Welrod

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Welrod
Welrod 9mm Mk I
Type	Pistol
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
Wars	World War II, Vietnam War, Falklands War, Northern Irish Troubles, Desert Storm
Production history
Designer	Inter-Services Research Bureau
Designed	1942
Manufacturer	BSA; unnamed other manufacturers
Produced	World War II and onwards
No. built	around 14,000[1]
Variants	Welrod Mk I; Welrod Mk IIA
Specifications
Barrel length	3.25 in (83 mm)
Calibre	.32 ACP (Mk II) / 9×19mm Parabellum (Mk I)
Effective firing range	25 yd (23 m) (Day) 7–8 yd (6.4–7.3 m) (Night)
Feed system	6-round (9x19 Parabellum); 8-round (.32 ACP)

The Welrod is a British bolt-action, magazine-fed, suppressed pistol devised during the Second World War by Major Hugh Reeves at the Inter-Services Research Bureau (later Station IX). Station IX, being based in Welwyn, gave the Welrod its unusual name, being derived from "Wel" from "Welwyn" (a prefix used by covert equipment designed by Station IX) and "rod", gangland slang for gun, as a way to obscure its purpose.^[1]

Designed for use by irregular forces and resistance groups, the Welrod is an extremely quiet gun thanks to its integrated suppressor. Approximately 2,800 were made in wartime and perhaps 14,000 in total when post-war examples are included.^[1]