New M9 being offered to the Army

[notmetoo 41]

Beretta is offering this as an engineering change to their existing contract, not as an entrant in the Modular Handgun System (MHS) competition the Army just announced. Some nice changes, nothing earth-shaking though. Still want an Inox, but may need to get one of these once they offer them to the public.

 

 

Beretta USA Presents Next Generation Handgun to the Department of Defense

[checko 180]

A thinner grip sounds nice

[DSD1026 48]

to me, the fatter grip is what makes it so much more comfortable.. 

 

sounds like a mix of a 92A1 and a Vertec (with a different color)

[diamondd817 827]

Yeah, they re-introduced the Vertec with a new color...meh....nothing to see here...

[Candyman87 10]

I like... gotta get my hands on that grip to see though. My girly hands can't get around a full size 92FS or M9A1 comfortably for one-handed operation.

[Vlad G 345]

"offered" .. LOL.

 

Hey I hear you are shopping for a different car, for our loyal customers ONLY we have this deal on a brand new version of your current car. No need for you to shop for another car!

[gski1 3]

Spot on Vlad. That about sums it up

[notmetoo 41]

Spot on Vlad. That about sums it up

 

Actually, no. This isn't being offered as part of the Army's "shopping" for a new handgun. It's more like "We have a new version of the car you're currently leasing and can offer it to you for no change to your existing lease."

To quote the article, "They are being submitted via an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) in accordance with the terms of the current M9 contract."

The M9A3 isn't a competitor for the MHS (at least, not yet. And I don't see it fitting the requirements the Army has put forward anyway).

[Vlad G 345]

Yeah right and the timing is complete accidental. Sorry I'm not buying that. Beretta would have no driving motivator to change a single screw thread pattern on the gun as long as the Army didn't express interest into something new. Oh yeah, and make it cheaper at the same time.

[Scrap 4]

I also have a slight crush on the Beretta 92, always looked very sleek and Italian-sexy-smooth to me... I personally love the Inox.  If the straight up 92F/FS etc came in Inox and also in .40 cal, I would own one.  (i don't care for the rail on the sleek 92 myself but understand the military need)

 

 

However, this new one is awesome,  I think it looks great, I would totally rock this!

[diamondd817 827]

... I personally love the Inox.  If the straight up 92F/FS etc came in Inox and also in .40 cal, I would own one.

Like this one?

 

[DSD1026 48]

LOL..  Minor Details..  

[Scrap 4]

Hey I obviously wasn't aware they were out, when I moved to FL in April I looked at Beretta's website and the only .40 I saw was black, could you link me to that?  Also it had a rail , which while I am not anti-rail I am not interested per se in a railed Beretta, I would be purchasing it for the looks not the functionality and I like the looks of the conventional design.  I only saw the 96 A1 in black.

 

It's very nice, how much did that run you?

[diamondd817 827]

Hey I obviously wasn't aware they were out, when I moved to FL in April I looked at Beretta's website and the only .40 I saw was black, could you link me to that?  Also it had a rail , which while I am not anti-rail I am not interested per se in a railed Beretta, I would be purchasing it for the looks not the functionality and I like the looks of the conventional design.  I only saw the 96 A1 in black.

 

It's very nice, how much did that run you?

They don't make the 96FS anymore, the only .40 available in the 92 platform now is just what you saw, the 96A1. Beretta seems to be moving away from the .40 round, they never released the .40 Nano either. 1 good thing that they are doing now is selling the straight dust cover frames again for the 92FS, which most people find more appealing. The slanted dust covers were made to handle the extra recoil of the .40 round, now they are gone, so is the slanted dust cover. The new Inox 92FS is a M9 (straight dust cover) frame that has been Inoxed(?).

 

You could pick up a real nice used 96FS Inox pistols if you shop around. Usually around $500-$600 used.

[High Exposure 5,665]

Lipstick on a pig:

 

Still has that stupid slide mounted safety, exposed hammer, and DA/SA trigger, and I bet that damned locking block is still in there.

 

Sorry, Beretta, but there are better solutions out there. The M9/92 type may be a hell of a shooter, but it leaves a lot to be desired as a general issue combat pistol when compared to other available offerings.

 

Hey, I have a good idea - Let's take the hardest weapon type to shoot (handgun) in its most complicated configuration (DA/SA with a decocker/safety) and issue it to the troops with the least amount of training time/opportunity in the army

 

IMO - The Army should not be dumping money into a tertiary weapon system that typically aren't even issued to those that need it most and is responsible for <0.01% of Enemy KIA.

 

Let those who truly require a sidearm choose what they want by unit. Don't force a polished turd on them.

 

I would strongly prefer to see the issue of an M4 type PDW to troops that don't need a full size rifle by location or MOS.

[Vlad G 345]

I would strongly prefer to see the issue of an M4 type PDW to troops that don't need a full size rifle by location or MOS.

 

My guess is it wouldn't be carried due to size. Think of all the doctors, officer staff, etc, they are not going to lug a PDW around, specially away from direct combat zones, but a light plastic hi-cap gun they might.

 

The real problem is not the gun, it is the ammo, but it unlikely that problem will get fixed.

[High Exposure 5,665]

My guess is it wouldn't be carried due to size. Think of all the doctors, officer staff, etc, they are not going to lug a PDW around, specially away from direct combat zones, but a light plastic hi-cap gun they might.

 

The real problem is not the gun, it is the ammo, but it unlikely that problem will get fixed.

Too bad. They are in the Army. Tell them to carry/ have within arms reach the PDW whenever possible or stand tall before the man. (I understand some jobs will prevent this at some times - ie: a DR in an OR)

 

It's easier/faster/cheaper to teach someone to be proficient with a PDW than a pistol and the PDW will be more effective at pistol ranges. Ammo and mags are now the same across the board, easing supply issues. Win win

 

The pistol has largely become nothing more than a badge of office for many.

[Vlad G 345]

Oh, I'm not disagreeing with the physics of it, I'm just guessing there will be a lot of people with lots of stars on they shoulders saying they don't want to be issue that "crap".

[rauchman 3]

I REALLY like it.  It tackles a bunch of "issues" that advance the platform.

Dovetailed rear and FRONT sights

Bevelled mag well

Extended mag catch

Comes with night sights

The safety can easily be converted to a G configuration (decocker only)

Will come with optional grips that wrap around the backstrap sort of mimicking the standard 92 grip frame

 

I know a lot of people find the platform dated, but I've recently been moving back to my wife's 92FS with D spring, Elite II hammer and Beretta aluminum grips.  My biggest gripe with the platform was the trigger being heavy.  The D spring and Elite II hammer (less so), really have enhanced the trigger.  I still love my Glocks, but I like the challenge of trying to master the Beretta platform.  Also, the 92 series pistols are very accurate.

 

I'm looking forward to the M9A3.  I just got some permits a couple of weeks ago and will be holding one for this pistol.

[DevsAdvocate 112]

The problem is: it doesn't meet the MHS requirements... the biggest ones being:

 

* Loaded Chamber Indicator

* Ambidextrous Thumb Safety 

* Ambidextrous Slide Release (not sure if the M9 has that) 

* Captured Firing Pin Assembly (not sure how the M9 is)

* Captured Recoil Spring

* Grip/size/caliber interchange-ability

 

The last one is most important as the MHS is not only intent on replacing the M9, but the M11 pistol as well.  The new gun needs to go from being a full-size down to a compact or subcompact depending on who uses it.  US Army CIS, for example, might want a compact version they can carry concealed.  Tank crews, pilots, etc.  may want one for similar reasons.  Officers and MPs might continue to use full-sized variants.

 

Having the ability to change calibers is also a net benefit... the Army might not go away from 9mm now, but if it goes to a platform that can change calibers, then the logistics burden of doing so later is much less.  The M9 doesn't allow that.  Staying with that means staying with the 9mm, because any deviation from the 9mm means a whole new gun, and more procurement headaches.  But a gun which can size up to 45ACP from 9mm doesn't need to go through that headache.

[High Exposure 5,665]

This is Baretta's attempt to go around the new solicitation. Provide an updated pistol on the same current contract. If they "improve" it enough the Brass may just cancel the request for a new weapon and continue on with the M9 family.

 

Personally, I hope they don't, but I am sure that Beretta and I don't agree.

 

Oh, and Army CID already carries a compact pistol, the Sig M11.

[notmetoo 41]

Well, so much for that:

 

 

Army Rejects M9A3 Proposal, Opts for New Pistol

[High Exposure 5,665]

Well, so much for that:

 

 

 

Army Rejects M9A3 Proposal, Opts for New Pistol

I am shocked I tell you, shocked!

[Vlad G 345]

You know what I REALLY dread? The day the Army picks their new uber pea shooter of doom in .456 MaximumDeath made by the highest quality European whatnot (by which I mean lowest bidder, or highest bribery)  I'm going to have to watch every internet forum, everywhere, being swamped for a decade by a certain type of people who will do nothing but tell me that there is no better gun then their civilian version of the .456 HajjiStumper because the US military uses it.  I'll have to see remakes of every 80's cop movie, and I just hope we don't see a return of Mel Gibson's hair in Lethal Weapon. 

 

Quite seriously, I don't think I'll be able to browse the gunweb for a few years. 

[carl_g 568]

We need a lazer pistol!

[67gtonut 847]

Disappointing.....

[High Exposure 5,665]

We need a lazer pistol!

Phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

[remixer 1,645]

67GTOnut whats with the Signatures LOL

[Rob0115 1,105]

Phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

Terminator?

[DevsAdvocate 112]

Disappointing.....

Why?