BSA Welrod Mk I
Birmingham Small Arms Company · Pistol · Discontinued · 1943
Also known as: Welrod, Welrod 9mm, Welrod Mk I, Welrod Mark I, Welwyn Pistol, Hand Firing Device
Overview
The BSA Welrod Mk I is a British WWII clandestine suppressed pistol, a manually operated bolt-action repeater chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and built around an integral suppressor. Developed at SOE's Station IX (Welwyn) and manufactured in quantity by the Birmingham Small Arms Company, it was designed as a near-silent assassination and self-defence weapon for agents, saboteurs and resistance fighters operating in occupied Europe. The shooter manually rotated and cycled the rear bolt to chamber each round, the box magazine doubling as the grip, and the long perforated barrel shroud housed wipes and baffles that hushed the subsonic report. Deliberately stamped with no serial numbers or maker's marks to preserve deniability, the Welrod remains one of the earliest purpose-built suppressed handguns and stayed in covert service with various agencies for decades after the war.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1090 g (38.4 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 1180 g (41.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 310 mm (12.20") |
| Barrel Length | 95 mm (3.74") |
| Height | 130 mm (5.12") |
| Width | 32 mm (1.26") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 313 J (231 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 8 m (9 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety
- Features: Integral Suppressor, Manually Operated Bolt, Subsonic Optimised, Removable Magazine Grip, No External Markings
Variants
- Welrod Mk II — Caliber Variant
Service history
Operators
- Special Operations Executive · adopted 1943 · as Welrod
- Office of Strategic Services
- European resistance movements
Conflicts
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 14,000 · Production years: 1943-1945
Roughly 14,000 Welrods of all marks were produced during WWII, the majority being the .32 ACP Mk II; the 9mm Mk I was made in smaller numbers. Principal production was carried out by the Birmingham Small Arms Company under SOE contract.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Special Operations Executive (Station IX)
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
The 9mm Mk I is the larger of the two principal Welrod marks; the more numerous Welrod Mk II is chambered in .32 ACP. Welrods carry no factory markings to keep the user deniable, so production figures and exact dimensions vary between sources.
Background
Because the Welrod was meant for deniable use, examples were issued without any serial number, proof mark or manufacturer stamp, and operators were told it could not be traced back to Britain if captured. Its integral suppressor was so effective that the loudest sound in firing was often the manual cycling of the bolt.