[Batrachian]

"The Marines want to buy 1,100 new .45 caliber pistols and are having a competition to determine which of several models available will get the $1.9 million contract."

I don't mean to be a cheapskate or anything, but this means that the Marines are paying $1,727.27 per pistol, although I suppose the administrative costs of the procurement may have been included. Even so, this is the price of a topnotch custom pistol from makers like Wilson and Les Baer. In WWII and before, I'll bet the gov't was paying something like $35 per pistol, at most.

Personally, I'd rather get rid of that lousy popgun M16 and give back to our troops a real rifle, like an updated M14, with bayonets. Then we wouldn't hear any talk about lack of stopping power.

Heck, if they want stopping power in pistols, how about .357 revolvers. Those put the .45 to shame.

[R. Scott]

Heck, if they want stopping power in pistols, how about .357 revolvers.

Nah - the 44 Mag. The round knocks down one or two bad guys, the sound takes out a few more.

[SVTCobra03]

I recommend the Kimber .45 and as for replacing the M16:

http://www.barrettrifles.com/rifles/rifles_m468.htm

[USMCVet]

I hate to light up the "defense acquisition system new guy" light, but a contract for $1.9M does NOT mean that you can get the old calculator out and divide by 1,100 pistols!

The contract would include everything from the writing of the requirements, building a detailed specification for the design, competing the different designs, selecting the winner, testing the new weapon in operational tests, logistic support packages, training, documents, etc. If we are going for a design that takes new ammo into the system, then we have to buy ammo for everybody.

That's what the $1.9 Mil is for, Big Guy...

[Tanstaafl]

FYI -
Contract values include the total with all options. The contract may have ‘option’ lines for additional lots of pistols and accessories beyond the initial lot.

[Rockpile]

"I don't mean to be a cheapskate or anything, but this means that the Marines are paying $1,727.27 per pistol, although I suppose the administrative costs of the procurement may have been included. Even so, this is the price of a topnotch custom pistol from makers like Wilson and Les Baer. In WWII and before, I'll bet the gov't was paying something like $35 per pistol, at most."

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Regarding your post 14--about 30 years back I looked up the FSN for the 45 pistol and it showed the government price as 57 dollars. I'm pretty sure this dated to 1945 as I don't believe there had been a service pistol purchase since the Big One.

It seems like the M14 price was about $98 and the M16s were around $126 IIRC.