Posted on 11/29/2017 10:27:20 AM PST by Simon Green
The US Army on 28 November began fielding its first M17 Modular Handgun System (MHS) sidearms to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which is to receive about 2,000 of the pistols.
The 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, and one of the armys new security force assistance brigades will be next to receive the M17.
The long-running MHS project, intended to replace legacy 9 mm M9 Beretta pistols, was awarded on 19 January with a total USD580.217 million ceiling. The army selected the 9 mm Sig Sauer model P320 as the M17s basis. The contract also allows the government to buy Sig Sauers proposed XM1152 Full Metal Jacket and XM1153 Special Purpose ammunition and training rounds
(Excerpt) Read more at janes.com ...
There are a few workarounds, to include using the other guy's hardware against him when your own has shortcomings.
And of course there are *programs* and field tests where some pretty neat stuff gets wrung out. To date there've been in excess of 1,000 KIA in Afghanistan using the .300 Blackout cartridge in the M4 and similar platforms.
But it's so pretty!
Interesting that you add SMGs to the mix. I suspect that in combat use, the Thompson, the M3, and even the humble Reising M50 are/were more effective killers than 9mm SMGs.
The JSSAP folks were a trip - they were led by a civilian whose only claim to fame was designing the Whitney Wolverine (which lost out to the much better Ruger model 1). They had no earthly concept of combat and probably still don’t.
There is a museum at Fort Benning that has almost every example of the JSSAP’s failed ideas from the SPIW to the current XM-25.
You’d think that a country with the depth of firearms expertise and combat knowledge that we have could easily assemble a world-class team - but we always find untalented and inexperienced folks to throw our money to, every time.
It’s been going on for a long time - look at the history of the Lewis Gun!
That will surprise the folks in Exeter.
“Using the other guy’s hardware...” Is a bad idea: people in a firefight shoot at sound when they can’t exactly fix where the fire’s coming from.
The enemy stuff has a distinctive sound and firing their stuff can get you a whole lot of unwanted attention, fast.
Active Duty ping.
Many of you refer to “plastic” guns.
I know this may be tough for some of the old timers, but science is real and progress in non metallic frames have come a long way since the thirties.
I own a metal 1911 and I love it. I also own a bunch of pistols that are “plastic.” They are lighter, stronger, and they carry a bunch more cartridges.
I can just hear the current block and sig owners forty years from now suggesting that their pistols are far superior to the new fangled carbon fiber directed energy weapons.
Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range? Or maybe the 60-watt range? It shoots through schools.
Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range? Or maybe the 60-watt range? It shoots through schools.
Well, Duh! Ha ha.
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