No ONE is fighting with a sidearm. The Army does not need a new pistol. Although I dislike greatly the M9, it will serve perfectly to ride around on the hip of a Soldier. We have been at war for 14 years. Having been deployed almost half that time; I know of NOT ONE Case of anyone using a pistol in Combat. Marines and Solders fight with Service Rifles. This is nothing more than a waste of money.
I challenge anyone to show me where the M9 has failed anytime in Combat. Special Operations units already have a new side arm. Nobody goes outside the wire without a Long Gun, unless they have a Personal Security Detachment covering them.
I thought the handguns were just for commissioned officers.
An Oct. 23, 1943, Marine Corps document titled “Report on Infantry Weapons in Combat” gave a brief synopsis of the various arms used by a Marine Raider Battalion on New Georgia Island. The section pertaining to the .45 simply stated: “U.S. Pistol, Cal. .45, M1911-M1911A1. Held up very well, but used very little.”
Not true. Sidearms are used, it is just not the preferred tool for anything other than unique circumstances.
I agree. Even as an officer, I had a rifle with me when I left the FOB in Afghanistan. I don’t think I ran into anyone in Afghanistan who had used their M-9s at all. Any use it saw was trivial compared to the rifle.