#BERETTA 9MM PISTOLS UPGRADE#

Some users consider the round too weak with insufficient stopping power.

Some criticism of the M9 has stemmed not from the gun but the 9mm ammunition. Secret Service.įN was able to propose the Five-Seven because the MHS program is structured as an “open-caliber competition” in which companies can each pitch two handguns chambered for different ammunition. General Dynamics has partnered with Smith & Wesson in the proposal.īelgian company Fabrique Nationale was expected to offer its FN Five-Seven, which fires a powerful 5.7 mm high-velocity bottlenecked cartridge similar to a miniature rifle round.

law enforcement agencies is also in the running. Smith & Wesson’s Military and Police (M&P) pistol that has become popular with U.S. Other hopefuls include the Sig Sauer, Glock, Walther, Heckler and Koch, STI-Detonics and KRISS USA. Many of the premier small arms manufacturers have publicly acknowledged their intent to compete for MHS, including incumbent Berretta, which chose to enter its new APX striker-fired pistol instead of an improved M9A3. A stoppage is a misfire that does not harm the workings of the weapon and can be cleared in the field while a failure renders the weapon unusable.īecause source selection is ongoing, the Army would not disclose which companies or how many vendors submitted bids. The Army also is looking for the pistol to fire 2,500 rounds on average between stoppages and 10,000 rounds between failures. The replacement pistol must fire at least 25,000 rounds, but the objective lifecycle requirement is 35,000 rounds. More recently, SOCOM has transitioned almost entirely to the Glock 17 9mm polymer-frame pistol, the Special Forces soldier said.Īn M9’s useful service life is about 17,000 rounds, but the Army requires them to fire only 5,000 times. Special Operations personnel, which have more leeway in which firearms they carry into combat, have all but dropped the M9, opting instead for the Sig Sauer. The open-slide design makes the M9 susceptible to blockage and failure, especially in sandy environments. Many of the weapons have been in nearly continual use since their introduction 30 years ago, which has worn them out structurally.

#BERETTA 9MM PISTOLS UPGRADE#

The Joint Combat Pistol competition in 2005 failed to produce a suitable upgrade to the M9 and was canceled a year later.Ī former Army Special Forces captain said the M9 has serious reliability issues, particularly with the barrels, frames and locking blocks. The Army has tried and failed to replace the sidearm with a handgun that improves on the accuracy, ergonomics, reliability and lethality of the Beretta. The Marine Corps also uses the pistol, though some units have returned to the heftier Colt 1911-A1.45 cal handgun that was introduced prior to World War I. Soldiers have complained of the reliability of the M9, which is also the standard sidearm of the Air Force and Navy. The program also will replace the more concealable M11 pistol made by Sig Sauer. Vendors were asked to submit full-size and compact versions of pistols that satisfy Army requirements that improve upon the design and performance of the M9. Army is currently evaluating the proposals and plans to award up to three contracts later this calendar year and then down-select a single vendor for production and delivery of the MHS,” and Army spokesman told Defense Daily.Ī formal request for proposals for an MHS was issued in August 2015. 1st Class William Slayden, an adviser with the 10th Mountain Division, fires his M9 Beretta pistol downrange at Khair Kot Garrison, Paktika province, Afghanistan, June 6, 2013

Beretta 9mm pistols