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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUS Army wants a harder-hitting pistol
Chaaaaa-Ching!!! for some defense contractors.
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/07/03/army-wants-harder-hitting-pistol/
The U.S. Army is moving forward to replace the Cold War-era M9 9mm pistol with a more powerful handgun that also meets the needs of the other services.
As the lead agent for small arms, the Army will hold an industry day July 29 to talk to gun makers about the joint, Modular Handgun System or MHS.
The MHS would replace the Army's inventory of more than 200,000 outdated M9 pistols and several thousand M11 9mm pistols with one that has greater accuracy, lethality, reliability and durability, according to Daryl Easlick, a project officer with the Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia.
"It's a total system replacement -- new gun, new ammo, new holster, everything," Easlick said.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)DetlefK
(16,423 posts)malthaussen
(17,194 posts)Einstein was a physicist.
-- Mal
tiny elvis
(979 posts)Turbineguy
(37,324 posts)20 million for the rest of us.
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)ruining this country.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)underpants
(182,800 posts)May favorite line in the article
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)ileus
(15,396 posts)quality 9mm single stacks made by good companies started hitting the market. I can highly recommend the M&P Shield in 9mm it's my EDC, wonderful little pistol easy to carry, accurate, reliable, and easy on the wallet. @ 350 or less you'll have money left over for that fishing kayak you've been wanting.
The M9 is way too large for good conceal carry...
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Maybe one day, you'll grow up and think more about society than your need for boat loads of gunz.
Tetris_Iguana
(501 posts)I guess those will show up with the practical flying cars.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Brother Buzz
(36,424 posts)The accuracy, not so much
bluedigger
(17,086 posts)At least that's what they used to tell me.
underpants
(182,800 posts)Qualifying with it was an experience. My particular pistol had to be aimed down and to the left to hit the target. We switched to 9's after the first Gulf War and firing it was a breeze.
Brother Buzz
(36,424 posts)it shot up and to the right. Proud 'Bolo' badge boy, here.
underpants
(182,800 posts)The first time I fired it the Sgt. told me "aim center mass and see where the dirt flies up" BLAM! .... No hit on the target, no dust ball from the dirt. Sgt., "okay it shoots high. Aim at the ground"
Orsino
(37,428 posts)The officers and other troops who would carry pistols are not immune to our more-and-bigger-guns culture.
hack89
(39,171 posts)and 9mm is not particularly lethal - especially when you have to use Geneva Convention compliant ammunition.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)But then I'd have to wonder why the .45 was discontinued.
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)They stopped producing the 1911 for the US military around 1945*. The existing inventory was re-built a couple of times, but by the mid 1980's they were no longer reliable. Combine that with NATO standardization on 9mm as the standard pistol caliber caused the US to select the Beretta. Almost 30 years later, the Beretta's are starting to wear out. Means the military is going to look at future pistol needs and re-evaluate what it needs.
*Production stopped for general issue. Some of the Special Operations units have ordered limited numbers of 1911's and/or rebuilt older ones themselves since 1945.
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)Most reliable handgun the army ever used. More reliable than the M9. It was in wide use in all armed forces from 1911 to 1985, a span of 74 years.
About the only thing it probably doesn't have that they are looking for is greater accuracy.
blueridge3210
(1,401 posts)And which handguns do they use? Seems that the more sensible way to approach this is to conduct a survey of existing weapons in use and compile data regarding use and effectiveness. Several other choices besides 9mm exist; .357, .40, 10mm, .45. Rather than try to design a new weapon from the ground up, it seems it would be better to use existing technology.
Abnredleg
(669 posts)The military has to use full metal jacketed rounds, which are less lethal than hollow points, so police usage may not directly applicable. Plus the operating environment is a lot harsher for military weapons so you could't even use reliability statistics.
blueridge3210
(1,401 posts)Not saying any civilian LEO firearm would meet military needs, but it seems to be more cost effective than trying to design a "mil-spec" sidearm from the ground up. That route seems designed to create "cost overruns". Just my .02.
Abnredleg
(669 posts)Pistols just aren't that important a weapon so the military is not going to spend a lot of money on this project. It'll be an off the shelf design, perhaps with minor modifications. Most LEO pistols are also mil-spec so there's no need to reinvent the wheel.
Brother Buzz
(36,424 posts)blueridge3210
(1,401 posts)Didn't get that from the OP and, admittedly, didn't click the link.
Brother Buzz
(36,424 posts)but it's been in the works for years
jmowreader
(50,557 posts)AL = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
AK = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
AR = SIG P229 (.40S&W)
CA = S&W Model 4006TSW (.40S&W)
CO = S&W M&P40 (.40S&W)
CT = SIG P226 (.40S&W)
DE = SIG P229 (.357SIG)
FL = Glock 37Gen4 (.45GAP)
GA = Glock 37 (.45GAP)
ID = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
IL = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
IN = Glock 17 (9x19mm)
IA = S&W M&P40 (.40S&W)
KS = Glock 21 (.45ACP)
KY = Glock 35 (.40S&W)
LA = SIG P220 (.45ACP)
ME = H&K USP45 (.45ACP)
MD = Beretta PX4 (.40S&W)
MA = SIG P226 (.40S&W)
MI = SIG P226 (.40S&W)
MN = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
MS = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
MO = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
MT = SIG P229 (.357SIG)
NE = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
NV = SIG P229 (.40S&W)
NJ = SIG P228 (9x19mm)
NM = S&W M&P357 (.357SIG)
NY = Glock 37 (.45GAP)
NC = S&W M&P357 (.357SIG)
ND = S&W Model 4506 (.45ACP)
OH = SIG P226 (.40S&W)
OK = SIG P226 (.357SIG)
OR = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
PA = Glock 37 (.45GAP)
RI = SIG P226 (.357SIG)
SC = Glock 37 (.45GAP)
SD = SIG P229 (.40S&W)
TN = Glock 31 (.357SIG)
TX = SIG P226 (.357SIG)
UT = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
VT = SIG P229 (.40S&W)
VA = SIG P229 (.357SIG)
WA = S&W M&P40 (.40S&W)
WV = S&W Model 4566TSW (.45ACP)
WI = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
WY = Glock 22 (.40S&W)
Going only by state police departments, the choice would be the .40S&W.
The New York Police Department carries 9mm, LA gives the choice of 9mm, .40 and .45, Chicago uses the same three calibers (but in Chicago you buy all your own equipment)...
sarisataka
(18,648 posts)Is a rifle
jmowreader
(50,557 posts)There's a reason every special operator in DoD has a pistol hanging off his load-bearing equipment: they come in handy on occasion.
And there's also a reason they won't go into a hot area with an M9 in their holster. SF guys despise the M9 because it's not reliable if it's not spotless. Their choice is the Browning Hi-Power; more snake-eaters have bought Hi-Powers with their own money than any other gun.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)Why not just convert over time to the 220, which is nearly identical to the now standard 228?
There's your increased stopping power in a familiar package.
I guess this isn't as fun as building one from the ground up at an expense of billions.
ileus
(15,396 posts)I wouldn't mind having a M9 for general plinking and family fun gun at the range.