U.S. Army Adopts SIG XM17 (P320) Pistol to Replace Beretta M9
The U.S. Army has selected variants of the SIG Sauer P320 pistol to replace the venerable M9 pistol from Beretta. The Army will purchase the new 9mm striker-fired SIG handgun, designated the XM17, in both compact and full-size versions. The Army will purchase a minimum of 280,000 handguns, with options for another 212,000. This represents a huge contract, worth $580,000,000 through budget year 2027. According to American Rifleman: “The XM17 will likely lose the ‘X’ and be made by American workers in an American factory for American soldiers.”
In adopting the new SIG XM17, the U.S. Army has chosen its first new handgun in three decades. The lengthy Modular Handgun System (MHS) selection process took two years and $17 million, with twelve different candidates vying to be chosen as the Army’s new sidearm. SIG Sauer triumphed over other major pistol-makers (including Beretta, CZ, Glock, FNH, and S&W), by best fulfilling a complex set of requirements. According to Popular Mechanics: “The bureaucracy surrounding the M17 Modular Handgun System contract was oppressive. The Army’s Final Solicitation document, which spelled out the terms of the competition, was whopping 351 pages long. Senator John McCain of Arizona described the rules as ‘byzantine.’ Then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates complained, ‘This is absurd — it’s a handgun for God’s sake’.”
The Army’s new XM17 is fully ambidextrous, with safety and slide release levers on both sides. Importantly, unlike Glock pistols, the new SIG XM17 can be taken down without pulling the trigger. In accordance with the XM17 design protocols, the new SIG features a front Picatinny rail for accessories, as well as interchangeable grip panels to fit various hand sizes. There will be threaded barrel options for use with a suppressor. The Army’s selection of the SIG Sauer XM17 was announced this past week at SHOT Show in Las Vegas.
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Tags: M17, M9, Modular Handgun System, P320, Sig Sauer, XM17
I fully appreciate the fact that polymer frames are nothing new in the world of pistols. It has occurred to me though that when the same material and injection molding process is used for making rifle stocks, maufacturers rightly call such stocks their entry level stock, constituting the lowest end of the price range. Handgun manufacturers don’t seem to acknowledge the same, though. Whether reinforced with hard points or not, this frame remains a plastic injection molded part. Obviously the contract much have called for such, but it seems like a case of paying more for receiving less.
If the rail is unreinforced polymer, that will end up being a problem. (for those who need a rail, not for most users as they will never utilize it)
and new war is comming up in the world…
Having owned & fired both polymer and all metal handguns in my 67 years , I can see very little difference between them . Both in accuracy , and stability or strength . My Glocks are just as accurate as my H&K 9mm , or my Dad’s Hi-Standard & Colt target pistols . Watch the Glock torture tests , and tell me you’d do that to your Kimber or any other “Range Queen”. . Then prove it …..
“Me thinks thou does protest to much”.
My understanding is that all of these polymer handgun frames are fairly similar to nylon. I don’t doubt that they work well enough for some specified service life, but I can’t envision an armory containing viable, decades old polymer pistols that were frequently used. Gingerly used polymer pistols might seem to defy the stereotypes of other plastics, but imagine the proposition of making say, handcuffs, out of polymer instead of steel, and offering these to policemen. There would be protests. It’s an inherently soft material.
That was wrong with the 1911?