Wonder Nine

The CZ 75, an example of a "wonder nine"

Wonder Nine is a phrase that was popularized in American firearm-related magazines during the 1980s. It refers to any handgun that is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and has a double stack magazine, as well as a double-action trigger for at least the first shot. Examples would be the Beretta 92, Glock 17, CZ-75, and other such handguns. The simplicity of being able to fire the first shot just by pulling the trigger, a much-desired feature of double-action revolvers, combined with the high ammunition capacity (13-18 rounds, more than double what a revolver holds), are the "wonderful" features of a wonder-nine.

Even though such pistols were regarded as more efficient than revolvers, most American police departments were still using revolvers, chambered in calibers such as .38 special and .357 Magnum, and would not follow the Wonder Nine trend until the early 1990s with the subsequent adoption of 9 mm and .40 S&W pistols.

References

• The Wonder Nine invasion