D-94

Type 94 pistol (D-94)
D-94 with field-stripped diagram (middle) and 7.5mm version (bottom).
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Menghe
Service history
In service	1995 to present
Used by	Menghe
Production history
Designer	Hwasŏng Arsenal 55
Designed	1990-1994
Manufacturer	Daegok Arsenal
Produced	1994-present
Specifications (D-94)
Weight	1.102 kg
Length	209 mm
Barrel length	120 mm
Height	142 mm
Cartridge	9×19mm
Action	short recoil, tilting barrel, double/single
Muzzle velocity	450 m/s
Effective firing range	25 m
Feed system	16-round detachable magazine
Sights	Front post, rear notch

The D-94 (Formal designation: 94식 단총 / 九四式短銃, gusal-sik danchong, "Type 94 pistol;" Short designation 94식, gusal-sik, "Type 94") is a semi-automatic pistol designed in Menghe during the early 2000s as a replacement for the D-70. Though thoroughly unremarkable in most respects, it has very impressive durability, as a result of extensive testing for parts failures and the use of forged slide and body components.

Development

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Menghean servicemen expressed concerns about the D-70 pistol, arguing that it was bulky, unreliable, and of inconsistent manufacturing quality. The development of high-capacity pistols in other countries also drew attention to the insufficiency of its 8-round magazine. Following the Decembrist Revolution, the new Menghean government issued a requirement for a new Army service pistol which would correct problems with the D-70.

As Hwasŏng Arsenal 55 had the most experience manufacturing sidearms, it took up the contract, putting together a team of designers who had been working to improve the D-70 since its entry to service. They decided to keep the same basic action, but completely redesigned the slide and frame, resulting in an entirely different firearm. The weapon was accepted for service by the Menghean Army in 1994, under the designation "Type 94 pistol."

Design details

While the D-70 and D-94 both use short-recoil, tilting-barrel operation, the D-94 incorporates a number of changes intended to increase safety. It has a firing block pin safety which prevents the gun from firing if the hammer falls while the trigger is not pulled, reducing the risk of holstered discharges. The ambidextrous safety levers on the thumb position are larger, and automatically decock the hammer when activated. The hammer itself is ring-type with a ridged finish, for easier cocking and decocking.

Other changes improve the D-94's readiness. The trigger is double-action/single-action: the hammer can be cocked separately for a lighter, crisper trigger pull, but if the trigger is pulled heavily while the hammer is not cocked, the pull cocks and fires the weapon in a single motion. This belated change indirectly improved safety by counteracting the practice of soldiers carrying pre-cocked pistols in their holsters for greater readiness.

The D-94 is chambered in the popular 9×19mm cartridge. It uses a 15-round double-stack magazine in the handgrip by default; longer magazines which extend beyond the base of the grip are also available. The magazine release consists of a pin located at the thumb knuckle position next to the trigger, and it can easily be removed and reversed in the field for ambidextrous operation.

The sights consist of two rear square posts and a fixed forward post. Both have green fluorescent dots to assist aiming in low-light conditions. Some export and civilian variants have a rear sight which is adjustable for range and windage, or Hwasŏng rails which allow the mounting of over-slide optics and below-slide laser or flashlight sights, but standard-issue versions use fixed sights.

Versions of the pistol have also been produced in 7.5×25mm, 9×20mm, and 6×20mm, Menghe's new small-caliber Army pistol round. The latter allows for a 20-round magazine inside the grip.

Unlike most foreign handguns, in which major components are cast and then milled, the slide and body of the D-94 are both milled from forged blanks. In combination with rugged small parts, more consistent anti-corrosion treatment, and better-quality manufacturing, this gives it good reliability under adverse conditions. The sides of the grip are covered by composite plates, which can be changed out by removing two screws.

Menghean service

In the Menghean Army, the D-94 pistol is issued free of charge to enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers needing a sidearm - including automatic grenade launcher operators, base security personnel, and tank crews. Commissioned officers are permitted to purchase and use their own custom pistols.

On account of its construction, the D-94 has earned a reputation for extreme durability in the field. This reputation is especially strong among servicemen who switched to the D-94 after using the D-70, or who switched from the D-94 to the ill-fated D-108. Many of these claims to reliability are somewhat exaggerated, but they continue to persist in discussions of the D-94.

Apart from its construction, the D-94 is a relatively uninteresting weapon. The action and mechanics are fairly run-of-the-mill, and accuracy is fairly modest due to the tilting barrel and fixed sights. The pistol is also incapable of fitting an external suppressor, as the added weight on the end of the barrel would prevent the weapon from cycling properly during firing, requiring the operator to manually rock the slide and cock the hammer between shots.

Users

• Menghe

), also known as the Type 70 for its short designation, is a semi-automatic pistol