DS-97
The DS-97 (Formal designation: 97식 소음 단총 / 九七式消音短銃, guchil-sik soŭm danchong, "Type 97 silenced pistol;" Short designation 97식, guchil-sik, "Type 97") is a suppressed semi-automatic pistol developed in Menghe. It is used by special units of the Menghean Army, including the Deep Mission Troops, as well as the IIA, the EIA, and the Armed Police. It is based on the D-94, but incorporates a number of changes to allow the fitting of a suppressor, including a different action.
Development
Menghe's main service pistols of the late 20th century, the D-70 and D-94, both use a short-recoil, tilting-barrel action to achieve semi-automatic fire. While this allows for simple and reliable operation, it also means that the barrel must be able to recoil and tilt easily when a round is fired. If a suppressor or other heavy object is attached to the muzzle, its weight prevents the barrel from tilting, forcing the user to manually cycle the weapon by pulling the slide in between shots.
As this problem effectively converted a semi-automatic pistol into a pump-action one, the DPRM's intelligence and reconnaissance agencies relied on special-purpose suppressed pistols, based on a Letnian design. By the 1990s, these weapons were becoming increasingly outdated, and the External Intelligence Agency issued a request for a new suppressed pistol. The weapon was accepted for service in 1996, but because the GCh-96 had already been given the "Type 96" designation number, the pistol was designated "Type 97" or DS-97.
Design details
Unlike other Menghean Army pistols, the DS-97 uses a simple blowback action, with a fixed barrel and a heavy bolt. This means that the muzzle of the barrel remains stationary, and the addition of a heavy suppressor does not affect its operation. It can also be fired normally with the suppressor removed; in this configuration, the threaded end of the barrel can be seen protruding from the slide.
The DS-97 is designed for use with special subsonic 9×19mm ammunition, which does not produce a sonic boom in flight and is quieter when leaving the suppressor. It is still capable of loading regular 9×19mm rounds, though these are not as quiet even with the suppressor attached, and they subject the bolt to higher strain.
On early-production DS-97s, a dovetail notch running parallel to the barrel underneath the body forward of the trigger guard allows the installation of a flashlight or laser sight. A two- or three-notch Hwasŏng rail can also be inserted into this slot, allowing a wider variety of attachments. No provision for over-slide sight modifications is provided on Army and Government service models, which all use the same three-post, fluorescent-dot iron sights as the D-94.
