OK, I stand corrected. Although I was under the impression that the CZ was the first universally recognized hi-cap 9mm, I can see where the S&W clearly pre-dates the CZ.
From the 'net:
What is a Wonder Nine?
As a general rule, a wonder nine is a semiautomatic pistol which fires the 9 mm cartridge, and offers a number of features considered to be valuable for combat. These are generally not considered to be target guns. They are intended for combat use, and the emphasis is on firepower, safety, and readiness. The main features identifying these guns are:
Double column magazine, generally holding from a dozen to just under twenty cartridges.
Double action trigger system
Polymer, stainless, or alloy construction for ease of maintenance.
Some possible additional features for safety:
Hammer drop safety
Magazine safety
Double action only trigger
The true progenitor of this whole class of weapons was probably the S&W M-59, introduced in the early seventies to a luke warm reception. Though the M-59 did nothing really new, it did bring together for the first time, a number of features and design elements that had been floating around for decades. It had an alloy frame, which reduced concerns over field maintenance, and lessened the weight of the gun. It also had a double action trigger, a double column magazine which held fifteen rounds (two more than the High Power), a hammer drop safety similar to that of the P-38, and fired the newly popular 9 mm cartridge. None of these things were new, but the M-59 was the first to bring them all together in a single handgun. It was also the first reasonably priced handgun to offer any of these features, a distinction it was to retain for years. An M-59 sold for something like half the cost of a Browning High Power, or a 1911 Colt. The gun slowly gained popularity, and was adopted by several police departments, though no military service of which I am aware, ever used it. Within ten years of it's introduction, most other manufacturers were beginning to follow the formula of the M-59, giving birth to a series of handguns collectively known as the Wonder Nines.
Ah, it was still fun to stir the pot...
