L9 Semi-Automatic Pistol - $650

[Lochinver]

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L9 Semi-Automatic Pistol

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Type

Semi-Automatic Pistol

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Weight

730 g (25.75)
(empty mag)

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Length

180 mm (7.09 in.)

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Barrel Length

116 mm (4.56 in)

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Cartridge

11.5x20mm LORD

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Action

Short recoil
Locked breech
Tilting barrel

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Muzzle Velocity

320 m/s (1,050 ft/s )

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Effective Range

90 m

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Feed System

10-round box magazine

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Cost

$650

The Land Force Designation 9 Semi-Automatic Pistol, or L9, is a semi-automatic, 11.5 mm pistol designed to replace the M1911A1 Colt in Lochinver Marine Corps Service. In the guidelines for the pistol design competition, two standards were set: the design must fire from a .45 ACP or ballistically similar cartridge, and must have a magazine capacity of 10 rounds without being overly bulky. The result was the L9 which, thanks to the proprietary 11.5x20mm LORD, was more compact than the Colt, and thanks to new materials, lighter by over 400 grams. Now, 11 years after the initial design of 2001, the L9 is the standard issue pistol of the Lochinver Armed Forces, as well as most police departments in the nation.



The L9 Pistol is designed specifically to be fired with equal ease with the right or left hand. The magazine release and fire controls are ambidextrous, mounted on either side within finger reach of the trigger guard. Just above the firing controls is a loaded chamber indicator. When a cartridge is in the chamber of the weapon, a small bulge of metal protrudes from the frame, telling the shooter whether the weapon is loaded. It uses a Browning-style short recoil system. The firearm's locking mechanism utilizes a linkless, vertically tilting barrel with a rectangular breech that locks into the ejection port cut-out in the slide. During the recoil stroke, the barrel moves rearward initially locked together with the slide approximately 3 mm (0.12 in) until the bullet leaves the barrel and chamber pressure drops to a safe level. A ramped lug extension at the base of the barrel then interacts with a tapered locking block integrated into the frame, forcing the barrel down and unlocking it from the slide. This camming action terminates the barrel's movement while the slide continues back under recoil, extracting and ejecting the spent cartridge casing.

The frame of the L9 is constructed out of a high tensile nylon-based polymer alloy to cut back on weight, while retaining maximum reliability. This alloy, developed by Lochinver, based on the alloy used by Glock, is notably stronger than more steel and aluminum alloys, but 260% lighter in weight, and 400% less expensive. This polymer is shock resistance, corrosion resistant, and temperature resistant, increasing reliability, and reducing the number of cleanings needed to maintain peak performance. The frame is milled from a block of military-grade high tensile steel, treated in a 500 °C nitrate bath, giving the slide and barrel significantly greater shock and corrosion resistance abilities.

By keeping the barrel axis closer to the shooter's hand, the profile of the pistol is decreased, and muzzle climb is decreased significantly. Thanks to the modified ballistic dimensions of the cartridge, the grip of the L9 is identical to that of a 9x19mm chambered pistol, while being slightly taller to compensate for the larger bullet diameter. The barrel does not use conventional rifling; rather a interconnected, six-non circular polygonal rifling system. This system provides the pistol with a greater barrel thickness, providing a greater gas seal around the projectile, increasing muzzle velocity as a result.

The L9 has two universal rails; one on the bottom forward end and one of the right side. Shipped with the pistol is a flashlight, a laser pointer, and a proprietary taser system. The L9 is equipped with a ramped front sight and notched rear sight, illuminated by tritium to decrease acquisition speed. The sight may be adjusted to take into account windage and range, having a standard sight height of 6.5 mm.

The L9 is shipped with two polymer holsters. Based on a concept developed for the German Walther PPK, the holster is designed to have the shooter push the firearm downward, cocking it in the process. This drastically cuts down on acquisition time in an emergency if the weapon is not cocked before hand, which can be dangerous.



Developed in conjunction with the L9 was a more compact, more powerful, and more structurally stable variation of the .45 ACP cartridge. The 11.5x20mm LORD utilizes a proprietary propellant, unlike anything used by conventional rounds. This propellant enables the round, while being slightly smaller than the .45 ACP, excel in kinetic energy and muzzle velocity. Having a case size 2 mm shorter than the .45 ACP, this round, while retaining the amazing power of the .45, may fit in more compact pistols, only slightly longer than the 9x19mm Parabellum round. With a kinetic energy of 736 Joules, the 11.5x20mm LORD is a 15 gram full metal jacket round, able to achieve a muzzle velocity of 320 m/s and a maximum effective range of 90 m.