| P-96 | |
|---|---|
P-96M at Interpolitex-2009 | |
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2002 |
| Used by | Russia |
| Production history | |
| Designer | V.P. Gryazev |
| Designed | 1996 |
| Manufacturer | KBP Instrument Design Bureau |
| Produced | 1998 |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 460 g (P-96M) 450 g (P-96S) |
| Length | 152 mm (P-96M) 151 mm (P-96S) |
| Barrel length | 68 mm (P-96M) 67 mm (P-96S) |
| Width | 31 mm |
| Height | 118 mm (P-96M) 106 mm (P-96S) |
| Cartridge | 9×19mm Parabellum (P-96) 9×18mm Makarov (P-96M) .380 ACP (9x17mm Short) (P-96S) |
| Action | Short recoil, rotary barrel |
| Muzzle velocity | 315 m/s (P-96M) 270 m/s (P-96S) |
| Effective firing range | 50 m (P-96M) 25 m (P-96S) |
| Feed system | 18-round detachable box magazine (P-96) 14-round detachable box magazine (P-96M) 10-round detachable box magazine (P-96S) |
| Sights | Fixed; rear notch, front blade |
The P-96 (Russian: П-96) is a Russian 9 mm semi-automatic pistol designed by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau. It was originally designed under the leadership of V.P. Gryazev for the Russian Armed Forces. Having been rejected by the military, its design was modified and offered to law enforcement and security firms as the P-96M and P-96S respectively.
The original P-96 was chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum. The P-96M is chambered for 9×18mm Makarov. It can fire the 7N25 armor-piercing round, capable of penetrating 5mm of steel at up to 15m. The P-96S is chambered instead in 9×17mm (.380 ACP) and uses 10-round magazines.
Like the related GSh-18, the P-96 is striker-fired and operates by short recoil with a rotating barrel. It uses a double-stack double-feed magazine, feeding cartridges directly from both sides. The trigger features an automatic safety to prevent the weapon from firing unless it is pulled intentionally, allowing it to be safely carried with a round chambered. The magazine release is placed on the left side of the grip.
The P-96's frame is constructed from polymer, making it corrosion resistant and comfortable to use in cold environments due to its low thermal conductivity. Combined with a lightweight slide enabled by the short-recoil system, the P-96M is significantly lighter than other comparable designs.