Welrod
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 near Welwyn Garden City, gave the Welrod its unusual name, being derived from "Wel" from "Welwyn Garden City" (a prefix used by covert equipment designed by Station IX) and "rod", gangland slang for gun, as a way to obscure its purpose.
| 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 |
| 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) |
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.
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