One Down, Four to go!

http://kitup.military.com/2016/09/army-drops-smith-wesson-pistol-competition.html

[FONT=&quot]The U.S. Army has dropped Smith & Wesson from its Modular Handgun System competition, according to a Sept. 23 report Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation made to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]As far as we know, the Army is still evaluating striker-fired pistols from Glock, Sig Sauer, Beretta and FN Herstal, according to a source familiar with the competition.[/FONT]

Why not just go with a spiffed up 1911?

BSAGuy said:

Why not just go with a spiffed up 1911?

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The article reads like the Army is looking for something that is modular and adaptive.

BSAGuy said:

Why not just go with a spiffed up 1911?

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Cost, weight, round count, modularity (no rail for lights & lazers & such), # of parts, & the General in charge is too busy wasting taxpayer dollars chasing a legacy, that will provide exactly 0% increase in combat efficacy, to ever go with a retro design like the 1911.

Clausewitz said:

C... & the General in charge is too busy wasting taxpayer dollars chasing a legacy, that will provide exactly 0% increase in combat efficacy, to ever go with a retro design like the 1911.

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Bingo!

I see more $900 toilet seats in the military's future.

Clausewitz said:

Cost, weight, round count, modularity (no rail for lights & lazers & such), # of parts, & the General in charge is too busy wasting taxpayer dollars chasing a legacy, that will provide exactly 0% increase in combat efficacy, to ever go with a retro design like the 1911.

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To be fair, there are 1911 designs that address all of those issues. But a 1911 is too expensive and complex IMHO. Compared to the M9 anyway.

Wonder if the Glock will win. Unless they can tack on an external safety I doubt they have a chance. Or we will all be drilled in Israeli carry (full mag, empty chamber, draw and chamber a round to engage). No way NCOs gonna allow folks to walk around with a "cocked and locked" pistol without an external safety. Irrational fear, yes, but I think it is quite pervasive.

Keep in mind that whatever they choose, it will have to be used by men and women that might have small hands. I'll be interested to see what they choose.

BSAGuy said:

I see more $900 toilet seats in the military's future.

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They have to fund Area 51 some kinda way...

jason10mm said:

To be fair, there are 1911 designs that address all of those issues. But a 1911 is too expensive and complex IMHO. Compared to the M9 anyway.

Wonder if the Glock will win. Unless they can tack on an external safety I doubt they have a chance. Or we will all be drilled in Israeli carry (full mag, empty chamber, draw and chamber a round to engage). No way NCOs gonna allow folks to walk around with a "cocked and locked" pistol without an external safety. Irrational fear, yes, but I think it is quite pervasive.

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The Glock does have an external safety... It just happens to be conveniently located on top of the trigger.

Rasputin said:

Keep in mind that whatever they choose, it will have to be used by men and women that might have small hands. I'll be interested to see what they choose.

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As opposed to the 2x4 masquerading as a grip on the M9?

I would look for the military to follow the FBI and choose Glock. Just a hunch.

jason10mm said:

To be fair, there are 1911 designs that address all of those issues. But a 1911 is too expensive and complex IMHO. Compared to the M9 anyway.

Wonder if the Glock will win. Unless they can tack on an external safety I doubt they have a chance. Or we will all be drilled in Israeli carry (full mag, empty chamber, draw and chamber a round to engage). No way NCOs gonna allow folks to walk around with a "cocked and locked" pistol without an external safety. Irrational fear, yes, but I think it is quite pervasive.

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like I said.... Cost & # of parts

As to the second part, it depends. Does the General like strippers and/or will there be any high paying cushy jobs available at Glock USA around the time he's set to retire ?

Seriously though I doubt that Glock will win based on the external safety "problem". My money would be on Sig or FN.

PS (if anyone doesn't get the stripper joke, Gaston Glock was notorious for winning police contracts by "wineing & dining" Police chiefs & procurement officers in some less than reputable establishments & basically giving away the first round of guns in order to well... Make them what they are today)

Cigar Guy said:

I would look for the military to follow the FBI and choose Glock. Just a hunch.

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+1

And MARSOC
And Navy Seals

However, Sig's 320 is a pretty cool gun. So is FN Herstal's. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO DECIDE!

My money is on Glock.

BSAGuy said:

Why not just go with a spiffed up 1911?

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Rasputin said:

Keep in mind that whatever they choose, it will have to be used by men and women that might have small hands.

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Bingo. This is the reason for "modular:" more women and smaller-sized men in the military. Some folks can barely reach the trigger when they wrap their hands around a big honkin' full-size double-stack service pistol.

You wait and see--you'll see Glocks with safeties and interchangeable backstraps if that's what it takes to get the contract.

Funny thing, the Sig is the only true modular system in the group being considered. Everyone thought they would get the FBI contract, but they went with Glock anyway. So anything can happen.

There will be pressure to choose a domestic manufacturer. Now that S&W is out, that leaves only FN.

Pragmatically, it's hard to go wrong here. Sig, Glock, and FN are all great firearms.

Deacon Frank said:

There will be pressure to choose a domestic manufacturer. Now that S&W is out, that leaves only FN.

Pragmatically, it's hard to go wrong here. Sig, Glock, and FN are all great firearms.

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I thought FN of Fabrique Nationale d' Herstal was from Herstal Belgium?

OkieStubble said:

I thought FN of Fabrique Nationale d' Herstal was from Herstal Belgium?

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I think they did like HK, Glock, and everybody else and opened a "production" plant in the US to make them available for various government contracts.

sfeile said:

I think they did like HK, Glock, and everybody else and opened a "production" plant in the US to make them available for various government contracts.

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I believe that it also gets them around some of the byzantine firearm importation rules.