Army officer develops first indigenous 9 mm 'Machine Pistol'
Nagpur-based Indian Army officer Lt Col Prasad Bansod has developed the country's first indigenous 9 mm 'Machine Pistol'.
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Working with the Infantry School, Mhow (Madhya Pradesh), Bansod, 39, developed the pistol in a record four months with assistance from ARDE, Pune.
Named 'ASMI'—symbolizing pride and self-respect—the machine pistol's empty weight is less than 2 kgs, and it costs less than Rs 50,000.
Unlike the conventional pistols which can fire only one round at a time, 'ASMI' can also fire in a machine-mode its entire load of 33 rounds in one shot, almost like a mini-machine gun, explained the official.
Sporting an upper receiver made from aircraft-grade aluminum and lower receiver of carbon fibre, the pistol has been manufactured through 3D printing process including trigger components made by 3D metal printing.
The barrel is 8 inches long with 33 rounds of high-capacity magazine and the weapon fires the in-service 9 mm ammunition.
An official said, "The weapon has a huge potential in the armed forces as a personal weapon for commanders, tank and aircraft crew, radio-radar operators, other categories of security workers, besides VVIP protection and policing duties and in the civilian domain,"
