A Starfleet issue EM pistol
The EM pistol or EM-33 was the standard issue EM weapon used by Earth's Starfleet officers and the Earth Cargo Service personnel during the mid-22nd century.
While most Starfleet officers had only received training in the use of EM weapons, by 2151, the EM-33 fell out of use aboard Starfleet vessels in favor of the phase pistol. (ENT: "Broken Bow") One of the disadvantages of the EM-33 was the need to compensate for particle drift, making the transition to the next generation, point-and-shoot phased pulse weapons difficult for some Starfleet personnel. (ENT: "Sleeping Dogs")
The model also remained in use aboard Earth Cargo Authority vessels like the ECS Fortunate. (ENT: "Fortunate Son")
Background
Based on the special effects in "Broken Bow", the ammunition fired by the EM-33 appeared to be plasma bullets, as they were identified in ENT: "Shadows of P'Jem". These props were later re-used to represent the MACO phase pistols and an alien pistol weapon in the second season episode "Canamar". MACO particle rifle appeared to be a rifle version of this pistol prop based on its appearance, as it incorporated a similar barrel and fired similar energy discharges. The MACO pistols were identified as phase pistols that fire phase pulses in ENT: "United".
While the EM-33 pistols seen in "Broken Bow" were grey with black highlights, the pistols seen on the Fortunate were black with grey highlights.
The studio model of this weapon was designed by Craig Binkley and Jim Martin. [1] According to Binkley it was roughly based on the Israeli "Desert Eagle" handgun. [2] In his joint "Broken Bow" audio commentary with Rick Berman, Brannon Braga stated that he preferred the EM-33 weapon to the phase pistol. There is, however, some confusion as to whether or not the weapon was replaced as a plot device or due to studio pressure to add more familiar, phaser-like elements to Star Trek: Enterprise.