Pistol Auto 9mm 1A
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 118 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.00 kg
- Introduced
- 1977
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A, commonly known as the IOF 9mm pistol, is an Indian semi-automatic pistol manufactured by the Rifle Factory Ishapore under the Ordnance Factories Board. A licensed copy of the Browning Hi-Power, it is a short recoil-operated, hammer-fired, single-action handgun chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, feeding from a 13-round detachable box magazine. Introduced in 1977 with large-scale production from 1981, it serves as a standard sidearm of the Indian Armed Forces and police.
A faithful Indian copy of the legendary Browning Hi-Power, the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A has been the standard-issue sidearm of Indian soldiers and police for decades, with Nepal's army fielding some 15,000 of them.
Built at Rifle Factory Ishapore. Physical dimensions follow the Browning Hi-Power pattern on which the pistol is directly based.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Ordnance Factory Board
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- India
- Status
- In service
- Produced
- 1977
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 118 mm
- Overall length
- 197 mm
- Height
- 130 mm
- Width
- 35 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.00 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 13
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 396 m/s
- Effective range
- 50 m
- Maximum range
- 200 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Single action trigger
External hammer
Iron sights- Browning hi power pattern
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 1.00 kg | 765 g | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 559 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 197 mm | 191 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 569 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 118 mm | 105 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 571 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 13 | 15 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A
How much does the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A weigh?
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A weighs 1.00 kg (2.20 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A?
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A hold?
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A holds 13 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A?
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A is 197 mm (7.76 in) long overall, with a 118 mm (4.65 in) barrel.
Who makes the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A?
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A is made by Ordnance Factory Board (India). It was designed by John Browning.
When was the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A introduced?
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A was introduced in 1977.
How does the Pistol Auto 9mm 1A operate?
The Pistol Auto 9mm 1A uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Indian Armed Forces
- 1977
- Nepalese Army
- Nepal
Provenance
Confidence in this record
68%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/iof-9mm-pistol' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "iof-9mm-pistol", "name": "Pistol Auto 9mm 1A", "manufacturer": { "id": "ofb", "name": "Ordnance Factory Board", "countryCode": "IN", "foundedYear": 1801, "website": "https://ddpdoo.gov.in", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "d58d313a90113a96514798866a97c2292f5297923579daab68ccc7924f6635b1" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "IN", "year_introduced": 1977, "barrel_length_mm": 118, "weight_empty_g": 1000, "action_type": "short_recoil"}