Army looking for more powerful handgun

[Rojo27]

Story been out couple weeks about Army looking to dump the Beretta and more specifically the 9mm but hadn't seen it discussed here yet.

Early front runners are .40 & .45

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/07/12/army-to-replace-mm-pistol-with-more-reliable-gun-packing-better-knock-down/

[The_Shadow]

Yes its been talked about for a while now, the Marines want the 1911 45ACP, however it is slow and lacks power and round count for the package...the 40S&W is another choice but the accelerated wear and tear of the smaller guns is a problem.

This why the 10mm would be better suited to their needs...But (poly ticks) meaning Many Blood sucking idiots will push the same bull shit 9mm this and 1911 that and 45 ancient rounds all over again rather than look at the ballistic potential 10mm brings to the shooting platform. 

Manufactures would need to bring their best guns designs up to the task of delivering the true 10mm performance and round count capacity, ballistics maybe not as hot as Underwood's ammo, but close.

Then they would need real 10mm designed projectiles, not the thin in the skin 40 stuff to offer a fair contest.

They would be better served by using a quality 10mm brass with small pistol primer pocket and they will probably require a crimped in primer for harsh use.

We should be so lucky, that they actually would consider our favorite cartridge for suiting their demanding needs! 

[chucky2]

Five seven.  Good enough for secret service, can be used by those in vehicles as a PDW, special ops folks needing silenced already have their own pick of what they need anyways.

Edit:  But it would be awesome if they picked 10mm, even watered down.

[fanninland]

Would the .357sig have any merit?  I went shootng with a Secret Service agent last week (friend of a friend here on vacation) and he said his issued carry is a .357sig.

Btw me & my buddy had probably 8 different handguns in 6 different calibers and the SS guy kept going back to my G20 - he really liked it.

[sstewart]

Would the .357sig have any merit?  I went shootng with a Secret Service agent last week (friend of a friend here on vacation) and he said his issued carry is a .357sig.

Btw me & my buddy had probably 8 different handguns in 6 different calibers and the SS guy kept going back to my G20 - he really liked it.

I'm kind of guessing because his duty weapon was a Glock

[fanninland]

Actually he said they were issued Sigs.

[ctious]

Ss use 357sig in sigs.   

[P33v3]

They'll get a.45 ACP I think.

[Spkrdctr]

From what I'm reading in military pubs etc, there is a heavy bias towards 40 cal. The problem is that it has been proven many times that the issue is expanding ammo, not the caliber. Once you go to fmj ammo it doesn't matter if it is 9, 10 or 45 it all becomes lousy. Heck, even in expanding ammo it is hard to see a diffference in the 9/45/40 at all. They should stick with the 9mm and educate the soldiers that the problem is that it is a PISTOL and not a rifle. For example the 5.7 with 20 rds per mag is just as good as anything else. Being tied to non-expanding ammo is the miltary's problem......

[chucky2]

That's why I think it could be 5.7.  You've got a pistol round that made it through SS criteria, and you've got a P90 that can fit in vehicles just fine - got to think there are AR's that have been done in 5.7 as well (never researched that).  Only thing I'm not sure of is with non-expanding ammo (something you know the SS wouldn't have a problem using), how does the 5.7 stack up to existing 9mm?

[Rojo27]

As a previous poster correctly points out, soft and or hollow point projectiles increase terminal performance of all the typical handgun calibers in self defense situations when faced with 2 legged combatant. 

However, for a number of reasons; I believe military fully adopting expanding handgun projectiles isn't even remotely realistic.  Not saying I agree with the rationale.  Simply saying there isn't the slightest chance it'll happen in my opinion. 

[P33v3]

As a previous poster correctly points out, soft and or hollow point projectiles increase terminal performance of all the typical handgun calibers in self defense situations when faced with 2 legged combatant. 

However, for a number of reasons; I believe military fully adopting expanding handgun projectiles isn't even remotely realistic.  Not saying I agree with the rationale.  Simply saying there isn't the slightest chance it'll happen in my opinion.

Yep, it will be a 45. I know there are lots of .40 S&W fans out there but, given the wear the round puts on the firearms it is chambered for I don't see it passing the Army torture tests.

[mag360]

why don't they just switch to 45acp 200gr Keith hardcast and call it good. nice fat wound channel and won't have to mess with all kinds of stupid army testing/expenditures/programs. oh thats right, the army is trying to "go green" so I'm sure they will spend all sorts of absurd money designing a seldomly used handgun round that is copper based and FMJ "round nose" profile.

[redbaron007]

why don't they just switch to 45acp 200gr Keith hardcast and call it good. nice fat wound channel and won't have to mess with all kinds of stupid army testing/expenditures/programs. oh thats right, the army is trying to "go green" so I'm sure they will spend all sorts of absurd money designing a seldomly used handgun round that is copper based and FMJ "round nose" profile.

It makes sense....that's why they can't go that route....you're right, they are going to spend $$$ to research a caliber and bullet that does no damage to the environment and will provide medical assistance to the infected recipient so they can be politically correct!    

[Yardbird]

Common sense stick with 9mm and give them good hollow point ammo, but Libs in Pentagon and D.C. would go ape s^&% over this.
10mm , really???  FBI couldn't handle it.
FN has their new 45acp, to big for 1/2 the troops?

Here's the scary thought, (I deal with US Navy both retired & active duty) and MANY have not fired small arms since boot camp, doubt they could hit a target with a22lr.

Conclusion, more gross waste of tax payer $$$ and nothing to help our Armed Services