U.S. Army Continues To Use The M9

[hazmat]

Like the AK in its ruggedness and proven battlefield use, the 1911 has over 100 yrs of proven battlefield use. I agree, Glock, S&W, Springfield Armory, Hach und Kay, and FN produce fine pistols. But not one of them has a battlefield reputation and Medals of Honor to their credit. No other autoloading pistol design is more recognized than the 1911. I've got 5 of them, one a restored RR made in 1944, 2 in 10mm and I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Having just purchased my first Glock a couple of weeks ago, they are in fact nice guns. My G29 is an absolute pleasure to shoot. Still wouldn't give up my JMB though.

If the XD were made in the USA and not in Croatia, I could see using one in either 9mm or .45. But that's not gonna happen. Haven't shot an M&P or the FN so I couldn't give an opinion. And, well, never been a big fan of Hach und Kay anything. But the M9's gotta go. The gun with a trigger you pull on Sunday morning and it goes off late Saturday afternoon, with a reset measured in feet instead of millimeters.

[weevil]

As I recall having a double-strike capabilty was also a requirement, which eliminated the Glock and the 1911 from the original competition.

[Schuetzenman]

As I recall having a double-strike capabilty was also a requirement, which eliminated the Glock and the 1911 from the original competition.

Double strike ... thumb to hammer, pull trigger again, wtf? On a Glock, pull slide back 1/4 inch and the striker resets, pull trigger again.

[weevil]

Double strike ... thumb to hammer, pull trigger again, wtf? On a Glock, pull slide back 1/4 inch and the striker resets, pull trigger again.

I usually just clear the round myself, but hey it wasn't my requirement you'll have to ask the govt why this was considered necessary.

I have a sneaky suspiscion the double-strike requirement was simply a way to eliminate the 1911 from the competition.



I will say though that almost everytime I have tried a second strike on a round that didn't fire, it fired on the second strike. Still I was taught to clear the round and that's what I practice, not pulling the trigger over and over.

[Partisan1983]

I like the 1911 and the M9.

I like .45acp and 9mm.


That being said, there are better designs out now........ and better calibers (cough) *10mm*

[weevil]

Actually though if they still required a manual safety and a double-strike capability it still would come down to the Beretta or a Sig, just like in the original competition.


All of the modern designs are striker fired pistols without a double-strike capability.


This is what eliminated the Glock in the first place, and most of the "better" designs we have now are simply Glock clones.

[Partisan1983]

SIG makes a model with a manual safety...I don't know about the double strike capability.

They could easily add that if need be and then chamber it in 10mm.....what a badass pistol she would be.

[weevil]

The P226 is available in DA/SA with a second strike capability.

It was in the original XM9 trials and was generally considered the best pistol overall but Beretta supposedly was the cheaper package, though I suspect there was some politics involved also.

[John Fritz]

it's a shame the SIG didn't make the cut. I love and own pistols from both manufacturers and I read a lot over the years about the alleged questionable tactics regarding the testing and final selection of the M9. Although you never know and I trust exactly zero of what government does, it appears that the selection of the Beretta was honest and above board. You might want to give this a quick read if you haven't already seen it, http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/true_story_m9.htm .

[m1943]

it's a shame the SIG didn't make the cut. I love and own pistols from both manufacturers and I read a lot over the years about the alleged questionable tactics regarding the testing and final selection of the M9. Although you never know and I trust exactly zero of what government does, it appears that the selection of the Beretta was honest and above board. You might want to give this a quick read if you haven't already seen it, http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/true_story_m9.htm .

My favorite gun is a 1911 and my favorite caliber is a .45, yet I must agree with the guy that wrote the long-ass post on previous page. If we're going to issue a handgun to such a huge organization as the U.S. Army or all of the Armed Forces even, we would need something simple, reliable and fairly modern.
The "double strike" requirement on the other hand is absolutely absurd, as it eliminates a whole host of good modern guns. But allows something like a Walther P-38 or a S&W 59 series to pass.
Glocks are great, though I have no personal love for them. Simple, reliable, accurate, time proven. I have had a very good experience if Steyr M9A1, although it could be just me.
Beretta M9 is certainly NOT perfect. Overly hefty and bulky, with potentially unreliable (and hazardous) slide design, prone to the introduction of debris and dirt, lousy trigger pull and rapid firing capabilities, the stupid locking block which WILL break when you least need it to, the pain in the butt that it is to replace the darn thing... I must have seemed pretty nice back in the 1980s, but now...
I am sure there are a lot better guns out there, be it a SIG or a Glock or an XD. And there is like a legion of others, too.

P.S.
I don't like the H&K much, as I only was able to shoot the USP .45 on several occasions and could never hit anything with it. Glock, Beretta, M1911 and most others - no problem.

[hazmat]

it's a shame the SIG didn't make the cut. I love and own pistols from both manufacturers and I read a lot over the years about the alleged questionable tactics regarding the testing and final selection of the M9. Although you never know and I trust exactly zero of what government does, it appears that the selection of the Beretta was honest and above board. You might want to give this a quick read if you haven't already seen it, http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/true_story_m9.htm .

Ahh, but Sig does have an in. Check out the M11. They're generally issued to the very special agent types; CID, NCIS, OSI.