10mm pistol

**10mm pistols** are all semi or fully automatic hand held firearms that fire 10mm rounds. These sidearms appear in *Fallout*, *Fallout 2*, *Fallout 3*, *Fallout: New Vegas*, *Fallout 4*, *Fallout 76*, and *Van Buren*.

## Background

10mm pistols are sidearms using the 10mm ammunition that was common before the Great War. They were used extensively by the Bureau of Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco, Firearms and Lasers, while in the military such pistols were being phased out in favor of energy weapons. Their ruggedness, reliability, and firepower made them a popular choice among wastelanders and thus a staple of wasteland firefights.

## Models

### Colt 6520 10mm pistol

Gameplay articles: Fallout, Fallout 2, Van Buren
The Colt 6520 10mm autoloading pistol is a highly durable and efficient weapon developed by Colt Firearms prior to the Great War. It proved to be resistant to the desert-like conditions of the post-nuclear wasteland and is a fine example of workmanship and quality construction (at least for the pre-War models, which became more scarce over time). The simple design of the gun allows it to be easily manufactured with relatively basic equipment, making it possible to be replicated in workshops in the post-nuclear world. The Colt 6520's durability, reliability, and simple design makes it very popular among wasteland denizens, for whom sophisticated high maintenance weapons would be a liability to survival.

### N80 10mm pistol

Gameplay article: none (mentioned in Fallout 3)
The 10mm N80 sidearm was standard issue military gear until it was phased out in 2051.

### N99 10mm pistol

Gameplay articles: Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout Shelter
The large-framed, gas-operated N99 was selected as the standard issue conventional sidearm of the United States military, following the phaseout of the N80 in 2051. The long-barreled pistol remained in service for 26 years, until the Great War destroyed the United States. The pistol is designed to withstand the most extreme conditions, which was one of the requirements for a new service sidearm. It can also be repaired easily by anyone with even the most basic technical knowledge. This includes both clearing misfeeds and restoring a unit to working condition after long exposure to elements without maintenance.

These features also make it popular with wastelanders, who appreciate the ease of maintenance. It remains a common weapon, as even though many civilian units were ruined, they can easily be restored by anyone with some repair knowledge. Even damaged units can be used reliably, though they will offer subpar performance and jam frequently. The number of manufactured pistols means that parts are easy to come by, however.

* For the suppressed version in *Fallout 3*, see: Silenced 10mm pistol.
* For the unique version that appears in *Fallout Shelter*, see: Lone Wanderer.
* For the unique version that appears in the *Fallout: New Vegas* *Classic Pack* and *Courier's Stash* add-ons, see: weathered 10mm pistol.

### Combat pistol

Gameplay articles: Fallout 4, Fallout 76
The 10mm combat pistol is a next-generation 10mm sidearm created before the Great War. While it is a different design from the N99, it uses the same gas-operated action, allowing it to use 10mm ammunition with ease. Key differences include a slide stop, automatically locking the slide back when the weapon runs dry, a disassembly lever in the front section, safety in front of the trigger, rather than on the slide, and compatibility with a plethora of aftermarket modifications.

Available to both government and civilian clients, the combat pistol could be fitted with an automatic receiver, turning it into a submachine gun, as well as a variety of optics (including the high-tech recon scopes), silencers, and other accessories to improve its performance. Of course, the flexibility came at a cost, as the combat pistol required more expensive machining and materials than the N99, consisting primarily of simple flat surfaces.

* For the unique version that appears in *Fallout 4*, see: Wastelander's Friend.

### Deliverer

Gameplay article: Fallout 4
A cutting edge pre-War design, the Deliverer combines firepower and subtlety in one, compact package. In terms of design, it's a small, concealable pistol designed for police work. It features an exposed hammer, a traditional double-action trigger mechanism, a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel that also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring. The shorter grip, barrel, and reduced magazine capacity result in a smaller size than other pistols of a comparable caliber and made better suited to plainclothes or undercover work.

### Shanxi Type 17 Chinese pistol

Gameplay article: Fallout 3
The Shanxi Type 17 is a recoil operated, locked breech semi-automatic pistol. The bolt and barrel are locked by a vertically tilting locking piece with two lugs locking into recesses beneath the bolt. It features an adjustable sight for up to 1000 meters, though it's mostly a cosmetic feature, as the ammunition it is made for stops being accurate at less than a quarter of that distance. Unlike most modern pistols, the Shanxi Type 17 is loaded from a stripper clip into a fixed, non-removable box magazine.

The pistol was first produced in 1929 by the Taiyuan Arsenal, based on the Mauser C96 pistol. However, the Type 17 enjoyed renewed popularity and widespread deployment as the standard sidearm of the People's Liberation Army during the Sino-American War.

### Zhu-Rong v418 Chinese pistol

Gameplay article: Fallout 3
Zhu-Rong v418, developed under the codename ZRIN by L.O.B. Enterprises, is a man-portable incendiary weapon built on the basis of a standard Shanxi Type 17 sidearm. The key component is an acumist barrel, replacing the standard one. Upon pressing the trigger, a standard 10mm round is fired and partially liquefied by the barrel coating. Upon impact, it liquifies entirely and delivers incendiary damage. Retardant jacketing and internal heat diffusers protect the operator's hands and fingers from injury. These properties give it superior accuracy and performance over other ZRIN prototypes, enough to qualify it as a production candidate.

Earlier prototypes were much less successful. ZRIN-363 weighed 118.3 kg and emitted dangerous fumes. The next model, ZRIN-375, used a proprietary ammunition type based on the 10mm round. However, the caplet with amalgamating agents, while creating spectacular firebursts and shrapnel projection in line with the project requirements, it proved excessively sensitive: Ammunition could explode due to vibration produced by simply walking. The penultimate functional prototype, ZRIN-401, rectified all of these problems, by using standard 10mm ammunition and using an acumist barrel to superheat the projectiles, but the lack of heat protection meant using it for prolonged periods of time was hazardous to the operator.

## Behind the scenes

* The weapon model in *Fallout 3* was created by Liquid Development.

## References

1. ↑ Chris Taylor interview for Vault13.net
2. ↑ Fallout 4 loading screen hints: *"Small, dependable, reasonably powerful and widely available, the 10mm Pistol has been a staple of Wasteland combat since the bombs first fell."*
3. ↑ Sgt. Baker - 20780727
4. ↑ In-game description for the 10mm pistol in *Fallout* and *Fallout 2*: *"{800}{}{10mm Pistol}"*
*"{801}{}{A Colt 6520 10mm autoloading pistol. Each pull of the trigger will automatically reload the firearm until the magazine is empty. Single shot only, using the powerful 10mm round. Min ST: 3.}"*
5. ↑ Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p.5-15: *"This is your basic ranged weapon. The 10mm round packs a goodly punch, and the Colt pistol is a fine example of workmanship and quality. It is a single shot weapon only, meaning that every time you pull the trigger, you will fire one, and only one, round of ammunition. The 6520 has no problem feeding hollowpoint ammunition for small game hunting, or armor piercing rounds for larger, bipedal game."*
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Citadel terminal entries: N99 10mm Pistol: *"The 10mm N99 sidearm was standard issue military gear following the phase out of the N80 in 2051. The N99 was known for its ability to survive in the harshest of conditions and in many tests, the weapon was able to reliably be restored to working condition after an extended period of time exposed to hard elements and without maintenance.*
*The N99 proved to stand up to its claims and as a result, is one of the most common weapons found in use in the Wasteland. While many civilian weapons were ruined beyond use in the exterior conditions following the war, the N99 is commonly able to be easily restored to working order by anyone with the most basic knowledge of firearm mechanics.*
*However, an N99 in poor condition can often deliver low target and armor penetration, frequent jamming, and greatly reduced accuracy. Fortunately, the weapon was produced in great numbers and units are available for replacement parts."*
7. ↑ The Lone Wanderer: *"Your gun is jammed? Can I take a look at it?"*
Pek: *"Sure, I guess. Can you fix it?"*
The Lone Wanderer: *"Sure can. Here, just pull this back to clear the chamber."*
Pek: *"Wow... that's... that's easy. Now at least I can shoot back at those mutant bastards. Are you ready?"*
(Pek's dialogue)
8. ↑ Boston Airport terminals: "*Outgoing Supply Order RQR-2200*1x 10mm Combat Pistol*"*
9. ↑ The Art of Fallout 4 p. 236: "*The base 10mm, for instance, is a different design from the version in Fallout 3. But with the proper mods, you can transform it into something very similar.*"
10. ↑ Weapon appearance in *Fallout 4*.
11. ↑ Weapon modifications and appearance in *Fallout 4*.
12. ↑ Sole Survivor: "*What's so special about the gun?*"
Deacon: "*Tinker Tom restored it, you'll meet him later. It's cutting edge Old World tech. It's powerful and more importantly quiet. You'll never find another weapon like it.*"
13. ↑ Weapon appearance in *Fallout 4*.
14. ↑ Weapon appearance and behavior.
15. ↑ *Fallout 3* events.
16. ↑ Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-418: *"Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-418*
*Prototype refines acumist barrel experiments by addition of retardant jacketing, as well as internal heat diffusers. Rate of fire diminished from un-modified version of weapon. Conventional 10mm ammunition does not fully liquefy until impact, giving the 418 exceptional accuracy compared to earlier prototypes. Live-fire tests report no major casualties. Recommend ZRIN-418 as production candidate."*
17. ↑ Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-363: *"Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-363*
*Experimental prototype makes extensive use of hardware common to liquid ammunition flame projection weapons. While initial test results were impressive, extreme weight of unit (118.3kg) and fume inhalation rendered most test subjects incapable of firing the unit or remaining conscious under typical field conditions."*
18. ↑ Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-375: *"Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-375*
*Prototype introduces proprietary ammunition type. Conventional 10mm shells house a caplet containing amalgamating agents. When the caplet was broken in lab tests, localized fireburst and shrapnel projection met requirements for project. However, in field tests amalgam caplet ammunition proved too fragile, and several detonated from excessive vibration or walk speed."*
19. ↑ Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-401: *"Lab Report: Prototype ZRIN-401*
*Prototype attempts to refine results of acumist coating within weapon barrel. Initial tests showed promise. As predicted, delivery friction super-heats projectile as it is delivered from the weapon, and conventional 10mm ammunition can be used. However; during live-fire testing, subjects firing the weapon in rapid succession suffered severe burns to the fingers and palm."*
20. ↑ Liquid Development portfolio