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IMHO the use of a handgun in combat is lunacy. To make clear; NO REGULAR SOLDIER SHOULD EVER BE ISSUED A HANDGUN. Soldiers should either be issued a main battle rifle or a shortstocked sub-machine gun or carbine. Handguns may have their place for doctors, pilots and others who have little need for a weapon other than personal protection in rear areas, but regular troops need a decent round in a decent weapon which can engage targets to a minimum of 100 meters.

In the hands of a pro a pistol is good to 60-75 meters, but the regular pistol shoot is only good out to 15 to 20 meters. Longer ranges need a stock. Short carbines or sub-machine guns are the ticket. Leave pistols for the REMF'ers and issue effective weapons.

H&K MP5, the Colt short carbines and other major makers have weapons which will serve. If they don't, lets develop one. It can't be that hard, this is America for goodness sake. We can build almost anything, we can certainly build a decent carbine or sub-gun

I guess statistically the pistol is unimportant in war, but a creek which averages a foot deep can have some very deep holes.

I think Sgt. York was very glad he was carrying a .45 auto, (I have also heard he was doing so against regs.)

I expect what happened is that they ran out of 5.56mm or had a jam and "went to gun" with the pistol. I agree that a sub-gun would be useful, maybe an Uzi in .45 if you needed a sidearm/backup as opposed to a pistol.

Yep, if your SNCO's and officers are fending off the bad guys with pistols, then you're in deep sh**. When I was an FO with infantry companies I always asked for the rifle instead of the pistol. I'd rather take the enemy down at 300 yards instead of 50.

"NO REGULAR SOLDIER SHOULD EVER BE ISSUED A HANDGUN"

Let special troops have whatever they want, provided by Uncle Sugar. Let officers and other non-shooter specialists carry the M9. Let regular troops bring their own pistols from home if they want, subject to inspection and approval by armorers.

Wouldn't that cover just about everybody?