Hello, M17. https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2017/01/22/armys-new-580-million-handgun-sig-sauer-m17/ No news yet on caliber, but safe bet's on the army sticking with 9mm. The P320's an interesting handgun, the only thing that counts as a "firearm" are the internals, so even the poly frame can be changed out.
I love the M9 (I own the almost identical Beretta 92FS) but this is a way overdue change. Polymer framed, striker-fired handguns are well-proven and have been the norm for a couple of decades now, and the Army is catching up. As the military is required to use fully jacketed ammunition (i.e., no soft or hollow points), I question whether 9mm is really the optimal choice from a performance standpoint. But the economics, logistics, and politics probably make a caliber change a non-starter. I'd love to own a Sig P320, but, alas, California...
It would be nice if the army adopted the .357 sig, it would mean ammo would be much easier to get and would never be discontinued. One can dream. The 9mm is alright for performance, but no semi-auto pistol round is going to get close to a rifle in terms of power or performance.
ISTR reading somewhere that caliber was one of the contenders, but 9mm was adopted for NATO compatibility. And, yes, for the average soldier a rifle or carbine is their primary weapon. If they're issued a handgun at all, it's to be used as a weapon of last resort.
I suppose it's too much to hope that all those M9s will be surplused out and sold to the general public.
You can get a 92fs for around $600 new now, and you can change the flat head grip screws for the hex head grip screws for ~$10 and you'll have a pistol that'll last you longer, that said, I'd love to see the market flood with cheap magazines. The A3 magazines hold 17 rounds.
I understand there's a 'G' conversion kit for the 92FS now (so it can be turned from safety/de-cock to decocker only)...I might be interested in doing that conversion. I've come around to thinking that unless you're carrying a 1911 cocked-and-locked, there's not much need for a manual safety on a handgun.
That's good. Quality control wasn't very good when they first started making those clones 30-something years ago. They'd literally fall apart during use (happened to the one my cousin bought in 1986).
