M5 Pistol

The M5, formally Pistol, Semi-automatic, 10mm, M5, is a modern full-sized, semi-automatic service pistol chambered in 10x25mm Auto. The M5, developed by famed firearms designer Harold Albertson, won a competition in 2000 to replace the aging SIG P210 as the standard service pistol of the Confederate armed forces.

History
In 2000, the Confederate Joint Chiefs of Staff began the first stage of the Future Weapons competition, an effort to standardize weaponry across the whole of the Confederate armed forces. The Future Weapons competition began by requesting submissions to replace the venerable SIG P210 service pistol as the standard-issue sidearm for all military personnel. The M5 beat out several other designs submitted by Confederate arms manufacturers, and has since been the standard service pistol of the Welan military.

Design
General complaints concerning the P210 included the relatively low stopping-power of the 9x19mm Parabellum round, the decidedly small (8 round) magazine, and the lack of accessory rails. All of these issues were addressed in the creation of the M5. The M5 is a short recoil, semi-automatic, single action/double action pistol which uses a 15-round staggered box magazine, holding nearly twice as many rounds as its predecessor. The frame is hard adonized aluminum alloy with polymer ergonomic handgrips, and the slide is machined from a single piece of stainless steel.

The open-slide design ensures smooth feeding and case ejection and allows easy clearing of obstructions. The bore is hard-chromed to reduce wear and resist corrosion, and the whole of the pistol is coated in a corrosion-resistant polymer finish. A picatinny rail is under-slung on the pistol's dust cover, allowing various light and laser accessories to be mounted.

The standard partridge-style iron sights feature tritium-illuminated night sights, and the pistol comes with a picatinny rail cover that protects the rail when an accessory is not attached.

The pistol also features a de-cocking lever on the left side of the frame, above the magazine release button. When the lever is engaged, the firing pin is blocked from striking a loaded round, making accidental discharges impossible. The M5 has no manual safety. The double-action trigger pull is approximately 10lbf, while the single-action trigger pull is a considerably lighter 4.25 lbf.

To meet all standards required by the Future Weapons competition, the M5 has 100% interchangeable parts and can be field-stripped in under a minute with no more than a simple screwdriver, allowing for easy maintenance even in poor field conditions. The barrel has internal threading to allow the attachment of a suppressor, and the slide can be manually locked to allow the pistol to be fired single-shot, eliminating the mechanical noise from slide operation.

Manufacture
The M5, along with many other TerraTek models, is manufactured in TerraTek Manufacturing, Inc. manufacturing facilities across Welas.

Variants
M5c The M5c is a compact version of the M5, shortening the barrel length to 109 mm and overall weight is reduced to 900 g.

M5s The M5s features an ambidextrous manual safety on the frame, increasing safety for extended carrying.

Users
The M5 and its variants are used by the Confederate military and police forces across the country.