Steyr TMP
- Category
- Personal Defense Weapon
- Barrel
- 130 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.30 kg
- Introduced
- 1992
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Steyr TMP (Taktische Maschinenpistole / Tactical Machine Pistol) is a compact 9×19mm select-fire machine pistol developed by Friedrich Aigner at Steyr Mannlicher in 1989, entering production 1992. It pioneered an all-polymer machine-pistol shell paired with a short-recoil rotating-barrel locking system inherited from the Steyr GB pistol - atypical for an SMG-class weapon and chosen to tame muzzle flip in the very compact, stockless package. An integrated vertical foregrip provided controllability during full-auto bursts (cyclic ~875 rpm), and the threaded muzzle accepted a suppressor. Despite technical merit, the TMP saw limited commercial uptake - roughly 2,000 TMPs and 1,000 SPPs were produced before Steyr Mannlicher's new ownership culled underperforming product lines.
In 2001 Steyr sold the entire TMP design and manufacturing rights to Swiss firm Brügger & Thomet - reportedly for one Austrian Schilling. B&T applied 20+ design changes (side-folding stock, full-length Picatinny rail, redesigned trigger safety, refined ergonomics) and released the result in 2003 as the B&T MP9, which became widely adopted by SOF, executive-protection details, and police globally. The TMP is therefore the direct ancestor of the modern MP9/TP9 family.
Source variance on muzzle velocity (370/375/400 m/s); 380 m/s used as midpoint. Designed by Friedrich Aigner specifically. SPP semi-auto civilian variant lacks the foregrip. In 2001 Steyr sold the entire TMP design and rights to Brügger & Thomet (reportedly for one Austrian Schilling) - B&T applied 20+ design changes and released the result in 2003 as the B&T MP9.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Steyr Arms
- Category
- Personal Defense Weapon
- Country
- Austria
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1992 to 2001
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 130 mm
- Overall length
- 282 mm
- Height
- 162 mm
- Width
- 45 mm
- Sight radius
- 188 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.30 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Select fire
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 380 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 540 J
- Effective range
- 100 m
- Rate of fire
- 875 rpm
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.
Rotating barrel locking
Integrated vertical foregrip
Ambidextrous controls
Threaded barrel suppressor ready
Closed bolt firing
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 54 personal defense weapons | 1.30 kg | 2.23 kg | Lighter than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 53 personal defense weapons | 282 mm | 582 mm | Among the shortest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 55 personal defense weapons | 130 mm | 168 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 25 9x19mm Parabellum personal defense weapons | 30 | 20 | Holds more rounds than about 70% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Steyr TMP
How much does the Steyr TMP weigh?
The Steyr TMP weighs 1.30 kg (2.87 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Steyr TMP?
The Steyr TMP is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Steyr TMP hold?
The Steyr TMP holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Steyr TMP?
The Steyr TMP is 282 mm (11.10 in) long overall, with a 130 mm (5.12 in) barrel.
Who makes the Steyr TMP?
The Steyr TMP is made by Steyr Arms (Austria). It was designed by Friedrich Aigner.
When was the Steyr TMP introduced?
The Steyr TMP was introduced in 1992 and discontinued in 2001.
How does the Steyr TMP operate?
The Steyr TMP 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
- Austrian EKO Cobra
- Austria
- Italian GIS (Carabinieri SF)
- Italy
- Myanmar (license production)
- Myanmar (Burma)
Provenance
Confidence in this record
88%
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/steyr-tmp' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "steyr-tmp", "name": "Steyr TMP", "manufacturer": { "id": "steyr-mannlicher", "name": "Steyr Arms", "countryCode": "AT", "foundedYear": 1864, "website": "https://www.steyr-arms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": "Austrian rifle manufacturer, founded 1864. Currently produces hunting and sporting rifles.", "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "updatedAt": "2026-04-05 22:24:37", "version": "a826cd329c11aab62c76039016717ad94b5d38e37df48de00a5a6800ce0b3c60" }, "category": { "id": "personal-defense-weapon", "name": "Personal Defense Weapon", "description": "Compact firearms designed for non-frontline military personnel" }, "country_of_origin": "AT", "year_introduced": 1992, "barrel_length_mm": 130, "weight_empty_g": 1300, "action_type": "short_recoil"}