Posted on Feb 1, 2014
Should the Military get rid of the Beretta M9 pistol and replace it with something better? If so, what pistol do you suggest?
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Lets hear your opinion on the Beretta M9? Should we scrap it and get a better weapon? If so, then what pistol should the Military look into? My suggestion would be 3 different pistols, the Glock 22(.40 Cal), The Sig Sauer P229 or the Smith & Wesson M&P .40cal. Why .40cal you ask? Because sometimes 9mm isn't enough knock down power, .45 is too big for many too handle and I feel .40 is a happy median of stopping power.
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Military police
Military police
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 68
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Keep the M9. Issue it to that 90% of the Army that are NOT fighters. <br><br>Buy a quantity of whatever exotic 1911 or XP or Glock or whatever cool toy the fighters like best, and issue it to THEM. The Infantry and SOF folks.<br><br>Why the Army thinks everybody needs the latest / greatest is beyond me. You work in the motor pool or in a commo shop? Great. Here's your M9. MP? Here's your M9 and an M16A2. Grunt? Here's your new SCAR and Kimber. <br><br>Now go kill something with 'em.<br><br><br>
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LTC John Czarnecki
I takes deciding to no longer work for OERs, but rather for mission completion. You get pretty jaded and cynical after 32 years, but you also start making observations that don't always conform to the PC group-think norms of the day.
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SSgt (Join to see)
as a former MP, sir, i would have preferred to not have a hammer as my sidearm. i HATED those things. no balance. when i became a civilian police officer, we had S&W M&Ps. I agree that those who do not need to carry a sidearm daily can continue to be issued an M9 when SHtF (cuz they'd, most likely, have to run to the armory to get it anyways). However, anyone that is req'd by their position to have a sidearm daily should have one that is functional as a firearm, not as a blunt weapon.
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None of the above. We need to go strictly to knife hands. Completely silent and deadly precision.
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I think in this discussion we should look at the philosophy of use. Who is using this weapon and why? I think weight, reliability, and durability are the key determining factors. The M9 is far too heavy, it is bulky, and it fails. It is not a go to war gun in my opinion. I love the 10mm because it can pierce through car doors no problem and it has over 10,000 ft lbs of pressure behind it and can kill a bear but the recoil might be a bit too much. Call me crazy but I am a Glock supporter and I will bang that drum any day. My top three would be the G21SF, the G17, and the Sig P226. Glocks are cheaper than just about every high quality handgun out there, are incredibly simple to maintain, they are far more durable, far lighter, and rarely have I ever seen one fail to feed or fail to fire. The G21SF brings a full sized .45 but with reduced back straps making it a touch smaller. It also has a tac rail on the bottom for accessories like lights and lasers for our SOF guys. At a 13+1 capacity for a .45 you're getting a fair amount of power. Don't like the .45? The G17 is a full sized 9mm with a 17+1 capacity with the options of adding a plus two base plate making a 19+1 and a 33 round mag (which I think is stupid but it is an option). It is just 1.18 inches thick and weighs only 32 ounces fully loaded whereas the Beretta weighs in at 33 ounces empty. Side note: SSG I hate the .40! It can't figure out if wants to be a 9mm or a .45. It doesn't have the capacity of a 9mm and can't hit like a .45.
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SPC (Join to see)
You're absolutely right SGT, I'm just throwing out the ILS in regards to your green, amber, red and black comment. I don't have an answer for your steel cage scenario. I would just hope that all the training and discipline we have wouldn't go to waste in moment like that. Great points overall!
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PFC(P) (Join to see)
PFC Mullins, I think that capacity is important, but a Glock cannot deliver the same power as other pistols with better capacity. The FN Five-SeveN has 20+1 capacity and armor piercing rounds. I think it's a much better fit.
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SPC (Join to see)
PFC you're absolutely right about the FN and I thought about including it in my list but there some problems. Even if the Army got a contract with FN it would still be fairly expensive to purchase ammo when we already have mass quantities of 9mm and some .45. It is also a $1,000 dollar handgun which is twice as much as any Glock. With a military that is trying to reduce spending to adhere to budget cuts implementing an expensive firearm with expensive ammo that we don't have already isn't financially feasible. The FN would be ideal and in a perfect world I say you're right but with current climate monetarily it can't work.
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LTC Paul Labrador
The M11 actually beat it in head to head performance. M9 however was cheaper overall.
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