Welrod (Assassin's Pistol)

1939 COLD WAR WORLD WAR 2

• 1 History of the Welrod (Assassin Pistol)
• 2 Welrod Specification
  • 2.1 Base
  • 2.2 Roles
  • 2.3 Dimensions and Weight
  • 2.4 Action
  • 2.5 Cartridges and Paper Feeds
  • 2.6 POWER

History of the Welrod (Assassin Pistol)

The Welrod is a covert British pistol created during World War II to silently eliminate high-value targets and sentries at close range. Designed by British Major Hugh Reeves, it lacks standard manufacturer markings to maintain secrecy. Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) produced around 2,800 of these pistols for various special operations units and resistance fighters, making appearances in later conflicts like the Falklands War, Northern Ireland, and the Gulf War, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

The Welrod features a basic steel cylinder design with a vertical handle/magazine, single-stage trigger, and protective trigger ring. Its unique design allows it to disperse firing gases quietly, keeping bullets subsonic for stealth. It's a bolt-action single-shot weapon with a simple reload process.

There are two versions of the Welrod, one for 9mm Para cartridges and the other for .32 ACP cartridges, with different magazine capacities. The magazine also functions as a pistol grip, making the pistol easily transportable in two pieces, which can be reassembled when needed. Its intriguing name, "Welrod," comes from the naming system of Station IX, where the first three letters of the product name are used, as the station is based in Welwyn. The pistol is often referred to by its more descriptive nickname, "The Assassin's Pistol."

Welrod Specification

Base

Years in Service: 1939

Origins: UK

Categories: Silenced Bolt Action Pistol

Manufacturer: Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) - United Kingdom

Operator: UK; US; Denmark

Roles

Pistol/Pistol

Compact design for close work or general self-defense.

Mute

This weapon is either inherently silent/suppressed or can be made with special muzzle mounts, special subsonic ammo, or a combination of the two.

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length: 370mm (14.57 inches)

Run Length: 304mm (11.97 inches)

Cured weight: 2.65 lbs (1.20 kg)

Action

Bolt Action

The process of manually operating the control bolt lever to eject the spent cartridge, releasing the bolt and inserting a new cartridge into the chamber.

Pivot

This system uses an internal mechanism to lock the breech or rear barrel assembly prior to firing.

Cartridges and Paper Feeds

Caliber: 9mm Para; .32 AKP

Circle/Feed: 6 rounds (9mm); 8 rounds (.32)

POWER

Maximum efficiency: 40 feet (12 m | 13 yards)

Rate of fire: 5 Number of revolutions