Steyr M
The Steyr M is a series of semi-automatic pistols developed by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG of Austria for police services and the civilian shooting market.
History
Design on the Steyr M began in 1999 by Friedrich Aigner and Wilhelm Bubits. Steyr wanted to take advantage of recent advancements in manufacturing techniques.Design work on the new pistol began in the early 1990s and the final product known as the M9 was officially unveiled in the spring of 1999.
The M40 version chambered in.40 S&W was developed before the M9, followed later by the M357 and two smaller variants of the M9 and M40 designated the S9 and S40 respectively.
These pistols were developed primarily for concealed carry and have a shortened barrel, slide, smaller frame and a reduced magazine capacity.
In 2013, the Steyr M and S form factors were complemented by the L sized series and the C sized series both available in 9×19mm Parabellum and.40 S&W chamberings as the L9-A1, L40-A1, C9-A1 and C40-A1.
Design details
Grip
The Steyr M series uses a very high grip profile which holds the barrel axis close to the shooter's hand and makes the Steyr M more comfortable to shoot by reducing muzzle rise and allowing for faster aim recovery in rapid shooting sequence.Sighting
The Steyr M series derives its name from the unique "trapezoidal" sight picture of its fixed, low-profile iron sights.The unique sighting arrangement consists of a triangular front sight and a trapezoid rear notch that lead the eye to the target for quicker target acquisition and allow for instinctive aiming.
The front sight contains a non-luminescent white triangle contrast element designed to mate with two white rectangles on the rear sight. Optional adjustable or non-adjustable tritium-illuminated three-dot low light situation sights can also be fitted to the Steyr M; these have a conventional rectangular profile.
The original pistol's frame also has proprietary mounting rails for attaching accessories, such as a tactical light or laser pointer.
Operation
The Steyr M series of pistols employs the mechanically locked Browning short recoil method of operation with a linkless, vertically dropping barrel.The cold-hammer-forged conventional rifled barrel is locked to the slide by means of a single rectangular lug around the barrel chamber that recesses into the ejection port in the slide.
When fired, the recoil impulse from the ignited cartridge drives the barrel and slide back, locked together until the bullet leaves the barrel and pressures drop to a safe level. A locking block integrated into the frame then engages a lug at the base of the chamber and drives the barrel downward, separating it from the slide and terminating any further rearward movement while the slide continues back in a straight line.
Hammerless and striker-fired, the Steyr M features a double action only pre-set trigger mechanism marketed as a "Reset Action" trigger. When the trigger is in the forward position, the firing pin spring remains lightly compressed.
Pulling the trigger all the way to the back will compress the firing pin spring completely, draw the firing pin fully to the rear and position the trigger bar to release the firing pin and fire a round. The trigger travel is with a pull weight of. The slide is precision-milled from steel; and coated in a tenifer finish.
The frame is an injection-molded synthetic polymer and parts of the trigger and striker mechanisms are pressed from sheet metal.
Magazines
The pistols are fed using a detachable steel magazine of the single position feed type with the cartridges arranged in a staggered column pattern. The magazine's follower and floor plate are fabricated from polymer.The magazine catch-release is located on the left side of the frame, directly behind the trigger guard.
After expending the last cartridge from the magazine, the pistol's slide remains locked open on the metal slide stop, located on the left side of the frame and operated with the thumb.
Safety mechanism
The pistol has a multi-stage safety system consisting of two automatic internal safeties, two external trigger safeties and a manual lock safety.First trigger safety
The first external trigger safety acts as the primary fail-safe. A small, spring-loaded inner trigger is housed in a wide, outer trigger and cannot be actuated unless the inset trigger is depressed first.This keeps the trigger from being pulled by an inadvertent off-angle trigger pull. This trigger safety also activates and when released—deactivates the two internal safeties: the firing pin and drop safety.
The firing pin safety is contained in the pistol's slide and blocks the longitudinal movement of the striker.
Second trigger safety
The second trigger safety is an optional, manually operated plastic bar located inside the trigger guard and projecting out from the base of the pistol's frame when activated, revealing a small white dot.This indicates that the pistol is currently incapable of being fired. It is used as an additional safety that disables the trigger with the firing pin spring cocked.
This safety is engaged by simultaneously pushing in two buttons on both sides of the frame and then deactivated by simply lifting the trigger finger and pushing the bar up and into the pistol's frame, thus allowing the trigger to be pulled back and the weapon fired.
These safeties enable safe handling of the pistol with a round present in the chamber and allow for rapid deployment and immediate firing; this arrangement however does not permit the firing mechanism to be re-cocked in case of a misfire after the trigger has been pulled.
Other safety features
Other safety features include a loaded chamber indicator and an integrated limited access lock operated using a key to prevent unauthorized use.The latter key can be either a handcuff key or a special factory-supplied key. If required, the access lock can be omitted. The locking mechanism is located above the trigger area of the pistol and is characterized by a small circular plate with two holes in it. It has two positions: "F" and "S".
When pushed in and rotated to the "S" position with the provided key, the lock disables the trigger and barrel and prevents the pistol from being disassembled. This unique system of limiting access to the weapon was patented by Friedrich Aigner in 1999.
Comparison with other pistols
While the Steyr M is frequently compared to Glock-series pistols, there are several differences in the details of the design.For example, the M-series had a fully supported chamber in all chamberings from the start, unique triangular/trapezoid sights, three loaded chamber indicators and a different grip angle.
Takedown is also considerably different as on the Steyr M, a button must be depressed while a takedown lever is rotated down. Glock pistols require you to pull two levers downward while pulling slightly back on the slide in order to take the pistol apart. Both designs, however, require the user to pull the trigger to complete a field strip.
Product evolution
First-generation models
The original M models were produced from 1999 to 2004 and are considered "first generation" designs.The first generation guns were produced in the M and S sizes, and were chambered in 9mm,.40 S&W and.357 SIG.
These models are most easily distinguished by their frames, which have no grip texture at all aside from some straight lines molded into the polymer.
The Steyr Arms "target" logo is also in the center of both sides of the grip, and there is a single finger groove on the front strap.
The first generation guns also have no thumb rests, and have an early proprietary accessory rail, as standardized rails had not been established yet.
The first generation S9 frame is too small for a rail and does not have one.
The first generation models only came in black, with a flat black coating on the slide, however this black coating is commonly worn off on guns that were used heavily.
The first generation models are the only guns in the series that have a rounded trigger guard, somewhat resembling the Smith & Wesson SW. The first generation models are also notable because they were the only generation that had the manual safety on every gun manufactured, located inside the trigger guard. Beginning with the second generation, the manual safety feature was optional.
Second-generation models
In 2004, an improved version of the pistol replaced the original Steyr M in production. The new 'second generation' Steyr M-A1 and S-A1 pistols received several improvements.These incorporated more textured surfaces on the grip and magazine well, which were both redesigned to improve ergonomics.
Other features include enhanced finger grooves, stippling on the front and back straps, a straightened trigger guard, thumb rests and a single-slot 2324 Picatinny accessory rail.
The second generation models also incorporated a dark gray finish on the slide, a departure from the flat black finish of the first generation guns.
The gray finish was retained on the third and fourth generation models.
On second generation guns, the manual safety button was now optional.
Later 'second generation' models also have a modified extractor for easier ejecting of casings. Second generation models also incorporated Steyr's target insignia with "Mannlicher" molded into the left side of the grip to signify the company.
In 2009, Steyr stopped importing the second generation line, citing economic fluctuation that meant they were unable to price the guns competitively.
Transition models between the second and third generations also exist, with a non-ambidextrous safety and some with an early version of the Steyr "target" logo on the grip of third generation guns, identical to the Steyr company logo on the grip of first generation guns.