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"This is a weapon of war. It's made to kill your enemy."
Jack O'Neill[src]

The FN P90 Personal Defense Weapon is the standard submachine gun for SG-1 since the mission to P3X-888, as well as the standard issue weapon for the Atlantis expedition. (SG1: "The First Ones", SGA: "Rising")

Overview[]

It was selected as a standard issue weapon because it offered better armor-penetrating and killing power than the 9mm H&K MP5A3 submachine gun it replaced. Like other firearms, it is technologically primitive compared to Goa'uld, Wraith, and Ori weapons, but it is more than capable of piercing the armor worn by Jaffa, Ori soldiers, and Wraith warriors. According to Colonel Jack O'Neill, it is a weapon of war, designed to kill the enemy, and holds better offensive capabilities than the Staff weapon, which he said was designed primarily to intimidate. This is very true; the projectile weapons of the Tau'ri are among the most lethal encountered. Considered "primitive" mainly because they are not energy based, weapons like the P90, M16, and G36K are superior in combat against staff weapons due to their rapid firing rate and precision. They can easily penetrate the armor of a Jaffa, killing them. Even the M1911A1 and M9 Beretta pistols can keep a smaller group of Jaffa at bay for some time, and even kill them even when they are wearing armor. (SG1: "The Warrior")

DanielP90ATO11

Daniel Jackson wielding a P90.

Stargate Command uses the standard P90, distinguished by the angular-cut sight. Contrary to popular belief, the P90 does not have an integral red-dot sight (an aspect that was present on the Tokyo Marui P90), but rather a day/night sight that offers two different reticles; the first was circular and colored white, while the second, the night-time sight, was an "open-T" design which glowed red via use of tritium. Depending on light conditions, the sight would automatically adjust or fade between the two graticules, granting the user a reliable aiming reference at all times. This is the original variant as issued in the SGC.

In reality, the day-time 'white-sight' was eventually made black as the original design had a tendency to wash-out against sunlight during the daytime. The sight changes were suggested by the US Secret Service, who issues it as a part of their standard arsenal. The sight module was/is manufactured by Ring Sights and is noticeably rectangular, with a blue lens-face.

Other features of the SGC P90 are two mounting rails on either side of the upper receiver. Using these rails, accessories (such as a Kull disruptor, laser sight, Naquadah powered lasers, or flashlights which are commonly shown on nearly every weapon can be attached and utilized as a part of the weapon itself.

Within the SGC and Atlantis, they are typically either black or olive green, although a gold variation was also in use around two years after the destruction of the Ori.

History[]

Although the P90 has been standard SGC issue since 2000, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c have only begun using the weapon in recent years. Up until that point Teal'c used his staff weapon and Dr. Jackson utilized Berettas. (SG1: "Avalon, Part 1", "The Quest, Part 1")

FN P90 Personal Defense Weapon

Major Kevin Marks using a P90

When the Odyssey was overcome by Replicators, Colonel Samantha Carter and Major Kevin Marks used P90s to keep the Replicators bay and to stop them from gaining access to the Asgard computer core. (SG1: "The Ark of Truth")

Appearances[]

Appearances for FN P90 Personal Defense Weapon

In chronological order:

Notes[]

  • The P90 is classified as a Personal Defense Weapon (PDW). It is a class of weapon designed for close-range self-defense by support troops, gunners, and vehicle crews or use in Close Quarter Battle by commandos and anti-terrorist/hostage rescue teams.
  • Major Samantha Carter erroneously describes the P90's rounds as being "teflon-coated" when they are actually copper-jacketed. Though this may have been a reference to the brass which is coated in a polymer that could indeed contain Teflon in order to help it feed reliably in the P90's unique magazine (SG1: "The Warrior")
  • One of the reasons the "Carter Special" was created was to address a shortage of P90 blanks during Season 7. According to an interview with Amanda Tapping, this was due to the increased demand for P90 ammo during the invasion of Iraq.

References and notes[]

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Tau'ri Weapons
Assault Rifles Colt CAR-15Colt M16A3 rifleFN P90 Personal Defense WeaponG36KKalashnikov AK-47Kalashnikov AK-74Kalashnikov AK-107Micro 16 assault rifleQBZ-97BZastava M85
Sniper Rifles Dragunov SVUHK SL8 sniper rifleH&K SR9TC sniper's rifleKnight's Armament Revolver RifleLR30A Tactical RifleRemington Model 700Remington 7600SVD sniper's rifle
Anti-Material Rifles Barrett M82
Submachine Guns CZ ScorpionH&K MP5A3 submachine gunIngram MAC-10MP7 submachine gunThompson submachine gunUMP .45Uzi
Machine Guns FN M240 machine gunM2 BrowningM249 Squad Automatic WeaponM60 machine gunPKM general purpose machine gun
Shotgun Armsel StrikerBenelli M1 Super 90Franchi SPAS-12Franchi SPAS-15Gurza KS-23Ithaca MAG-10 RoadblockerMossberg 500ShotgunUSAS-12 automatic shotgunWinchester 1300
Pistols Colt M1911A1 pistolEnfield No.2FN Five-seveNGlockM9 pistolMagnum Research Desert EagleMakarov pistolMk 2 SabinRossi Model 971Ruger P89SA09-4SA50-2SIG P226Smith & Wesson 3913Smith & Wesson 5906Smith & Wesson Model 10Smith & Wesson Model 29Taurus PT92Walther P99Walther PP
Rocket Launchers AT4FIM-43 RedeyeFIM-92 Stinger missileM72 LAWMk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon
Grenade Launchers Cobray CM79LF 37mm launcherColt M203 grenade launcherDefTech 37mm multi launcherGP-30 grenade launcherMGL-140
Energy Weapons Anti-Replicator gunAsgard plasma beam weaponKull disruptorPlanet-Wide Anti-Replicator weaponPlasma weaponX-699
Rotary Cannons GAU-8 AvengerM61 Vulcan
Railguns RailgunRG/BBT SG military mounted gun
Explosives BF-8BFMB Mark V bombC-4Mark 84 bombMark IIIMark IXPBXPipe bombShaped charge
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Mines A-M18A1 Claymore mine
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