Posted on 03/20/2018 4:41:50 PM PDT by BBell
The US Marine Corps is set to replace its M9s with 35,000 Modular Handgun System pistols, budgeting over $6 million for the procurement. Since the US army’s adoption of the XM17/18 in January 2017, there has been much speculation around if and when the other services would follow. It seems the Marine Corps will be the first.
The recently published 2019 Fiscal Year Budget Estimates Justification Book for United States Marine Corps procurement gives us some insight into the Corps small arms aims for the next couple of years. The adoption of SIG Sauer’s Modular Handgun System is one of the USMC’s major short term small arms programs.
The Corps’ 2019 Budget Estimates justified the adoption of the new pistol, stating:
The Modular Handgun System will be purchased to replace the legacy M9, M9A1, M45A1, and M007 pistols with a more affordable and efficient pistol for maintenance. The MHS also provides modularity and greater shooter ergonomics over the current models which will allow for more accurate fire for military personnel of different sizes.
From this short passage we learn that the USMC is planning on also replacing their recently acquired Glock 19M pistols, which were adopted back in November 2017 as the M007, to fulfil the Corps’ conceal carry weapon requirement. The budget justification also notes that in addition to the procurement of MHS itself, the Corps will also spend an estimated $4 million on the purchase of accessories “such as customized holster, lights, etc.” for the new sidearms. This appears to be confirmed by a sources sought RFI recently posted on FedBizOpps.gov requesting: “industry input that identifies potential sources for holster sleeve for the Modular Handgun System (MHS) (P320 Sig Sauer handgun) Compact ([XM18]) version”
This may also indicate that the Marine Corps is more interested in the compact XM18 than the full size XM17, the RFI from the Marine Corps Systems Command confirms plans “to purchase a minimum of 2,000 with a possibility of up to the maximum quantity of 40,000 MHS holster sleeves over the life of the contract.”
The Marine Corps did not responded in time for publication to our request for confirmation of the procurement but last year a spokeswoman from the Marine Corps confirmed that the Corps has been involved in all of the MHS program testing, but admitted they did not yet have a timeline for procurement. The USMC’s Budget Justification Book indicates that the purchase will be made during the 2019 fiscal year, with 35,000 pistols acquired for $6.3 million. This gives a per pistol cost of $180.
The 35,000 pistol figure confirms earlier reports of the number of pistols the USMC would purchase. It remains to be seen if the estimates of 130,000 pistols for the Air Force and 61,000 Compact M18s for the Navy will also prove to be correct. According to the budget estimates the contract for the pistols is scheduled to be awarded in Jan 2019 with the first pistols to be delivered in Feb 2019.
Sources:
Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Estimates Justification Book for the United States Marine Corps Procurement Vol.1, Feb. 2018, (source)
Modular.
You mean, arched or flat mainspring housing, right?
What caliber is this latest and greatest Europopper, .380 Long again?
American warriors should carry American arms. Other countries should know that the stuff they are using isn’t good or powerful enough for us.
End get off my lawn mode.
Change is above my pay grade ...... Then there is my opinion.
At the rate the DOD can put out the request, budget the program to just evaluate, then field test and get the new and improved widget budget approved ...... anything new is shoved onto the troops just because if it’s a success or sucks it’ll take to0 long to redo the failed effort of selecting a new and improved widget.
I’m a big fan of Sig P220’s and P226’s . I’ve broken a few P220’s by using Corbon P+P+P+P+ fodder but learned my lesson early on by pretty much trying to make the 45ACP go faster. The P226 has always been fed 147gr OSM and or 147gr Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point.
This new modular Sig should be ok ....
USMC’s best move was the “ounces is pounds” concept IMO. That said my primary weapon DESIRED would be the Hk 416 with 77gr Mk262 ammo and a secondary firearm / pistol CHOICE a Glock 19 with 147gr GDHP ammo.
We have a real need for planners to look at past and present threats and address the success and failures properly. No handgun is guaranteed to “stop the threat”. Troops should be given the tools to mitigate at least and stop the aggressors at best.
If the issued sidearm can be configured for each individual troop while using the same magazines that can be shared on the battle field then fine. Ok.
Sig is a quality choice. But not in keeping with the OIP concept the USMC tries to follow.
Well, if you say so...
I’ve broken a few P220’s by using Corbon P+P+P+P+ fodder but learned my lesson early on by pretty much trying to make the 45ACP go faster.
I never saw any benefit in pushing things too hard. An '06 is not a .300 mag, a .45 Colt is not a .44 mag and reliability and accuracy falls off.
...and a secondary firearm / pistol CHOICE a Glock 19 with 147gr GDHP ammo.
I'm getting used to the idea of the 9mm, but I still don't like the idea of the Glock.
Still, glad you don't reject this concept out of hand. I want these men to have good tools when they are "down range" as it were.
I love my Sigs. But, the are all DA/SA action.
<<>>
Yes. I want to see the hammer.
Oh, what is OIP?
Ounces is Pounds OIP is a goal to reduce the weight of everything carried into combat. Think of ultralite backpacker goes to war sort of thang.
We can’t buy these in California. The Sig 320 is not on the California DOJ approved list of firearms.
I hate this putrid commie state.
Right. I’ve had many a conversation about trannies...usually dropping them, or replacing them, as you say.
But then I used to think gay meant happy, not sad, confused, hate-filled and diseased.
I might possibly own a few pistols. I’ve tried many including Berettas, Glocks and Sigs. I’ve never found one that was as ergonomic, accurate and reliable as my CZ-75. I’ve never had a single FTE or FTF and I’ve put well over 1,000 rounds through it. The CZ-2075 rami is my concealed carry. Admittedly, the rami is a bit wider than some other concealed carry sidearms I’ve seen. It is very accurate and reliable though.
The various CZ models and their copies have a reputation for feeling right in the hands.
Nothing fits my hand better than the Hi-Power.
Okay...two things,
My coffee is dripping off the table
And the dog is cowering in the corner.
But I can be considered Armed
With That Photo!
You are right, not fair to expose the poor pooch to such a thing.
Unless it is such a place as for him to be able to relieve himself on it!
“And every Sig i get my hands on is blocky and heavier than it should be.”
Have you tried the 320? I think its ergonomics are the best of the lot as far as Sigs go. I always though the M9 was blocky and bigger than it needed to be.
No matter. No one has learned from the Beretta 92 debacle.....It’s all Euro-crap....
Please give me one of John M Browning’s finest....105 years old and going strong..
The Marine’s issue these to their SOG (Raider/Force Recon/Recon) units......other services fight over getting USMC 1911 pistols......they know what to use when the chips are down....
All my HnK’s have over 5,000 rounds through them — zero hiccups. Extremely well made handguns!
I'm not a big Sig fan, have friends who are. Fired a few, agree they're blocky and heavy - have you noticed how little recoil they have?
That's because they're heavier than most other weapons. I get more recoil from my HnK's than I do any Sig I've fired. I love my HnK's though.
$112.50 tops. That’s my best and final offer!
ya, but I just picked up my Sig P320 RX in Aug.
My Sig P220 Carry SAO has 5k rds thru it, and only a bad batch of ammo has blemished its record.
Same ammo FTE’d in my Glock 36.
I'm heavily biased towards my HnK's maybe because I've owned them so long, have great muscle memory in my arthritic fingers for them and the safety is easy for my thumb to turn off.
It sucks getting older with this arthritis. Adapting to different weapons is really difficult sometimes.
See the photo of the SEAL above ...
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