Automatic Handguns

Question
Dear Erik,

I'm working on a fictional crime story and I wanted to get some information on automatic handguns (not semis). Most of the time I ask questions about them, people like to tell me they're illegal and end the subject. Yes, the illegal aspect is quite clear to me! ;o) Here are my questions:

1) Which makes and models of automatic handguns are popular among those who've been busted for them?

2) Do you have any personal experience with them? What did you like/didn't like?

3) How easily do automatic handguns jam? How difficult are they for the end user to maintain?

4) How easy/hard are they to field strip and reassemble?

5) Are there any unique saftey/operating issues involved with certain models?

6) In which countries are automatic handguns legal? Does the US Government allow the FBI and CIA to carry automatics, or are most of them carrying semis?

If you're not able to answer my questions, do you know of another answer source I can try? Thank you very much for your time and efforts.

Answer
Sorry I had to edit out my typos :)

I assume from your question you are talking about "Full Automatic" handguns, which can fire multiple shots when the trigger is held down (similar to a machine gun).

This type of weapon is extremely rare, and has a limited practical use.    However, it's not really a "new" idea.  John Dillinger, the infamous bank robber in the 1930's, had a full-auto Colt M1911 in .38 Super he'd modified himself.  

Full-auto pistols were originally developed as a military weapon, primarily for tank crews and support personnel.  Because of their jobs, it was impractical for these personnel to carry full-size rifles, so these pistols were developed with them in mind.  While these types of weapons are still in development, their popularity and practicality is quite limited.  Today they are used primarily by bodyguard teams and Special Ops personnel.

From the late 1890's until the end of WW2, the Germans made a version of the Mauser pistol which was capable of firing full-auto.  This gun also had a removable stock which doubled as a holster.  Most of these guns are out of circulation, having been converted back to semi-auto and sold on the surplus market.  

http://www.arms-soft.com/collect/guns/10.jpg

I've fired the semi-auto version of the Mauser in 7.65mm (.32 caliber).  It's kind of clumsy to grip and not well-balanced, but reliable and fun to shoot.  With the stock in place, it would probably be a pretty accurate gun, if you fired in short bursts.

The Soviets made a pistol called the Stechkin which was full-auto, and had a stock like the Mauser.  This pistol is similar to the Makarov, which is the primary Soviet sidearm.  However, unlike the Makarov, which is chambered in 9mm Makarov (similar of .380 caliber), the Stechkin is chambered in its own caliber, 9mm Stechkin, which is similar in power to the 9mm NATO.  John Travolta was carrying one of these in the movie "Face-Off."

http://world.guns.ru/handguns/aps.jpg

I have no evidence that there are any Stechkins in circulation in the US, however you could probably find one of these in Europe, particularly Eastern Europe or the former USSR.  Based on my own experience with the semi-auto Makarov, I think this pistol work work pretty well.

In the late 1980's through 1989, Heckler and Koch made a pistol called the VP-70z.  This pistol was semi-auto, but with a stock attached became capable of firing 3-round bursts.  While they some some use with West German Police, these guns didn't really catch on, and are even harder to come by than the other guns I mentioned.  The Vp70z is chambered in 9mm, and has the distinction of being the first polymer-framed pistol.

Beretta makes a 9mm NATO pistol called the M93-R.  This pistol is similar to the M9, which is the official sidearm of the US Military.  

The M93-R is one of the most well-known full-auto pistols.  It's commonly seen in fiction and movies.  John Travolta (again) used one in "Broken Arrow."  The M93-R is characterized by its unique folding front grip, which allows for a more stable two-handed hold.  

http://www.softair.it/images/armicorte/piccole/m93r.jpg

I've fired the M93-r, and found it very controllable in short bursts.  I like the folding foregrip a lot.  The M93-R also comes with a folding metal stock.  Some M93-R's are in the US, but they command a premium price in the $10,000 range (not including the machine gun licensing taxes).  The M93-R is still in use with the Italian Police.

The Glock 18 is probably the most famous of all full-auto pistols.  A full-auto capable version of the Glock 17 9mm, this gun is used by the German GSG-9 and Israeli security forces.  The Glock 18 has a 33-round magazine and is very controllable on full-auto.  

Due to changes in import law which became effective in 1986, no Glock 18's can be purchased by individuals in the US.  Some US police agencies may have them for use on SWAT teams.  I can't verify that, however.

I've fired the Glock 18, and again, it's controllable in short bursts.  The Glock I shot was actually a Glock 18c, which has a barrel compensator.  The compensator reduces recoil, which makes the gun more controllable.

There are other full-auto pistols out there, but they are so rare I would not expect anyone to encounter them except in the hands of a collector.

I have no evidence that the CIA uses or does not use full-auto pistols.  These weapons are popular among bodyguard teams.  The FBI does not, as far as I know, authorize these weapons.  The FBI Hostage Rescue Team carries the Para-Ordnance P16 pistol (similar to the Colt M1911) in .40 caliber.  Agents carry the .40 Glock.  All FBI pistols are semi-auto.

There are also very small submachineguns, such as the MAC-10 and Skorpion, which some people refer to as "machine pistols."  I assume you are asking here about full-auto handguns.  If you want info about the MAC-10, Skorpion, or similar weapons, drop me a line.

Full-auto pistols, as a whole, have some significant limitations.  On full-auto they tend to be difficult to control or fire accurately (when fired without a stock).  They fire very quickly, and expend their ammunition very fast.  I would expect that, due to the light mass of a pistol slide, and firing from a closed chamber, that these pistols would be more likely to jam than a full-size submachine gun.  

Despite what Hollywood might imply, it would be very unlikely to find any of these guns on the US black market (Eurpoe, however, might be a different mattet).  I would expect you would find these guns in the hands of bodyguards or police SWAT team members.

Hope this information helps.  Please let me know if you need anything else.

Erik Pakieser