Posted on 05/22/2020 1:04:47 PM PDT by PROCON
The Marine Corps has officially begun procurement of the Army's Modular Handgun System to replace its existing pistol arsenal, the service announced on Tuesday.
The M18 service pistol — a compact variant of the striker-fired M17 that, based on Sig Sauer's P320, the Army adopted under the MHS program in 2017 — will finally see fielding this fiscal year, according to Marine Corps Systems Command.
MARCORSYSCOM spokesman Maj. Ken Kunze had previously pegged the start of fielding at some time during the third quarter of fiscal year 2020, with a target completion date in "late 2023."
The M18 will replace the Beretta M9 that the Corps adopted in 1985, as well as the selectively-fielded Glock 9mm M007 concealed carry and the beloved M45A1.
“The MHS improves on the precision and reliability of the legacy platforms, while also bringing with it new, more effective ammunition,” said Program Manager for Infantry Weapons weapons product manager Maj. Mike Brisker in a statement.
The M18 at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on April 17, 2019,(U.S. Marine Corps photo)
The Corps has been angling for a taste of the Army's new pistol since 2018 when the service's fiscal year 2019 budget request laid out plans to purchase 35,000 of the new MHS.
The M18 "provides modularity and greater shooter ergonomics over the current models which will allow for more accurate fire for military personnel of different sizes," as the Corps's budget request put it at the time,
The service ended up buying roughly 30,306 M18s that fiscal year, according to budget documents.
The Corps has been rocking the M18 since February 2019, when Sig Sauer first delivered some 5,000 of the pistols to the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps for training, demonstration, and evaluation.
Both the Navy and Air Force plan on purchasing 60,000 and 130,000 M18 pistols in the coming years, respectively, while the Army plans on buying roughly 195,000 MHS pistols — the majority of which will be M17s.
Should have went with 10 mm, and left the 9 to the others.
NATO, Schmato!
I have a nice little Kimber Micro-9. And a few various Colt 1911s, including a Delta Elite in 10 mm. It is pretty sweet, though there are some really, really stout 10 mm rounds available that aren’t recommended for it. I’d say that Sig 10 mm is about tops in terms of energy.
I just got back from the range. I love my Sig P320. Zero problems with it and it’s design is REAL easy to work on.
The article doesn’t give the caliber? Is it coming in both 9mm and 45?
Those M18’s are very nice—I just bought one. A friend of mine has the M17, great weapon.
You see a lot of .40 cal police trade-ins because departments are going back to the 9mm now that the FBI switched back. With today’s ammunition, stopping power isn’t an issue.
And then there's the N. Hollywood shootout where LEO's were up against automatic rifle fire and only had shotguns. They ran into guns stores and grabbed some AR-15's to even things up a bit and after that incident, most police agencies started keeping an AR or similar semi-auto rifle in their squad cars.
Live and learn.
Where did this “M45A1” come from?
My Beauty
is a
Ruger Match Champion,
it makes up for
What I lack,,,
.
to get on the paper
That is.
It’s 9mm.
It impossible to
Improve Perfection!
But it can be equalled.
I know a Colonel whose
Cousin hangs out in a bar,,,
long storie short,
.
Couldn’t spell 1911.
“With today’s ammunition, stopping power isn’t an issue.”
I take issue with your non-issue. A 9mm (or .380 Magnum as some of us like to refer to it) MUST expand to be effective. A .45 is already a .45 so any expansion is nice but not absolutely necessary.
I hate the takedown lever. It requires force. I have to use an improvised tool - the magazine buttplate - to *force* it into the takedown position.
.357 is more than foreplay.
No it is not 45 cal.
But it is flat shooting and lethal at long range.
I’ve toyed with buying new handgun. Have about talked myself into the 357 mag.
I am not excited about a .380
I just want some
Range Time,,,
.
With a
Happy Ending.
In the Miami shootout, most of the shooters were within 8 feet of each other, IIRC.
Evidently the feds were lousy shots.
.380 is closer
To a mouse gun
So what is the Point.
.
This is supposed to be
A Weapon for
American Warriors.
The way it’s going
We May need
Superior Fire Power.
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