Construction 80 Percent, Integrated Picatinny Rail, Ambidextrous Controls, Transparent Polymer Magazines, Side Folding Stock Optional, Rotating Barrel Action
Variants
- B&T TP9-US — Us Market
- B&T TP9-N — No Stock
- B&T TP9 SG — Side Folding Grip
- B&T TP9 CT — Civilian Tactical
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Civilian U.S. market · as TP9-US
Production
Production years: 2003-present
Civilian semi-automatic production version of the MP9; production numbers not publicly disclosed
Origin
Country of origin: Switzerland
Designer: Karl Brügger and Heinrich Thomet (B&T design team); base design originated by Steyr (Bertl Schmid)
Notes
TP9 is sold as a pistol (no stock, ATF compliance) in the U.S. as the TP9-US. The select-fire MP9 version is sold to law enforcement and military and is in service with numerous protective-services and SOF units worldwide. It is sometimes confused with the H&K VP9 (a striker-fired full-size service pistol) - entirely unrelated firearms.
Background
When Brügger & Thomet bought the Steyr TMP design in 2001, the platform had been a commercial flop in Austria - but B&T's improvements to the trigger group, stock, and rails turned the same gun into one of the world's most widely used VIP-protection submachine guns, carried by bodyguards from Geneva to Washington D.C.