DoD finally decides on new handguns.

[Tom]

They picked Sig Sauer and the contract is worth 1/2 a billion to replace the handguns of the U.S. military.  I wonder how long before the CMP gets the old ones for resell?

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a14417677/the-armys-new-modular-handgun-is-heading-out-to-the-field/?src=nl&mag=pop&list=nl_pnl_news&date=121317

[timmythecop]

Should have gone with Glock. 33 parts, zero fasteners, completely and utterly reliable. I havent had a missfeed, stove pipe, or any other failure in over 25 years. I bet my life on Glock every day and in fact, my Glock 26 saved my life in 2005.

[Ncdan]

Should have gone with Glock. 33 parts, zero fasteners, completely and utterly reliable. I havent had a missfeed, stove pipe, or any other failure in over 25 years. I bet my life on Glock every day and in fact, my Glock 26 saved my life in 2005.

I’m with you jimmy. I carried a glock 21 for 20 of my 30 year career. Fired hundreds of rounds with only a couple issues which were easly fixed with a simple tap, rack and continue in the fight. I carry a glock 26 now in my part time LEO now.

[sign216]

On the job I've carried S&W revolvers, Sig autos, and Glock autos. 

I liked the S&W K frame revolver the best, but modern confrontations have gone beyond that technology.  They might rise again after the apocalypse. 

For modern guns Sig were the best.  The biggest difference was the quality of manufacture.  Whenever I hold the Glock, I just feel "low bidder."

[Farmer Dan]

9mm?  Really? They obviously did not waste their time on ballistics testing.

[Chuck in Indiana]

For modern guns Sig were the best.  The biggest difference was the quality of manufacture.  Whenever I hold the Glock, I just feel "low bidder."

Me, too.
I don't carry..just punch holes in paper. I have a CZ 75B. That's a really well built machine, very accurate, feels "natural" in your hand. I have shot over a thousand hand loads through it without a failure of any kind.

[roadscum]

Hmmmm, what happened to 'buy American'???? Is the US unable to compete in this market.... nah, I think not.

Paul

[Murray]

9mm?  Really? They obviously did not waste their time on ballistics testing.

For the military a pistol is not a primary weapons system only officers, snipers, MP's and downed aircrew have anything to do with them. I'll preface this with I have no idea and a google search may answer it 9mm is possibly the NATO standard now, not that the USA follows the NATO standard on a regular basis. .45ACP probably made sense when people were running around regularly with sub machine guns in the same caliber which is no longer the case.

[Dilliw]

9mm?  Really? They obviously did not waste their time on ballistics testing.

That gun is modular so I would assume that special ops groups can have the .357 or .40 if they want it. 

Good news for me is that the 115 FMJ will still be available cheap.  It works great in my BHP for punching paper.

[Sheepdog]

If I�m not mistaken, Glock chose to not participate in this selection. Apparently, They were not willing to add some of the features that the DoD required...

I carried a Sig P220 throughout my career as an Federal agent. Though it was quite accurate, light, and powerful, I had lots of problems with magazines (splitting at the seam) and extractors (I broke three over 20 years). As a private owner, I prefer Glocks...in 12 years I�ve never had a malfunction with either my G32 or my G33.

Oh...and the military does use an SMG: The H&K MP5 is widely available in the SOCOM ranks and it chambers the 9x19 cartridge. 9mm is a little on the weak side ballistically, but is the best compromise when a broad variety of shooters must be served. 10mm Auto or .357 Sig are very strong, but some folks have difficulty with the recoil...

[old head]

https://www.concealedcarry.com/national/marine-operators-have-settled-the-9mm-vs-45-debate/

This is an interesting article over the 9mm vs 45 argument.

Old Head

[kirb]

Hmmmm, what happened to 'buy American'???? Is the US unable to compete in this market.... nah, I think not.
Paul

All Sig handguns are made in the USA...owners of the corporation, on the other hand...

[pyoungbl]

Buy American?    Both Sig and Glock build the guns in the US.  That's part of the contract.

9mm vs other calibers....Army did lots of tests and the bottom line was that shooters could be more accurate with the 9.....penetration does not count if you do not hit the target.  Even the FBI has gone back to 9mm.

The Sig bid was $100,000,000 less expensive over the life of the contract....that's $100 Million.  The guns were close enough in performance but that cost difference sealed the deal.

I do not have a dog in this fight, do not own either gun, just have the facts at hand.

[TOMB]

Glock 30 here.
TOMB

[DaSwami]

A 9mm will kill you easily.  Hell I don't even want to be shot with a .22     Bullets and bodies do not mix. 

[Tom]

All Sig handguns are made in the USA...owners of the corporation, on the other hand...

New Hampshire according to the article.

[Farmer Dan]

New Hampshire according to the article.

Headquarters in New Hampshire, ownership is German.
Glock is Austrian.
Taurus is Brazil.

[Cam3512]

In almost 30 years, started with Sig 225, 227 then 229.  Transitioned to Glocks several years ago - 22 and 27.  Glock is a better combat pistol.  We're also going back to 9mm in the form of Glock 19M, and 43 for backup.  I think the 9 is stepping backwards, but with less felt recoil it's easier for the smaller agents/females  to shoot.  That's the reason the FBI is making the move, but they won't admit it.

[Tom]

Interesting read off of Wikipedia for the history of Sig Sauer. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIG_Sauer#SIG_Sauer_Inc.

[Aaron D.]

I've been to the SIG factory and academy, reliably in New England.

Handgun caliber arguments are like religion. Maybe best avoided, eh?

Now striker vs hammer...

[bad Chad]

 Double action only?   I can see that being a plus in some environments but all the guns double action?

[gentlemanjim]

Beretta The numeruno choice by far.

[JeffOlson]

My wife has the civilian version, the P320. Striker-fired, very easy shooter.

I like Beretta, too, but I grabbed my wife's Sig Sauer the other day when the sheriff's department was going house-to-house in our neighborhood looking for a couple of burglars/gun thieves. (Jax the German Shepherd caught them hiding in the bushes and then went back and uncovered their hidden/buried loot; no bullets were needed--just a good dog!--but I was glad the have the P320 beside me just in case.)

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I carried a 1911A-1 from 62 to 1989 on active duty .  I saw no reason to go for any change at that time but they issued me the Beretta anyway.  Now they want to change again.  My question is how dead is dead?
 The Beretta holds more bullets but is not as deadly.  Same for the new German design.
 In 1990 attended a school for police officers who were chiefs and swat team leaders.  Many of the looked at my 1911A-1 and mentioned that they wished their departments allowed the use of the 1911A-1 but were required to carry
more modern equipment.  My own command required that I carry the Beretta but I carried my own pistol to the school.  BTW, I scored second best in the class, beaten by a younger man with a Glock. 
 A Swat team commander told me that he preferred the 1911A-1 too but was required to carry one with double action on the first shot.

[Hymes Inc.]

I punch paper with HI-Point. Let the hate commence. 

[Gliderjohn]

From Hymes Inc.

I punch paper with HI-Point. Let the hate commence. 

Well...you didn't have to publicly admit to it, but then again it kind of goes with the cheap Guzzi persona.
GliderJohn

[Sheepdog]

Double action only?   I can see that being a plus in some environments but all the guns double action?

DAO is different on striker guns like the new Sig P320. The trigger pull on my Glocks (also striker-fired) is only around 4.5 lbs and it is the same for every shot. Hammer-fired guns in DAO typically have heavy triggers...9-12 lbs.

I think that the military learned a lesson when they fielded the three shot burst feature on AR-pattern rifles. The sear was a rotary design that gave the rifle three different-feeling triggers. It had a negative effect on accuracy (as well as on peelbacks and other immediate actions to break contact) and the return to the old style sear happened post haste. Striker pistols deliver a reasonable trigger-pull that is consistent in feel with every shot. M9s (Beretta 92F) on the other hand, were DA/SA guns that had a 10 lb pull on the first shot (DA) and a 4 lb pull on subsequent shots (SA). Two widely different triggers on the same gun makes for lousy trigger control under stress, particularly with new or infrequent shooters.

Striker guns will never be as beautiful as the hammer-fired revolvers and automatics of the past, but they are simpler, more rugged, and easier to master. I expect that the Sig will give good service.

[sign216]

Striker guns will never be as beautiful as the hammer-fired revolvers and automatics of the past, but they are simpler, more rugged, and easier to master.

I must disagree.
Nothing is easier to use than a revolver.  They are the rugged, simple choice.

I admit, than are difficult to master, but easy to get started with.
Indeed, if you didn't grow up or train on a double action revolver, you might never "get it.'

But once you do, it has a beauty like no other gun.

[LowRyter]

I'm with you 216.  I think revolvers are best. 

Placing shots rather than spraying them IMO.

[Denis]

Handgun caliber arguments are like religion. Maybe best avoided, eh?

Like oil discussions...